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What holiday costs a professionals annual take home pay???????
I know a few, lets say, very comfortably well off folks, who have recognised that the way to happiness (or perhaps "marital happiness") is to get the whole family together - and the way that offspring are lured into using their annual leave that way is by paying for it. So a holiday for one person that takes a "professional's annual take home" is suddenly not the question... but rather a holiday for 4, except if he's approaching retirement, 4 might be 6 (partner), or 6 and some kids! Might even be a granny or two still on the go... Folk I know have booked massive hunting lodges for brothers/sisters and their offspring too as part of "significant" birthday celebrations (e.g. a 60th). You can do that slightly on the cheap or go OTT and end up with a bill that would make even a private healthcare plastic surgeon consultant "smart". A superyacht (which will usually take a dozen people max) will cost you well into six figures for a week.
Interestingly spending it on a typical family holiday in the sun seems mental, but I bet there are a few people here who would consider splashing tens of thousands to take part in the Clipper race or other events like that if they could get the time off work!
I think there might be a saying "comparison is the thief of happiness" or something like that.
Some people are very money driven, some not so much. I think the key thing is are you happy? If you aren't and want to do the "trip of a lifetime" that your friend is then you may need to reconsider your work/life decisions. However, if you don't want to do the megatrip of your friend then I'd wish him well and be grateful you aren't wishing your life away (which it sounds like your friend is doing).
I've handed in my notice on the clinical side of my 2 jobs. I will miss the money and I may come to change my mind and regret my decision. Only time will tell on that front but I have kept the door open by renewing my professional registration.
A mate had a holiday which cost him a very significant chunk of a years salary (he's a senior dev in automotive).
Took his mum on a mini bucket list trip while she was still healthy.
They spent over a week on the Galapagos islands, and that sort of sets the tone for the level of the whole trip.
Think, in total, he didn't get much change from £30k. (that was in the late 90's)
And the chap that my dad started working with on his first day in the city died in his late 40s as a very rich, very unhappy, very single banker. My dad's still alive and still (relatively) enjoying himself in his late 70's. But certainly not rich.
Pics not needed, but please tell me you aren’t Winnie-the-Pooh’ing it.
Nope, would have been in the old van.
We've a dry toilet.... Funnel at the front into a piss canister and a big opening at the back. Chuck saw dust on when you're done and I built a fan into the construction that sucks the air out and blows it outside. Works well.
What holiday costs a professionals annual take home pay???????
A very quick look on Jet2 and the most expensive all-inclusive in the Med in August for a family of four for two weeks is over £40k so I'd imagine it's very easy to spend significantly more than that.
Yea, what Poly said +1, we went to Turkey for the FiL's 60th, at the time it seemed like a hugely extravagant thing to be doing, but then he got cancer a few years later 🤷♂️ so why not spend it on making the people around you happy while you can.
Or less altruistic options, 2 weeks 5* globetrotting, the clipper race if you've got a few months off, even MTB racing throws up plenty of options if you fancy a staged XC race somewhere exotic, wasn't there some adventure race in Scotland with a 5-figure entry fee?
Yup.... My mum died age 68....still had far too many unfinished plans. Five years of retirement.
Yipee.
It’s making me question myself because it’s something that I couldn’t see myself ever being able to do .
Presumably you are saying if you had the cash, you would do it? Many people will get access to a sizeable retirement lump sum - would that not provide you the opportunity to do it? Or do you really mean you can't imagine being so cash rich that you'd have nothing better to do with it - which is a different question.
Yup…. My mum died age 68
I once worked for a guy and his mum retired on a Friday – the day before his wedding day. She dropped down dead on the morning of the wedding – so not even 24 hours after she retired and even missed seeing her son get married 🙁
I recently found out that the same guy's son-in-law has just died in his 40s, leaving behind a wife and two school-age children.
If the chap is a doctor and counting the WEEKS until retirement, then I think we can assume that this figure is a LONG way away from a junior doctor's salary or even that of many professionals. I think he might also be talking about retiring MUCH earlier than many of us are.
Many people are trapped by circumstances into working more and living less. It's hard to get out of when you have both younger and older dependents.
I think they key for our job is to actually enjoy it. It makes you a better doctor, adn it makes you a better person. For most that would genuinely mean cutting down sessions...
