Page 18 | Could you survive on 1k?

coffeeanteac · 2023-04-06T07:55:42+00:00

If you had £1000 left after the main bills. Could you survive on £1000 for food amd petrol and everything else takeaways, gifts, fun. DH thinks most families couldn't. I think it should be ok. There are only 3 of us and we all live about three miles away from work and school.

RoyGBivisacolorfulman · 08/04/2023 21:28

Millymollymaisy · 08/04/2023 21:23

I have about £1500 left after essential household bills and it’s a struggle !

For how many people?

Beezknees · 08/04/2023 21:31

Er, yes, and I do. Very easily. 2 of us in the house.

Beezknees · 08/04/2023 21:34

Emotionalstorm · 08/04/2023 18:53

Without the luxuries and just the necessities, life is just a grind and not worth living though

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Yes, and that's life for many people who work their bums off doing the minimum wage jobs for us all. Their lives are worthless then? Welcome to Tory Britain.

GlitteryUnicornSparkles · 08/04/2023 22:12

I’d think I’d hit the jackpot! My basic wage (full time job) doesn’t even cover my basic outgoings I prey I get enough overtime each month just to cover the several hundred pound shortfall. If I’ve had a really good overtime month (which means I’m rarely home) I might be lucky enough to have £200 or £300 over and I think I’m rich then! I’d be living the high life on £1000 and could actually afford to save.

CantFindTheBeat · 09/04/2023 09:31

What would you like to happen, OP?

Personally, having £1000 per month to cover food, birthdays, leisure, clothes, pets, fuel, haircuts, holidays, decorating, new sofa, savings etc nowhere near enough for us and wouldn't be for many people.

Obviously if that's all we had then many things would have to go.

But if you're asking would we want to manage on that, then the answer is no.

Emotionalstorm · 09/04/2023 10:36

Beezknees · 08/04/2023 21:34

Yes, and that's life for many people who work their bums off doing the minimum wage jobs for us all. Their lives are worthless then? Welcome to Tory Britain.

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No I'm just saying I wouldn't be able to cope and would have refused to have kids. I made it clear I would need a lot of help before agreeing to have kids with my husband.

OnaBegonia · 09/04/2023 11:28

@Emotionalstorm
Your aforementioned lovely London lifestyle. is that a lifestyle that if need be could be economised.
Why would you need lots of help to have a child, so you basically had a price on having a. child?
What if your DH lost his job? you would need to adjust.

Emotionalstorm · 09/04/2023 11:43

OnaBegonia · 09/04/2023 11:28

@Emotionalstorm
Your aforementioned lovely London lifestyle. is that a lifestyle that if need be could be economised.
Why would you need lots of help to have a child, so you basically had a price on having a. child?
What if your DH lost his job? you would need to adjust.

The question on the thread is if I can manage on 1k. I'm simply answering no.

The help is not just about money. My mum, husband and my in laws do some childcare for me.

Having kids is a very personal decision. The criteria I mentioned is what I need to feel like I am ready and secure enough to have kids. Other people may feel like they are ready with less, both should be ok.

Emotionalstorm · 09/04/2023 11:44

OnaBegonia · 09/04/2023 11:28

@Emotionalstorm
Your aforementioned lovely London lifestyle. is that a lifestyle that if need be could be economised.
Why would you need lots of help to have a child, so you basically had a price on having a. child?
What if your DH lost his job? you would need to adjust.

My DH won't lose his job unless he does something that brings his profession into disrepute. He is a partner so has a stake in the business.

Emotionalstorm · 09/04/2023 11:46

If he does lose his job (I guess there is a small chance), we should be able to maintain our current lifestyle on my income and help from my parents.

OnaBegonia · 09/04/2023 12:28

From your parents??
Deary me, madam will not see a change in her lifestyle eh 🙄

Emotionalstorm · 09/04/2023 12:36

OnaBegonia · 09/04/2023 12:28

From your parents??
Deary me, madam will not see a change in her lifestyle eh 🙄

Is it that bad that I didn't want kids if that meant a significant downgrade in my lifestyle and financial uncertainty?

Meandfour · 09/04/2023 12:55

Emotionalstorm · 09/04/2023 11:46

If he does lose his job (I guess there is a small chance), we should be able to maintain our current lifestyle on my income and help from my parents.

