Income brackets: PERCEPTIONS of low and high?

lostinrates

wotsthat wrote: »

Not really intended to be negative. It's pertinent to the thread - two people with similar incomes but very different perceptions.

Actual income is only one factor in people's perception of income - I'd argue it's only a small part too. Generali's got it spot on - you might think earning £1m is a lot but if everyone you hang around with earn £1.5m and have a Swiss ski cottage your perception may change.

Ok. Fair enough. I do not want anyone to feel 'roughed up' in this thread so I'd ask we couch things in tactful terms.

thriftylass

lostinrates wrote: »

Thank you thrift lass.

Can you imagine having your fifty k as a single earner household? Say, you had no partner, or one of you was unable to work? Would the fifty feel like more than your combined sixty?

I was actually just thinking that. If my partner earned 50k I would stay at home because we have two kids in nursery age and and would be better off on one income of 50k versus combined income of 60k minus 2x nursery. So I guess it depends on whether you're on your own or a family plus/minus kids.

So I guess there is not an easy answer. Taking the location out of the equation and lets say I was on my own up here in Scotland, then even having 30k to myself would be amazing. Whereas 30k plus a partner on 30k and two kids in nursery is not that great anymore.

However on 20k on my own I might struggle, but with a partner on 20k and two kids might better off as you might get help like working tax credits, child tax credits etc.

lostinrates

thriftylass wrote: »

I was actually just thinking that. If my partner earned 50k I would stay at home because we have two kids in nursery age and and would be better off on one income of 50k versus combined income of 60k minus 2x nursery. So I guess it depends on whether if you're on your own or a family plus/minus kids.

So I guess there is not an easy answer. Taking the location out of the equation and lets say I was on my own up here in Scotland, then even having 30k to myself would be amazing. Whereas 30k plus a partner on 30k and two kids in nursery is not that great anymore

Kids don't stay in nursery forever.......but, I understand they eat more as they grow

lostinrates

michaels wrote: »

. Maintenance is 100 a month,?

Enjoy building your house michaels .;).

It will be hugely property dependant, but not all maintaining is cheap. Cleaning gutters is free, painting windows is up a grade, bloody gutters flying off in the wind is a pita and roof repairs in this weather.....

michaels

Generali wrote: »

I think a big part of it is that in the UK, people generally hang out with people that earn to the same level as themselves.

It struck me today: I was chatting to a pretty senior accountant who was telling me about his best mate who is a plumber. There's no way a plumber would hang out with someone who earned as little as a top accountant in Britain.

As a result it becomes reinforcing. When I lived in The Barbican the expectation of what constituted a reasonable standard of living was very different to when I lived in West Norwood. The idea of someone having a flat in the French Alps that you could borrow for a week if you fancied going skiing or cycling would have been an utterly alien concept. Completely bizarre. Even stranger would have been the idea that you'd bought a flat in the Alps and felt that you were settling for second best as you couldn't ski out, it was a 10 minute drive to the lifts.

In The Barbican it was normal. I borrowed my mate's little Alpine flat for a fortnight for some cycling. When we go to Europe this Christmas we'll hopefully borrow it again for a day or two.

PM me if this doesn't work out or you would like a base suitable for things like the Gaulibier etc.

Generali wrote: »

Really? I'd hope for something like this from my old stomping ground:

http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-43402466.html?premiumA=true

That's a decent sub-mil house IMHO.

Still a 3 bed semi....I was thinking more along these lines
http://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-42577195.html

lostinrates wrote: »

Enjoy building your house michaels .;).

It will be hugely property dependant, but not all maintaining is cheap. Cleaning gutters is free, painting windows is up a grade, bloody gutters flying off in the wind is a pita and roof repairs in this weather.....

For sure - hopefully our new roof will last 30 years, new boiler 15 years, upvc windows 20 years etc making 1200 pa repairs not unreasonable, compared with having wooden windows etc which I am sure need a lot more frequent and expensive work.

grizzly1911

lostinrates wrote: »

Kids don't stay in nursery forever.......but, I understand they eat more as they grow

The grow, consume more, need bigger things etc. then go to University which costs, or don't, which probably costs just as much. As they get older the weekly drip cost may fall but the periodic lumps sums increase.

lostinrates

grizzly1911 wrote: »

The grow, consume more, need bigger things etc. then go to University which costs, or don't, which probably costs just as much. As they get older the weekly drip cost may fall but the periodic lumps sums increase.

And even the nature of university makes comparison between generations slightly harder, but interesting still to compare with our neighbours.

I find the whole idea of parents to pay for education for over eighteens slightly awkward tbh. On the one hand if I were a parent I would want to, on the other hand I feel I benefitted from not having help then. But my debt was not significant.

But actually, even with debt, the value of education is an income too really.

The incredible value people receive from free at the point of use education to their households is a considerable annual sum, and even with student debt, the value of a university education, particularly in the way many do it while remaining non earners.

ukcarper

lostinrates wrote: »

I refuse to argue uk carper.

I note the thread is shorter than it was, so my pleas for civility is being heard. I do ask you and I both strive to maintain this.

I have apolised for my difficulty in clarity but I can do little about comprehension.


Where I feel I benefit from further development or explanation I certainly feel no shame or embarrassment in asking for it, as I have done in this thread.

I wasn't directing that comment directly at you just saying that people seem to be having trouble saying exactly what they mean and understand what others are trying to say I would include myself. I agree it is a pain when people are rude even if you disagree with someone I don't think it is necessary to be rude.

lostinrates

ukcarper wrote: »

I wasn't directing that comment directly at you just saying that people seem to be having trouble saying exactly what they mean and understand what others are trying to say I would include myself. I agree it is a pain when people are rude even if you disagree with someone I don't think it is necessary to be rude.

I agree, its not necessary to be rude.

People will misunderstand things at times, but if we are civil we can iron things out I should imagine.

[Deleted User]

lostinrates - my wife just found out what my relation has been offered as his new salary. I feel a bit ill! On the plus side, his new firm is in my sector and he's said he'll see if there's any good jobs going for me.

It's very easy to misunderstand people on these boards!