So....just how much money is 'enough' ?

Gemmzie

debbycatz wrote: »

But why is that Gemmzie Is it just human nature and desire to always have the latest car/fashion/gadget etc :j
Perhaps it's similar to many of us just wanting to lose a stone or two eh Maybe we are destined to never feel 'happy' with our lot

I totally agree - it's partly consumerism, it's the way the world has gone. Thirty years ago, people lived on one wage in the home but you couldn't now

And yes, people are never contented, we aren't designed to be. Even millionaires have their wants for more - be it money or business etc.
It's how we survive, if we were just 'happy' we never would have survived

sanfrancisco

It is not just geogrpahy that is relelvent to how much money you have, it is age as well.

Young people have crippling University debts and have massive housing costs (renting and buying). People that have tiny mortgages seem (generally) to be very out of touch with the cost of current rents.

calleyw

I am the only wage earner in my household my husband had a stroke and now claims the benefits he is entitled to.

We do have savings but don't touch them. With about 5 hours of overtime a week I just about get a decent wage per month. I do not take a penny off of my husband and we get no help with the mortgage or council tax.

But I pay all the household bills and pay for the running of the car. So that leaves me a little left over if I don't go mad spending on myself.

When we both earning we earned about £32K and both ran cars with half share of bills I could put away about £500 a month :eek: those where the days. Doubt we will ever get back to that again though.

Yours


Calley

debbycatz

sanfrancisco wrote: »

It is not just geogrpahy that is relelvent to how much money you have, it is age as well.

Young people have crippling University debts and have massive housing costs (renting and buying). People that have tiny mortgages seem (generally) to be very out of touch with the cost of current rents.

One of the major things this site has done for me has been to open my eyes regarding rent and mortgage costs for people starting out in their own places now :eek:
I am very lucky that my mortgage is low having bought my house 20 years ago. I really do despair for some of our young people who are face with such spiralling costs regarding a place of their own

msmicawber

This is a great thread. I have re-done my budget recently having paid off debts and increased hours at work and worked out that I had £525 per month after rent and bills, and think that's enough for an adult and 2 children. I'm not rich, but was able to buy my son a new bike in the sales this weekend and just decide to tighten my belt for the rest of the month to pay for it.

I agree that housing costs are horrifying - I pay £735 per month for a poky little house with a third bedroom that only just fits a single bed in it, which is normal for this area. I have no idea how my children will ever get on the housing ladder unless they can get themselves very well paid jobs ... and listen to me when I bang on about MSE ways!!

SoozieSoo

My husband is on £25k and we struggle on one wage. Yes, we can afford all the bills, but cannot afford to buy a house and can only afford to run one car. To be able to afford to buy a small semi in this area and run 2 cars we would need to be on around £50k. Even then we would not be living the high life.

I find it very depressing! I have seriously been thinking of forgetting about the housing ladder and taking the pressure off myself and my husband to go out and earn a huge income. Then again I don't want my son bringing his girlfriend home to a "council house". The worry about money and the future has been making me ill. I long for the days when a family could manage on one wage.

southernscouser

James240 wrote: »

im on £18,000 and if i didnt have my debt i would have around £5-600 spare a month so that would be ample for me

Ample! :rotfl:

Are you thinking about breasts again mate? :rolleyes:

newmum1

I earn £18,000 but my tax credits and child benefit bump that up so although i have debt it is manageable, but of course once it is paid off i will have 'spare money each month, and that will be great.

msmicawber

Yes, I'm with you SoozieSoo. However, I do think that when people could manage on one wage most people rented their homes, didn't own cars, didn't have TVs or even telephones half the time, lived the Old Style life, and if they had holidays, they were very modest.

I 'manage' on £17,500 for 3 of us, but we're so used to having no frills because I was paying off debts for years and paying childcare that I can make my disposable income go a very long way, like most people on this site.

I think it is a very different world now. I can remember when having a fridge was considered a 'luxury' item whereas now I don't know anyone who doesn't have one, and the only people in Britain who don't have washing machines, as far as I know, are the residents of Albert Square!

prophecy_grrl

For the last few years we have survived on my wage alone as DH has gone back to Uni. We do ok, not great and have got a bit of debt that's manageable but that we're fighting to bring down to nowt (and am proud to say we're doing quite well!).

DH will be starting full time work in first week of September, doing a salaried PhD, and I'm so excited for the extra money - it will be around £800 a month, and will allow us to pay off our debts pretty darn quickly :T