Are others really living a comfortable lifestyle or is it all smoke and mirrors?

[peanuts18]

Most people I know with children live in nice houses, have foreign holidays or new extensions, kitchens or new cars, eat out, days out to London or weekends away etc. How do they all afford it even a car on HP is several hundred a month?

I work part time (ds is only 7), oh works full time but is self employed so work can be a little up and down and no sick or holiday pay, have a fairly small mortgage (£600pm) but we really struggle. No savings, always in overdraft, no eating out, 1 cheap week to Spain in the last 15 years which set us back for months and months. I don’t smoke or drink and buy supermarket/primark clothes. No loans or car payments only a CC with about £1,000 on.

Am I missing something here as how do others do it or is it all smoke and mirrors and they are living on loans and credit cards, I really don’t get it??

2.5 years not 1.5

People at work probably think I’m loaded because I do love a big overseas trip. The truth though is that my house needs loads of work, my car is an old banger and I don’t have nail /beauty appointments and have cheap haircuts. I just love travel and am willing to skimp in other areas of my life. Oh and no kids.

They will be most likely be atheists too as it is mostly poor people who are religious 😂 for obvious reasons. Well unless they have a great local catholic school to go too. Then they will turn up just in time for the admissions season 🤣

Not being rude , just stating the facts as I read it, can only go by the facts that are being posted

Funny how you didn't attack the religious post ???

I mean, it's all relative, surely?

We don't have any of those things but I would say we're pretty comfortable. We have a happy homelife.

We just had a new kitchen - all in it was £21k including white goods. I mentioned to a friend we’re remortgaging because we’re at the end of our 5 year fixed rate and her reply was “aaah is that how you’re paying for the kitchen?!” Er, nope we have spent 5 years saving while doing up the rest of the house.

most people I know have a loan for a car but ours are old and owned outright. We have nice holidays too. We do both work full time though.

I met my DH young. We bought a shit heap old house in a terrible neighbourhood in 2008 and did it up ourselves. Lived frugally compared to our peers. DH was self employed but did a degree at nights because he wanted to earn more for our family. I retrained at nights because I wanted to earn more for our family. It was fucking HARD.
We sold our old house for a big profit and bought our beautiful new house in a lovely area with good schools. Our peers are either renting for life as no way they'd even afford a deposit while affording life, or are getting HUGE mortgages which means they are struggling more than us.

Family money a lot of the time. If they had a grandparent who they inherited property from that's a significant buffer. In our case that's mostly what pays for emergency costs - this week a fridge freezer breakdown - holidays (DH pays for some), repairs and decoration rather than our earnings.

In my experience, such people often live in fear - especially those who grew up poor. They have got used to a certain standard of living and dread losing it.

We’re comfortable, just had a new kitchen 😂 but I’ve a good job, DH has a good job and DD is now in free hours nursery, sounds like you need to work.

Prob 2 good wages op. My friend has nice lifestyle but both work hard. Im back working as kids older so no childcare. So it depends on kids ages too.

@SeeYouNextTLol seriously? I know plenty of Muslims and Christians who are fairly well off (well, certainly not poor). My GP and surgeon who operated on me are both Muslim and definitely not poor

I’m always jel of inheritence 😂 me and my DW have never had nor will ever have but our hard graft will see us through. Which will make us stronger I guess 🤷‍♂️ Would love the inheritance or lotto BTW but thats not to be just like everyones path is different for a reason as it shapes us. I do honestly believe if life is hard its because you are strong enough to take it and well for the others you know the vice versa

I’m a catholic so can’t comment on other religions

I do think some do have massive credit commitments and live beyond their means. It wasn't that common to see a new BMW , Mercedes a few years ago now every other person seems to have one. I live in a north west town which isn't that wealthy at all. We have a household income of 150k and i see expensive cars everywhere.

OP has long gone, save your breath.

🥸

The country is a bit fucked yes. People have a lot of debt but also view things as needs that used to be wants.

If you know where your money is going in your early years you can work out what you need for later years included. No I'm not a boomer we just know how to make our money work for us

Isn't it funny how these OPs post 3 times then don't get the attention they want then nothing total cowards !

Yeah thinking that myself .
My thinking out of her depth or a BS r

Probably fishing for a click bait online "article".

Totally agree with that !

I'm going to start a my life is awesome thread !