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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To think a paycut is worth it to live by the sea

47 replies

IslandIsla · 22/05/2011 13:41

DH and I have always dreamed of living by the seaside. I grew up by the seaside (on the Isle of Wight). After having DD (2 yrs) we started to think about the idea in a more concrete way, and narrowed it down to the IoW, where I still have family and some friends. I am keen to make any move before DD starts education, as I wouldn't want to uproot her unless necessary, and because I feel the younger she is, the better for all of us to make friends when we move. We also want more of an outdoor life, being able to take nice walks or go to the beach after work/school, things like that.

Now an opportunity has come up for DH. Its a good job, and tbh a better one is unlikely to come up again very soon on the Iow. Yet it is not a promotion - more of a sideways move but to a smaller company. (DH is excited by working in a smaller company - bigger fish in a small pond I guess, but not so excited by a sideways move. He's ambitious, although if he could give up work he would!) DH earns very well here (Thames Valley), all in he's bringing home 100k a yr. This job would be 50-60k. I'm a SAHM who earns a few k by doing tutoring, I would intend to carry this on, but not take on more hours until DD was at established at school (and we'd like more kids).

Of course we can survive on 50-60k, we know that. Much of our current income goes into savings and we could use this to fund the move/house. But we would definitely have to watch our spending and cut out some nice luxuries such as holidays abroad which we have enjoyed.

Just looking for opinions, this is a luxury problem to have, I know that. But has anyone made this type of move and regretted it? I alternate between excitement and wanting to go for it, and thinking we should stick here. I guess this is what life-changing decisions can do to you! We have a nice life here, and many friends, who I would be sad to leave. Yet I dream of the life we could make for ourselves by the seaside, as well as being closer to family.

OP posts:

mumnotmachine · 22/05/2011 13:45

Go for it
Life is way too short for regrets and what ifs.

So you will be 40k a year down- but cost of living will be cheaper, you are living nearer family and most importantly- its what you WANT to do

Good luck!

squeakytoy · 22/05/2011 13:48

Go for it. Money isnt everything, and you would still be able to live extremely comfortably on £60k.

coccyx · 22/05/2011 13:50

do it, very envious as love the sea

mitochondria · 22/05/2011 13:50

Isla - I grew up on the IOW too. Don't live there now though.

I now live about as far away from the sea as you can get! I was in this position last year, a job came up on the coast, but it would have been a big pay cut. In my case I didn't go for it, as it wasn't so much "cutting down on luxuries" as "not being able to afford to eat!"

Personally, I wouldn't live on the IOW again. I enjoy holidays there, but the problems / annoyances for me are:

all the tourists. Even though I am now part of the problem when we go and visit!
the fact that if you want to go anywhere else you have to plan ahead, then spend a fortune on the ferry.
Job market is limited. But you know that.

They've just been messing with the schools, as you probably know.

peeriebear · 22/05/2011 13:51

As somebody whose family is getting by on around 18K a year, obviously I say you'll be fine! :)
My brother lives in a seaside town and I don't think he goes to the beach very often I do wonder where he takes my nephews for a holiday treat, as the seaside is old hat!

goodegg · 22/05/2011 13:52

Go for it! V jealous you will feel richer, cost of living will be so much less.

naughtymummy · 22/05/2011 13:53

Yes jack in london and moved to tje south coast 3 years ago. Because proppery is so much cheaper here we exchanged our 2 bed house for a big 4 bed place. It did mean a pay cut but our QOL is so much better. For us it also meant that we both did n't have to work. We sold up in 2007and rented for a year while we got to know the area (and house prices readjusted). I would say

tribpot · 22/05/2011 13:55

I'd do it - I've always wanted to live by the sea. And have ended up about as far from the sea as possible!

naughtymummy · 22/05/2011 13:56

sorry stupid phone, should preview thar should say we jacked in london, not jack in london. Also last line should be go for it, although i don't know the IOW

Original poster

IslandIsla · 22/05/2011 14:28

Thanks all for your positivity! :)

peeriebear - we used to go to Snowdonia every summer when I was younger. There's nowhere remotely like Snowdonia on the IoW!

mitochrondia - hi! I understand your annoyances. the ferry is annoying (but a bridge would be more annoying! Imagine the tourists then!). Devon and Cornwall are our favourite places for a holiday but we decided against these for much the similar reasons - takes a long time to get anywhere, a long way from anyone we know, lots of tourists, horrendous summer traffic. I think the IoW actually isn't too bad in those respects, having been to some areas of Devon/Cornwall. (maybe I'm wearing rose-tinted glasses!)

