So, I've been going round in circles with this and I'm so torn, I'd welcome any insights! Do I relocate us 2 and a half hours drive (140miles) away from where we currently live?
I'm a single Mum to my 11yo DS and 10yo DD. I currently rent a property in Greater London, the rent is horrific (but standard for the area). We've lived in and around this area for our whole lives, we have family and friends nearby. DS is starting secondary this September.
I started a new job this year and for the first time I have the opportunity to work outside of London, which office I choose is up to me and the company pay expenses for travel to whichever office isn't your main one. Mostly I'll be working from home, and when I go into an office is up to me, though it would be lovely to go in once a week with my colleagues, I've only set an aim for our team to meet once a month, alternating which of the two offices we meet at.
The cost of living isn't hitting us as hard as it is a lot of people but I dont have much of a buffer if things continue to rise, bills get paid and if I'm very careful I have a bit leftover to put aside for emergencies, this will likely disappear come October. I would love to purchase our own home and stop renting.
Staying in our current location means accepting it's highly unlikely I will ever buy a house. Moving will mean paying roughly half my current rent and so saving to buy a house within 2/3 years, plus I have no worries about the cost of living impacting us severely.
Moving means I'm closer to the office and have huge flexibility with when I go in, staying put means I'm reliant on support from friends and family (this is incredibly difficult and sometimes impossible to organise).
Moving means changing schools, DS is going to do this in September anyway, but DD will have to move for year 6 then again for year 7. Staying put means they can remain where they are and DS knows which school he's going to in y7 (he's very excited about his new school).
A lot of people I work with live in Leicestershire, and they're all really nice. So I will know people, but not enough to have a support network. Moving is going to be just the three of us for a while as we settle in.
I know my parents want me to stay put, my friends have said the same, though they've all said they see the logic in improving our financial stability and they've said I should do what's right for the three of us, but they'd rather we stayed.
DS & DD have no contact with their father so that's not an issue.
I've discussed the options with the children, discussing the pros and cons, any worries they have, and while they have a preference to stay put they also like the idea of buying a house so we don't have to move again (we've moved three times in the last 4 years due to landlords deciding to sell). They understand that the first house we would move to we would rent, but then we would buy a house in 2/3 years.
If we move I plan to drive down to our current location once a month to visit friends and family.
Our ideal solution would be to buy a house in our current location, but that's not an option.
Do I stay or do I go? If anyone could share experiences/ tips of relocating with children, getting settled etc I'd love to hear them, I've thought myself in circles trying to come to a decision about whether this is a good idea!