Beginning the end. How much do you need up front to divorce & other logistics?

[Dogdays123]

How much do you need upfront to divorce? & How do you begin when the monthly salary is always used up? What is the process?

It would be great to keep the family home, but I care more about getting free. & I think those Mesher order things look terrible from the female point of view.

We have a big overdraft and some other debt, but the house is now worth lots. With high upkeep of course. He has a big pension in his pot too. We have 3 children. I left work (career wise) after the third but did a variety of low paid jobs that fitted in after that. He is now at the top of his tree and earning lots. Younger than me with great earning potential. I am not working right now.

My first divorce cost £175 ish, application fee and a couple of solicitors letters.

My second, extremely contentious divorce cost north of £75k

Pick your battles

A recent disputed school change cost £15k in court

It cost me £550 in court fees and about £300 for an online solicitor as it was reasonably amicable.

I agree with you about Mesher orders, I think it would kill me to have to stay in the FMH until my DDs were 18, especially as ex-H seems to think it gives him some entitlement to my life. However, it was really hard work on my part to get the judge to accept a financial order without a Mesher order, and some of the questions posed felt a little sexist. I work full time in management, but the judge wanted to know how I would house myself and the children (asked twice) but ex-H didn’t have to justify himself in the same way.