You’d need help from your parents :/ do you not think you should get yourself in a position where you can support your own child?

Phoebo · 09/04/2023 13:00

Probably just, but it would be a struggle.

Emotionalstorm · 09/04/2023 13:07

Meandfour · 09/04/2023 12:55

You’d need help from your parents :/ do you not think you should get yourself in a position where you can support your own child?

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They wanted grandkids more than I wanted to have kids at the age of 27. I don't want to step down entirely from my job but I don't want to give birth to kids and have nannies bring them up.

My parents gifted us our family home (with no mortgage) but they have not given me any more money. They have offered but we have refused. We cover our own costs day to day and have rental income, investments and savings. My husband can be unemployed for a decade without them stepping in and even then it may not be necessary (unless I lose my job too). We have already starting saving for a schooling fund for my daughter. I just meant that my parents would be keen to help out if things went south. I wouldn't have kids if I didn't have a robust safety net and might struggle financially.

Emotionalstorm · 09/04/2023 13:09

Just to clarify I don't think other people need to do it to the same extent but I'm super risk adverse and I don't want every penny I still want to have a life that doesn't revolve entirely around my daughter.

Emotionalstorm · 09/04/2023 13:10

I don't want every penny I earn to go on childcare and I still want to have a life that doesn't revolve entirely around my daughter. **

OnaBegonia · 09/04/2023 15:34

@Emotionalstorm
I've now no idea why you've chosen to comment on here, you were GIFTED a house, already you have a huge financial advantage as that is most people's biggest outgoing. Off you go with your stealth boasting and your lack of awareness.

Meandfour · 09/04/2023 15:37

Emotionalstorm · 09/04/2023 13:10

I don't want every penny I earn to go on childcare and I still want to have a life that doesn't revolve entirely around my daughter. **

You must be a very low earner if you don’t have a mortgage yet childcare would still eat all of your income.
You should both focus on earning more before trying for a baby ideally.

Glitterybee · 09/04/2023 15:37

My groceries are £600 a month and my diesel £400 so no I couldn’t do it.

Meandfour · 09/04/2023 15:38

OnaBegonia · 09/04/2023 15:34

@Emotionalstorm
I've now no idea why you've chosen to comment on here, you were GIFTED a house, already you have a huge financial advantage as that is most people's biggest outgoing. Off you go with your stealth boasting and your lack of awareness.

I don’t think it’s a stealth boast at all. They have no mortgage and still can’t afford childcare. I would say they’re right to have financial concerns.

OnaBegonia · 09/04/2023 15:45

@Meandfour
If you read previous comments,you'll understand my comment.

SleepingStandingUp · 09/04/2023 17:53

Emotionalstorm · 09/04/2023 11:43

The question on the thread is if I can manage on 1k. I'm simply answering no.

The help is not just about money. My mum, husband and my in laws do some childcare for me.

Having kids is a very personal decision. The criteria I mentioned is what I need to feel like I am ready and secure enough to have kids. Other people may feel like they are ready with less, both should be ok.

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So DD is from a previous relationship, she's not DS's father I assume as he's doing childcare for you? Does her father contribute to get upbringing?

SleepingStandingUp · 09/04/2023 17:56

Emotionalstorm · 08/04/2023 18:53

Without the luxuries and just the necessities, life is just a grind and not worth living though

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So you'd rather be dead than poor? That's a worrying sentiment if you've got kids especially. Sometimes life gets tough, you have to try and push through

Emotionalstorm · 09/04/2023 18:10

Meandfour · 09/04/2023 15:37

You must be a very low earner if you don’t have a mortgage yet childcare would still eat all of your income.
You should both focus on earning more before trying for a baby ideally.

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I don't spend anything on childcare currently because my daughter only attends 4 half days at nursery and the cost of this is covered by the government and her granny takes care of her until dinner time. If my parents did not commit to helping me I would need to hire a nanny and they cost anywhere from 60-120k a year. Together with her ballet, piano and gymnastics lessons it would be most of my post tax salary yes.

I'm unlikely to get a significant payrise as that would require a promotion to partner or counsel because I've dropped down to working part time (4 days a week). Without help, I would need to give up my job or hire a nanny. That's why I wouldn't have had kids in the hypothetical scenario that I don't have my support network.