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Relationships

Is a single 25k salary enough for a family?

218 replies

StepMummaToBe · 02/05/2020 19:13

Hi. I'm 26, I've got a job (25/30k) won't be much more than that for my whole career,

I've got a new boyfriend, he earns minimum wage (18ish K). He's got 3 Kids are young and don't live with us but spend school hols etc with us. He doesn't have any ambition to get a better job. He pays about £200 in child maintenance a month and has no money left so I pay for most of our living costs, he's is also in 4K worth of debt.

I'm worried for my future, will we be able to afford to have kids? I know he wants to be a stay at home dad- i would be fine with that.

I love him but this is honestly the only thing that has been worrying me recently.

I'm not silly, I know it's doable, but I'm curious for some advice to make me feel better!

Any wise words? Positive only pls 🙏🏻
X

OP posts:
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OnlyFoolsnMothers · 03/05/2020 13:20

Would people be calling her a loser, a deadbeat mum, a vag-lodger with no ambition etc? if her kids didn’t live with her and she barely paid towards them then yes I would judge her. In fact I would say society is far more judgemental towards women who leave their kids than to men that do.

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Fedhimtotigers · 03/05/2020 13:23

Bullshit @pocketem

  1. A single mother with her children full time is supporting her children.

He is not. Who pays for their food, their home, extracurriculars?

  1. I would absolutely tell a man to not be so stupid as to go for that. It's a shit arrangement.


  1. Yes. If a woman had no ambition and wanted a new partner to support her and her three kids I'd absolutely tell her she was a scrounger.
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Nixen · 03/05/2020 13:26

Of course he wants to be a stay at home dad, that’s convenient for him isn’t it? You’d be an idiot to have a baby with this man

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Anoisagusaris · 03/05/2020 13:29

How can he be a stay at home dad when he has 3 other children to support? Are you going to pay his child maintenance or is he abandoning those children?

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WombatChocolate · 03/05/2020 13:51

I think parents are expected to support their children in one form or another. This might be by staying at home and looking after them or it might be financially.

So, this man is not really supporting his old family financially - and actually means to give them less in future if he is a stay at home Dad to a new baby, meaning he earns nothing, so lays nothing to the old family. And clearly, he doesn't look after the previous children either. So in that scenario, he will be providing neither oractical care nor emotional support.

I would equally judge a mother who moved away leaving her children to live with their father and provided neither practical care nor financial support, and then planned to have another family. You would query how well she might look after the new one, given zero provision for the first one.

The reality is that in the majority of cases, children remain with the woman when a relationship breaks down, or if a child has been conceived where really there was never an actual established relationship in the first place. So women are usually looking after the child anyway. It is more often the men who are not living with the child and so don not do the day-to-day looking after and are expected to provide some financial support.

This man is looking to avoid providing practical and financial support for his first children. This is why he is problematic I to the future. Unfortunately, even when men leave a string of women behind them with children, the new woman, if she has low self esteem, may somehow be deluded into thinking this time things will be different and she will be treated differently...or perhaps does not even follow through a rational ought process to think how this is likely to play out for her, given the background.

What is problematic is this thought amongst those with low self esteem, that a baby, early into a relationship might cement the relationship and mean the man stays. It is the 'allowing' onelself to become pregnant by not consistently using contraception and saying an accident occurred - so not being willing or able to admit to themselves or others that they sort of want a baby, but haven't had a clear discussion about it and made a decision - so the responsibility for the decision is removed by saying it's an accident. Sometimes the woman needs to remove responsibility because the man hasn't said he wants a baby or hasn't agreed to it, so an 'accident' allows her to tell him she is pregnant without being responsible. Sometimes it's about denial to oneself and so being able to tell onelself that nothing irresponsible or 'trapping' has been done. It's like saying you don't realise that irregular and inconsiderate use of contraception is likely to result in pregnancy. And people go along with it - so families agree that X is pregnant because there was a contraceptive failure, or X and Y are having a baby after 6 weeks together because their contraception failed and how lovely to be having a baby. People seem to find it hard to say that such pregnancies are not a good thing and should be avoided if at all possible, rather than seen as the norm.

