[Closed] Life is hard living on £120k a year.

geetee1972 - Member

My supposition is that there is no such thing as a mickey mouse degree, only mickey mouse people.

There genuinely is a Disney University 😆

3. I'm glad I didn't do a Mickey Mouse degree

BA (Hons) Education (with QTS) from Durham.

I met lots of people at uni who went on to be high flyers in finance. Many of them were arseholes and it was no surprise when everything went tits up.

Meanwhile, I'm earning less than a third of what the chap in the Telegraph earns.

LOLz Mike! Anyone who's been to university (esp our alma mater) is middle class, irrespective of where they came from.

Oh, I totally am. Just not by the standards expressed on this thread or in the Telegraph.

(I don't count you as one of the uni arseholes, by the way.)

Whats a MBA? I thought people just bought those off the internet?

I don't think you can buy them. You can rent them for a bit but it's nothing like as rewarding as doing the real thing that stretches you every which way you can think intellectually and leaves you feeling that you finally understand something about the world of business. It's pretty enlightening and not something that anyone can ever take away from you. Much like any degree one might do, even the so called mickey mouse ones.....

[i]These threads (and articles like the one in the OP) usually make me think:
1. I'm not middle class;
2. I'm glad I'm not middle class.

and

3. I'm glad I didn't do a Mickey Mouse degree[/i]

I've not even got a degree. Degrees are the elite symbol of the Bourgeoisie ruling class.

Meanwhile, I'm earning less than a third of what the chap in the Telegraph earns.

But are you happy and do you enjoy your work? Because if you do then as long as you can make ends meet (and there are lots of people who struggle to do that) you've acheived more than most.

you can think intellectually and leaves you feeling that you finally understand something about the world of business. I

So the fact that I'm a national and global SME in my field of business yet have only 5 gcse's to my name must means that I've tricked my way to the position does it? How did I get here without the degree I wonder eh?

There really is some utter bullshit in this thread, a new high/low even for stw...

I have a mickey mouse phd about flowers.

**** me Kryton where did you get the idea that I had suggested that from?

I've not even got a degree. Degrees are the elite symbol of the Bourgeoisie ruling class.

*whispers*
I've got a postgrad degree too, but it's from a former poly.
*whispers*

Ok apologies it was a bit strong.

There some implications in this thread which appear to be from the strangely deluded e.g.

A) you need a degree to be successful
B) you need to be from a private schooling back ground to earn more money than those that didn't
C) that being squeezed financially is somehow not relative

Odd.

But are you happy and do you enjoy your work? Because if you do then as long as you can make ends meet (and there are lots of people who struggle to do that) you've acheived more than most.

Happier than if I was a financial compliance officer, I'm sure. Doing something I want to do for another 32 year? No.

We just about make ends meet, because we've sensible decisions. We're not paying school fees and we certainly don't ship at Ocado...

I met lots of people at uni who went on to be high flyers in finance. Many of them were arseholes and it was no surprise when everything went tits up.

Likewise. And I ensured I avoided them and their braying friends at all costs.

we certainly don't ship at Ocado...

You should, you might save some money.

A) I have 3 and am not much if a success.
B) You obviously dont need to but it certainly greatly improves your chances.
C) You've lost me.

[i]*whispers*
I've got a postgrad degree too, but it's from a former poly.
*whispers*[/i]

Saved. I went to poly. We played cards and got taught by people who used to work in industry. They had cool stories about machines and engines and foreign ladies. That's an education.

Ok apologies it was a bit strong.

There some implications in this thread which appear to be from the strangely deluded e.g.

A) you need a degree to be successful
B) you need to be from a private schooling back ground to earn more money than those that didn't
C) that being squeezed financially is somehow not relative

Odd.

OK so we violently agree then. 😀 These were the exact same points I was making.

we certainly don't ship at Ocado...

You should, you might save some money.

Compared to Morrisons (with a 5% (sometimes 10%) discount card) or Aldi? I doubt it.

