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Original poster

HH income of £250k but we don’t feel rich?

415 replies

Bdrgvlugcbu · 18/01/2026 19:55

Not a brag in the slightest! And wouldn’t discuss this non-anonymously.

DH earns just over £250k per year. Has fallen into the role really and is based on natural ability/talent as oppose to lots of hard work and training. He works very long hours though. I’m a SAHM to 3 young children.

Take home is approx £12k per month.

School fees: £3,000 per month
Mortgage, car and bills: £3500 per month
Personal savings £2000 per month
Kids savings: £450 per month
DH and I take: £500 personal money each per month
Leaves us with £2,000 per month for general spending, food shopping, days out, holidays, children’s clothes…

We don’t really go without, but we don’t feel “well off” by any means. Where are we going wrong?!

OP posts:
SapphOhNo · 18/01/2026 22:46

🎻

Croakymccroakyvoice · 18/01/2026 22:42

TheHateIsNotGood · 18/01/2026 22:25

£250k pa in 2026 does not define "rich". Possibly "comfortable" or a "bit well off", moreso depending on where you live and other 'costs/not costs'.

But "rich"....no.

As far as I can make out it puts you in the top 0.5% (the top 1% starts at around £100k) of earners in one of the richest countries in the world. If you don't consider that rich then your perception is very skewed. I realise that there are people earning far more (footballers) but they are very much the outliers. Also, wealth is not the same as income because it includes your assets, but that doesn't change the fact that compared to 99% of the population £250k is a very high income indeed.

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2024/jan/24/britain-richest-10-per-cent-wealthy-inequality-labour-private-schools?CMP=Share_AndroidApp_Other

Britain’s richest 10% don’t think they’re wealthy – and that’s disastrous in the fight against inequality | Anoosh Chakelian

Labour’s plan to charge private schools VAT has caused predictable uproar and revealed skewed perceptions of wealth, says the New Statesman’s Anoosh Chakelian

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2024/jan/24/britain-richest-10-per-cent-wealthy-inequality-labour-private-schools?CMP=Share_AndroidApp_Other

MargoChanningsglass · 18/01/2026 22:34

TheHateIsNotGood · 18/01/2026 22:25

£250k pa in 2026 does not define "rich". Possibly "comfortable" or a "bit well off", moreso depending on where you live and other 'costs/not costs'.

But "rich"....no.

Side eye

shhblackbag · 18/01/2026 22:32

TheHateIsNotGood · 18/01/2026 22:25

£250k pa in 2026 does not define "rich". Possibly "comfortable" or a "bit well off", moreso depending on where you live and other 'costs/not costs'.

But "rich"....no.

That's just embarrassing.

randomchap · 18/01/2026 22:28

TheHateIsNotGood · 18/01/2026 22:25

£250k pa in 2026 does not define "rich". Possibly "comfortable" or a "bit well off", moreso depending on where you live and other 'costs/not costs'.

But "rich"....no.

fuck off

That's about 7 times the average salary in the UK

If that's not rich, then what the fuck is it?

Do you really have no idea? I'm embarrassed for you

TheHateIsNotGood · 18/01/2026 22:25

£250k pa in 2026 does not define "rich". Possibly "comfortable" or a "bit well off", moreso depending on where you live and other 'costs/not costs'.

But "rich"....no.

Croakymccroakyvoice · 18/01/2026 22:23

Ps. You need to be investing in a pension, not just sticking it in savings. The money needs to be working for you.

Purpleturtle45 · 18/01/2026 22:23

🤦🏼‍♀️

Croakymccroakyvoice · 18/01/2026 22:21

You sound like a woe is me Telegraph article.

School fees: £3,000 per month
Most people (94% of children) dont pay for this.

Mortgage, car and bills: £3500 per month
I'm guessing you live in an expensive area so the mortgage will be high but on your income why are you paying monthly for a car? Surely you could buy an adequate car outright?

Personal savings £2000 per month
Most people cannot afford to save anything like this much.

