Mr and Mrs K's New Journey to a Debt Free Life.

theoretica

There is a calculator here for average after tax incomes in various family circumstances.

http://www.theguardian.com/society/datablog/interactive/2012/jun/22/how-wealthy-you-compared?guni=Graphic:in%20body%20link

heartbreak_star

Hm, apparently we are the "squeezed middle".

HBS x

AlexLK

Thank you all. Not a great day today, I have found my wife has surpassed even my spending habits last night and frankly, I am not impressed. In a way I've a good mind to do what she did a few weeks ago and just walk out for the evening but I won't.

Roland: I suppose I just want to do something useful for once and not be the idiot of a son whose house is nowhere near to their standards.

HBS: Average will of course take into account everyone from a minimum wage shop assistant to investment bankers earning six figure salaries. So, in reality it is perhaps not accurately representative of the population, merely an indication.

theoretica: I am fairly sure that calculator is no where near accurate, it reckons 80% have a lower income than my wife and I. We are "comfortable and have apparently "risen higher than those in the middle"" hahahaha :rotfl: and I can see the pigs flying overhead.

kissjenn

Jeez.

You really do consider yourself hard done by.

One higher rate tax payer.
One ltd company director who CHOOSES to limit his income for various reasons.
Pens, watches et al worth thousands.
A discarded car bonnet worth about a grand lying about in your garage.
A car each and wanting more.

Alex what do you think well off looks like?

This is just silly now.

AlexLK

Kissjenn: Sorry and I do not consider myself "hard done by" just not better off than 80% of the population. We have never had money left at the end of the month.

In regards to the car stuff, I do feel a need to defend that as the MGC bonnet has gone to pay the debts. Furthermore, Mrs. K. and I are both car enthusiasts - it is her that wants another car because she sold her classic a while back and it's never been replaced.

heartbreak_star

But it's easier for you to make ends meet (NO luxuries) than someone struggling on £14k a year.

Probably 80% of the population do have less income than you. They probably also have less expensive tastes - e.g. one or no cars rather than 3, and Asda clothes rather than designer, and cooking from scratch (and if you're not very good, learn! I did )

Look at it that way

HBS x

kissjenn

Alex...seriously the point isn't that you're putting it towards the debts the point is you have it and can choose to put it towards the debts.

You're bringing in 2 or 3 times what a lot of families much bigger than yours get.

I'll give you a practical example of life on benefits to earning a wage.
My state sick pay for 28 weeks came to around £2400. They completely mucked it up and I got the first payment of £670 this week. That was to cover 1st Feb to 5th April. I had savings which we've bitten into hard. If I didn't I'd be looking at repossession about now.

You made more than two months benefit, for someone with cancer, selling one pen.

This board is full of people who had an illness or accident, redundancy or bereavement. Good people trying to do the right thing by their families and their commitments.

You're young and in work owning a business which allows you to flex round your bad days. Your wife is in a profession she enjoys and has a good salary. You've run up debt buying luxury items not food and heating. These items can be sold, they are not sunk costs. And finally you have parents available to backstop you. You will never go hungry or homeless with the joint family networks you have.

Take the time to read some of these diaries not just the first or last post. Many would give anything to swap positions with you.

You are not one of the nations poor, neither am I but I give thanks everyday for the lucky breaks I've had.

AlexLK

heartbreak_star wrote: »

But it's easier for you to make ends meet (NO luxuries) than someone struggling on £14k a year.

Probably 80% of the population do have less income than you. They probably also have less expensive tastes - e.g. one or no cars rather than 3, and Asda clothes rather than designer, and cooking from scratch (and if you're not very good, learn! I did )

Look at it that way

HBS x

I do understand where you are coming from. However, one person's idea of a luxury is another person's idea of merely "getting by". Changing my whole mindset is proving rather difficult if I'm honest, though I am getting there.... slowly.

kissjenn wrote: »

Alex...seriously the point isn't that you're putting it towards the debts the point is you have it and can choose to put it towards the debts.

You're bringing in 2 or 3 times what a lot of families much bigger than yours get.

I'll give you a practical example of life on benefits to earning a wage.
My state sick pay for 28 weeks came to around £2400. They completely mucked it up and I got the first payment of £670 this week. That was to cover 1st Feb to 5th April. I had savings which we've bitten into hard. If I didn't I'd be looking at repossession about now.

You made more than two months benefit, for someone with cancer, selling one pen.

This board is full of people who had an illness or accident, redundancy or bereavement. Good people trying to do the right thing by their families and their commitments.

You're young and in work owning a business which allows you to flex round your bad days. Your wife is in a profession she enjoys and has a good salary. You've run up debt buying luxury items not food and heating. These items can be sold, they are not sunk costs. And finally you have parents available to backstop you. You will never go hungry or homeless with the joint family networks you have.

Take the time to read some of these diaries not just the first or last post. Many would give anything to swap positions with you.

You are not one of the nations poor, neither am I but I give thanks everyday for the lucky breaks I've had.

I do feel rather guilty now and can see how some of my posts may have come over as being "poor little me". That really isn't the way I have meant it, though there are times I do feel incredibly sorry for myself as well as disappointed about my current situation and I know I shouldn't.

Igamogam

kissjenn wrote: »

Take the time to read some of these diaries not just the first or last post. Many would give anything to swap positions with you.

Not here.......money, different education,ability to buy luxury items, parent ready to bank roll etc etc dont appear to bring any happiness

You are not one of the nations poor, neither am I but I give thanks everyday for the lucky breaks I've had.

Ditto

Thank you Kissjen

AlexLK

Igamogam: I'm not sure whether you are trying to take a "dig" here or not. However, it is safe to say I am not particularly "happy" and much of that has nothing whatsoever to do with money, some does I will admit that much. As for people wishing to "swap lives" with me, there are plenty of things I would change in my life before my financial situation if I could.