Some people live chaotic lives and unplanned pregnancy results from that.In some ways that is unavoidable because efforts to help people onto longer term contraception are never highly successful.
Many others become pregnant in a semi-planned way of chosen irresponsible use of contraception and leaving everything to chance, as if it is all beyond their control. Society doesn't seem to be willing to speak out on this and call it irresponsible and a choice that people make and one which doesn't set those children up well for the future.

People, including the OP need to take responsibility for whether their have children or don't. I really hope we won't be seeing a thread in a few weeks from Op which says she has found herself with an 'unplanned' pregnancy.

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Gutterton · 03/05/2020 13:56

How “new” is this new boyfriend?

What was his living situation before he moved in with you? Let me guess he was at his Mums/sofa surfing a mates/miserable houseshare or still with one of the mothers of his existing 3 children.

Quite life changing decisions are being considered for all 3 families (yours and his other 2) in such days of a RS.

What are his skills, competencies, capabilities, experience of 24/7 childcare. How hands on (not Disney dad shite) is he with his existing 3 kids - a big clue is he only sees them in the holidays - why is that?
Who does all the wifework during those times that they come to stay? Is he up early doing the shopping, cleaning, cooking, laundry, homework, playing, parenting? Or are you doing a fair chunk of that?

What is his RS history and pattern? Will you just be another rinse and repeat cycle - before it all goes pear shaped and he targets another gullible / vulnerable woman - which will have ample opportunity to do at the nursery drop off and school gate pick ups.

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pocketem · 03/05/2020 14:00

@Fedhimtotigers A single mother with her children full time is supporting her children.
That's a different scenario you have just invented. I was talking about a role reversal of the OP's situation. If OP was the woman who had part-time custody of her kids from her old relationship, and found a new partner she moved in with who was happy to financially support her as he was on the higher wage

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SandyY2K · 03/05/2020 14:04

@WombatChocolate

Good post at 11:37.

In all honesty, money or no money, if a young single man (25 like the OP) with no children wanted to settle with a woman with 3 children from a previous relationship, I would say it's a lot to take on.

Far less stress and hassle to find a partner with no children. Especially when you a number of the relationships involve a difficult Ex. When you're young and have time, why would you get involved with this kind of set up.

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Fedhimtotigers · 03/05/2020 14:09

@pocketem OK your comment was still a worthless straw man argument.

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madcatladyforever · 03/05/2020 14:11

I can find nothing positive to say about this grim scenario.
Why would you tie yourself to a man like this?
You could have a great life with your own children but instead you want to tie yourself to three kids that aren't yours, a dodgy cocklodger (would be the same if man/woman was reversed)
Being skint for years.
Working and doing everything around the house yourself.
I just would not ruin my own life like this.
Are you flattered by his attention?
Love bombed?
Words are empty, free and generally mean nothing to a man like this.
If he cares nothing about his own kids enough to cut of their meagre income why will he care about the kids he has with you.
For god's sake wake up OP, don't sleepwalk into this disaster.

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Nighttimefreedom · 03/05/2020 14:36

My biggest regret is not choosing a better dad for my children. They deserve much better. Heed my warning OP.

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pocketem · 03/05/2020 14:39

not choosing a better dad for my children. They deserve much better
We know very little about the dad in the OP, other than that he is on low pay and wants to be a SAHD. Somehow that's enough for people to call him a waster, cocklodger etc. Wonder what would happen if we posted the same comments on threads about a low paid would-be SAHM

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PositiveVibez · 03/05/2020 14:42

We know very little about the dad in the OP, other than that he is on low pay and wants to be a SAHD

We also know from the OP's previous thread, that he's a lazy bastard and leaves her to do all the housework even though she is still working and he isn't.