Kids savings: £450 per month
Most people are not able to have savings for their children.

DH and I take: £500 personal money each per month
Most people do not get that much personal spending money. What do you spend it on?

Leaves us with £2,000 per month for general spending, food shopping, days out, holidays, children’s clothes…
That honestly sounds like more than enough.

In short, you don't feel well off because you are spending all your money but in reality that shows how well off you are because most people could only dream of having the money to spend on private school, savings, spending money, expensive car etc.

Im finding it hard to believe you grew up poor. If you had all these things growing up then you were not poor. You have them precisely because you are well off.

SkylarkKitten · 18/01/2026 22:16

Not really sure what you want to hear?

You're saving £2.5k per month
You have £500 each on any frivolous items you want

You're super lucky not to rely on food banks, or horrible landlords or councils reducing your income with no control over it. You're lucky with your health (assuming this as otherwise you'd have said something)

You're blessed. Please continue to be blessed and don't pine for more.

Lmnop22 · 18/01/2026 22:15

Bdrgvlugcbu · 18/01/2026 19:59

Maybe having lots of money left over each month?

Show quote history

But you do - you literally save £2,450 per month with £500 play money each every single month….

AccidentalPrawnYouFool · 18/01/2026 22:10

Awww boo fucking hoo! 🤣

Cat1202 · 18/01/2026 22:06

Ha ha ha haaa, I’ve got my violin out

ThatsWhatIGoToSchool · 18/01/2026 22:04

Bdrgvlugcbu · 18/01/2026 19:58

You don’t have to click on the thread if you’re not interested in the topic. You can tell what the thread is about by the title…

Show quote history

And you ought to guess the replies from the title 😂

School fees, 3500 on mortgage/bills/car, 2450 kids savings... 1000 leisure spending... That's where it goes!!

HopSplidge988 · 18/01/2026 22:03

Ermm...stop saving 2k a month.

Stop having 500 spends each a month

Stop savings for the kids.

Then you'd have an extra 3.5k

What are you saving up for?

Cel77 · 18/01/2026 22:00

Wind up. FFS.

MrsBungle · 18/01/2026 21:57

I don’t believe for a minute you both grew up very poor. If you did you’d know you’re being utterly ridiculous.

Peridoteage · 18/01/2026 21:51

Honestly, i think school fees for 3 on that income is a stretch.

DH and I are on just over 300k between us but split so its more tax efficient than one earner.

We don't (and won't) pay private fees, we'd feel skint if we did.

randomchap · 18/01/2026 21:47

This is just a prime example of Rage Bait. Similar to the Torygraph posing made up shit about people on £300k unable to afford children.

Pathetic

CastleCrasher · 18/01/2026 21:45

So mortgage, bills and cars is £3.5k, plus £2k for other spends, but you don't live in a big house, don't drive fancy cars, buy supermarket clothes and shop in aldi.... you must drink an awful lot of takeaway coffee I guess 😅

HoskinsChoice · 18/01/2026 21:39

I don't understand posts like these. It's clearly made up but why? Is the OP sat on her own thinking she's funny? Or is it a group of pissed women thinking they're funny? Or teenagers? I'd love to know. I kind of hope it's the latter. It's obviously still not funny but I'd be quite concerned about an adult that did this for shits and giggles.

Elsvieta · 18/01/2026 21:38

Bdrgvlugcbu · 18/01/2026 19:59

Maybe having lots of money left over each month?

Show quote history

You HAVE got lots of money left over - you're saving £2000 a month.

VickyEadieofThigh · 18/01/2026 21:36

Alpacajigsaw · 18/01/2026 21:18

Absolutely ridiculous.

Get a job or bin off the school fees.

YABU

She's too busy telling the cleaner and the ironing technician what to do.

cloudtreecarpet · 18/01/2026 21:31

Welcome to Mumsnet aka Fantasy Island! 😂

Auroraloves · 18/01/2026 21:30

Oh my god

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