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Original poster

This will probably get me into trouble... but how can you have money worries...

293 replies

emkana · 02/09/2005 08:59

... when the wife is a full-time GP and the husband a solicitor? I'm just reading "What about me?" by Kate Figes and the narrator in the book is the GP and she moans about not having enough money to buy a decent car or to fix the roof. Now, I estimate that the combined salary of that couple would be about £150.000 a year, wouldn't it? How can that not be enough????????
I know, I know, the woman is the narrator of the book and so it's subjective and you spend what you have so it never feels enough and all that...
but still it puts my back up, am I supposed to empathize with the narrator now over her troubled lot or what???

OP posts:
stitch · 02/09/2005 10:43

havent read the whole thread. but if you include all the following, it is easy too not have enough money
mortgage
school fees
nanny fees. (easily 20K)
cleaner
two cars/petrol/insurance. the nicer the car, the more it cossts.

moozoboozo · 02/09/2005 10:43

Me neither Enid.

stitch · 02/09/2005 10:44

enid, i have found that it is the richer people who use money as a yardstick. especially the self made ones.
nurses, vicars etc have a different yardstick completely.

expatinscotland · 02/09/2005 10:45

Mortgage? LOL!
TWO cars? Is one of them the private hire taxi the husband or wife uses for work.
Nanny? They earn more than me, that's for sure!
Cleaner? My husband actually WAS one for a while.

DaddyCool · 02/09/2005 10:47

i haven't read the whole thread either but surely stitch, you are just joking... right?

Fio2 · 02/09/2005 10:47

my god mud you are so sanctimonious

Enid · 02/09/2005 10:48

why would she be joking?

a lot of people I know have that set up. I think its quite normal.

Enid · 02/09/2005 10:48

expat - morgage lol is a bit strong - people do have them you know!

Fio2 · 02/09/2005 10:49

pmsl but i agree with your last point, think i mis read it all

forgive me i have lost the plot this morning!

DaddyCool · 02/09/2005 10:50

well.. yes, but a nanny, two cars, a cleaner.. these are all very luxury items. No one in that circumstance should ever complain they haven't got any money!

moozoboozo · 02/09/2005 10:50

I agree with DC, I'd kill for all that.

Enid · 02/09/2005 10:50

no I agree they shouldnt complain

but they do!

(and you think: send your kids to the local state school fgs or give up work)

DaddyCool · 02/09/2005 10:52

i'm just surprised when i see things like that. they're are mummies on this site who aren't even on the property ladder and live from one paycheque to the next so when there is talk of private schools, nannies and cleaners, i wonder what they think.

jenkel · 02/09/2005 10:53

Dont think you can say that the richer people use money as a yardstick, some rich people do and some poor people. Some poorer people feel less important/successful etc by rich people. Some rich people rub it in, some dont, some poor people carry a chip on their shoulder.

I respect everybody and anybody from brain surgeons to dustbin men, what they earn doesnt interest me. And I probably respect the most the people that are the happiest and that is not always the richest.

moozoboozo · 02/09/2005 10:53

DC, as one of those mummies, I find it insulting when people go on about how difficult it is to manage thrir big houses/cars/nannies/private ed.

DaddyCool · 02/09/2005 10:55

absolutely mooz. i wouldn't want to restrict people from speaking their minds or discussing their own lives.... but then there is just taking the piss.

Fio2 · 02/09/2005 10:55

nanny
cleaner
private school ? please somebody explain

moozoboozo · 02/09/2005 10:59

If they all find life so hard, I'll gladly swap my life with theirs.

They can have:
PND
Depressive mother with psycho tendencies
No money
High rent
Debt
Indifferent DP
Looking after DS all day and having 3 part time jobs

I have such a lot to offer!!!

twirlaround · 02/09/2005 10:59

If you have to sell your house & buy a cheaper one because you can't afford to fix the roof then that must be horrible - even if you are down sizing from a £500k house to a £450k house.

Not as bad as if you can't afford food obviously - but still horrible surely?

expatinscotland · 02/09/2005 11:02

yep, twirlaround. i'm sure it's a horrible feeling. break out the violins.

Mud · 02/09/2005 11:03

why am i sanctimonious because i don't like the i'm poorer than you mentality fio?

expatinscotland · 02/09/2005 11:05

Well sure some folks have mortgages. And good on 'em. But that's a lifestyle choice. No one forces people to take them out.

Fio2 · 02/09/2005 11:05

Mud I did apologise, i misread it, moment of temporary insanity

Mud · 02/09/2005 11:07

oh ok i skimmed right past your apology looking for a fight

DaddyCool · 02/09/2005 11:07

no twirlaround, that isn't horrible at all.