When I was younger I would have never thought I'd move back. For big education/career opportunities (university etc), you have to move away. I never really thought about how I'd feel about it when I was older and bringing up a family myself.

OP posts:

fluffles · 22/05/2011 14:41

if you want to live by the sea then why on earth would you stay in the thames valley paying into a savings plan for 'one day.....'??

GO.

[i thought from the thread title you were going to say you were considering taking a paycut down to 20k or less... even then i'd have said go.]

BadRoly · 22/05/2011 14:47

We did very similar last year but from Oxfordshire to Cornwall and further away from family! The children have mostly settled well, dh enjoys his job (as much as he will ever like working for a living) and I am gradually building a circle of friends. We live going to the beach and find we are a popular holiday destination for our old friends in "England"!

HerHissyness · 22/05/2011 14:57

If you have decent enough savings, you could always buy a holiday home to rent out to provide top up income in the summer?

Original poster

IslandIsla · 22/05/2011 17:01

Definitely not decent enough savings for a holiday home!! We only want one mortgage! That would be a dream though, sit back and make the money from a holiday let! Any savings we have are generally put into the house.

OP posts:

ChristinedePizan · 22/05/2011 17:11

I did it about six months' ago and I haven't regretted it for a moment. There is a lot more free stuff to do here and we are house-swapping to go on our summer holiday. When you live by the sea, that's pretty easy to do.

Punkatheart · 22/05/2011 17:15

It is a large drop but tbh living here in Berkshire is so blooming expensive. We intend to go to Sussex as soon as DD is schooled. Depending on where you are, there may be lots of free things to do and the air quality may be great.

It sounds lovely and if you do it, I wish you luck. I can feel my stress levels lowering just thinking about it!

TheFlyingOnion · 22/05/2011 17:16

definitely go for it. You'll always think "what if" if you don't

Cocoflower · 22/05/2011 17:33

Firstly I would try and negoitate the salary on the off chance they will meet more in the middle than a nearly 50% cut. However if its an absolute no I would still for it; but you might as well ask.

Also just be extra careful about buying property literally on the coastline. Ensure the area doesnt have issues with costal erosion or rising sea levels. It depends what part of the coast you are on and if there are any preventative measures in place.

Apart from that is sounds great!

Islandlady · 22/05/2011 18:03

Hiya guess where I Live?????

We moved to the Island in Feb 2010 and can honestly say would not want to live anywhere else

If you have the chance to come back here to live on a decent salary and believe me 50-60k pa is a very decent salary compared to Island wages then I would go for it.

Although to be honest the cost of living is not that cheap although property prices are everything else is on a par with the mainland.

But where else can you go to a different seaside town everyday even by bus

Come back home you wont regret it

WowOoo · 22/05/2011 18:07

We live by the sea and we love it. Both took paycuts, but didn't care.
IoW is lush - we're not there, but I'd like to be.

GwendolineMaryLacey · 22/05/2011 18:13

I'd move to the IoW like a shot, we spend a lot of time there. Go for it, you'd be mad not to.

mermaidspurse · 22/05/2011 19:15

I would love to go back too but am down in the remote sw now and settled close to the sea anyway. Yes the ferry is a pain but it is what makes the Island special and it is as you know a great place to bring up your family. Good luck.

EggyAllenPoe · 22/05/2011 19:23

IOW houseprices may be similar to Portsmouth area, but not Thamesside...it' s much cheaper than Sussex coast too!

my sister lives there - the ferry is a hassle and i haven't vsiited because of it (and generally being a crap sister)

but she has got into sailing and made friends there...so great on that side.

HumperdinkFangboner · 22/05/2011 19:24

We're on the Island and planning to move to London in the next two years - fancy a house swap .

It's very lovely in places but I feel so caged in over here now and the cost of living isn't cheap.

I'd go for it though, if that's what you want, life is too short to wait isn't it.

startail · 22/05/2011 19:29

Go for it, as long as it isn't so remote that DH and you can't find work if the small company goes broke.

My DH comes from the far west of Cornwall. He'd love to go back, but there is just no high tech work. Where as my friends who have swapped London for a sea view near Swansea have far more options (the to moved to have a nicer place to bring up their child).

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