Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Money matters

Find financial and money-saving discussions including debt and pension chat on our Money forum. If you're looking for ways to make your money to go further, sign up to our Moneysaver emails here.

Flip

1 2 3 4

Original poster

How much do you think a partner needs to earn to allow woman to become a SAHM?

98 replies

DisneyBaby · 15/10/2021 07:49

We're expecting baby number 2 and I've just been told I'm being made redundant (they didn't know I was pregnant, bad timing!)

I'm worried about getting another job, plus we're going to have 2 children under 3 to look after, so with childcare costs etc I'm not sure it's going to be worth me getting another job.

My husband is saying don't worry about finding another job just relax and enjoy the pregnancy and then be a SAHM but I'm worrying about money.

My mum was always a SAHM but times were different then and my Dad had his own business and earnt good money... I don't think my husband earns half of what my Dad did...

So I'm just curious to know, how much money do you think a man needs fo earn to support his family without the woman working too? £50k, £80k, £100k, £150k?

I know it's subjective to where you live in the country, how much your mortgage is etc. But would be helpful to know people opinions just fo put things into perspective and help me decide what to do...

OP posts:

goneredforwinter · 15/10/2021 08:36

I'm not sure it's going to be worth me getting another job

Maybe not as it manifests in salary now but longer term, for many reasons, it's absolutely worth it.

OnlyFoolsnMothers · 15/10/2021 08:39

Personally I’d say that’s tight- food c.350-400 a month, leaves 300- that’s tight! No one should have a golf membership in this scenario

MiddlesexGirl · 15/10/2021 08:41

OP has £680 from the rental income too. For me that would be plenty.

Classicblunder · 15/10/2021 08:41

I would agree with the PP who said that you don't sound like you actually want to be a SAHM. It almost sounds like you're hoping to find a financial reason not to do it. If you don't want to, that's a good enough reason not to.

I would also echo the point made by another PP that both parents working part time is far more tax efficient.

MiddlesexGirl · 15/10/2021 08:41

Sorry ... £600

Dontknowwhatsnext · 15/10/2021 08:42

There really is no answer. And everyone is different.

I live in a cheap area and my mortgage is £300 per month. I did OK as a single parent on 25k per year.

But then other things to be considered, like is the sahm pension being paid into etc.

Classicblunder · 15/10/2021 08:43

@MiddlesexGirl

OP has £680 from the rental income too. For me that would be plenty.

But how reliable is that? Rental properties can be vacant, they can require expensive repairs/maintenance. I would treat that as bonus income/savings, not rely on it

Peppaismyrolemodel · 15/10/2021 08:48

@DisneyBaby

Our outgoings on mortgage, bills, credit cards etc is £2000 ish. After paying off a couple of his own bits like golf membership etc, he has about £700 left I'd say.. That would be for food as well?

I won't be eligible for any benefits but we do get an extra £600 a month for a property we rent out.

This is doable, we did it on much less! (Didn’t have a choice). I guess what you’re asking is- If his wage covers all bills/mortgage then how much do you need for the ‘squeezable’ expenses that are left, like shopping, clothes. We did it with 420£ left p/month, in an expensive area- It was hard. But absolutely worked for us!

ChessieFL · 15/10/2021 08:48

Seaweed you can claim child benefit but opt out of receiving the payments, so you then get the NI credits but don’t have to pay anything back.

Peppaismyrolemodel · 15/10/2021 08:49

Just to say, it was also miserable, not something I’d advise if there was a choice!

Auroreforet · 15/10/2021 08:51

A financial advisor told me that working is always the best thing to do, from a financial pov obviously.

chopc · 15/10/2021 08:51

Haven't read the whole threads - some some SAHP are able to be so due having multiple kids and claiming benefits. How is this right? Yes I suppose I didn't need to calculate how many kids I can afford before having them and see if we can solely survive on one wage .......

MiddlesexGirl · 15/10/2021 08:56

Since 2017 benefits only pay for the first two children.

Janaih · 15/10/2021 09:00

Dh earns about 35k a year and we've managed fine for past 4 years. I don't have a car and we've just done sun holidays though.

Bluntness100 · 15/10/2021 09:03

For me personally it is and always has been irrelevant I did not and simoly would never consider giving up work unless I had to Ie due to a child disability, and even then I’d look to see if we could go fifty fifty. Financial independence is critical for me.

Kids are expensive and to be honest unless he has a big salary increase you will be living within a budget and him not getting ill etc or leaving you will be important.. It’s both your decision if you wish to live that way,

Level75 · 15/10/2021 09:03

Not quite what you're asking about, but is there a suitable alternative role? If so, tell them you're pregnant and they should offer it to you.

VanCleefArpels · 15/10/2021 09:08

So you have £700pcm after expenses from DH earnings and then another £600 from rental*? Assuming that rental figure is net of all tax and charges that gives a disposable income more than many.

*To be realistic you must quantify what your rental income is after tax (see recent tax returns). While you are not working it is worth looking into putting the property into the non workers name to take advantage of lower marginal tax rate. You will need legal advice for this esp if property is mortgaged

Kindlynow · 15/10/2021 09:11

My husband is a SAHD and I earn £40,000 a year. We manage fine.

Hopeisallineed · 15/10/2021 09:15

For me staying at home and spending time with my children was critical so I made it work. No fancy holidays but lots of lovely memories.

hpstitch · 15/10/2021 09:17

We struggle big time but high mortgage which is half our monthly income. So mortgage 1/4 prob be fine.

Skyeheather · 15/10/2021 09:19

@DisneyBaby

Our outgoings on mortgage, bills, credit cards etc is £2000 ish. After paying off a couple of his own bits like golf membership etc, he has about £700 left I'd say.. That would be for food as well?

I won't be eligible for any benefits but we do get an extra £600 a month for a property we rent out.

Is that £600 disposable income or do you have to pay a mortgage, insurance, put money aside for maintenance etc out of that?

MyOtherProfile · 15/10/2021 09:20

It's an interesting assumption in your question that it will be the man who works to support a SAHM. There seems to be no acknowledgement that it could be the other way round!

@AlexaShutUp maybe because she's the one being made redundant?

@DisneyBaby I think £700 a month for food and everything isn't very much. However I also would think things like gold membership could go in hold if money isn't abundant.

onthinice · 15/10/2021 09:21

Enough to cover all outgoings and have enough of a cushion to be able to enjoy life and build up an emergency fund for unexpected repairs of things such as car, boiler, white goods.

Hillary17 · 15/10/2021 09:22

Depends on outgoings really. Our mortgage is higher but husband earns £85K and we’d be fine if I wanted to stay at home. I think anything less than £50K and we’d personally struggle.

MyOtherProfile · 15/10/2021 09:22

Golf membership not gold!

Flip

1 2 3 4