Should she earn more??

[blueeeapples]

Appreciate your thoughts on this situation. Both mid 40s, together nearly 20 years, 2 DCs (late teens). Mid 40s, mortgage paid off (3-bed semi), with joint savings of £18k.

Me: Salary: £65k, savings / investments: £137k & pension: £125k

DW: Salary: £12k, savings: £16k & pension: £10k

DW wasn't working while DCs were in primary school. Now they are in in secondary & college, re -entered workforce 2 years ago, working part time earning approx £200 p/w. I think it's DW should work more than the average 8-10 hours she does each week, especially as our pensions aren't great.

DW thinks we're in a good financial situation, and doesn't want to increase hours, especially as we have a large amount of savings.

Am I being unreasonable?

Yeah thats what i thought

Good suggestion. I'll do this and hopefully it will lay out our choices.

Works approx 1-2 hours p/d (excl. travel). Housework, volunteering, and drops and picks up DC2, and sometimes DC1 (drop off optional extra imo)

That's quite a bitty day and by the time she's taken the children one place, driven back, then the other one, driven back, there many not be that much time left. I mean, enough to work a couple of hours and housework, but you need to b having discussions about whether it's in fact of benefit to your household to have this contact with the kids and they value chatting time in the car, or whether this is a good time to get their independence up and on public transport or bikes.

These things are a balance; it doesn't sound like she's not busy, more like your household has functioned in a particular way for a long time. If she is not able to do drop offs or pick ups, what happens? How is that solved? What about getting a cleaner to free her up to work more or is that not what she wants? Is her job a good one or could she get another one which might then impact your convenience of having someone home all the time.

Lots to think about, it isn't just about money, it's about how much money you need to live the life you want both now and in retirement.

@blueeeapples Is there a reason the 15 and 17 yo can't get themselves to school?