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FWP - panicking about money and school fees

208 replies

Parttime1 · 08/04/2021 14:36

I know this is a first world problem but I wanted to get some outside opinions.

Sorry, this turned out really long.

My DH is pretty rubbish with money. He sticks his head in the sand, as long as there is money in the account he doesn't really care. I usually deal with finances and he doesn't really want to discuss this with me he just tells me everything will be ok.

We moved house last autumn, it's a lovely big house but I am slightly panicking that we didn't think things through and have moved as a knee- jerk reaction to lockdown and WFH etc. Our previous house was ok, needed a bit of work but was in a desirable area of London and sold quickly- I think we rushed into buying somewhere else. DH was the driving force behind moving because his job has become fully remote. I work 3 days a week, a mixture of at home and in the office in London.

We have moved out of London and have put our DC in private school (they are 6&4) mainly because we couldn't get state places organised in time but now we love the school they are in and so it is unlikely we will move them in the near future (plus 3rd school in 2yrs for DC?). Their names are down at our preferred state school just in case but last time I checked they had gone down the list, not up!

I am worried we have bitten off more than we can chew. Previously we had a small mortgage (£600 a month but we overpaid a few hundred each month) and childcare fees/ tutoring of £500 a month. Now we have school fees of £28k a year and a mortgage of £1,300 a month.

DH didn't get his bonus (which he usually does, it is contractual but there is a force majeure clause which his company activated despite their annual profits not being affected by Covid) which means we cannot save as much as we would like (we do not rely on it for living expenses but there were a few things we needed/ would like for the house which we will need to wait for now).

Our monthly net income is £9k - previously we saved about £2.5k into pensions and for moving/ renovation (my pension is poor but my DH has a decent amount put in by his company), DC went to a state school but the remote learning was basically zero so we topped up with tutors and we then changed to private school when we moved, until last August DD was at a private nursery costing £1,300 a month. Then we spent about £4k on bills and everything else.

I think lockdown made us feel richer than we actually are.

For the first couple of months we had additional moving expenses - all new uniform for DC, changing locks, having the alarm system updated, fencing repairs, some redecorating costs (paint is so much more expensive than I had realised!) and a couple of bits of additional furniture (this house is twice the size of our old one), new pans because the ones we had didn't work on an induction hob etc. The garden is massive so we still need a ride on lawnmower, oil powered heating which needed topping up when we moved in and will probably need a top up again soon(ouch!). It goes on...

Things have kind of settled down now but still I think we are going to find things a little tight which seems ridiculous.

Income: £9k
Outgoings:
£1,300 mortgage

£2,500 school fees (we have paid the remainder of this year's and so want to start saving for next and uniform costs and other extras)

£1,500 bills and food (our food bill seems ridiculous atm, this includes all essentials - council tax, water, oil, electricity, car tax, MOT, petrol (we drive a lot more), insurances, tv and internet, private dental (because we have never managed to get an nhs dentist).

£1,000 spending money - this includes things like clothes and shoes (I set aside £200 a month for all of us, it doesn't seem to go far and DH barely spends any of it), Christmas, birthdays - I set aside £100 a month for Christmas expenses (parties, extra food, clothes, presents for our large families) and £50 a month for birthdays - presents for us, friends and DC's party), DC activities (£200 a month, usually paid termly though so probably a little less), socialising (not much recently but perhaps £200 a month before?), my commuting costs (which are now £30 a day as it isn't feasible to buy a season ticket for ad hoc days, I probably do 5/6 days a month in the office, I paid £100 a month before) and £100 each to DH and me for small spends (for coffees/ bits for hobbies, my makeup etc) - this expenditure has been low during lockdown and we have been saving most of this/ spending it on the house but already things are creeping back - music/dance / swimming lessons starting up again, we all needed new shoes/ trainers and all booked in for haircuts next week etc. I don't know if it just because everything is coming up at once? I also feel like a lot of the DC's activities are costing more here - not much, maybe £1 a session but they do three things a week each so it adds up.