Meanwhile, back in the real world, 1.4 million people in the UK are on zero hour contracts whilst another million are self employed out of desperation:

http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/may/06/zero-hour-jobseekers-employee-rights-poverty-contracts

http://www.theguardian.com/society/2014/may/06/self-employment-uk-job-figures-analysis

It has nothing to do with discount cards mike, but salesman ship / marketing techniques that convince you to spend, and the fuel / wear tear on the vehicle savings also. Perhaps it's not applicable to the uber disciplined with an Aldi next door...

TBH this chap in the article is practically living in the third world - they don't even have a Booths in Surrey. Am thinking about having a whip round and sending down a food parcel.

I mean, imagine having to slum it on Waitrose/Ocado food? Makes one shudder.

Imagine having to eat the cheap shit that goes into some cheap food.

Makes me shudder.

Only the Grauniad could spin a story about people moving into self employment as being a negative thing. Oh you're self employed, poor you. Things must be dreadful.

It has nothing to do with discount cards mike, but salesman ship / marketing techniques that convince you to spend, and the fuel / wear tear on the vehicle savings also. Perhaps it's not applicable to the uber disciplined with an Aldi next door...

The marketing techniques used in store will be replicated online, and if you'd seen our car you'd know that wear and tear wasn't an issue 🙂

Just checked two prices at MySupermarket.co.uk (cucumber and peppers) and Aldi is 40-50% cheaper than Ocado.

Yeah, everyone becomes self-employed because they reckon they're the next bill gates!

Not because it's the only option available, along with zero hours contracts, to get into something remotely resembling employment amongst employers who have found a way to wash their hands of all responsibilities, and a government just wanting to keep the figures down.

Some people here are so completely detached from life as experienced by a lot of people.... In the north.... On council estates... In that mythical, unreported, unacknowledged land below the 'squeezed middle' (120k PA), you might as well be Ian Duncan Smith!

It's truly staggering!

Just a thought for all, the global median salary is less than £1k per annum. There are 200m children affected by malnutrition in the world, 90% of which are located in the Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia.

In the UK, the top 1% pay more than 25% of the total income tax to treasury. so contribution from the rich is vital to maintain the whole country's way of life. So when people moan about others struggling on 120k, they are struggling because of the tax burden to maintain a certain standard of living now expected of a nation such as the UK.

So, we should thank our lucky stars we live in a country where poverty is till the exception rather than the norm. There are large parts of the world where this is the norm and not the exception. This is achieved by creating an economy which relies on taxation and wealth creation.

Absolute bobbins. The majority of tax comes from the real middle income earners, £20,000 to £50,000

I have two degrees and earn bugger all by most peoples' standards. However I like my job and don't work that much most of the time TBH. What does that prove?

Not read the article, CBA - this thread is further evidence of just how wrong LHS is about absolutely everything.

[img] [/img]

I'd like to see that mapped against their increase in wealth during the so called recovery? The stats I saw said that in the US the top 5% had enjoyed 80 -90% of the economic benefits of the 'recovery'

I'd say the story isn't too different here. If they're paying more, they're earning* more. Simple as that! They're certainly not being taxed proportionately more

* the word 'earn' is used figuratively in this instance, and may rely on no more than the value of their properties increasing, that they bought with their inherited unearned wealth

mashiehood - Member

In the UK, the top 1% pay more than 25% of the total income tax to treasury. so contribution from the rich is vital to maintain the whole country's way of life

By and large, the top 1% are doing it off the labours of the other 99%. So a redistribution of wealth downwards away from the capital to the labour- ie, away from the hoarders of wealth towards the creators of wealth- doesn't make that tax abruptly vanish, it just means that someone else pays it

(albeit at a lower rate, so there is a fall in income taxes, but not a total loss)

I love the idea of dressing up as some type of public-spirited philanthropy the fact that your hiding less of your wealth in tax havens, because Gideon has helpfully slashed what you have to pay. You really couldn't make it up

Any shift in tax payments at the top is entirely due to them having to declare a little bit more of it as they buy up large swathes of London and the British economy. But it links handily back to the OP. We're oh so richer than youuuu. But we'll still have a good old whinge about everything anyway

In the UK, the top 1% pay more than 25% of the total income tax to treasury.

