100k+ salary, is it worth it?

[Goingtogetslated]

For the record…Not trying to be insensitive…

partner and I both earn approx 150k each. Working long and unpredictable hours with high levels of stress and responsibility.

Yet here we are living in a 3 bed terrace in the east end of london, a basic car, neither of us into high end expenses/dining out/clothes. We used to holiday a lot pre children, I guess would classify as our major expenditure in the past.

But is it actually worth it? A decent 4/5 bed house (with kerb appeal I admit) in the commuter belt seems to be coming in at 1.5 million minimum. Add the commuting costs/ extended nursery hours, paid help required theres barely anything left - relatively speaking.

Would we not be better off sacking it all in, moving to the countryside and earning enough to pay the bills?

We appear to be stuck in this middle ground where we earn too much to have any allowances from the state, contribute a lot to the government yet not enough for any real benefits in lifestyle

You don't mention what your view of a basic car is also your house could be a spacious posh 3 bed house compared to everyone else's! Try and love kn 25k a year then come back to us .I'd be laughing if I had a joint income of 300k !

The OP is no doubt long gone, but what I would say is i've earnt £150k and i've earnt £15k and worked alot harder for the latter lesser amount. so I don't think you'd achieve anything by jacking it all in, but you knew that didn't you.

Don't be ridiculous

Sheesh, I can't believe what I've just read.
Seriously, you're whining about lack of benefits when you're raking in £300k pa?
Get real🙄

@Goingtogetslated
Move to Colchester. It's an hour or less to London on train. Only one of you work or if their is an option of both working part time. £500/£600k will get you a detached family home. With curb appeal.

Hahahaha middle ground. Get a minimum wage job & a 2 up 2 down terrace in Derby if you fancy a change love?

I think the fact that so many people are having to tighten their belts at the moment means this post was never going to get a fair shot at supportive comments. It is one of those ‘read the room’ situations and I’m not sure many people will be able to sympathise but I do understand what you are saying.
we both work in mainstream education so combined income is a tiny tiny fraction of your combined income. In fact your monthly income isn’t far off my annual salary, but we are happy and have a decent-ish work life balance. We both have degrees, both have plenty of transferable skills and could probably earn a lot more money if we wanted to, but we earn enough to live a happy life. I am not sure that your income actually matters, you sound like you’re not happy. So how can you change that? If the incredible salary isn’t providing the lifestyle/home/etc you want, change something.

If you can survive on less and be happier do it. Life is way too short to spend your time unhappy

I think that is an expensive area, you could find similar in other parts of Essex for less. South Suffolk and even Norfolk can be good for commuting but cheaper than places like Waltham Abbey. That would give you the things you think you should be able to have on your salary. I don't think moving sound mean you have to go on much lower paid jobs but it could be an option if you want less stress.

You'll get no sympathy but it's all relative.

People on here have houses they bought pre-boom or in cheaper regions, no idea of the cost of living in London.

I suspect you're feeling that you have salaries beyond most people's wildest dreams, but what good is it if it means you only get a 3 bed house in suburbia and not much else. But no time at all, and permanent stress exhaustion.

I did it and hung in there on the rollercoaster of stress. Then I've gone part time once I had a bit of financial security. We weren't on your sorts of joint salaries but I can imagine how easily it slips through your fingers. I don't know how most people survive.

We never had an expensive car, private schools, luxuries or even decent furniture. 🤣.

Yet on paper we were high earners. It's depressing.

I can’t believe how mean people are being. I didn’t see you as complaining, but wondering if the stress and long hours are worth it. I don’t think they are and perhaps you can find an alternative. Good luck with whatever you decide

Of course it's not worth it. But you know that. People who do stressful jobs to earn loads of money and then loan about their lives don't get much sympathy from me. I went part time in a well paid job and love my life much more on a far lower salary.

I’m sure you don’t mean to be insensitive and I understand that there is, and always will be, a north/south divide, but you’re so out of touch with reality when some people are trying to choose between heating and food right now that I think this might be the wrong platform for such a question. Having said that, my friend’s one-bed flat in London is worth the same as my 4-bed semi in the north, so I can’t understand why anyone would stay in London.

Why don’t you visit a financial adviser and see how you can work towards achieving your financial goals?

I don’t think you’re looking hard enough.

my husband and I are late 20s and currently child free. We have combined salary of 250k. We are moving out to the country buying a 1.31m 5 bed home which will suit us for around 10 years and can easily have 2 children there. Train is 40mins to London so definitely in the commuter belt. Our mortgage will be around 3.2k a year. Tightening our belts for a bit but prepared to make it worth. Noted we don’t have kids yet but probably will within the next 18 months. I hope it’s worth it

Personally I would rather live further out and have more time with my children. Can one of you continue in the high paid job and the other retrain to be around/flexible with the children. It’s about priorities. What is important to you? Your children are only young once.

3.2k a month not year!

Shhh don't let everyone into the secret of how good living up North is!

Wow so much criticism and probably some jealousy here. What’s wrong with working hard and wanting to feel rewarded and have a better lifestyle. Those people who reach that point of their career obviously work their ass off to get to where they are.
Don’t want to complain about the system here but it’s alright for the government to help people with lower incomes but there are a lot of people who take advantage of that loophole and don’t declare all the working hours and get all the benefits and free house etc

Why people who work hard to provide good life to their loved ones not allowed to moan. Germany give child benefits to all parents regardless income for example! Because there’s rational behind that, still need to be fair somehow. You contribute you will get something back not like in the UK

Totally agree with the original poster on “stuck in middle ground”

I was going to say 🤣🤣 what a deal! Not that you'd ever pay it off at that haha

Wow! You’re taking a world of pain here!!

I have to say, nobody seems to be actually talking about your point.
I think there is a lot to be said for moving outside of London, and either move into the countryside, or even moving further up north. I’m biased, as I live in the north of England, but the quality of life you can have Is absolutely amazing.

My husband and I are both high earner, not as high as you, but having said that I live in the north of England. I get that a big fat sounding salary doesn’t go as far as you expected to do. Good luck, trying to get the balanced right life for you. Xx

I hear you and appreciate Ur dilemma...why put urself through all the stress and misery to earn all that money when it doesn't even buy a nice standard of living.
If u were u I'd make a plan to stay in cheap accommodation for a year or two and.bank as much money as absolutely possible. Then get out of London and to an area where the House prices are much more affordable. Then buy a house outright and live mortgage free in a lower paid job. Something like that. But Ur right..Ur current situation doenwt work..so change it. Get out of any debt if u can and lower Ur monthly outgoings..then love simply and enjoy life and family. Nobody knows how long they or their loved ones have...so live the life u will be happy with.

seriously without slagging you off the best way to approach this to calculate your quality of life namely what you earn in London to your lifestyle versus where else you could work, earn good or even OK money and have drastically reduced outgoings.
e.g. I could earn a lot more in London (at least 20k more) but would never be able to afford to move there. I have accepted that it is slim job pickings outside London but have a good sized semi, really affordable mortgage and earn enough to have treat. so nice QoL and happy to be out of the rat race

I work 4 days a week and earn £10k a year! Man, would I love to have £10k a month.
Combined, my husband and I earn £40k a year. We have 3 kids so money is tight but still don’t class ourselves as poor by any means. Admittedly we don’t live in London but even so. There is no way I could write a post like the OP claiming to have no money left at the end of the month when take home combined salary is £10k a month. They either can’t manage money or their idea of not spending frivolously is very different to mine, and a lot of other peoples.

Yikes. That is all.