AIBU - We’re struggling to get by on £200,000 a year

[BreakingDad77]

next.ft.com/content/d6f1e58e-20c9-11e6-aa98-db1e01fabc0c

Just actually gobsmacked by her comments -

“In theory, with our household income, we are in the top 5 per cent of the UK population and yet it does not feel that way,” she says. “If you’re earning millions of pounds, then you’re OK — and at the other end of the spectrum you get everything paid for. We are caught in the middle where we are paying for everything.”

Yeah because you know those on benefits get such a cushy deal...WTAF

Just all feeds into why UK is one of the mist unequal countries in Europe.

Its ironic as with the EU ref Brexiters going on about how all the other EU countries are crap and yet we have some much bigger problems closer to home.

[Tabsicle]

£200k isn't struggling. It's making choices and budgeting badly.

[abbsismyhero]

i could buy a house in my area with half her yearly income decent size house and garden mortgage free

plenty of money left over

fucks sake

[Zaphodsotherhead]

I don't qualify for benefits (not enough hours). Last year I earned £8,000 total from both jobs. I can't afford heating, or electricity, my salary just covers bills, not food or fuel for the car and I live on my overdraft.

If she wants to swap, I'll see if I can make her money stretch...

[sharknad0]

I think you'll find most people in London live on less than £100K pa

but how many have help, and how many haven't? I don't live in Central London btw, I can't afford to buy a house there.
I know (not heard of, not read in the Daily Mail actually know!) people who live around Lancaster Gate, or even better in Chelsea, and who are on benefits and in (very luxurious) social housing. It does make me angry frankly, to see that people have a better life because they have chosen not to work. (Again, people I KNOW. No disability there, just a lifestyle choice).

No-one said they were starving when earning £100 a year, but I can understand what they mean by struggling. They are not "rich", able to afford luxury holidays, designer clothes and gold toilets. It's not that simple.

Regarding the schools in Croydon (or Bromley, or Clapham...). It's up to you, but with the amount of grammar schools available, the remaining comprehensive are not that attractive.

[runningincircles12]

I wish people didn't overegg the pudding so much about how expensive it is to live in London. It is not so expensive that someone on £200,000 would struggle in any way. They bought the house for £200k fgs.

200k income is about £9,700 net per month. Say they have remortgaged and now have a £400k mortgage.
Mortgage payments £2,500
Day school fees £1,000
Transport (if work in London) £500
Childcare costs (part time nanny, as at school) £800

That still leaves 5 grand a month to live on. I just don't understand what planet she is living on.

[C2H5OH]

I think anywhere outside London and the SE £80k is a damn good family income.
We live in a very nice - and expensive - place outside the SE with great state schools. Our income is well over £80k and we have a great standard of living. Even if we were the years younger with less housing capital, we would be able to buy a decent house in our area.
People choose to live where we do for the quality of living, good schools and beauty. We know we pay more for our houses but it's a choice we've made.

[runningincircles12]

I know (not heard of, not read in the Daily Mail actually know!) people who live around Lancaster Gate, or even better in Chelsea, and who are on benefits and in (very luxurious) social housing

No, they live in a luxurious area, not in luxurious housing. It's social housing- bog standard and plain. I know of people who live in Victoria in ex-council and the actual housing is not luxury (it might not have rats or smell of urine, but it's not swanky).

[sharknad0]

It's social housing- bog standard and plain.

Seriously? if their kitchen and bathrooms (paid for by the council) are bog-standard, I really have made the wrong choices in life! They were even given money to buy paint to redecorate the rest of the place.

My point was just that the very rich seem to be living very comfortably in London, as you expect, but they are not the only ones. People in the middle not so much!

[RNBrie]

The original article was in the FT and has been picked up by the tabloids. She does say in the FT article that she has elderly parents to support as well.

I think she should have kept her mouth shut, anyone with a dc in private school can't really consider themselves "squeezed" but I do feel a bit sorry for her, she can't possibly have expected this level of media from a tiny part of an interview she gave to the FT.

