Hi,
I am filling in my Form E outgoings, and it's turning out to be quite high - around £5,000 per month for me and 3 young children. It includes full time nursery fees for youngest DD, rent, food, holidays etc etc.
I have been working out costs using online sources and my credit card bills etc - none of the costs are picked out of thin air. Where applicable, I have multiplied costs by 3 to account for the 3 children (e.g. swimming lessons x 3 is £100 per term = £300 per year = for 3 children £900 per year)
I can already feel my exH's fury when he reads this, and he will be questioning every little expense.
How far should I be justifying expenses? I have been doing this using a spreadsheet, breaking down what each costs included (e.g., clothes includes school uniform, weekend clothes, swimming stuff etc).
I am reluctant to not include things, or go with cheaper options, knowing that H will beat these numbers down as far as he can anyway.
He doesn't live with us and sees the DC approx. one weekend every 4-6 weeks at the moment, so all of the costs fall to me. I don't earn enough to keep going, and H doesn't pay anything at the moment so this will all be fought via the courts. I need to make sure I am watertight with my costings.