Your first wage.

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jdw100

Original Poster:

4,169 posts

165 months

Saturday 4th March 2017
quotequote all
Just came up in conversation.

It was 1987 for me that I started work (took a summer job in a factory and didn't go back to college) earning the grand total of £4,200 a year.

As I recall that was c£80 a week take-home and I gave my mum £20 of that.

Doesn't sound like much now does it?

Can anyone come in lower than that?

jdw100

Original Poster:

4,169 posts

165 months

Saturday 4th March 2017
quotequote all
I was thinking of proper job.

Had lots of part time jobs before - favourite was bottling up for the local pub and taking their two dogs for a walk. £1.20/hr.

The £4,200 was my first proper wage.

Not sure what's that worth it today's money... I'll have to find an inflation calculator.

jdw100

Original Poster:

4,169 posts

165 months

Saturday 4th March 2017
quotequote all
PurpleMoonlight said:
1978
Prudential Assurance - London
£3000 pa


40 years in financial services next year.

eek
I pretty much retired last year at 48. Started work at 17 - so thirty one years gone by either quickly or slowaly - I can't decide!

jdw100

Original Poster:

4,169 posts

165 months

Saturday 4th March 2017
quotequote all
Sheetmaself said:
I did it the wrong way, started at 17 years old in late 90's on £35/hour and steadily its come down ever since!
I presume you're joking?

jdw100

Original Poster:

4,169 posts

165 months

Saturday 4th March 2017
quotequote all
PurpleMoonlight said:
1978
Prudential Assurance - London
£3000 pa


40 years in financial services next year.

eek
I pretty much retired last year at 48. Started work at 17 - so thirty one years gone by either quickly or slowly - I can't decide!

jdw100

Original Poster:

4,169 posts

165 months

Saturday 4th March 2017
quotequote all
NormalWisdom said:
1980 - Digital Equipment Corporation (DEC) Reading

£3200 a year

Took home just over £200 a month and gave Mum £50

Worked there for 16 years before the ailing company made me redundant whilst I was working in Auckland
That was probably quite good money in 1980? For a first years salary.

jdw100

Original Poster:

4,169 posts

165 months

Saturday 4th March 2017
quotequote all
Johnspex said:
In 1972 aged 19 I was getting £27 a week plus shift pay working for KLM.
My Dad started on 7/6d a week in 1922 aged 14.
Your dad is the winner so far then.. 7 'n' 6 - party on!

jdw100

Original Poster:

4,169 posts

165 months

Saturday 4th March 2017
quotequote all
http://www.bankofengland.co.uk/education/Pages/res...

If I'd have stuck with same job (£4,200 in '87) and just got an inflation based pay rise each year I'd be on a whopping £11,000 a year now.

I'm sure someone will come along to point out I've got that completely wrong...

jdw100

Original Poster:

4,169 posts

165 months

Saturday 4th March 2017
quotequote all
brickwall said:
I remember my first job was unbelievably lucrative - I could barely believe my eyes.

Intern in investment bank in London in 2010 - it was £42,000 pro rata, for 10 weeks. However once you included pro-rata holiday pay (because no-one took any holiday during the 10 week internship) you got 11 weeks pay.

Worked out at something like £890 per week. Just under £9k gross for a summer job - paid for the final year of uni.

It's the same these days, except the increase in the personal allowance means now the whole lot is tax free!
Very nice indeed!


jdw100

Original Poster:

4,169 posts

165 months

Saturday 4th March 2017
quotequote all
Djtemeka said:
South Africa
1993
Paper route 5 days a week paid R20. Or about £1.20 in todays money for a weeks work. Spent it all in an hour on the local shop's pinball machine
So money well spent then!

jdw100

Original Poster:

4,169 posts

165 months

Saturday 4th March 2017
quotequote all
drainbrain said:
1970 selling PF Collier encyclopaedias door-to-door via an office in South Ken.

£15 commission per sale. Sell 2 in any evening and manager took you to the Playboy Club for a steak dinner!
Very 70's. I can picture you in a brown flared suit and kipper tie knocking on doors answered by bored housewives in those rayon dressing gowns.

Then off to the Club later for steak and Blue Nun with your seedy boss who has a combover.

jdw100

Original Poster:

4,169 posts

165 months

Sunday 5th March 2017
quotequote all
Unexpected Item In Bagging Area said:
6 figs straight out of uni
I presume you are including the numbers after the decimal point.

jdw100

Original Poster:

4,169 posts

165 months

Sunday 5th March 2017
quotequote all
Otispunkmeyer said:


OH tells me she used to make great summer money stuffing letters and filling pork pies in a factory and the like.

Edited by Otispunkmeyer on Saturday 4th March 23:44
I hope she never got the different fillings mixed up.

jdw100

Original Poster:

4,169 posts

165 months

Sunday 5th March 2017
quotequote all
JMGS4 said:
When I started I got the princely sum of 2 1/2 guineas a week (£2 12s 6d for the youngsters who don't know real money!) of which we could only draw 10/-, certainly went further than today as I could take my girlfriend to the pub for a quick half, then off to the pictures for the 10 bob..... and be able to afford the "Something for the weekend sir?" as well....
I'm guessing that was '76?

As in 1876.