To not feel rich even though husband earns £250k a year

[whoovian]

I don't feel rich - I scarcely feel comfortable on this level of income.

Why is that - I grew up in a very poor family (not enough food at times type of poor) so I know what poverty feels like.

We are not extravagent spenders - we have one 1 week european holiday a year, no savings however we do have 4 children in private school(!) and live in London.

I feel unreasonable when I consider how little income others survive on but what do you think?

I am getting the impression that whoovian has some issues with her husband.
op, if he didnt spend the money on school fees, would he find other expensive things to spend the money on?

Sidetracking slightly, but I just asked DH, who does all the shopping and suchlike in our house, how much we spend for a family on 4 on food and household stuff per year - he said around £3 K. And we eat fine, clean the house and even have binbags, so I reckon £10K for groceries for 6 is a fair bit - especially if the children are at boarding school. Are they? If not, they must be at horrifically pricey day schools..

I can't take it seriously, sorry.

The amount of money being discussed is simply mind boggling to me.

Still it is a nice distraction from writing 2500 on learning theory

OP's salary alone would be life changing to us. We are not poor, well I don't feel poor. We have nice clothes, nice holidays, the dc get pretty much everything they ask for, for Christmas/birthday etc. We eat okay-ish.

I cannot get my head around how you can 'scarcely feel comfortable' with a disposable income close to £6k a month, that's almost half of what Dh years a year

I get that is all relative, but £6k a month how can just 'lose' £6k a month? How? I couldn't spend that much if I tried to.

Joke OP no?

If your money isn't making you happy you may as well be poor. Give your money to me (or a charity) and I'll show you how to make a lot of people estatic!

OP, why did you have four children if money is so important to you? I ask this out of curiosity, not to have a go.

As for those who want to know how you can earn £40k part time, I have a friend who earns about this for a consultancy job that takes up one day a week . Such jobs do exist, esp in circles where £250k isn't seen as a lot

Please tell me ths is a piss-take?

OP, is the reason you don't feel rich because your relationship is organised in a way that means YOU aren't? I mean does your DH take responsibility and control for all the money and where it goes?

I don;t think she is saying they need to change becasue tehy are struggling She knows they are well off but she doesn't feel it. They seem to afford all their outgoings so why whinge?

Seriously??

250k is a fucking huge amount of money! Jeez, I would feel rich on 20k never mind 250k!

mrsshackleton. Nowhere has the OP said or implied money was so important to her. She simply said that she was surprised that she didn't feel rich with such a 'huge' salary.

Fair question mrsshackleton. We had 4 because we thought we would be able to afford them. And in reality we can afford them. But we can't afford to privately educate them and 'feel rich'.

We can afford to privately educate them and have a 'normal' life.

I wouldn't doubt OP's honesty but hope she comprehends the emotions it will trigger in those struggling through the double dip recession, facing the cuts in DLA, child benefit etc etc.

My DH earns less than OP's although approaching £200k on a good year. I've just been able to give up my £120k per year job which I hated (and which caused a breakdown) because of this (we have 2 DDs pre-school age, live in London.)

I KNOW how bl**dy fortunate I am and count my lucky stars every day. Every time we get a bill that's been paid, direct debit, without a thought, every time I walk out of the supermarket knowing I didn't actually clock how much the shop was, just popped my card in and knew it wouldn't be declined. THAT is rich IMHO. I was raised in a family decimated by the effect Tory rule had on the Northern working classes. I've seen both parents sob because they didn't know where the next penny was coming from nor how and if they'd ever get another job.

I'm surrounded by people who have had far more breaks in life than us - parents funding property purchases, holidays abroad since before they could walk, private education and parents funded them through Uni etc BUT if you judged your own life by other people's you'd never be happy. I am so so grateful for all that we have and that's rich enough for me.

I've read this whole thread and I'm trying to see your POV Op.
But, Nah, you've got me, no sympathy at all.
Financially you are very, very lucky.

I know everlong just weird to say we are loaded live a privileged life with no worries about anything but I don't feel like I thought rich would what can I do?

"We can afford to privately educate them and have a 'normal' life."

So how lucky does that make you?

My heart is bleeding, is someone going to organise a whip-round ?

Justaholyfool - wrong, there is such a thing as some people contributing more to society and some much less. Compare the life of someone who is privately educated ( not using state school resources ) who works as a doctor and buys their own house to someone who has been state educated, never worked, relies on housing benefit etc. one has contributed much more to society and ironically, taken much less in return. Not slating those who never work etc just saying that not everyone contributes equally.

I've never been deleted before. All I did was dare to suggest someone is having a little bit of fun with good natured MNers.

wealth is all relative

i'm guessing you live in a well off area and surrounded by wealth, itsa sure fire way to feel poor

crashdoll

I am not sure I would call the MN'ers on this thread 'good natured'

I suppose on 250k people assume they'll be living a very swanky life indeed. The life of a rich person, in fact.

But the reality is four children in private school and a house in London will not afford said lifestyle.

Doodles I just hate to see my kind, generous and wonderful fellow forumers being taken advantage of.