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Original poster

This is such a nosy question but if you are a sahp, how much does your partner earn to make it viable?

352 replies

WideWebWitch · 08/09/2005 20:53

I fully expect people to change names for this but I have long wondered: if you're a sahm/d, how much does your partner earn? In other words, how high does one salary have to be in order for 2 people and child/ren to survive? And what does your partner do to earn this? I'm not asking out of anything other than total nosiness so do tell me to bog off if you like! Name changers extremely welcome!

OP posts:
gingerbear · 08/09/2005 23:44

We could save a fortune if we didn't have to run 2 cars. Don't know how I would manage without 2nd car though, even if I was a SAHM, public transport virtually non-existant here in the sticks.

lockets · 08/09/2005 23:45

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

gingerbear · 08/09/2005 23:45

Oh, thanks Soapy, that should send me off nicely!

princesspeahead · 08/09/2005 23:46

soapbox - so kind of you not to rip my crappy explanation to pieces! you win the prize for most arcane link on mn, tho

gingerbear · 08/09/2005 23:47

I have bookmarked it

Janh · 08/09/2005 23:48

arbitrage!!

Haven't heard that used since Working Girl! (I think that's what it was called? Melanie Griffiths?)

gingerbear · 08/09/2005 23:48

'hedging your bets' would have covered it.

soapbox · 08/09/2005 23:48

PMSL - I read the first line, glazed over and thought 'that'll do'

I think the City polite view is that they are funds that are in it for short term gains rather than long term returns, although I am sure there are honourable exceptions to that rule

gingerbear · 08/09/2005 23:49

'A head for business and a body for sin' janh??

Janh · 08/09/2005 23:50

That's the one, gb

gingerbear · 08/09/2005 23:52

Well that lead this thread into a cul-de-sac, didn't it?

princesspeahead · 08/09/2005 23:53

right well this has been fun, I hope WWW enjoys it in the morning [smilel] but I'm off to bed.

the swell in the med, the slight rocking in my stateroom and the lights of st tropez reflected off the helicopter on the aft deck should have me asleep in no time .

soapbox · 08/09/2005 23:55

Ah well, you did say you'd got a good price

It has been such fun on a thread that didn't look very exciting!

Ah the joys of MN!

WWW = please feel free to beat us all up in the morning

handlemecarefully · 08/09/2005 23:55

Well I tried to get it back on track!

handlemecarefully · 08/09/2005 23:55
Grin
alexsmum · 09/09/2005 00:12

i am stunned by some of the incomes on here!

what do you do to earn that kind of money? Seriously, what kind of work do you have to do to earn even £200,000 pa never mind million?
both dh and i are educated to a high standard( dh especially), he has lots of experience in his field, he works bloody hard and is good at his job and yet we never seem to make any progress monetarily.
We have enough money for me to stay at home, we eat out reasonabl;y regularly( but nowhere posh), we have nice food at home and bottles of wine etc. our kids wear clarks shoes and nice clothes( not designer but not off the market) but we couldn't afford gym membership, or a second car, or private school, or work on the house other than essential maintenance. That's what pisses me off-m always having to think 'can we afford it?' and generally concluding no!

handlemecarefully · 09/09/2005 00:14

That's capitalism and the market economy for you alexsmum. You can be highly qualified and work hard and still not be in the clover....

I keep saying that I am going to bed, but haven't managed it yet!

answeringyourquestion · 09/09/2005 00:19

My dh earns between £150K - £250K (inexact because it varies year by year). He is a financial advisor (but one of the more successful ones - they don't all get that sort of remuneration)

Original poster
WideWebWitch · 09/09/2005 06:21

Fantastic thread hijack, very amusing! It has cheered me up no end on this cold dark morning. Soapbox, I if I hadn't known you're an acountants I would have done now from the line 'Wot, a yacht, they cost blah de blah and that's before running costs' Another line I liked from working Girl, by the lovely Joan Cusack "coffe, tea or me?" - I liked that film.

This has been very interesting everyone, thank you for sharing! I am surprised to see so many living on so little and impressed at those who do it.

OP posts:
Original poster
WideWebWitch · 09/09/2005 07:12

Also Soapbox, OI! At 'what lookeed like it would be a boring thread' - this is one of those questions I'd love to ask but would never ever dare ask irl, it's too rude!

OP posts:
deedeedoodoo · 09/09/2005 07:31

DH earns around £38,000. Works as a Head of Department/teacher.

Our mortgage is appx £850 per month.

After bills and insurances, other outgoings are minimal. We only run one car. The car is paid for outright. We manage holidays, wine, meals out, new clothes. We spend appx. £250 per month on groceries. We have one child.

zippitippitoes · 09/09/2005 07:33

The simple way to work this out is to do a budget based on essential outgoings and see if one years pay from one income covers it?

I think that was the Micawber definition of happiness

littlesecret · 09/09/2005 10:48

DH earns 55k plus bonuses 30k. Huge mortgage though!

killerqueen · 09/09/2005 10:51

I'm a name-changer. DP earns c. £70,000. Supports family of five. Legal business.

hollywooddiva · 09/09/2005 10:53

womanwithnoname, are the scripts any good?

Seriously I can probably get them looked at by some hollywood directors.

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