42k in Reading?

[NervousNellie29]

AIBU to think that a family of four will struggle to survive on a salary of 42k a year pretax while renting?

No YANBU. Would you get any tax credits? What's the rent you'd pay?

I live in Reading me Dp and 2 kids and we earn significantly lower as do most we know, we are not struggling
The average salary in the uk is 27k so many people get by with less
If you have to cope then you do.

Backstory: my DH got a promotion at work which requires us moving to Reading. This will be our 2nd move in 3 months.
We thought the salary increase would be about 45-50k, but in the end they have offered 42k. The houses alone for rent require you to make at least 45k a year. The difference in cost of rent and council tax alone is 330 and after tax the salary difference is only around 300.
I just feel incredibly frustrated and anxious about this as I don't think we'll have anything left for food or petrol etc after bills.

Depends. Are you paying for childcare too? DP and I had a combined income of 45k and we struggles cos full time childcare is £1k a month!

How big a house are you looking at?!

@Hellmouth DH is the only worker and I am SAHM for the kids. The house DH has found that's close enough to head office is 1450 a month. Council tax band E.
We also have car finance of 199 a month and insurance payments of 81 a month.
I'm incredibly anxious about all of it and just want to make sure the kids will be alright each month.

The difference in cost of rent and council tax alone is 330 and after tax the salary difference is only around 300.

Do you mean a month? A net salary increase of 300 a month doesn't sound too bad but it depends where you are moving from I guess.

When I did a year of weekdays in Reading I gave up trying to go anywhere by car - hopefully it's less choked these days, it was a while ago.

hmm, take home 2644. What do you need to rent? Looks like £1100 pcm would get you a reasonable if not wonderful 3-bed semi or similar? Council tax band H 3296 a year, /10 = 329 a month. So far £1430 outgoings a month. Food? 400 a month? other bills 200? What's the rest of the issue - childcare costs?

Can you negotiate at all? Unfortunately the rental market is tough I should think in Reading - can you work out what salary you need to make it OK and ask them to match it?

Ok but how close does he need to be to head office? You've said family of 4 so I'm assuming you have 2 kids. 3 bed places in Reading are around 1k per month.

For perspective, DP and I had a combined income of 2900

Rent 850
Bills 150
My travel (to London) 450
His travel 250
Childcare 1000

As you can see, most of our wages we're wiped out before we'd even gotten to food.

I think you need to use a salary calculator to work out his exact wages, and then work out a budget from that.

OH, sorry , just read it again - I assume you mean that you'd be £30 a month worse off due to Council tax - in which case I wouldn't entertain it.

Is it an American outfit? I've worked for a few US companies who are used to moving people around but don't understand how hard it can be in the UK .

Can you ask for more cash?

Right now he gets just under 2000 take home a month and we live around South Gloucestershire.
I've written out all the numbers for him and showed him well only have about £25 a month after ALL bills and formula and nappies have been paid for and he just keeps saying it will be fine and not to worry

We met in US (I'm from there he is from here). Company is a US company. I don't have many qualifications to get my own job here and have been looking into that or going back to school to get a degree but especially after this I just don't see that as an option.
We will barely make it by as is, if I have to throw childcare into the mix there's no way we can afford it

I don't want to sound ungrateful because I'm so thankful for my husband and all the hard work he does and I love being able to take care of my kids. It's just scary when you look at the numbers for everything.

I moved to Reading from the North on a salary of 60k. Our rent started at £1200 then we found a house for 995.
Salary was 60k but a lot went in child support and travel for children. So it was a lot less.
I would say we struggled but we did manage.

I moved back up North for a lot less salary after 4 years in Reading and felt rich.

You need to rent somewhere cheaper. Is it an it issue, does he need to be within x number of minutes' drive of the office? If your kids are in nappies could they not share a room?

I know estate agents are crap in this country compared with the US but challenge them to find you a decent house in a nice area for a budget you can afford. If you will entertain 2bed places that should be easier.

I think that when they put in "cost of living difference" salary into his package they just considered it for one person rather than 4 people.
I'm pretty sure he could negotiate, but he's a bit of a pushover when it comes to work so I definitely don't think he will no matter what I say. Work vs home is a big issue with us as is.

Scobell Close, Shinfield
www.rightmove.co.uk/property-to-rent/property-47838312.html

Something like this would save you a few hundred.

If it's a US company they surely expect a bit of negotiation. Actually tell him he doesn't have to negotiate, just inform them that he will be delighted to take the job when it pays £45000 a year. No negotiation required.

It'll be tough but, not out of the question

It sounds like your DS are still quite young - you won't be buying formula and nappies forever. I think you will have to look for a cheaper house - young children don't need their own bedrooms.

If he hasn't negotiated on the salary yet he might well be able to get another 1-2k per year out of them which would give you an extra £50-100 per month.

Could you get an evening job to boost income? Waitressing/bar work etc.

There's a huge variation in rent around Reading I think, depending on the area. But it's also a relatively small town, so travelling to work by bus or bike is quite do-able. Which part of town are you looking at?

If your DH is going to be at TVP or Green Park, somewhere like this is feasible I think (location wise) and it's just over £1K per month.

This is lovely and only £1050 per month -
why does he have to be close to head office if you have a car?

www.rightmove.co.uk/property-to-rent/property-65682284.html

There's no way you should have to take on evening work for this! You need to agree that you get to veto the house rental, and he needs to stand up for you on the salary front, if he won't do it for himself.