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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To ask what sort of lifestyle you think I should have?

49 replies

Fleeceybeaa · 30/12/2023 22:55

I know this is random but a conversation with a friend got me thinking. What sort of lifestyle would be imagine we would have with the following?

Household income: 71k gross (two FT wages). No children, no pets, both early to mid-30s.

OP posts:
AhBiscuits · 30/12/2023 22:56

Where do you live?

Butchyrestingface · 30/12/2023 22:57

Where do you live?

Hipnotised · 30/12/2023 22:57

I imagine your cost of living is high, plus either rent or mortgage.

So not a hugely luxurious lifestyle...am I right?!

Original poster
Fleeceybeaa · 30/12/2023 22:58

Sorry yes, good point! East Anglia.

OP posts:
cleaninglady123 · 30/12/2023 22:58

Err well I would guess you would jbe home owners of some sort. Live a moderate but comfortable life, go out for dinner every now and then, cheep hols outside school hols.

NC2315 · 30/12/2023 22:58

So many variables, location, debts, travel costs for work, general outgoings...

Hipnotised · 30/12/2023 22:58

I imagine your cost of living is high, plus either rent or mortgage.

So not a hugely luxurious lifestyle...am I right?!

time4aNC · 30/12/2023 22:58

Own your own home, however it’s small. Two cars. Holiday once a year. Go out once or twice a month.

humblecake · 30/12/2023 22:58

Only comparison I can make is my DS and BIL who earn a bit more, no kids, two pets. They have a great life, a really gorgeous house, no shortage of holidays, go out for dinner and drinks a lot, love to host.

I sometimes look at them with slight jealousy 😂 wouldn't change my kids but wouldn't mind swapping lives for a month 😂

Arightoldcarryabag · 30/12/2023 22:59

This is the same as us.
When we lived in the South East we had a little 2 bed flat and it was fairly cosy. Couple of holidays per year, nice restaurants etc. But not the nicest area or the biggest flat, nice enough but know your limits nice.
Moved up North, now got a 3 bed semi, 1 holiday per year and relatively nice supermarket shops, occasional day/night out with friends etc, just so so.
Basically, depending on how you prioritise, you can have very nice things but not everything nice that you want.

TwinklingLightsEverywhere · 30/12/2023 23:00

Is that 71k pretty equally split? Net monthly would be better.

Where do you live, do you own or rent, how much are your housing costs?

Assuming 35k each that sounds quite average for your age. If renting or you bought recently you're probably quite squeezed even if you live somewhere quite cheap.

It's certainly possible to live well on an beverage wage, particularly without dc. But it depends on your definition of well.

Congrats if you don't feel squeezed.

Youcannotbeseriousreally · 30/12/2023 23:01

You should afford dinner out at least once a month, get your nails done, not have to budget food shopping, afford wine etc and have one , maybe 2 holidays a year. You’ll fly economy though.

you’d need to earn 70k each for a significant lifestyle improvement.

Torganer · 30/12/2023 23:01

You live in Bedfordshire in a new build 3-bed estate, both have your own car, drive to work. You both pay into your workplace pension, you save as much as you can every month, but enjoy the occasional night out (sometimes together, sometimes individually). You like to try and get away for a holiday if you’ve saved enough, sometimes a weekend away, occasionally abroad if you get a good deal.

You try and be frugal on food for your weekly shop, but one of you likes to get the odd treat.

*sorry, just seen you live in East Anglia. I was waxing lyrical! So I’ll add that you like to go on long flat walks, occasionally have fish and chips on the beach!

TwinklingLightsEverywhere · 30/12/2023 23:07

Torganer · 30/12/2023 23:01

You live in Bedfordshire in a new build 3-bed estate, both have your own car, drive to work. You both pay into your workplace pension, you save as much as you can every month, but enjoy the occasional night out (sometimes together, sometimes individually). You like to try and get away for a holiday if you’ve saved enough, sometimes a weekend away, occasionally abroad if you get a good deal.

You try and be frugal on food for your weekly shop, but one of you likes to get the odd treat.

*sorry, just seen you live in East Anglia. I was waxing lyrical! So I’ll add that you like to go on long flat walks, occasionally have fish and chips on the beach!

Edited

I love this level of detail!!

So I think you lived the highlife in your 20s when you earned well for your age and ran up tons of debt when interest rates were low thinking you could pay it off.

You didn't save or pay into pension and then have found your wages stagnated whilst interest rates rise and now you're back with mum and relying on the food bank.

(I do hope this isn't true, I assume you wouldn't have posted if it was. It is the reality for many though and not entirely their fault since they were encouraged to borrow for everything)

Original poster
Fleeceybeaa · 30/12/2023 23:09

@Torganer you're definitely right about the walks and fish and chips!

OP posts:
Torganer · 30/12/2023 23:17

@TwinklingLightsEverywhere
I quite enjoyed making that up, this should be a thing! Age, marital/family status, household income, work, location - guess my lifestyle!!

AmethystSparkles · 30/12/2023 23:26

71k wouldn’t go far in Cambridge but if you were in say north Norfolk you’d probably have quite a lot of spare money.

Original poster
Fleeceybeaa · 31/12/2023 14:43

Interesting replies, thanks!

OP posts:
Dishwashersaurous · 31/12/2023 14:45

Pretty normal, average lifestyle. Average wage.

Beezknees · 31/12/2023 14:49

I'd be living the life of riley on that but my housing costs are only £500pm so it depends on that.

A comfortable lifestyle I'd have thought. Not flashy but a mortgage, savings, bills paid with no worries. A holiday or 2 a year.

Original poster
Fleeceybeaa · 31/12/2023 14:51

The odd thing is if you do the IFS calculator, it says we earn more than 77% of the population which just baffles me. It doesn't even ask about your housing costs (apart from council tax) or savings etc.

OP posts:
Princessfluffy · 31/12/2023 14:58

You probably have a mortgage on a small house, run a car, maybe two cars, can go on holiday once a year or more.

Ladybughello · 31/12/2023 15:00

Fleeceybeaa · 31/12/2023 14:51

The odd thing is if you do the IFS calculator, it says we earn more than 77% of the population which just baffles me. It doesn't even ask about your housing costs (apart from council tax) or savings etc.

Yes, based on earnings alone that sounds reasonable. Obviously wealth and quality of life can be very different from income these days.

SausageCasseroles · 31/12/2023 15:05

It's a lot more money than an awful lot of people, especially with no kids... so yes I could easily believe its more than 70% of the population! Maybe not more than 70% of mumsnet....

I love when people say "it's a fairly normal income" really that means it's like them/their social circle. It's a far higher income than we have 😂.

SutWytTi · 31/12/2023 15:06

Fleeceybeaa · 31/12/2023 14:51

The odd thing is if you do the IFS calculator, it says we earn more than 77% of the population which just baffles me. It doesn't even ask about your housing costs (apart from council tax) or savings etc.

Why does it 'baffle' you?

You have quite a decent household income in relative terms. There are a lot of poor households in the UK, a lot of low income households.

There are other calculators that compare your disposable income after bills etc.

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