£1,000 pension and ISAs/ JISAs (I get the bare minimum through work so put an extra £600 in, £100 a month into each of our JISA and ISA) for longterm savings

£700 for holidays and holiday childcare (our holidays are usually £6k ish a year (less this year because we are staying in the U.K.) and then holiday clubs another £2k or so depending on what they do

£1000 - top up rainy day fund, car fund (our car is 10yrs old and will need to be replaced in the next couple of years, we might even need a second car) and to put towards some things we need and would like to do to the house - like I say, the house is big and has about 1 acre garden - nothing is immediately required and the kitchen and bathrooms are new. We didn't do much to our old house (because we planned to renovate) and so I would really like to keep on top of maintenance in this one as I know how things can easily slip if not kept on top of. Our rainy day fund (£15k) is down to less than 3 month's expenses which I know is more than some but we always had a decent buffer - I want to get this up to 6 months ideally. We do still have money in our ISA's too but this is supposed to be for the future - university, retirement etc. But I suppose if necessary we do have them there to dip into.

I tentatively plan to return to work FT - DH is not that supportive as it is generally me who does all the dropping and collecting of DC, housework and cooking - he likes the status quo Hmm but even then after deducting additional childcare costs and travel it would be about an extra £500 a month coming in - and some of that would have to go on a cleaner.

I guess I am just panicking about all the outlay after a few years of saving pretty hard.

Our original intention was to do up our old house - add an extension and loft conversion, it was when we got the quotes that we decided we may as well spend the money we had saved (£100k) and extend the mortgage (quotes were £250k + for our London house, it would have been a big job and so we would have moved out and rented somewhere for a few months too) for an already bigger house out of London. Then there was the stamp duty, agents fees etc - we have spent most of our savings and increased the mortgage. Our mortgage is £250,000 but we kept the term of our original mortgage, 18 years.

School - we were not happy with our DS's old school, even before lockdown and were thinking about private schools then. I distinctly remember sitting down and working out all the costs and it all seemed fine - but then moving has drained our reserves and everything just seems more expensive. Council tax is £350 a month. Water £50, electricity £80, oil - we just spent over £1k and I don't really know how long that will last. Food - I'll admit I have been buying more convenience food as I have been busy working, homeschooling and sorting out the new house but we are spending over £600 a month at the moment.

Then there was the kick in the teeth with DH's bonus - it is usually £25k after tax and we usually squirrel it away either in pensions and ISA's so I don't know why it is worrying me that we don't have it this year. I think it wasn't paid because the company claimed furlough money for other employees and it would seem wrong to give a bonus and payrises (even though their profits remained pretty unchanged).

Do you think this is all manageable? The house overwhelms me at the moment - everywhere I look there seems to be something needed to be done (lots of small jobs that we can do ourselves and also bigger things that worry me - it has a huge roof and although the survey said it was ok, if that needed doing it would be £30k at least). I feel like I knew our old house inside out and could forget about the small jobs, it feels different now.

School feels like such a massive commitment but DC love it there - I would gladly give up other things to keep them there (DS's first school just was not the right place for him and he is a different boy here even after a few weeks) but then the fee increase letter came through with the bills for next term and I got in a panic (4% increase when I had planned for 5% so I have no idea why it made me anxious).

Our jobs are pretty secure, I do not maximise my earning potential at all - I have been plodding along in the same old job for 10 years with one pay rise in all that time, DH could probably earn more too but he likes his current job and loves WFH.

Would you worry at this level of expenditure with our income?

OP posts:
amarya · 08/04/2021 22:50

You have money worries when you can't afford to clothe, feed or shelter your family. You do know that food banks are busier than they have ever been, don't you?

alliejay81 · 08/04/2021 23:01

Two things seem relatively obvious to me.