I do 6 sessions a week. and I'm super happy. My week is front loaded (full day mon and tues) then half days thurs and fri (thouh i generally work till school pickup time). there's no way i'd be happy (at work or home) if i were working 8+ sessions a week, regardless of the extra money it gave me.
I'm fortunate I can work this way and still ahve a decent income. However, i KNOW that I could work more and earn more, but I don't want to.
It sounds like you don't want to tip that balance either.
When I first started, I also had a 'one day a week job' at the CCG... they paid me about £30k/year for that one day a week job. I literally did NOTHING... i was impotent in decisions, attened a few meetings, and had no real role or responsibility. it was just a role that "the CCG needed". I quit on the basis that some kid wasn't getting cancer treatment because of my existance, and I was missing taking my kids to school on that day... Funnily, when I met with teh senior team to tell them I was quitting, they were about to offer me a higher role... daft isn't it!
Anyway - i think the point you've realised is that, "once you've earnt enough, anything else is just shiny coins at the expense of life"...
DrP
EDIT - i think, reading my own post, it's all bout one's onw priorities. For me, seeing my kids (taking them to school, being there for pickup, putting them to bed, cooking them tea) are SOOOOO important - you literally couldn't pay me enough to miss that. I'd forgo all my toys and cars not to miss simple things with my kids. This is moreso since becoming a single parent.
@poly it's the amount of money.
I'm not sure that even if I had that much money that I'd spend it on something like that. These super luxury holidays and trips all seem a bit try hard to me?
"Yeah it’s interesting when he’s desperate to retire why he’s not putting this money towards it."
Divorce will be even more expensive!
I do 6 sessions a week. and I’m super happy.
Me too. Although I'm doing 8 sessions in February and March because there's a bit of extra money for winter pressures. 8 sessions all the time would be too much though.
I'm similar to you, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays I work all day.
I also have an arrangement with the practice where I do extra days for them in return for days in lieu, so I get quite a bit of holiday.
I could make more money. But I don't really need to.
Also like you, I'm not interested in "leadership" roles. Mainly because I don't see them as something I'd want to do.
I’m not sure that even if I had that much money that I’d spend it on something like that. These super luxury holidays and trips all seem a bit try hard to me?
I think I would - I'd rather spend money on holidays than squirrel it away. Not that I have that sort of money or have any significant chance to ever have that sort of money.
one of my Gp friends/colleagues locally is a lovely person, but she takes on litearlly EVERY ROLE going! She must work 8 clinical and 3 ish ( or more!!) clerical/PCN/CCG roles...
BOTH her kids are in private boarding schools with costs that MUST mean she needs to earn about £120,000 (pre tax) before she can even put fuel in her car, or buy chips....
Madness....
what's it all for!
DrP
in private boarding schools
Seriously, who has kids then sticks them in to a boarding school? I kind of get sending them to a private school if they can afford it, but to make them live somewhere else for the majority of their childhood is just, well, sad.
These super luxury holidays and trips all seem a bit try hard to me?
Me too, but this is how some people are wired. Demonstrating their value and success in life by shiny holidays, luxury cars, all that jazz. Better (in my opinion anyway) to be happy in yourself and comfortable in your decisions without relying on external crutches.
Yup…. My mum died age 68….still had far too many unfinished plans. Five years of retirement.
Dad retired at 69 back in May 2018, one week later he fell ill on our usual yearly family holiday at Aviemore, diagnosed with blood cancer, died 4 months later.
Seriously, who has kids then sticks them in to a boarding school?
Completely agree...
Though most of the time my kids need a good throttling... I feel it should be me delivering this 😅
DrP
be happy in yourself and comfortable in your decisions
But that happiness in yourself could mean 'I have lots of money so I will go on holidays to nice places because I enjoy it and I can afford to' as easily as it could mean 'I need to spend lots of money on holidays so people can see how successful I am'
Counting the weeks until he can retire.
This could have been clearer. He's still got a lot of weeks to go. But he's counting them all the same.
Dad retired at 69 back in May 2018, one week later he fell ill on our usual yearly family holiday at Aviemore, diagnosed with blood cancer, died 4 months later.
Condolences.... Same year as my mum.
A friend died on December 31st last year at 54 after three years of constant hospital visits with lung cancer.
It's ****ed.
The GF and I look at her friends and not many of them seem happy, if you know what I mean. They put on a brave face, but really they're not happy with their lot.
Big mortgages or rents plus a fancy motor out front. But they're stressing.
I look at my group of friends and although many don't have a lot they seem happier.
