How much of a problem would you consider this bill to be if you have this amount of money?

[Justwp]

If you had 60k in savings, which are added to by around 1k a month, to what extent would you consider it a problem to pay out 7k to fix something in your home? Not cosmetic, actual work that needed to be done.

Would it ruin your day? Feel a bit shit? Would it not bother you at all?

I wonder if it's a difference between saver and spender mentality.

I'm a saver. Always have been. Even as a child I got pleasure from seeing the money in my piggy bank rather than looking forward to buying things.

It's been useful in life but sometimes I also wish I could let go more easily - and not question 'was it worth it's after buying.

Once money is allocated as savings (not surplus in current account) I hate spending it, even though I know this makes no sense.

I also like round numbers so if it stayed above say 55k I'd find it easier than it dropping to my next mental bracket (even though in reality this makes no difference but that's how I'd feel).

I’d be like “that could’ve been a nice holiday but oh well, I have plenty more money, and this is what my savings are for!”

How the other half live!

It wouldn’t bother me at all. Mild annoyance at having to fix the thing and slightly miffed that it wasn’t going to something more fun.

But no feelings about the spending money aspect. It’s a small proportion of savings and will be replaced in just over half a year.

It would depend what it was. If it's something that I kind of knew one day then I rationalise that the cost was always going to happen, I just didn't know when. They say 1% of property value per year for maintenance, although I don't think I hit that. So annoyed because it's a hit, but I'd deal with it. And feel bad thinking about those who couldn't because life is expensive!

I would feel very very relieved that I had the savings there and a plan to replace them. I wouldn’t care a single bit about spending money getting something done that needed doing.

think about it - most normal people don’t have that sort of money knocking around. E.g. the traitors contestants when they talk about how it will change their lives etc.

I’m in £20k debt on top of mortgage and we need about £10k work in our house which we can’t do until we’ve got the debt down - for a bit of perspective here…

That. All the people who say that they wouldn't turn a hair at an unexpected maintenance bill of that amount, may not be being entirely honest, I suspect.

I'm also going to guess that OP isn't talking about herself. So some of the scolding posts on here might be unnecessary.

Annoyed as I like savings to go on fun stuff. But ultimately this is just normal life and I'd be grateful I had money to pay and didn't have to take on debt.

A bit annoying but be happy I could afford the work without any issue, especially as it will be replaced in seven months.

We've had lots of costly repairs over the last few years and not had the saving. so if I did have the savings I think I'd just feel very relieved!

Annoyance would depend on cause.

If it’s a boiler replacement because the current one was 25 yrs old and past repair then expected cost and what the savings are for.

If it’s to replace a floor that was done last year but has been damaged by someone being stupid - very annoyed.

I’m being completely honest! I’ve spent almost my entire life being in debt rather than having savings, as have most people I know, so just being in a position of having accessible money I could use for an unexpected bill, and using less than one eighth of my savings rather than having to borrow the money, would have been beyond my wildest dreams for most of my adult life.

I'm so used to endless massive bills for house/cars that we have to borrow for that I'd just be hugely relieved that this, while annoying, didn't derail our finances. I can't imagine having that much in savings (and we live v modestly, have always worked full time and have shit cars and no holidays!). So I'd just think, thank God we can sort it. Imagine X years ago what this would have meant.

Yes, this. Needs to be done - I have the money - will get it done asap and get on with my day.

It wouldn't bother me at all because that's exactly why I have savings.

Are you asking for yourself or because you have a partner who doesn't want to spend the money?

No-one likes to see their savings depleted but you should be thankful you can afford to pay for the repair work and it hasn’t wiped out your entire savings at all.

Perhaps if you see your savings as long term savings, you should also have a pot for household repairs, stick £200 a month into that pot and reduce down your savings until you’ve built up a household repairs amount that you’re comfortable with.

Relieved that I had the money available to me and I wasn’t having to worry about loans etc

I've got 45k in savings and add 1kpm to them, have just paid 4.5k for loft boarding and insulation and about to spend 3k on walk in shower.

What's the point in saving if not for this kind of thing? Both really need doing and will add value to the house, so win-win as far as I'm concerned.

You sound like my late mum, she fretted about saving money for "a rainy day" but was really reluctant to spend any even if it was pissing down!

This is why it's good to segregate your savings.

Have a sinking fund which is money just there to pay for repairs and keep seperate pots for longer term savings/ fun savings etc. When you have to dip into your emergency fund it then doesn't feel like you are losing money from anything else.

And then just top it up when you can.

I’d be a bit gutted but grateful I had savings. I felt proper grumpy when I had to pay for a new roof. But these are boring grown up things we have to do when we buy houses. Now when I see a new roof going up I do feel a little sorry for the person as they could have had a nice holiday instead.

I grew up in relative poverty. When a big bill comes in and I can pay it I feel thankful and relieved and almost smug. Then I have a flashback about how every unexpected financial outlay was such a wrench in my past and I have anxiety for a bit remembering. Then I pay the bill. Then I maybe get myself a nice coffee to help me recover. People who say money doesn't buy happiness never had nooney. That said I'm not even a high earner by mumsnet standards and I don't have 60k income but scaling it back to my income bracket and savings level that's how it goes for me. My husband is the same. We literally get excited that all our direct debits just go out and we never have unpaid bills.

Repair bills are never much fun but they're a fundamental part of house ownership. There will always be some repairs and maintenance needed.

I'd probably think "that's quite a bill, we probably need to cut back on the luxury spending for a while, so we can replace the savings" and then that would be it. With £1000 per month of ongoing savings then it's not really a problem.

Wouldn't bother me. That's what they're for.