Would you take maintenance if you didn't need it?

[Hesaysshewaffles]

At the moment I'm living in 'our' home so my ex is helping as the mortgage is massive. My new home which is going through at the moment is tiny and so is the mortgage. My salary and credits with the small mortgage means that I will be living ok and able to save. In theory I'll no longer need the maintenance.

Our arrangement is 4 nights me and 3 nights him.

We wondered about splitting the childcare bill after the childcare element of credits paid for it and then we split 50/50 anything else that our dd needs. Whereas I'd previously been using his maintenance to pay those things.

So what would you do? Take the money as after bills he'd still have money in bank more than you so you can both live lifestyle or tell him to keep it?

Yes I would. It wouldn't be for me it would be for the children so if I didn't need it for day to day expenses I'm sure it would come in handy for day trips, holidays and other extras.

If my ex was struggling financially, however, I would probably not take it on the basis that he could then use it towards the children during his time.

I don't get maintenance for my two boys as ex can't afford it. Thankfully I e been coping fine

I don't get maintenance for my two boys as ex can't afford it. Thankfully I e been coping fine on my own especially now they're both in high school so no more child are costs. If ex was able to afford it I'd put it into savings for the boys

Take it and put it in a savings account - towards university or a deposit on a home for the dc when they are older, maybe.

I think considering how the kids are split then your split of paying the 50/50 sounds fair so long as you have the kind of relationship where you can say DC1 needs shoes and money is there .

Are you taking it for one day a week?

Sorry, I'm tired tonight!

Yes definitely take it and save it. You don't know what the future holds. Ill health/redundancy/ex turning into a complete and utter ass etc

Yes. Yes I would.
If you don't "need" it - put it into a savings account, you never know when hard times might hit, you might be very grateful for that spare money!

Yes, I would definitely take it and save it, either for a rainy day or for your DCs

Yes I would. It's the principle of it for me. If I won the lottery and had millions in the bank I'd still smile every time I saw that £5 going into my bank!

But with him having the dc 3x per week will be still have to pay? Under cms rules I mean

It sounds like shared parenting though, so I probably wouldn't.

Yes.

Shit happens very quickly. It's even worse with nothing in the bank. If you are going to be owning this new home on your own, you will every single penny you can get incase something happens...and it will...when you have sod all in the bank and it's the middle of the night.

£140 for an emergency plumber is a hell of a lot to find if you haven't got it.