If they earned less and paid poorly paid workers more, the poor would pay a fairer share of taxes. I'm surprised none of the rich are suggesting this.

So all those in favour of wealth redistribution, put you hands in your pockets and start contributing to foreign aid, the things we use / consume on a daily basis come from asia, Africa so the things they produce for us to make us richer, we should donate a good portion of our wealth to them.

True, hence why I did the MBA at a good school

Me too. Complete waste of time and money. Wish I'd done art history instead.

Someone might have said this but his misses Shazza needs to get out and get a job. Perhaps a few hours a week in Asda or lidl so they can have some spare cash and afford a few luxuries like the odd night at the local workmans club or save up for a week on the costa del sol.

this has got to six pages!!

I'm guessing there's some debate then, which I really can't read as my bloood pressure wouldn't take it..

I've never met anyone who makes that kind of money, maybe never will.. It would take me and my little family about 7 years to earn 120k and we consider ourselves to be comfortable and content

There really are some messed up and deluded (and very wealthy) people about.. 🙁

miketually - Member

Just checked two prices at MySupermarket.co.uk (cucumber and peppers) and Aldi is 40-50% cheaper than Ocado.

I don't wish to argue, but seriously try it. ocado price match, and also thier web interface suggests there cheapest / sale option as you pick items. Fwiw we experimented and with a family of four we average 20% less spend by internet shopping. Fwiw Mrs K did a weekly Sainsburys online shop last night for £45 (we did have a £15 off voucher).

I've never met anyone who makes that kind of money, maybe never will..

You'd be surprised, but you probably have.

So all those in favour of wealth redistribution, put you hands in your pockets and start contributing to foreign aid, the things we use / consume on a daily basis come from asia, Africa so the things they produce for us to make us richer, we should donate a good portion of our wealth to them.

The same point i was trying to make earlier, it's easy to point the finger at others who earn more and say 'You should pay more tax and earn less'. It's less easy to handle when the suggestion is them themselves should actually pay more to others less fortunate.

You'd be surprised, but you probably have.

Ok.. I was exaggerating for effect perhaps..

I've met an occasional magistrate, and possibly a couple of medical specialists.. I don't think I would bank on meeting anyone in a social capacity

it's easy to point the finger at others who earn more and say 'You should pay more tax

Those who earn more do pay more tax.

I don't think I would bank on meeting anyone in a social capacity

Really? I'd imagine CFH spends that on shoes 🙂 and I HOPE globalti makes more than that for putting his neck on the block in Nigeria. Just to take a couple of obvious examples ...

yeah.. not likely to ever be drinking in the pubs I drink in or mixing in the circles I mix in..

Of the 350+ friends on my facebook account, the only two folk that may possibly earn anything like that are associates, friends of friends through MTBing..
No-one else on there would even be approaching half that salary

as I said.. some seriously deluded folk out there

The conclusion to this thread is that no matter how much or how little you earn, most people live to their means, then when circumstances change to affect that balance they'll feel squeezed.

Simply put, we can all either make the relative adjustments in our lives to satisfy the needs/ wages balance, or continue in the current frame hoping to maintain the lifestyle we've created for ourselves and that the pressure will reduce.

His local greengrocer could solve his money problems at a stroke. Mine is much cheaper that any supermarket I've been in.

Can't believe this is still bubbling away.

Can I ask a couple of serious questions?

1. how many of you actually do a job that's worth in market terms £120k?
2. how many of you wish you had a job earning £120k?
3. and if you haven't why not?

Like I said, £120k ain't a fortune for man of his age living in Surrey and working in the City the best part of his working life, that's a lot of commuting in rush hour on packed trains, endless corporate meetings and conference calls, a slow death by powerpoint and excel spreadsheets, and I bet his phone and email is constantly pinging KPI's until 10 at night. I think he deserves more, I bet he probably does.

£120k ain't a fortune for man of his age living in Surrey and working in the City

This.

Maybe the solution is to nuke Surrey from orbit..?