Maybe everyone is just putting on a brave face.
Can’t think of anything worse, to go on an expensive holiday and meet either like people who just drone on about how successful they are. Even worse would be a cruise - unless it was a murder cruise 😜
The people I’ve met in life who were the most money and status-obsessed were some of the dullest, most excruciatingly boring - it was like their whole raison d’etre. Places like Dubai are full of them.
Money's not important, until there isn't any.
These super luxury holidays and trips all seem a bit try hard to me?
It's all a sliding scale though isn't it? If I could, I'd easily spend £10k-£15k a year on holidays without a hint of actual luxury (acknowledging the huge privilege of being able to go skiing in February half term even if it was a basic self catering apartment). We probably do spend somewhere near the bottom end of that range across the year and I'd love to spend a little bit more for just a tiny bit nicer accommodation).
That might seem like an insane amount of money (especially to someone earning £20k PA) but it's probably not far off what many on this thread spend if they stopped to add it all up.
I just think it's a bit simplistic to say the OP is wrong to stop and consider his choices sometimes. The flip side of what a lot of people are saying above is that we only get one life, and we're not guaranteed a long retirement. I'd rather earn a decent amount and spunk it on C&H family holidays while my family wants to travel together and we are all healthy.
Ive been part of building a business for over 12 years - I started on 25k base as field sales and there's a number in front of that now + Divs
I had an animal work-life balance 60+ hr weeks (I went back to work the day after my only child was born). What a Pratt !
Work was definitely a contributory reason why my relationship broke down - but as a council estate kid with no GCSEs and some time spent at HMP before I was 18, I held on bloody tight to this and outworked everyone.
Im struggling a bit now to be fair, with health, stress and in general Work has become my life - My identity and Ive lost myself a bit - and im not sure i like it
Don't get me wrong, I am a great dad and share custody of my boy and am there for everything he does - But I am often working around him .. and that's not good - every holiday, I take calls, and my laptop comes with me - Its sort of like I can't switch off now.
If I have free time I don't really know what to do with it - don't even ride that much anymore
Dont know where the ramble is going - but we have a likely 5-year timeline left by then I will be 50 and if I stick it out me the lad will be set up for life.
These last 5 years won't be as fun as the climb
It has taken its toll, and I'm not sure if I'm controlling it or it's me .
Im grateful for where i am and what i have but im not as happy as i should be
I think you are winning OP. Can’t go far wrong if you enjoy what you do and are comfortable. It’s all relative of course and many people in the world dream of minimum wage job opportunities.
My old man always used to say “there will always be those better and worse off than you.”
As mentioned above I feel sorry for those that have tied millstones around their neck with large car loans etc.
I’ve been lucky enough to get some good pay rises over the last few years. I’ve made a really effort to avoid lifestyle creep.
You are happy as you are, isn't that enough to be considered a "holiday"?
If your friend is happy spending those money on holiday in order to achieve his happiness, I think that's money worth spending. If he is counting days to his retirement, he is going to break at some point before reaching that retirement point if there is a sudden pressure applies to him.
But why compare happiness? Aren't we all unique in our own ways?
More money is definitely a good thing but just make sure there is time to spend it.
Holiday? I don't know what that is. Perhaps, I cannot afford one but it is definitely a concept that is not very common in my part of the world. Our "holiday" is visiting our grandparents or returning home to village to pay respect to elders (assuring them we are not abandoning them).
My definition of holiday is to do nothing. i.e. eat, sleep, drink and switch off the five senses as much as possible.
I have Never booked a holiday in my life. Even in my younger days of travelling around Europe (inter rail) was merely for curiosity sake and to gain cultural knowledge. It was hectic to say the least travelling from point to point.
Life in itself is a holiday if you are happy. Life is chore if there is no happiness.
One of the things that I’ve thought about is that for me, being “comfortable” is that I can afford to do some of the things that I want, but I can’t afford to do all of them.
For example, I can afford a new bike, but if I buy one then I need to not do something else because I’ve got a budget.
I’m aware how privileged I am to be able to do that.
I also think it makes things a bit more special. Because I can’t do everything, I have to choose things.
Quality of life is the aim IMO, but implicit in that for most people is that you have a certain amount of money, right now and when you retire. I guess the trick is in the balance.
