Being in low paid work in your 30's?

moneyistooshorttomention

A lot of women in my generation were still brought up pretty "traditionally" - ie in a more female-oriented type way. Others were brought up more as "people" iyswim.

That's how it is - or was at any rate. These days things are different - but I am reporting the experience of a noticeable number of women in my own generation. You are one of the ones in my generation (or thereabouts) that got brought up in a less "traditional" way obviously - lucky you! I don't dispute your experience of life and I don't expect my experience of life to be disputed either - it is what it is.

I think "positive encouragement" probably happens pretty much equally to younger generations than my own. In my generation - I didn't get "positive encouragement" and nor did I get "deliberate obstacles" thrown in my way. I am aware of a woman only a few years older that did get "deliberate obstacles" - ie both she and her brother were intelligent enough to go to university. He was encouraged to go. She was made to go and get a job.

Anyway - this is OP's thread - and not ours.

So back on topic....

happyandcontented

1irishninja wrote: »

Possibly, but with 3 small kids, more study etc is not something I am really up for, I did my Open Uni courses before we had children, I simply could not manage both, my Mrs also works evenings when I come home so we can avoid childcare costs.

I think this is a bit of a defeatist attitude. My oh did two degrees undergrad/postgrad whilst working full time and we had three kids. A niece is working part time, with three under fives and doing a teacher training course. It can be done, you just have to think it is short term pain for long term gain.

Your three kids should be the driver not the opposite.

ACG

Forget where you should be. People progress differently, as it happens myself and my close friends are all on a similat income. However the way we got there is completely different.

I went self employed - im really bad at interviews and knew I would never get anywhere being employed.
One of my mates has spent nearly 10 years at the company he is at and has a good reputation and tends to get whatever job he applies for as people know he is a good employee.
Another of my mates went through a graduate scheme and has ha one promotion in nearly 10 years but is on a goof wage.

You need to look at where you want to be an how you intend on getting there. Forget where you are now if you are not happy. It took me about 4-5 years of planning to get where I am now but every year or 2 I could see that I had made a big leap to get where I wanted.

So, where do you want to be?
What do you need to do to get there?

WorkFromHome

1irishninja wrote: »

At the moment I like my work, I like the company, I like the people I work with, pay is not great but I am happy, but as I say I just feel everyone looks down at me.

YOUR HAPPY :T well done, why change that? I am the oldest of 4 sibling and I earn the least. Growing up I always thought I should have done more, learnt more, worked more, maybe had a focus on one career instead of flying by the seat of my pants. But unfortunately I've been battling a disease which keeps me in much pain most days and the docs have fobbed me off for 15 years calling it stress, in my mind, depression and more. Now at aged 30 I might finally be seeing some light at the end of the tunnel.

All this has led me to working in a min wage job I hate just because I can't hold down a job cus of sickness and feeling like I've missed out. You know what though? All I care about is being healthy and happy, not what my family, co-workers or friends think of me (some work shy quitter). You have only one life to live for and that's your own. You can't control what others think of you so don't bother, just carry on being happy and doing what you love xxx

t0rt0ise

I think you need to work out what you actually want to do and disregard what you feel you ought to do. Some people spend all their time earning money and forget to enjoy themselves along the way.

That wouldn't suit me. I've done all sorts of things but never earned a lot. I've done all sorts of courses including a degree just for interest and feel enriched by it.

As long as you have enough to live on, then happiness is the important thing.