He could always sell up and become a crofter on a remote Scottish hillside. Their aren't many michelin starred restaurants, or a Waitrose, but the change of pace might make him happier

Maybe the solution is to nuke Surrey from orbit..?

I live in a nice bit of Surrey, we have council estates so quite a range of people live here still. Of course a lot of the better off want to live here and so prices are high and there's pressure to build on the green belt which will happen. I want to move away as it's so busy on the roads for cycling, currently working in Newbury and love the countryside around here.

Edit - not sure that £120k is that common here! Not rare though obviously.

I've come up with a pretty radical solution. If his kids are 16 and 17, they could always go out and get jobs?

Not one person in my organisation earns £120k.

I've come up with a pretty radical solution. If his kids are 16 and 17, they could always go out and get jobs?

And how would that help the situation?

Northwind - Member
By and large, the top 1% are doing it off the labours of the other 99%. So a redistribution of wealth downwards away from the capital to the labour- ie, away from the hoarders of wealth towards the creators of wealth- doesn't make that tax abruptly vanish, it just means that someone else pays it
(albeit at a lower rate, so there is a fall in income taxes, but not a total loss)

If the wealth was distributed more equally then the welfare bill would reduce such a tax credits, housing benefit and CTAX benefit. Also as wages at the lower end would rise more people would have incentives to work.

But no, we will keep our low wages that have to be subsidised by credit and state aid to live normal lives, while those at the top get rich on cheap labour.

And how would that help the situation?

He'd save £45k a year in school fees for starters!

1. how many of you actually do a job that's worth in market terms £120k?
2. how many of you wish you had a job earning £120k?
3. and if you haven't why not?

1. Nope
2. Nope
3. Because my lifestyle sounds massively better than his and I have nothing to moan about.

38,000 state employed workers earn over £100k a year*
545,000 privately employed workers earn over £100k a year*

*2011 stats

[i]Not one person in my organisation earns £120k.[/i]

That's a pretty meaningless statement! You could run a corner shop, or you could work for a multi national oil company. Actually, the latter is clearly unlikely.

Not one person in my organisation earns £120k.

That's a pretty meaningless statement! You could run a corner shop, or you could work for a multi national oil company. Actually, the latter is clearly unlikely.

~200 staff, highly successful, £9000000pa budget (plus extras, like a couple of million being spent on building work this year).

The guy at the top is on 70% of what the guy in the Telegraph article earns.

Not one person in my organisation earns £120k.

That's a pretty meaningless statement! You could run a corner shop, or you could work for a multi national oil company. Actually, the latter is clearly unlikely.

Technically possible if you mean earns exactly £120k, might have plenty over and plenty under....

I've come up with a pretty radical solution. If his kids are 16 and 17, they could always go out and get jobs?
And how would that help the situation?

>…erm… well Instead of expecting daddy to continue their education by paying 9 grand each a year each University tuition fees, on top of their 45 grand a year school fees. they could get a job, and become a net contributor to the household

Like I said… its pretty radical stuff. I didn't say it was easy. It might take a while for people to get their heads around it. Getting jobs when you leave school at 16. But desperate situations require pretty drastic measures

The guy at the top is on 70% of what the guy in the Telegraph article earns.

He's either a good liar or in the wrong job.

~200 staff, highly successful, £9000000pa budget (plus extras, like a couple of million being spent on building work this year).

The guy at the top is on 70% of what the guy in the Telegraph article earns.

Seems a bit low, my organisation is circa 100 people and our CEO is on over twice that. Quite a few others are around that figure.

Technically possible if you mean earns exactly £120k, might have plenty over and plenty under....

🙂

He's either a good liar or in the wrong job.

Or he's not greedy.

Or he's not greedy.

I'm not sure such CEOs exist. You need to be pretty ruthless and selfish to get to the top....

Even many large charities are run by cut throat money grabbing individuals, whose sole aim is to earn more and don't give a monkeys about the charitable cause.

Or he's not greedy

Greed has nothing to do with it. You should be paid what your job is worth. Based on that description he is well under-paid.

