when people ask you how much you get paid....

Procasinator · 29-11-2012 1:46pm

I have told and asked on a couple occasions, mostly after a couple drinks in a pub. Generally I would try to refrain though, as for some it can be a sensitive issue - and I don't particularly want to broadcast what I make, either.

I wouldn't do for competitive reasons, but because it seems to be the best way to get grips with salary expectations, or how well a company pays, etc. Or to put into context why someone is complaining about a job.

The main people who benefit from people keeping their salary secret is employers, who will find it easier to pay less when people aren't aware of their potential value.

stoneill · 29-11-2012 1:49pm

If people ask I tell 'em, but I'm not about to publish it online or on a forum.
It's the Total Deductions part of the payslip that I hate looking at.

msg11 · 29-11-2012 1:50pm

355 a week after tax for 30 hours work, don't see the big secret.

I'm not a millionaire but I am not ashamed of what I get paid either. So there you go.

Duggy747 · 29-11-2012 1:51pm

"Enough so I don't have to wear plastic bags for shoes anymore"

People think I earn a lot more than I actually do, I'm on a way lower wage for a similar but more intensive job than I had years ago...............ah, the good times........

msg11 · 29-11-2012 1:56pm

Just another thing I have to add, one thing that really really grinds my gears is people inflating there pay. This one person I know works in a shop as just a worker selling tv's and that. He is apparently on 3000 a month, my hole he is. Chap is constantly broke. Either tell the truth about what your paid or say nothing. I say he gets closer to 1800-1900.

Aglomerado · 29-11-2012 2:00pm

I don't mind telling immediate family what I'm on, but I like to exaggerate it by a substantial amount if someone else asks straight out how much I make... like the nosey English uncle who did this!

Malari · 29-11-2012 2:11pm

msg11 wrote: »

355 a week after tax for 30 hours work, don't see the big secret.

I'm not a millionaire but I am not ashamed of what I get paid either. So there you go.

I don't think it's necessarily shame. I don't go telling any who asks about my sex life or my GP visits either and it's not because I'm ashamed of it, it's because it's nobody's business.

PizzamanIRL · 29-11-2012 2:50pm

People like to get offended by that question, same as "What age are you?"

Voodoomelon · 29-11-2012 2:50pm

I've been self employed for 5 years and no one has ever asked me that question. I wouldn't tell them either, mainly because I don't know what he answer is. There's a difference between drawings and profit.

LeeHoffmann · 29-11-2012 6:12pm

I´d never ask.* If they want me to know, they´ll tell me. It´s generally not hard to figure out what bracket people fall into anyway. If someone asked me, I´d probably give them a vague ´between x and y´ or ´around z´ answer. The OH casually asks people what they earn and often tells them what he earns. I´ve had to tell him most people don´t like that. He doesn´t really get that. Cultural differences I suppose.

*The one exception is if I´m in a relationship with somebody and they wanted to keep that secret. I´find that really weird.

Onesimus · 29-11-2012 6:19pm

I find it to be the height of noseyness. Had a guy ask me once, and I said ''well how much do you get paid?'' and he wouldnt tell me.

so there ya go, they are just being nosey so they can go off and relay to their friends how much more they get paid than you. Its an ego trip question most of the time.

Blazer · 29-11-2012 6:31pm

just say that I'm worth every penny and more...:)
after that screw em

Shenshen · 29-11-2012 7:02pm

Huh? Why wouldn't you tell them?

Why would it be a secret?

smash · 29-11-2012 7:15pm

I find this a real 'sales' mentality. Sales people I've worked with were always comparing wages.

Blazer · 29-11-2012 8:22pm

Shenshen wrote: »

Huh? Why wouldn't you tell them?

Why would it be a secret?

Why would I? I make much more than my friends so wouldn't want bitterness/jealous etc getting in the way...

grenache · 29-11-2012 8:27pm

I have never been asked how much do I get paid, nor would I dream of asking somebody else.

Somebody doing it displays the height of obnoxiousness and lacks class.

purpleskittles · 29-11-2012 8:51pm

No one asks me. However I know people who freely share their salary with others even though no one asked them in the first place.

Ghost Train · 29-11-2012 9:00pm

would depend... have talked about salary with one or two close friends, have asked but only because there'd been a similar conversation before and there'd be some trust/understanding there about it

29-11-2012 9:56pm

I can never understand why people are so touchy about this.

It wasn't until I needed to apply for the student grant that my dad would give me any sort of clue as to what he earned, and to this day doesn't let anyone near the bills. He's so secretive about it I once became convinced we must be seriously struggling, so I peeked a look at the gas bill and we're totally fine, he's just irrationally secretive about it. Which makes it very difficult to know how much to hand him each week. I contribute to the house on a "whatever you want" basis, but I'd much prefer if it was "whatever's needed", so that if they ever need an extra few bob I'd know, and so I'd know how much use my share is to them.

I earn minimum wage, which some weeks works out as €50 or other weeks works out as €350+. I wouldn't tell anyone how much I've got in my savings, but someone just asking about my savings or asking someone their wage is nothing to be offended by IMO, unless you're some sort of millionaire or into something dodgy.

Pottler · 29-11-2012 9:59pm

Voodoomelon wrote: »

I've been self employed for 5 years and no one has ever asked me that question. I wouldn't tell them either, mainly because I don't know what he answer is. There's a difference between drawings and profit.

Same as this, I've no idea what I earn and I don't hugely care either. That's probably because I'm a "spoilt git" or some other psychobabble to most, but actually, I've no interest. I get a token salary, probably somthing jokey low, and if anyone asks, I say I'm a labourer(which annoys the wife) and get labourers pay.

I'm trying hard to build a business that has real long term value both to clients and me and I've more interest in seeing that grow and get better than seeing a paycheck every week. I worry far more about making sure the people that work in the business get a good wage and I never tell anyone what another person earns. That's their own business.

OneArt · 29-11-2012 10:17pm

I tell them that nosy people get their noses cut off with my pair of giant golden scissors.

splendid101 · 29-11-2012 11:17pm

I tell them that I get paid €410 a week. Then I tell them to shove it.

hairyprincess · 29-11-2012 11:21pm

I once asked a girl who I considered to be a friend, what her and her husband paid for the site where they built their house. I was in the process of building a house at the time with my ex so it was of interest not out of nosiness. But she wouldn't tell me. She said they don't discuss it with anyone

matrim · 30-11-2012 10:24am

I'd tell close friends and family. If anyone else asked it depends on the context, e.g. having a conversation with someone asking about salary brackets in my job, I'd give a rough estimate. But just someone blurting it out, I'd probably just say "enough".

I don't get some people's ultra secrecy about it. My GFs Father is very secretive about it, apparently he doesn't even tell his wife how much he earns and just gives her a weekly allowance.

when people ask you how much you get paid....

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