Financial Friday: Does This Salary Make My Butt Look Big?

*Image courtesy of Sirens

No, but apparently my butt can make the numbers on my paycheck look small.

I recently read these articles about the correlation between weight and wage.

Apparently recent studies have found that women’s wages are statistically correlated to their weight.   Per the articles, this is specifically true of white women.  A woman that weighs 25lbs less than average gets paid $15,ooo more per year than her colleagues.  Conversely, a woman that weighs 25lbs greater than average gets paid $13,000 less than her colleagues.

That is REAL money!

I have posted tips about being money smart, things like:

  • Saving Painlessly with Automatic Deposit,
  • Drink Water and save $3,000 per year, and
  • Carpooling.

But NONE of those, not even adding them all together, is going to net you $15,000 per year.

I currently weigh 60lbs more than what I’d like to weigh.  I am definitely over 25lbs heavier than I ought to be.  If I am honest with myself, I always knew that looks affected success (salary) and that weight is a part of looks.  However, this is the first time that I’ve had a dollar amount tacked on to what has previously been a nebulous concept.

If I were to lose 85lbs, I could (theoretically) earn $28,000 more per year!  Astonishing.

After these articles, I apparently can’t afford not to do something about my weight.   Forget clothing and health care costs of being overweight, there is real money at stake.

I didn’t delve deeply enough into the articles to know if it is only the weight that makes a difference, or if being a healthy weight promotes confidence which could translate to better job performance or greater likelihood of asking for a raise.

Clearly there is a relationship between the 3 W’s (Women, Weight, Wage), but I’m uncertain if it’s the whole story.

What do you think?  Do you think losing 60lbs will increase my wages $13,000 a year?  Also, have you been successfully losing or maintaining your weight?  What are your tips?

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Daria is a working mom trying to have it all and writing about it on Mom in Management – leadership and career development, children and parenting, marriage, contributing to your community, and above all, staying sane on the roller coaster of life.  She also writes about financial savvy and adding to your nest egg on Saving to be Rich

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