How do they do it?

[JustamaZed]

nc for this as don't want to be outed. I know someone who I would say is pretty 'normal' really. She lives in a a nice, if smallish house and works for herself - Husband has a reasonable job. However, both of their children go to school which, together cost over £35K a year! Now I know that there is some family money, but still, I mean, I am just shocked that this amount of money, plus the extras seems so in reach for them. I am genuinely curious as to how on earth they do it!! They have nice cars, expensive ski-ing hols etc. I'm not in the least bit jeaous btw, I like and get on with them - just would love to know how this is possible!

I assume they have no mortgage and family help with school fees. That would leave all their disposable income to pay for cars, holidays etc.

Inheritance

yes, I guess that's the most likely thing. Being mortgage free must be amazing!

What does she do? What does he do for a living? I was recently very surprised at how much my friend earns.

She presumably makes a reasonable amount working for herself, or she wouldn't do it/work daytimes and work for herself around that.

I know someone similar who owns shares in his family's firm. He has nothing to do with it's management.........he simply banks the dividend cheques.

Maybe they have won on the lottery or come up on PSB and kept quiet about it.

there is an inheritance knocking about - but still both boys have been at private school since 3, which is 11 years of £3k a year each roughly which is £66K , now they are both at public schools. The inheritance was got around 20 years ago. I know I'm just being nosy really but it just seems beyond reach for such normal people! He is in a semi professional job and she is doing the equivalent of hairdressing at home really.

probably a trust fund of some sort
gym friend has access to a family one to pay for all things educational so her kids are at private and go on all the trips and have all the extras
no way could her hubby afford it himself

I guess the inheritance probably went into a special fund or something. Just sems incredible that at the end of the two boys educational life, more than £300,000 will have been spent on their education!

But 2 people's income over 15 years would easily cover that!

If their inheritance was 20 years ago, they have likely had their mortgage paid off many years ago- leaving oodles of money for investment.
Housing is most people's largest outlay- imagine not having to fork out for it each month.

True. If we had no mortgage, debts, normal day to day stuff we would be able to do it for our dds I guess. It just seems so..so out of reach! It's just that they are so 'ordinary'. Schools like the ones their boys go to have always seemed to me to be totally beyond the reach of anyone I would ever know.