Stay put or move back to London / South East

[tropicalstorm]

I'd be interested to hear from anyone who has moved back to London / South East after a period 'out in the sticks' and your experience of doing this - whether you wouldn't look back or have big regrets from doing so.

I lived in London for 10 years, moved out when DD was born, have been out for nearly 3 years now. 100% custody of DD so little/no social life of any kind, I know few people and everyone is coupled up. Bored stiff. I love living in a semi-rural area and DD is settled into a nursery and loves it too, but I'm scared life will pass me by fi I don't make a change.

If you are in London or moved back, how much do you need, to live on (including rent etc, nursery fees), to break even?

Just bumping for you really.

I've recently moved out of London and so far I'm loving it, 100% custody of my two DCs so agree on the lack of a social life. I'm hoping to arrange the occasional evening babysitter so I can try joining in with some things locally. Also hoping to socialise through the children's school once they start in Sept (at their old school there was a great social network amongst the parents). I still work in London a few days a week so have that 'buzz' but I certainly can't see myself moving back in.

Don't forget you'll have all the school places issues as well if you do, presumably your DD will be going to school next Sept so you would need to be moved in before January 2017 to get a school place.

Whereabouts in the country are you?

Can you actually afford to move back to London as I know I can't, no matter how much better it would be!

Hi I know a little of how you're feeling. I've been living in a small village in the north west as a lone parent now for 9 years with my 13 year old son after me and my ex separated. I don't have any family around for at least 80 miles so it's just the two of us. It's very, very lonely, I work full time so I don't have much time for myself or making/spending time with the friends I do have. I've contemplated often about moving back to where my family are in Yorkshire as its killing me staying where we live but I've not yet summed up the courage to do it all on my own or whilst my son is still young and in the middle of secondary school as I don't want to disrupt his education. But there aren't any social opportunities where I live nor in the nearest town as its only small and I live miles away from any major city so it feels pointless even trying. My son sees his dad and his family regularly so I'd hate to take him away from that right now but I'm torn as I want a life too....and a better one for me and my son where we both have more social/work/education opportunities and don't feel so isolated. So if I were you I'd make a list of the pros and cons of staying and going, what would make you happy in terms of friendships, family, work, leisure and hobbies, love life, finances and see what is most important to you, I'm sure you'd make it work if you moved and it was realistic for you or if you had to hang fire for a little longer. It's helped me and I know that in another 3 years when my son has done his GCSE's and he can travel by train to come back to see his dad etc that we're definitely moving back 'home' to start a new chapter so that's what I'm working towards, after all, it's your happiness that counts too and your sanity xx