[Anicechocolatecake]

I hate this kind of article. I haven't read it but I did check to see if it was a Mail article because it seemed to be the kind of misogynistic crap they write.

I don't know if this is the case specifically here but I can imagine a journalist has an idea to get peole talking. They interview several women to chat generally about the squeezed middle, say. They deliberately target people on lots of money and get them talking so they have a good moan, then instead of a general article on lots of women the article zones in on one idiot who is unaware of their privilege. Cue readers being outraged and inflamed anx calling said idiot a stupid bitch etc.

Everyone froths for five minutes, gets upset and generally ignores more important news stories and then moves onto the next story. Yes the woman in question is ignorant but I would hate to be on the receiving end of the vitriol going around online.

I get it's tempting to get drawn in but it's lazy journalism and little more than click bait. Some people don't know how lucky they are. Annoying, infuriating and frustrating, yes. News, no. This woman won't ever learn how lucky she is. It is crap for the squeezed middle. There is a story in that that deserves writing.

[ChazsBrilliantAttitude]

We are landlords (boo hiss etc!) and we ensure our tenants have kitchens and bathrooms of a reasonable standard. We also decorate the property. In return they pay us rent. Why should social tenants be any different.

[sharknad0]

London is for living in, for everyone, not just those who are rich enough to 'deserve it'

It's not about deserving, but do you expect sympathy towards people who are not working and live in the best areas in London, whilst someone who hasn't stopped working cannot afford the smallest studio in the same area? I am among the stupid ones who can only find jobs in London (not for lack of trying to find elsewhere), has to waste hours commuting as my affordable house is nowhere near the center AND spend a fortune in tax.
I agree, I am the idiot here. At least when the kids have finished university, we can retire and relocate in a cheaper area, but earning a salary above the national average does not make you rich.

[asfish]

She is not badly off at all! They just get through all the money they earn.

True they might not have any money left at the end of the month but who does!?

[MrsKCastle]

We're on around £50k household income, 2 kids, 2 adults, living just outside London (zone 6). I wouldn't for a minute consider myself 'squeezed middle', I consider myself bloody lucky. It's all about perspective and priorities, isn't it? Private school will never be an option for us, so it's not something I'd even think about. Ditto expensive foreign holidays. But we can get a takeaway or a bottle of wine when we fancy it, buy new clothes when we need them, get the kids birthday or Christmas presents that they're happy with, pay for extra-curricular activities. So yes, I consider myself very lucky.

[Diddlydokey]

I'd say 'squeezed middle' for families with young children (so paying a mortgage or rent, childcare costs etc) would be around £20-£30k household gross income outside of the South East

I think you qualify for benefits like WTC on that household salary level.

We do fine at a household income of £65k in the midlands. One kid, average house. It sounds like a lot to me but in reality you don't get much for your money. I think we'd really feel another child financially.

[needastrongone]

We have a high household income, and I like to be frugal as I prefer to make savings in some areas to spend in others, and would rather not pay 50% more for my gas than I have to.

We run 3 expensive cars, a high mortgage, a pony/horse box, have expensive holidays and still manage to save a significant portion of our income.

200k is not the squeezed middle.

[BishopBrennansArse]

I've been in social housing for 12 years and the only time I was given a voucher (not money) for redecorating was when the place was a complete crap hole. We're talking temporary front door (previous tenant had had original one kicked in), mould in several rooms, broken glass everywhere.

It was literally painting over structural problems. Fortunately we were only there a year before being moved to somewhere that wasn't damp and unsafe.

[ChazsBrilliantAttitude]

Flaming
Yes, that may be the subtext of the article but its bloody insensitive when so many people are really struggling to complain about not feeling as rich as they thought they would. I have 2 DC in private school and mortgage on a London property so I do understand what her costs are like but I wouldn't for one minute complain about being squeezed or not being as wealthy as you might think. By any measure we are doing well and have nothing to complain about and a lot to be grateful for.

[sharknad0]

MrsDeVere a private landlord expect tenants to pay their rents, the people I mention are not paying anything...