There are probably plenty of people on here who earn a lot more money than most people in the country without necessarily working any harder in their 40 hours a week, and who will probably be in a better physical and financial state come retirement age than those people. I reckon you could make a pretty good case that quality of life is improved with some money.
A teacher will still take home about £20k a year.
I take home more like 30 I think and I am a standard classroom teacher with no promotion, although at the top of main pay scale.
How long can I spend on that yacht this summer?
I’m aware how privileged I am to be able to do that.
You have work hard to earn a comfortable life, surely you deserve that? Spend the money if it makes you happy or your family happy. Be happy.
Privileged? How? Not many people want to be a medical doctor put it this way. I certainly don't or able to become one.
You are over thinking me think.
I took the quality of life move over pay and career 7ish years ago.
Looking back it's prob been the best 7 years of my life. I technically make less than minimum wage, work 60hours+ a week and haven't been on a 'propper' holiday in those 7 years. But in comparison to the very stressful middle/upper management job I used to do, I'm far better off. The family and quality of life gains were huge, and also the opportunities I've been given as a result.
My wife prob isn't so thrilled....😂
I’ve always thought that the best way to be rich is to reduce my outgoings rather than increase the amount of time I spend at work.
That's a fantastically privileged position to be in though. Most people are muddling through.
I've tried to get the balance right over the years, sometimes erring towards more money, less time, but for the last 12 years definitely been sacrificing salary for time. What has made me more anxious about money is not myself, but my teenage daughters. Trying to make sure they get through education to get a reasonably well paid job and being able to afford their own home at some point is a major financial responsibility for parents. Many of us are probably from the generation that did better than our parents, but for most nowadays it is the other way around and probably getting worse with each decade, as inequality grows.
I've got my own ideas about holidays I've enjoyed or not so I've asked Madame for an alternative view. On the basis of her replies there's an inverse relationship between fun and cost. She cited visiting relatives with junior, cycle-touring with junior, skiing up the local hill with junior and top of the list visiting junior in Paris and cycling home on Bromptons (you may have noticed a trend there). 50e each for the TGV to Paris (it would be 69e today), accomodation already paid for as we were paying junior's flat, then cheap campsites or hotels up to Reims and back to Pau. About 700e more than if we'd stayed at home for a three-week holiday.
One of my favourites: Fill a rucksac with minimal camping gear, lock up the house and start walking, stop at Compostelle and get a bus home. Cost about 20e a day and a 50e bus each.
That’s a fantastically privileged position to be in though. Most people are muddling through.
It is.
1. I wish I'd had the courage to live a life true to myself, not the life others expected of me
2. I wish I hadn't worked so hard
3. I wish I'd had the courage to express my feelings
4. I wish I had stayed in touch with my friends
5. I wish that I had let myself be happier
I earn much more now than my sweet spot, but it will always be my time as a Corporal. T'was a perfect time of job satisfaction, with solid responsibility but free of bullshit politics and a wage that gave me a comfortable life.
My life as a civvie isn't bad, but it's not quite where i'd like it and I'm not sure I can get the balance that right again.
1. I wish I’d had the courage to live a life true to myself, not the life others expected of me
2. I wish I hadn’t worked so hard
3. I wish I’d had the courage to express my feelings
4. I wish I had stayed in touch with my friends
5. I wish that I had let myself be happier
Add another one.
6. I wish I was not stupid (me that is) or wish I had been wiser. (same thing just negative or positively framed)
7. I wish I could do it all again
My personal experience spending a lot of time around various folk is:
UHNW Richie rich people that work 25/8 usually enjoy it and life, even if they have 3x wives and 7x kids.
Champagne socialists living frugally working 0-25hrs a week to focus on their family usually love life.
The comfortably poor working 80hrs a week in the middle of the mid-high 40% bracket are usually miserable.
Basically working silly hours in the wrong industry, in the wrong role, for bad people, for average pay is the killer.
Spending 100k on a holiday shouldn't make anyone unhappy. Imagine someone saying all in to Whistler, pay for mates, with bikes, guides and uplift all paid for. How could that in itself make anyone unhappy if they could afford it?
I think there is an attitude to risk angle here too.
Some might be able to afford at this current moment in time to work less or get a better car, big holiday etc but will keep that money to pay the mortgage or mend the boiler etc in case they lose their job or interest rates shoot up. Others in the same position not worried about the future in the same way crack on and splash the cash.
This worry about money (or lack of it), rational or irrational can then impact how much of the mill you put yourself through with a job.