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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To think talking about money isn't always a bad thing?

26 replies

RacketeerRalph · 29/10/2021 10:12

Particularly to young people?

I don't mean in a braggy way. I mean in a realistic "this is how much stuff costs" way.

For example, my youngest brother (18) was asking why we drive a crappy car. He pays £450 per month for his fancy one, surely we can afford that? I explained that whilst DH and both earn a good income, our mortgage is X, childcare is Y, our house needs work (e.g. new kitchen, so told him how much that was likely to cost). He genuinely had no idea how much mortgages and childcare are. He's considering what he wants to do in the future and isn't sure whether he wants to go to uni (fair enough) but isn't feeling like he wants to do an apprenticeship either, and is a bit lost. He's clear about the material things in life he wants but I think not knowing how you realistically pay for that doesn't help people make decisions!

Don't get me wrong, I don't think uni is the be all and end all, but knowing how much deposit you need for a house, how mortgages work & how they are costed/ approved and how much certain types of professions make would help surely!

Same brother was saying that my other brother's (A) house was "a bit crap" but "not as crap as [sister]". Again, with no real idea of how much home ownership costs. A was put out by this (as you would be), so I suggested he explain how ridiculously expensive it was and how difficult it is to save after paying rent and bills etc. A was a bit reticent but after consideration did so and again baby brother was shocked.

So AIBU that discussing money, finances and real life costs shouldn't be the taboo it is?

OP posts:
Whatiswrongwithmyknee · 29/10/2021 11:38

Absolutely agree OP. We're very open with our kids about money. When we told them what we earned, they thought is was masses! It's not bad but then when we showed them how much the mortgage, bills etc. were they realised that it's nothing like as much as it sounds. They massively underestimated the cost of things like mortgage, council tax, food.

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