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AnotherEmma · 03/05/2020 14:44

People with an agenda and/or limited reading comprehension skills will always be selective about the information they choose to take on board and the information they choose to ignore.

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3rdNamechange · 03/05/2020 14:58

He doesn't want to earn more than minimum wage ?
He wants to be a SAHD ? I bet be bloody does.

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RainMinusBow · 03/05/2020 15:13

@pocketem I think you are right in terms if male/female "expected" roles.

Take my situation. I earn around £15-£16k pa ft and have my boys for half of the time. My fiancé earns around £18k pa ft.

The only "top up" we get except our wages is Child Benefit for one boy. We privately rent a three-bed.

I'm currently 36 weeks' pregnant - planned - with third baby (first for OH).

Wonder what people would say I here if I said I was thinking of not returning to work after maternity leave?

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LovingLola · 03/05/2020 15:15

We know very little about the dad in the OP, other than that he is on low pay and wants to be a SAHD. Somehow that's enough for people to call him a waster, cocklodger etc. Wonder what would happen if we posted the same comments on threads about a low paid would-be SAHM

We know he earns about £18,000 per annum.
We know he pays £200 per month for his 3 children.
We know he has no money left each month.
We know he is in £4000 debt
We know the op pays for everything and does 90% of housework while he stays in bed.
We know all this because the Op says so.
What opinion would you have about him based on her information?

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Ilovecats14 · 03/05/2020 15:15

How will he be a stay at home dad when he has children to support? I assume you will be paying their mum? Why is he only contributing £200pm for 3 children?

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RainMinusBow · 03/05/2020 15:19

Well it certainly can't be 50/50 custody (or more) if he's paying maintenance!

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madcatladyforever · 03/05/2020 15:28

We know very little about the dad in the OP, other than that he is on low pay and wants to be a SAHD. Somehow that's enough for people to call him a waster, cocklodger etc. Wonder what would happen if we posted the same comments on threads about a low paid would-be SAHM

Some women on here seem desparate to please a man, any man and turn cartwheels to do so. You sound like one of those I'm afraid. Enough has been said on this and previous posts to determine that he is an utter waste of space yet still you defend him.

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Gingerkittykat · 03/05/2020 16:20

We know the dad will give up his financial responsibility to his 3 existing children if he becomes a SAHD. It is this that is upsetting people more than the fact he is a low earner.

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Bananalanacake · 03/05/2020 16:26

I think you should enjoy a relationship with him but don't live with him, you can still date someone and not live with them. You could give him the timescale of moving on with you in 5 years but only on the condition that he has paid off his debt, you are young so have time for this.

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Poppi89 · 03/05/2020 17:05

Bluntness100
I think given the circumstances any sane person would be having doubts.

If she's having doubts about the relationship as it is now - why is she thinking about having kids in the future - that is what I meant.
If it doesn't work as it is it certainly won't get better adding a couple of kids in the future.

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SandyY2K · 03/05/2020 21:54

Wonder what people would say I here if I said I was thinking of not returning to work after maternity leave?

I would wonder how you'll manage financially as a family on a pretty low income, but it would be your decision as a family.

Money isn't everything. You can have loads of it and be desperately unhappy. In this scenario, it's very much about the character of the OPs partner....his laziness around the house etc...plus 3 children he supports with just £200 a month. That doesn't go far with children at all.

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LittleWing80 · 03/05/2020 21:59

He can’t afford his kids and himself so he moved in with you... effectively you are indirectly funding his children.
He has it all planned out hasn’t he? Having a baby with you, he doesn’t have to work another day, won’t have to support his kids anymore (all 4 of them) and you will continue being the mug funding him.
I’m sorry but anyone giving you positive words only wouldn’t care about your best interest.

Also be careful, if you go ahead and let him be a SAHD, it will be very hard to ever get rid of him and you might even end up losing residence of your child if he is seen as the main caregiver.

It is not about being with someone earning less than you, this is not an issue per se, this is not the issue here. His attitude spells irresponsible at best and out to use you at worst.

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