To think working hard is not even worth it?

[petcacti]

My DS and his husband work every hour under the sun. DS is in the office 8am-10pm very regularly and dsil works fewer hours but still a heck of a lot.
They've both done very well for themselves academically, allowing them to reach their current jobs. DS works in Law, and together they have a gross salary of c£200k

Wow you might think, a huge amount of money. This is London, and so their small 2 bed flat has a mortgage of £800k on it, and so most of their salary goes on keeping a roof over their heads (as do most peoples).

They have no time whatsoever, and often work 6 or 7 days a week, long long hours. Yes they can afford nice things, but the cost of living in London is so high that it's negligible.

AIBU to think working this hard is not healthy, nor worth it.
If I think to dh and I, our situation is work 35 hours each a week, a decent house, no fancy things, but a nice life.

My goodness £800k mortgage

But you’re lucky to have a house due to better timing

What you have described is a lifestyle choice, nothing more. They aren't trapped. They obviously think it's worth it.

What did you think would happen?

No doubt DS got great A level results, and you were delighted.

He got into a fabulous university and you were so proud.

He graduated with a good degree and got a training place you were so plesaed for him.

Now he has to work for that position and you don't like it. He climbed to the top of the tree because of your help and encouragement.

The moral of this tale - be careful how hard you push your children, you might not like the end result.

DC might not be pushed at all, might have been ambitious themselves! I certainly was, my parents never pushed me. In fact, kept telling me to stop studying and come and watch some TV!

Cumbria sounds lovely!

For younger people, no we don't have to choose an 800k property. Not even in Central London. We do however have to choose from housing options that are pretty much all disproportionately expensive. This is generational. Even those who like me live in much cheaper areas than the average are still paying more in real terms than we would have done for that same housing a generation or two ago. There are very few areas of the UK where this is not the case, even those where properties are cheaper than they were in 2007.

I live in (outer) London, nice house, nice holidays, fantastic schools. 20 minute train to central London. I work part time, my husband works full time. Our Income is less but we still have a great life. We all make our choices in life.

adaline

Funnily enough I was going to post about my first job in Carlisle.

£15.5k salary. Rent £350pcm for a flat 200yds from work - two bed including bills (not in a flood zone!). Saved £200pcm, and could afford to drink/eat out and buy a few bits and bobs. Furnished my flat modestly from second hand places, and got a cheap but serviceable mobile internet deal. In three years, that £200pcm saving would have been enough for a deposit on a one bed flat in the centre.

It isn't the case for everyone, but yeah, there ARE different choices to make! I have friends who moved to North Lancs from London (also near Lakes but not Lakes prices), bought a house to renovate and got lower paid jobs and live a lower income lifestyle. And are really happy.

Though I agree with French Fancy that these two don't sound unhappy, and are living a life that suits them. I too was pushed by parents - realising those ambitions has taken me 200 miles from Carlisle though!

I can't believe this thread. Seriously OP?
They made the decisions, to work long hours, for £200k. With a flat in central London?

No one I know earns £200k unless they work a lot of hours.

And your point is what exactly?

Well, they've obviously decided to live somewhere like Hampstead or Chelsea. If they moved across the river to Oval or Battersea they'd probably be able to find a 2 bed flat in a mansion block requiring half the mortgage they currently have. If they moved to any commuter town with a station within 40 mins of London, they'd probably be able to buy a detached period house with a decent chunk of land for that sort of money. And I'm sure your son and son in law know that there are options that are open to them if they decide that they want more space, more disposable income and less debt, so the fact that they haven't moved means that it must be worth it to them.

There are loads of professions that are equally demanding time-wise (and require high academic qualifications if that's of consideration ) that don't pay anywhere near that. I'd say they are doing ok.

2 bed flat in Clapham,
Zone 3, no outside space is £800k so not Hampstead.
Do they get private health insurance? Probably worth it just for that given what’s to come with Brexit ...

But OP said their mortgage is £800k, not
The property. The property would have to be over £1m and breaking the £1m barrier for a 2 bed is absolutely a choice.

Yes, when my mortgage was £1.3m my house was worth more. Lenders want you to have some deposit although given current price drops in London there may well be some new buyers in negative equity.