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If you are married to an orthopaedic surgeon (not private practice), how well off do you feel as a family, if you don’t work yourself?

462 replies

Yunall · 19/07/2025 15:21

Just wondering as DP is a surgeon (just made consultant). He doesn’t do private work and I would say we have a nice lifestyle but only because my income tops it up. I’m used to a lot of luxury and had a privileged upbringing (don’t mean to sound like a dick I’m just stating a fact) and I wonder if we had kids if I would actually have to continue working to have a decent lifestyle. Not something I talk much to DP about as he came from a less well off background and understandably I would come across ungrateful!!!

OP posts:
Timegoestoofast · 19/07/2025 21:38

BestIntentioned · 19/07/2025 15:36

Not meaning to sound rude but is there much call for private orthopedic work?

I’d say don’t give up work. The amount he earns won’t ho that far in sustaining a family. School fees out of the question.

Do you have a private income? If not I’d emphasis even more not relying on him. It’s not good to be reliant on one salary. And it gives men ideas about power within the relationship.

Yes I’m sure there would be orthopedic is a nightmare on the NHS !
we went private for my daughters leg

voucherwowcher · 19/07/2025 21:37

Cappuccino5 · 19/07/2025 21:08

SAHMS are on their own with pretty much any partner in a high flying career. It’s the price you pay to be well off.

When my own DH was at his peak earning potential (airline pilot - £120k per year) I was on my own with DD for 3 weeks at a time whilst he worked abroad. I never felt the need to make myself a SAHM and worked part time around school hours to top up our income. It was perfectly manageable. Having money often equals making uncomfortable sacrifices and not being a lazy SAHM…

This is a rather sweeping statement.

KillerMounjaro · 19/07/2025 21:36

Well you’ve definitely picked the wrong orthopaedic surgeon to marry! I know quite a few of them and they all do loads of private work and make loads more money than any of the other consultants I know.

My best advice to you is to persuade him to get over himself and start doing private work and then you probably wouldn’t have to work!

Cynic17 · 19/07/2025 21:36

BoudiccaRuled · 19/07/2025 16:43

I know several orthopaedic surgeons and they have all left their first wives after multiple affairs, so I wouldn't plan on being married to him forever.
However, on the plus side, once they went private their salaries went stratospheric. Serious amounts of money. US orthopods are the highest paid doctors, or used to be.
I couldn't bear to live with those egos but plenty of women seem to think they are great.

I know several orthopaedic surgeons - and am indeed married to one - and this comment is bullshit.
Outside of London, they are not rich....and all still married to.their first wives!

voucherwowcher · 19/07/2025 21:35

Moodlable4045 · 19/07/2025 21:33

I would have the kids first before you start thinking about being a SAHM. It’s harder work than most jobs - I couldn’t wait to get back to work after both maternity leaves

I was just about to say exactly this.

I always thought I’d never want to work and would love to be at home with kids….but I don’t think that now!

GauntJudy · 19/07/2025 21:34

Ltb (and send me his number)

TuesdaysAreBest · 19/07/2025 21:33

BestIntentioned · 19/07/2025 15:36

Not meaning to sound rude but is there much call for private orthopedic work?

I’d say don’t give up work. The amount he earns won’t ho that far in sustaining a family. School fees out of the question.

Do you have a private income? If not I’d emphasis even more not relying on him. It’s not good to be reliant on one salary. And it gives men ideas about power within the relationship.

There is huge demand for private orthopaedic work, given the waiting times for knee and hip replacements on the NHS.

Boohoo76 · 19/07/2025 21:33

FieldInWhichFucksAreGrownIsBarren · 19/07/2025 20:27

Fuck me, the arrogant fuvkwits are out in force.

The entitlement on this thread is breathtaking, are some of you actually aware that there are people out there on the minimum wage doing a perfectly good job of raising a family??

Snobby fuckers.

People of minimum wage getting UC towards housing and childcare….

Moodlable4045 · 19/07/2025 21:33

I would have the kids first before you start thinking about being a SAHM. It’s harder work than most jobs - I couldn’t wait to get back to work after both maternity leaves

Enigma53 · 19/07/2025 21:32

Is this even a real thead? Has OP returned?

Cantspeakwontspeak · 19/07/2025 21:30

BestIntentioned · 19/07/2025 15:36

Not meaning to sound rude but is there much call for private orthopedic work?

