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AIBU?

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Original poster

In thinking 40k income really isn't a fortune??

731 replies

mummymacbeth · 25/08/2012 19:25

Yes, a thread about a thread kind of. And I am fairly sure it has been done before but still!

I really don't think a forty grand gross income is a fortune. Our income with two kids is currently a bit less than that, though has been that in the fairly recent past. It is - and was - a bit of a struggle. We are not in the south east, we do not have a huge mortgage, expensive cars, kids are at state school and we don't manage to get abroad every year. We are living from month to month. A "fortune" it ain't!! (ref the post about someone wondering whether to have a fourth child)

OP posts:
5madthings · 26/08/2012 19:02

lynette council tax depends on banding doesnt it? you can ask why your house is on a high band? and it will vary on area. ours has gone up it used yo be nearer £100 a month now its £140ish?

water is £60 a month. gas and electric more than that,you do need to shop around with suppliers etc to get a good deal.

mercibucket · 26/08/2012 19:03

Thank you dita

So you are on 16k salary on which tax is paid and then an additional 400/month or approx 5k without tax which would be, what, 7k or so if you were paying tax on it (salary comparison)
21k or more like 23k if you were paying tax on the whole amount

So instead of thinking of yourself as living on a salary of 16k you could think of it as the equivalent of someone on 23k who doesn't claim tax credits, or actually more if you add on the cb as well

ditavonteesed · 26/08/2012 19:04

why on earth would you need 2 new cars? we are having problems with the boiler which is worrying me. If we have to save for something then something else gets shaved, so we spend less on food, or we suspend the love film and downgrade the sky, that kind of thing, then when we get them back it feels really luxurious.

My house is however furnished in its entirety from ikea and I drive a fiat panda.

BeeBee12 · 26/08/2012 19:04

For 3500 we got a 2003 beemer with 79000 miles not a mark on it, full leather interior.One old man owner mint condition.Serviced every year at the bmw garage etc.

morethanpotatoprints · 26/08/2012 19:05

Nocarbs.

Apologies, as I cross posted there and said pretty much the same!

Spuddybean · 26/08/2012 19:05

Don't really agree morethan you have to go where the work is. When i left Uni my exH and i both could only get jobs in London. That was it. And when you say go to the city OR stay closer to home, you are presuming your home isn't in the city. I grew up in London. I would have had to move away to somewhere cheaper where i had no support and no job prospects. So it wasn't really a choice at all.

The moment we could afford it we moved out of London but the DP's job is there so he still must commute. There is no job he could do anywhere else sadly.

CailinDana · 26/08/2012 19:07

To me £3600 on a car is a lot. I plan on buying a car in the new year and I'll probably spend about £1500. So when I said saving for 6 months I didn't mean saving the full £300, more like £150.

I wouldn't spend more than about £50 on a birthday party so that would easily fit in and for my DS I usually spend about £30 each for birthday and Christmas presents, but then he is only a toddler. I'll probably spend more when he's older.

It's not that it can't be done Lynette, it just can't be done to the standard you want.

BeeBee12 · 26/08/2012 19:09

45 quid would get you ten kids at a party at soft play with food if you did it in week or friday night.

ditavonteesed · 26/08/2012 19:10

merci, that is about right, I just went to look what someone on 23k would get in tc and it is nothing unless they have childcare cost so I defiantly take your point on that. I have to say that really suprised me, i would have thought the cut off was higher. looks like I am the one out of touch Blush

nkf · 26/08/2012 19:12

£45 for 10 kids at a soft play area. Not where I live it wouldn't.

CailinDana · 26/08/2012 19:12

Birthday parties in our area are held in the church hall. £50 easily covers hall hire, DJ and some food.

ditavonteesed · 26/08/2012 19:13

for £30 you can do it at home. ;) (plus headache pills afterwards)

morethanpotatoprints · 26/08/2012 19:13

Spuddybean.
Surely its always a choice as nobody is forced to do anything. We went where the work was as there would have been limited opportunity up here at the time. We also chose to return here again, 12 years later.