  1. You can afford it.
  2. if you don't know this already, you really need to spend some your money on a financial advisor.
Hallyup5 · 08/04/2021 23:05

I genuinely want to know how I can get one of these jobs that pays more in annual bonuses than the average person earns in a year or two. Give yourself a slap, op, then realise how privileged you are. If you can't cope on that salary then you've got major problems. Everything can be downsized.

Babyboomtastic · 08/04/2021 23:23

@Hallyup5

Apparently it's because they 'have worked hard'.Hmm

Both of us have degrees and well respected professional jobs, a decade of experience etc, and we bring in less than half what they do, and no bonuses at all. And I know we are fortunate.

OP, I don't begrudge you your wealth, but I do bristle at your sense of entitlement that it's because you've worked so hard for it, when you've got people with degrees and working still needing food banks at the moment.

terribleg · 08/04/2021 23:26

I know someone who is a partner at a MC law firm, earns more than 1m a yr. Yes they worked hard & still do but they are also male, white, have wealthy parents & went to one of the top private schools in the country.

Foolingaround · 08/04/2021 23:48

This will get the frothers going op Grin

3orangekissesfromkazan · 09/04/2021 00:22

Cool stealth braggy story bro

Woopywoopwoo · 09/04/2021 01:14

God I was disappointed not getting my 50 quid annual bonus this year. Bloody hell 45 grand !!

Woopywoopwoo · 09/04/2021 01:31

Having read your thread more thorough, it just looks like a pure bragging thread. Sorry but that’s just my opinion.

BarbaraofSeville · 09/04/2021 03:52

This is another piss taking thread isn't it?

We're not rich because we have all these outgoings that we can't possibly cut back on.

NoSquirrels · 09/04/2021 06:10

@NoSquirrels yes, you are right but I only really see £1k as true "savings" as the rest is earmarked to be spent in the near future.

You’ve had some good advice, OP - I think particularly the advice about looking at what you long-term financial plan is (retirement age, pension pot etc) and working backwards. A trip to an independent financial advisor might be a worthwhile thing, so DH understands too if he’s not involved in finances.

None of your decisions sound bad. I think you’re right that it’s just a lot of change in a short period and your artificially low costs before are now higher due to choices made - but you don’t regret the schooling and house so it’s just time to adjust.

In terms of the ‘only count £1K as real savings’ I will second PPs recommendation for YNAB - you sound like you’d really get on with it. I’m a big fan.
Its key principle is ‘give every dollar a job’. So instead of ‘rainy day fund’ which is amorphously there to cover income replacement, a new car, essential home repairs etc then you split it all out in the app into distinct categories with goals for each. So you can see at a glance OK, if my first aim is to get the income replacement pot to £X,000 then I need to accept I’m deprioritising saving for house repairs for a while. Then if your roof did cave in or you needed a new car you’d borrow the money from yourself from the rainy day/income replacement fund (roll with the punches, in YNAB) and then set about building the income replacement fund back up again.

You do have plenty of fall-back money - you’ve already paid school fees for this year & you’re saving for next year already, you have longer term ISAs etc you can use if push came to shove, or you could extend the term on your mortgage, you could work more if needed etc. So it’s not a problem that ‘everything is accounted for’ a d there’s no slack - because everything should be accounted for.

I do recognise the shock of new house move costs - increased bills, new ‘stuff’ needed, car expenses when moving out of London - we went through this too. But you’ll adjust.

Do check out YNAB. Huge range of incomes and budgets by users on their forums, and should help with the panic when you see how others priorities affect their spending.

Cosmos123 · 09/04/2021 06:38

You worry about the cost of buying your child a pair of trainers for £50? With your income??
I think you need therapy.

springblossom2 · 09/04/2021 06:49

£6k on holidays - I don't get the sense from friends and family that this is a lot

Yes - it's a lot.

You have a massive income. Maybe you should be working out how much you can afford to give to help charities or people less fortunate than yourself and your DH.