I’d say don’t give up work. The amount he earns won’t ho that far in sustaining a family. School fees out of the question.

Do you have a private income? If not I’d emphasis even more not relying on him. It’s not good to be reliant on one salary. And it gives men ideas about power within the relationship.

Definitely - hip replacements etc a lot are done privately because of the insane waiting lists

ViciousCurrentBun · 19/07/2025 21:28

We specifically chose not to work in London or the SE and both moved and met up North. It was bad decades ago and it is so much worse now as overheated beyond belief these days. If he is going to stick to NHS work he would be better off relocating somewhere cheaper.

We have had an amazing lifestyle on what is a National pay scale, higher education.

DH cousin is a Dr married to an orthpaedoc surgeon. It’s been solely private practice for about 20 years, so well established after a few years working for the NHS. They did send all kids to private schools and they have a second home. Both of them work FT. Very nice lifestyle.

Anonymouseposter · 19/07/2025 21:26

OP-I think you should really look at your entitled attitude.
You were fortunate enough to have what you describe as a privileged standard of living in your childhood and seem to think that because you are accustomed to that it should automatically continue.
Why do you deserve this any more than people who were brought up in poverty? Should they just be used to it?
I think being a SAHM with very young children is a valid choice, I did it for 3 years but I had to really economise. (Very old car , one camping holiday in 3 years- just days out). I don't regret it.
I don't disagree that many people would like not to work, to stay at home with their children and still to have a high standard of living but they know that isn't going to happen.
You have a choice, work or reduce your standard of living.
Your partner has principles and it shouldn't all be on him anyway. I suspect you would want a cleaner etc even if you weren't working.

SomeOfTheTrouble · 19/07/2025 21:14

Cappuccino5 · 19/07/2025 21:08

SAHMS are on their own with pretty much any partner in a high flying career. It’s the price you pay to be well off.

When my own DH was at his peak earning potential (airline pilot - £120k per year) I was on my own with DD for 3 weeks at a time whilst he worked abroad. I never felt the need to make myself a SAHM and worked part time around school hours to top up our income. It was perfectly manageable. Having money often equals making uncomfortable sacrifices and not being a lazy SAHM…

SAHM’s are lazy?

Lafufufu · 19/07/2025 21:11

MegaMinion34 · 19/07/2025 18:05

We get child benefit but that's it? Tax credits aren't a thing anymore and we don't claim UC as we don't need it and I doubt we'd be entitled anyway.

110k is a very very good salary no matter how you look at it. Easily in the top 5% of the population. Claiming you'd struggle to live on it is an insult to people who actually do live in poverty.

Assuming everyone has a plan 4 student loan

on 65k per year combined with 2 kids (Assuming 32.5k each) gives you an effective take home of £53,800 with £2250 child benefit on top so £56k per year
You can also access tax free childcare and free hours

A single earner household on 100k takes home £62.5k

With no subsidised childcare

So they have a WHOPPING £6,450 per year £537 per month more but thats before you factor in childcare.

That's just not fair or right and also hopefully explains that households on 100k ca. have very similar quality of life as those on much lower salaries

Cappuccino5 · 19/07/2025 21:08

TankFlyBossW4lk · 19/07/2025 18:54

Ok. So in the past surgeon's earned £5k per op and now nearer 2k. It's a lot more operating time. Sahms are in their own.

SAHMS are on their own with pretty much any partner in a high flying career. It’s the price you pay to be well off.

When my own DH was at his peak earning potential (airline pilot - £120k per year) I was on my own with DD for 3 weeks at a time whilst he worked abroad. I never felt the need to make myself a SAHM and worked part time around school hours to top up our income. It was perfectly manageable. Having money often equals making uncomfortable sacrifices and not being a lazy SAHM…

softlyfallsthesnow · 19/07/2025 21:05

Lots of references by posters to her DH but she said DP.
If she's thinking about having children and not working, then plan A needs to be to get married first. Assuming this is a genuine post.

FallingIsLearning · 19/07/2025 21:05

The NHS consultant salary is standard is publically accessible. https://www.bma.org.uk/pay-and-contracts/pay/consultants-pay-scales/pay-scales-for-consultants-in-england

The pay will increase, but not shoot up with seniority. It maxes out under £140K after 14 years as a consultant (so 14 years from now for your husband).