Spuddybean · 26/08/2012 19:22

But morethan if your career is a London centric one and your family are also there, when you leave uni penniless, how could you set up somewhere else? You would need to stay at your parents till you get a job then pay for your own rent somewhere near your work. Which gets you in a catch 22. Paying too much rent to save to move further out. So you are trapped in London. As i said we have moved now but that is 10 years later and we still have to commute as the pay and jobs where we live are limited.

We are now moving to Washington for DP's work, where our money will go even less far.

Our car is not worth as much as the baby's car seat! btw. we may get £50 for scrap.

PooPooOnMars · 26/08/2012 19:24

Wow! How do you do such cheap parties!?

Soft play round here costs at least 10 per child. At home no way would 30 cover food, entertainment, decorations, party bags etc. Not unless there were only 2 children!

Don't get me started on the price of hall hire, a dj or entertainer and food all coming within 50! Add on some simple party bags, balloons or decorations . . . not a chance in hell!

morethanpotatoprints · 26/08/2012 19:24

Merci and Dita.

I too did the sum of tax credit on top of salary and that was what made me realise that unless I got a well paid full time job I was better off at home. our award was for 3 dc then and we had no child care.
When you work it out with costs associated with work you can be worse off.

CailinDana · 26/08/2012 19:28

If you were having a party at home it would be totally up to you how much to spend on food. £30 is plenty for some crisps, sandwiches, biscuits, sweets and a homemade cake. No need for entertainment, some music and a few party games will do the trick.

Children's parties have become ridiculous IMO.

PooPooOnMars · 26/08/2012 19:32

Even a pass the parcel needs a prize in it, pin tail on donkey needs prize, musical statues etc. If that's all your doing, no bouncy castle etc, then that's a lot of games and so a lot on prizes!

Probably saves money that way if you are cut out for acting like a party entertainer for a couple on hours, but think that its totally impossible for that amount of money, even if the prizes come from the pound shop.

morethanpotatoprints · 26/08/2012 19:32

SpuddyBean, I'm not suggesting you should have done that but you had the choice.
Me and dh did choose to do that maybe we shouldn't have done, however it is not important as we made a choice. It was what we decided to do as you chose what to do.
I just think it very limiting to think of life as not having any choice over a matter, obviously it sometimes seems more sensible, cautious or reckless to make a certain choice but we all have the option to choose. Sometimes people regret choices they have made but I can't think in terms of having no choice, but thats just me.

CailinDana · 26/08/2012 19:35

Not impossible at all, believe me. DS is too young to have had a party but two of my friends threw a joint party for their boy and girl who had birthdays around the same time, with DJ, bouncy castle and plenty of food and drink and between them I think it cost about £55 so actually a little less than £30 each.

ditavonteesed · 26/08/2012 19:40

poopoo, small bags of haribo make great prizes, party bags a couple of pencils and a nice notebook, balloon, bubbles and a piece of cake. Book people did a party bag set of horrid henry books and stuff for ten pounds for ten kids last year.

BeeBee12 · 26/08/2012 19:41

poundland and iceland.You could easily do it.

PooPooOnMars · 26/08/2012 19:42

Bouncy castle - 75

Dj - 60odd an hour

Then food, party bags, balloons etc, pass parcel paper and prize, refreshments for parents.

I always do a craft activity for those who are shy or prefer not to join in or bounce.

I can't imagine how they got all that so cheap.

marriedinwhite · 26/08/2012 19:42

BeeBee, here, in London, the soft play zone, attached to a local authority provision, cost £120.00 with no food. That was in 2002! Add on the food and a modest party bag and it was closer to £170.00, if you included the cake, etc.. Admittedly for 20+ but if you have to pay a flat fee you might as well make the most of it.

LynetteScavo · 26/08/2012 19:44

But I don't know a magic place where you can get a bouncy castle and a DJ for £55, and a hall for free. Around here DJ's are at least £80 and a bouncy castle £50.

Even a £30 party, and a £30 present means you are £60 further away from buying a new car.

These little things add up. Invitations, thank you letters, balloons, birthday cake, party bags. Even if you make everything yourself it's not free.

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