Plenty of people in my firm earn £120k PA or more (we employ 165,000 people globally)

Not sure i'd want the responsibility or aggravation that goes with it though.
Plenty of the high rollers in our organization live out of a suitcase week in week out, need to be contactable 24/7 and miss their kids growing up.

I guess I earn about 40% of that figure, but at least I can leave my company phone downstairs at night, and turn it off at weekends.

Greed has nothing to do with it. You should be paid what your job is worth. Based on that description he is well under-paid.

Difficult as it may be for you to grasp, not everyone bases their happiness and sense of self-worth on how much money they earn.

Maybe he earns 'enough' and is quite happy? Imagine that.

I live in Surrey, but have not had anything on a plate. I left school at just 16 with no qualifications, having wasted my time for years. I pulled myself together though and knuckled down to try and earn enough money to afford a decent life style for me and my hoped for family.

The fact is that if you live around here, have a modicom of talent, are prepared to take employment that could end in the sack for under achievement, stick with it until you are good at it and build contacts and Clients....you can earn £120k or more.

37 years on I can look back at a reasonable level of success, however I wouldn't recommend it to my kids. Far better to get a degree in Law or medicine etc and be virtually guaranteed a good lifestyle for the rest of your life.

In terms of struggling to live on £120k, there is no sympathy for this, but people do get sucked into the big house/mortgage/private school/ 4 x 4 lifestyle and therefore will find the money soon runs out.

After a week commuting into that London including the tube strike, I wouldn't do it for £120k.

Surprised myself realising that because there's loads I'd love to do but can't because we're skint.

37 years on I can look back at a reasonable level of success, however I wouldn't recommend it to my kids. Far better to get a degree in Law or medicine etc and be virtually guaranteed a good lifestyle for the rest of your life.

Friend of mine is a lawyer. Earns a decent wage but the job completely takes over his life.

After a week commuting into that London including the tube strike, I wouldn't do it for £120k.

+1

After a week commuting into that London including the tube strike, I wouldn't do it for £120k.

I've done it on and off for less money but in a job I mostly liked. Spending 3 hrs + / day commuting ain't great but after you've put up with it for a while you see the benefits - say you can have a nice house and no mortgage if you want to go that way.

37 years on I can look back at a reasonable level of success, however I wouldn't recommend it to my kids. Far better to get a degree in Law or medicine etc and be virtually guaranteed a good lifestyle for the rest of your life.

Doesnt guarantee a goood lifestyle - can be a good income, but that can be and often is the opposite of what I'd call a good lifestyle.

Interesting isn't, the last thing I want is my kids to follow me into a profession.

So this guy "deserves" no sympathy because his predicament is based solely on his choice to invest in his childrens's future?!?! Wow, imagine applying the same logic elsewhere. Make the wrong choice, tough, live with it......

…erm… well Instead of expecting daddy to continue their education by paying 9 grand each a year each University tuition fees, on top of their 45 grand a year school fees. they could get a job, and become a net contributor to the household

OK so are you recommending they leave school and not go onto Uni? The guy who earns £120k a year pays quite a lot more tax than someone who earns £25k a year. If you leave school at 16, you're not confining yourself to that kind of income, but you are limiting your chances of reaching your earning potential and consequently reducing the tax take of the Exchequer.

Did you do A-Levels? If so do you remember how much work is involved? Doing well and fitting in part time work is not easy.

I worked in bar quite a bit when I was 16-18 and doing A-Levels but the amount I earned, even doing something like 15 hours a week, wouldn't have made much of a contribution to school fees (had we been paying them). I also felt that my grades suffered because of how much additional work I was doing.

Really this is a bit of a nonsense argument isn't it Binners.

Spending 3 hrs + / day commuting ain't great

Unless you're doing it on a bike of course!

But no, we will keep our low wages that have to be subsidised by credit and state aid to live normal lives, while those at the top get rich on cheap labour.

It's quite ironic really when you consider the tories spent most of the 80s deconstructing the UK's industrial base on the premise that the state couldn't afford to subsidise it, and now we're in a position where the state is subsidising low-skilled service industry jobs through tax credits and benefits.