To take a 40k pay cut

[lul37]

We have been living in ME for almost 6 years now and wanting to move back to our home in London since last year.

DH has finally been offered a job back, BUT it's on a much lower pay than what he's on now, basically 40k less than what he's currently on. Not to mention the tax to be paid on top of what once we are back.

He also just got promoted in his current role which pays well but requires a lot of travel and is also unstable (lots of redundancy happening due to Covid, etc).

I'm just unsure if it's the right time now to move back, due to Covid situation and also with pay cut, i feel it would be such a downgrade. We would probably manage on the lower pay in London if I could find a part time job if we move back. Don't know if that going to be possible under the current lockdown.

I haven't been able to work while abroad due to DH's constant travel schedule.

On the other hand, we really want to move back to be closer to our family as many friends here have left and we we feel so isolated, I'm also worried about the hassle of moving schools for my two DS (12 yrs and 9yrs) right now.

But I'm also worried we might not get another offer in the next year or this is the best offer under the Covid circumstances.

AIBU to want him to turn it down now, and hope he gets a better offer in a few months?? I feel he is disappointed but torn as well.

*@lul37 * Sorry, just saw your last post OP. I assumed your DH would be on a much higher salary so ignore my suggestion.

@Yellow85 @breeland no, school fees are not included in his current package here and there is no way we could afford private schooling once back in London.

Why can't you get a full time job when you come back to uk?

I would say 90k in London if you used to a certain lifestyle isn’t huge. Would you be renting? It depends what your outgoings would be. If your happy living in a flat and shopping in Aldi then it’s decent, but if you want a nice 4 bed in a good area and to shop at Waitrose it won’t go as far...

Can he negotiate the wage?

Can you live further out and he commute in? That may help.

Combined with tax he will be bringing home less than half what he currently does. So unless your school fees are 5000GBP a month you will be looking at a big income drop. If you are also looking at renting ie you don’t have a house to come back to you are going to be in for a very significant change in lifestyle I would think.

In my experience earning potential is higher outside of the UK. When I worked abroad I was on 25% more for a more junior position than the one I ended up taking in the UK. My dad worked different jobs abroad most of my childhood (including ME) because the salary was 4-5x what he could achieve in the UK for the same job, and yes tax of course. I think moving back to the UK is a bigger picture than just money.

No one can answer this question as we don't have enough information about your finances from your posts. I'm surprised you haven't built up savings on that salary. You say you've had school fees, but you also say that's balanced out by lack of taxes.

You cant compare like that. It's totally different financial positions. Our rent in the ME was 4 times our UK mortgage (and the UK house is bigger and nicer).
Look at if the offer you have would give you the life you would be happy with. Depending on where in the ME you are will affect what you think a suitable life style will include, but I'd say 90k will put you fairly high up the income centile, even in London.

It’s tough. For me it would depend on whether you have a home in London to return to, or would be paying housing costs, and what progression and your earning potential would be. I think on that single salary in London you would notice the difference. However if the “pull for home” is strong and the loss of school fees then it may be worth it to you. If you do have housing costs carefully look into what you would be paying for these

The middle East salary actually sounds fairly low, I don't know how much it varies between I industries but the sort of work I do would pay at least double in the Middle East. If you're not able to save then sacrificing living in the UK if that's what you would prefer doesn't appear to be worth it. You can be comfortable on 90k

@AntiHop yes the reason we haven't managed to save much as when we moved to ME he was starting only on £90k, plus we had significant debt which we have finally managed to pay off. School fees were never included in his package and rents in a decent area were sky high back in 2015, but they have come down now. It's only with his recent promotion we can just now start saving up.

I would say that it really depends on why you'd be staying v coming back. Dh and I both took about 40k paycut to come back to the UK (but we technically promoted on our return - UK salaries are just super low) - our argument was that we'll be closer to family etc. Do I think it's been worth it - no...but thats because in the intervening years the UK has changed so much that it really isnt about the cash. We should have stayed where we were because life was better and we had a lovely circle of friends. So I wouldnt say that it's about the money but your overall reasons

Will you be renting or buying if you live in the U.K.? Where would you need to live? What sort of property would you be joint for?

You are basically going to have 5k per month to live on if you don’t work. The problem with SE is housing costs. To ensure you live in an area with good schools (and spaces) will cost.

It's a tough one - we are in the ME as well, and I know that when/if we move back to the UK, I will only ever earn a fraction of what I get here.

As lots of other people have said, don't think about the actual salary drop, it's more about the impact that has on your actual life.

It obviously depends where exactly in the ME you are, but the things currently keeping us where we are:

• Kids are in great schools (although am fortunate enough that my employer covers school fees)
• We have lots of friends here. In the UK our friends are scattered all over, and I imagine that especially with COVID and lockdown, life would feel very lonely.
• COVID in general is being dealt with very well here. I feel much safer here than I would in the UK and to a degree, life is still quite normal here (kids in school, restaurants open, play places open etc)
• Healthcare is better here (or at least, the infrastructure isn't under such a burden) and we have good private health coverage

What kind of life would you be able to have on your 'new' income in the UK? What would your prospects be for getting a mortgage and buying a house, or would you be renting? Would you ever be able to get out of that renting cycle (ie would you be able to save towards a deposit?) Would you be happy putting your kids in the local state school?

I think with a 12 year old, you need to move around education. If you don't move now, you may be stuck there until your youngest does GCSE's or similar. You will then run into potential uni fees as your first child will not have been resident in the U.K. for a sufficient period.

Depending on your DH's field/industry, this may be the only UK job offer he'll get so you need to factor that into your considerations. In my industry, jobs are few and far between right now. My employer has a global hiring freeze due to market conditions/Covid etc.

i would stick around a bit longer with his new position.

You have a 12 year old - are they a Y7 12 year old or a Y8 12 year old. If Year 7 then you have a bit of time. If Year 8 then you need to move before they start Y9 as a lot of schools start GCSE courses in Y9.

So if Y8 then you either need to take this job or accept that there is a good chance you will be staying in the ME until your youngest goes to university as you may struggle to find other “moving points” that work school wise.

While I wouldn't want to live in the ME I also wouldn't move back here right now. Brexit + Covid is shit. Life is only get much more expensive here. (It's already starting).

I would stay put for the time being and see what the Brexit/Covid fallout looks like in a year or 2 and then return.

Do you own property in the ME or in London? How much equity would you have for a place in London?

We worked in ME and manged to save money.
Then DW moved back and I went on single status jobs.
DW got established in a modest house, I went home for 2 or 3 weeks every 4 or 6 months. After two years I chucked up the job and then we
both changed careers. She did better than I did for job and salary.
We are still together and teenage children speak to me.
So it worked for us. Might the above help you decide on your future.

130 to 90 is doable.

I would move now to get your kids into UK schooling system especially as oldest is 12 but honestly no savings at all is a bit shocking.

I would 100% come back but you need to draw up a budget (money saving expert is useful)

Will you rent or do you have a house here already?

I worked in the middle East many years a go. Both me and my husband took a massive pay cut to come home. It depends what you want in life. I hated it out there by the end although can't deny the money and lifestyle it gave us was good. It was pre children and I didn't want any children to grow up in the expat bubble. I missed family, friends, seasons, Britain! I found the life out there very false and although we were skint for many years on our return I have no regrets. However, this isn't me, it's you and only you can decide what's important to you.