I am on the final paypoint, based just outside London. We could live off my salary alone but we couldn’t our lifestyle if my husband didn’t earn similarly (in a different industry). I get the impression that our lifestyle is much more modest than what you are aiming for. We have good holidays and my child can do the extra-curricular activities they want, but our lives are otherwise cheap. We don’t have very little interest in appearances, so we run one small old car, have no hair or beauty treatments, no expensive clothes or hobbies, and we rarely go out-out. We don’t have a cleaner. Also, part of the reason we are financially comfortable is that we only have one child, and they were born when we were both quite old, so the mortgage had been paid off before any childcare costs started.

One can earn more by taking on extra PAs of work in the NHS or doing private work. If he wants to do private work, please note that he would often have to offer his Trust an extra PA first. I have never had an interest in private work, but my understanding from friends and colleagues that do/have done it is that it is not particularly lucrative any more and it seems like you have to go hard at it to make it worth the cost of hiring rooms/secretarial time/imdemnity.

Ask yourself whether you want to be doing the grunt work at home whilst he is getting burnt out on his non-NHS weekends, barely seeing you or your family trying to keep you in the style to which you wish to be accustomed. It would be a miserable existence for him.

From my end of the career, I think he is very wise to protect himself by not taking on a private practice, aside from any principles.

The other option is to emigrate to a country where doctors are indeed paid royally (but still working hard).

A purely NHS doctor spouse in the UK is not the right choice if you wish to be a kept woman.

(This is aside from any consideration of what would happen if life deals some nasty blows in the future, or any sense of satisfaction you may personally get from work).

Wallet and notes illustration

Pay scales for consultants in England

The basic pay scales for NHS consultants salary in England.

https://www.bma.org.uk/pay-and-contracts/pay/consultants-pay-scales/pay-scales-for-consultants-in-england

Callistaraines · 19/07/2025 20:58

You have just described my exact life. Same profession although he does private. We live very comfortably.

limescale · 19/07/2025 20:58

we have a nice lifestyle but only because my income tops it up.

So you believe that 110K wouldn't give you a nice lifestyle on its own, and your income of 80K (total 190K) allows you a 'nice lifestyle'?

I presume you are fairly young if you don't yet have children and that you have studied hard to earn 80K at a relatively young age. Do you not find your work rewarding?

Anyway, you live in a different world to me so my opinion probably isn't worth much.

justasking111 · 19/07/2025 20:54

My orthopaedic surgeon £200 for a 15 minute private consultation when I checked just now.

I think it's £14k for a hip. Which is a very sought after operation with a waiting list privately.

@Yunall you two need to sit down and have a serious conversation about your life plan. Whether you want children, or will need to move house. Do the math. How much it will all cost.

Factor in SAHM or if working nursery, childcare costs.

FancyLimePoet · 19/07/2025 20:50

We have a similar income although I’m the Doctor and husband is corporate.’I also do not want to work, husband is the main earner and I work part time. My husband wished I could stay at home too, but it’s really not possible to maintain a decent standard of living here on 1 salary.

He needs to do private practice to make proper money. Why doesn’t he agree with it ?

The other option is to go abroad. Go to the Middle East for a few years. An amazing standard of living, lots of wives that don’t work and lots of activities geared towards that. Although, that might not sit well with him either given it’s all private?

FairyToots · 19/07/2025 20:47

SomeOfTheTrouble · 19/07/2025 20:28

We have a lovely lifestyle on a similar income. Large 4 bed detached house, 2 nice, less than 3 years old cars, multiple holidays and short breaks a year, no money concerns. I guess if people want more than that it would be a
concern.

@SomeOfTheTrouble But it depends where you live.

In the SE, £110K /£190K(or counting the £80K too?) doesn't go far bearing in mind house prices if you're in your 30s and starting out on the property ladder.
A couple on just his income of £110K would struggle.

You can't get a nice 3-bed family home for under £600K where I am and if you want walking distance of the station (25 mins to London) it's closer to £800K.

Compare that to the NE where you can get a nice 4-bed detached for £350K or less.

RoseAlone · 19/07/2025 20:46

Yunall · 19/07/2025 15:30

@2024onwardsandup he doesn’t agree with private practice

Good for him. More doctors should be like that. You should be very proud of him.

RampantIvy · 19/07/2025 20:44

Blondebrownorred · 19/07/2025 15:36

I wouldn't want to live on £110k with children. Especially when its earnt by only one person so more tax paid. Can you work part time?

Doesn't it depend on where you live?

£110k goes a long way in my part of the world.

We don't all live in London or the South east.