1AngelicFruitCake · 09/04/2021 06:52

@Stichintime

My heart bleeds. Please pay some attention to your children, who have now been at 3 schools? You took your eye off the ball, thought the school should be solely responsible for educating your child, then only discovered in lockdown how low he was academically? That's ridiculous. I could tell at any moment where my child was developmentally, because I showed an interest and knew it was down to me how well my kids did. Stop chasing a 'lifestyle'. You must know your post is ridiculous?!
I agree with this part about your child at school.

I find it baffling that two people who seem to value education were part of the ‘let school deal with it’ mindset. My children are doing well, not top of the class but the higher end. We read, do extra homework, practise numbers etc. We both work but make time. That’s my priority over everything.

It sounds like you had a tough childhood and well done for coming out of it a stronger person. Unfortunately, the bigger the house, the posher the school and theyll be bigger expectations of your lifestyle, your children seeing other people have more. You can afford it but that’s the choice you made.

ChateauMargaux · 09/04/2021 07:25

I think COVID has made people feel unsettled and wary of the future.

You both have stable jobs that have not been COVID affected. You have good equity in your house and from the sounds of it, have quite a bit 'squirrelled away' in ISAs and pensions. I think it will be OK.

Yes, the bonus would have paid for the school fees. That is a blow. That is also unlikely to be the case every year and you have other pots you can spend from if needed.

We have had significant changes of fortune and we kind of swing from feeling rich to feeling poor. We are not poor, nor are we rich. We are fairly comfortably in the upper middle. I worry about money and the future. I had a stable childhood financially but my mother still rants about 'the roof over her head' so that fear is kind of ingrained.

You do however, need to sit down with your husband and tell him that you do need to have the occasional rational talk about finances so that you can feel comfortable about it all and that you as a family can feel comfortable with the levels of spending and saving.

Hesma · 09/04/2021 07:43

You save more into your pension each month than my take home salary... think you’ll survive OP 🤣

somuchlaundrytowash · 09/04/2021 07:43

@springblossom2

£6k on holidays - I don't get the sense from friends and family that this is a lot

Yes - it's a lot.

You have a massive income. Maybe you should be working out how much you can afford to give to help charities or people less fortunate than yourself and your DH.

That's a lovely idea.
somuchlaundrytowash · 09/04/2021 07:49

The LEA will have to find your dc a 'normal' school place if you remove them from private school. You can still stay on the waiting list for your preferred school though just in case a place comes up.

grapewine · 09/04/2021 07:54

I only really see £1k as true "savings" as the rest is earmarked to be spent in the near future.

Read that back a few times and then tell me again that you're worried about money.

cheeseychovolate · 09/04/2021 07:56

Why not consider pausing all of your saving and rainy day fund for 6 months while you establish the true cost of your new home/lifestyle and at the end of six months you'll be able to see what you can realistically spend on holidays, pension and savings etc

ArtemisBean · 09/04/2021 08:04

My definition of 'comfortable' would be a third of my income spent on housing, a third on all other outgoings, and a third into savings/pension. What's thrown you off balance, OP, is the school fees, which are huge compared to other expenses. You must see that private school is a luxury, and would logically be the first thing to cut back on after the 6k holidays if you're that worried. I say that as someone who prizes education and would give my children the very best if I possibly could. Unfortunately our annual income is not much more than your husband's bonus!

StormcloakNord · 09/04/2021 08:09

Yeah you're right OP you've got it really rough just now.

I'm feeling rather perky though as I've got a spare £50 this month I didn't think I'd have!

Sorry OP, I know life can be unfair Sad

skeggycaggy · 09/04/2021 08:11

Seems totally appropriate to me that a company that claimed furlough isn’t handing out bonuses tbh!

Teandsympathy · 09/04/2021 08:11

😂😂😂

weareallpassengers · 09/04/2021 08:15

by any standard you are well off. et despite this you seem very unhappy? so the question is not whether your finances are manageable (clearly yes)

why are you still not happy?