Marriage, relationships & families

👪 Here are some Forum threads you might find useful: * Information about term time holidays and imposed penalties * Please look after your privacy, we can't do it for you! * What to do when a partner/spouse dies * Pet Insurance guide discussion area * Free rail travel for people fleeing domestic violence 👪 And here's some…

This week's MoneySaver who wants advice asks… My daughter and son-in-law were heavily in debt 20 years ago. I paid almost £6,000 off one of their credit cards and gave them substantial sums to help elsewhere. They've since divorced and their home is now on the market. I've since found out her ex-husband controlled…

So its over 4 years since my thread was closed (https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/5638552/wife-doesnt-love-me-anymore) Just thought it would be good to give an update, if only to give some hope to others in dire situations. So September 2018, my (at the time) wife buys tickets for a band and invites my friend…

!!!!!!! That's the job of parents, not schools. It's not the school's job to teach children how to use a knife and fork or potty train them. The same for reading. Parents allowed their children to turn into couch potatoes glued to play stations not the lack of school

As I approach the first Christmas without a loved one, I know there are many others for whom this time of year is far from easy. So if you are feeling sad in the midst of others (seemingly) having a joyous and wonderful time, please be assured you are not alone. We often put much pressure on ourselves over the festive…

I wasn't really sure where to put this so please suggests a better place if required. I've been a largely secret gambler for nearly 15 years now. It coincides with the time that gambling became deregualted in the UK, and conveniently enough around the same time that i had a smart phone capable of loading online casinos.…

Three years clean this week from gambling. I use to lie, borrow and waste money. Thankfully I was on good money and I still have house(s) and savings and my wife stood by me - just! Must have lost £100k over the years. My lightbulb moment was when bookies started closing my accounts because I'd started to do 'matched…

Hi all. A few of you might remember my posts here from quite a few years ago. I went through a load of difficult situations and had a really bad time of it. I've been in a meditative mood today, reflecting on the past which prompted me to look at the old threads I posted before. This isn't to brag or anything, just to…

...in finding that the MSE Forum is like a wise, elderly parent? I started consulting this site when I took my pension early at the age of 55 and a half. That was nearly 2 years ago now and I have dipped in and out of the Forum since then. I looked at it a lot 18 months - 2 years ago, took a break and then came back a few…

This year has been really difficult so I thought it would be nice to create a positive and kind space to give us all a boost. Christmas can be a lonely time and this year especially so. Do you have any hints or tips on how to make Christmas easier or how you've kept your sanity during the Covid crisis? I escaped an abusive…

I work £14 an hour job with no career progression at all. I don't have a single friend. I'm not in contact with any family members and haven't been for a decade. I go to work, play video games / watch tv shows and sleep. I live a very frugal life and invest my left over money each month so I can retire without worrying…

excuse if in wrong place, but I've learned a few things recently which might help someone else, especially if you are doing things from a distance: Health and Welfare LPA - if you have one, tell your relative's GP that you do and ask them what their procedure is to record its existence. It doesn't have to be activated,…

Just renewed at about 1/2 of going rate These are for 12 months tooAnnual Worldwide for £89.99 https://www.ancestry.co.uk/checkout/mli?direct=1&quantities=1&flow=3&offers=O-24532&rType=11 Annual UK Premium for £59.99 https://www.ancestry.co.uk/checkout/mli?direct=1&quantities=1&flow=3&offers=O-24531&rType=11 There is the…

Hi everyone, I feel the need to post this as there are a few things going on in my life at the moment (you may have just read my post about my daughter and employment). As the title says, I just feel so alone. I wouldn't really say I have any "friends" to speak of. There are people that I talk to, such as people I see at…

Just some light hearted entertainment as it's bank holiday friday and the sun is shining... Today I hung some clothes up to dry on a rotary line, only for my OH to re-arrange them. On questioning OH about it, it was apparently down to 'inefficient use of pegs'. :) Which made me think... with this lock down, with most…

My eldest daughter is going to be 16 soon and we’re trying to help her consider everything finance-related for a 16 year old. She already has a bank account and now has her NI number. She’ll get a 16-25 railcard (using Tesco points of course). What else should we be thinking about? ISAs? Anything else she can get once…

I've been wearing them for 40 years (OMG am I that old?)and have never found a really comfortable one. Years ago I even went to a special bra store (Rigby and Peller in London, corsetiere to the Queen!) to be fitted. What an experience, I will never forget the saleslady who had a chest like the prow of a battleship who…

This was posted on my Facebook timeline by a former colleague still teaching in KS1. I hope it helps someone come to terms with 'the new normal' March 19 at 9:03 PMThis post below was made by a primary school principal on a fb group that I am a member of, and I am sharing it with permission. As a teacher and parent it sums…

It seems that the majority of people in long term partnerships who have not formalised that relationship though marriage or a civil partnership are living in ignorance of what sort of financial mess they could leave their loved ones in the event of their death. Less than 50% of these couples have put wills in place and…

Since I got so much useful help from this forum, thanks, I thought I'd give some feedback on my experience of doing a DIY estate management probate application and maybe some points to consider. Background. Mum passed away 15.11.23 leaving all by will to Dad who was also her executor. She did have investments in her own…

I am looking into the possibility of DIY divorce as we are looking to split up amicably and we have agreed how to share our assets. We keep our finances separate so we have agreed not to claim on each other's assets. There are no children involved. The only asset that we own jointly is our home, and we have agreed on 50/50…

I'm puzzled why there are separate sub-forums for mums and dads. The dads' one makes more sense as it contains topics such as moustache-growing and dads trying to keep in contact with their kids after divorce. But the mums' one contains threads about things like re-using bread bags and days out which would be just as…