Renovations and Repayments.

A_Frayed_Knot

AlexLK wrote: »

The only benefit that I currently see from my parents at the moment is a directorship and small salary for looking after their rental properties. .

A benefit to both of you - no doubt, If they had to employ someone to do the work you are doing, ask yourself, if they would pay them the same amount, or would it cost them more.
Not, sure why you are thinking that your small salary for working is a "benefit"
I work(hard), as you do, I get paid - I do not think of it as a benefit.
Give yourself some credit - it is well deserved :T

maman

AlexLK wrote: »

I suppose on a day-to-day basis I don't see the benefit of these things and think it 'normal' rather than 'privileged'. However, the fact my parents did do well for themselves financially hangs over me constantly because I have failed to.

I think that's the point Alex. Because of the privileged life you've led you take as normal that someone could buy a Land Rover.


I was thinking about what you considered failure in Friday's posts. One was the fact that you have a mortgage whereas in your previous job you could have bought your home outright. I've lived a very comfortable life on an increasingly good salary but I've never met anyone who could buy a house without a mortgage. What's normal for you isn't normal for the majority of the population.


Most people would look at you and MrsK and think you were doing very well for yourselves. It's just you that considers it failure because of what you measure yourself against.


One day we'll convince you that you're doing fine.:A

AlexLK wrote: »

Ate a frozen cottage pie this evening which was absolutely delicious!

:eek: and lived to tell the tale!:rotfl:


I had a busy day yesterday and fell back on a freezer meal. Homemade Bolognese sauce was ready as quickly as I could cook the pasta, grate the Parmesan and pick a few basil leaves. Try it.:)

Bluefire

AlexLK wrote: »

The only benefit that I currently see from my parents at the moment is a directorship and small salary for looking after their rental properties.

Totally mis-read that as 'dictatorship' initially... :rotfl:

misscousinitt

Well done on the HM ready meal!!!

Onwards and upwards.

MCI

AlexLK

SingleSue wrote: »

I am also ashamed to admit I felt the same way about those on benefits and was incredibly vocal and judgmental, karma got its own back on me big time.

I've learned my lesson now....

It seems that life gives us many challenges, perhaps to change our own perceptions.

zcrat41 wrote: »

Alex you might not be aware how you come across. By even talking about Discoveries you are contempla a car that for most people is a very expensive option.

I do think your colleague was rude though.

Thank you.

I suppose you're right. I do seem to have some kind of innate ability to unintentionally rub people up the wrong way.

EatingTheElephant wrote: »

Did no one else spot this? Well done Alex :T

:rotfl: Thank you.

Cooked a few more things. Only food shopping about three times per week at the moment which has made quite a bit of time.

AlexLK

A_Frayed_Knot wrote: »

A benefit to both of you - no doubt, If they had to employ someone to do the work you are doing, ask yourself, if they would pay them the same amount, or would it cost them more.
Not, sure why you are thinking that your small salary for working is a "benefit"
I work(hard), as you do, I get paid - I do not think of it as a benefit.
Give yourself some credit - it is well deserved :T

I did not say it was only a beneficial arrangement to I and not to them. The salary is of benefit to me and the service I provide is of benefit to them. How is it not a benefit to both parties? I'd say the same about any work.

maman wrote: »

I think that's the point Alex. Because of the privileged life you've led you take as normal that someone could buy a Land Rover.

I was thinking about what you considered failure in Friday's posts. One was the fact that you have a mortgage whereas in your previous job you could have bought your home outright. I've lived a very comfortable life on an increasingly good salary but I've never met anyone who could buy a house without a mortgage. What's normal for you isn't normal for the majority of the population.

Most people would look at you and MrsK and think you were doing very well for yourselves. It's just you that considers it failure because of what you measure yourself against.

One day we'll convince you that you're doing fine.:A

:eek: and lived to tell the tale!:rotfl:

I had a busy day yesterday and fell back on a freezer meal. Homemade Bolognese sauce was ready as quickly as I could cook the pasta, grate the Parmesan and pick a few basil leaves. Try it.:)

I can't say I've ever considered LR an "aspirational" brand. Range Rover is and that's why they sell a lot of the Evoque model which is essentially a Freelander for the crass and vulgar.

Regarding property, I have not ever had such a well paying job that I could've bought a house outright (somewhere I'd want to live) from the proceeds. My parents gave me a quite substantial amount of money (so blind I didn't realise) when I was much younger and I wasted it. Had I been wise, I would not have needed to take a mortgage out. In our current situation I cannot believe my wife and I are doing well (nothing to do with the mortgage, though). At the moment we could not afford to give our son a first class education, nor could we guarantee him a future income and property without my parents. I believe most parents want to do better than their own parents did?

On an entirely different note. I've made bolognese sauce for pasta, chili con carne and lasagne as well as my cottage pie. Thank you again.

Bluefire wrote: »

Totally mis-read that as 'dictatorship' initially... :rotfl:

:rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl: It's probably not too far away from being.

AlexLK

misscousinitt wrote: »

Well done on the HM ready meal!!!

Onwards and upwards.

MCI

Thank you.

AlexLK

September is drawing to a close and I've been rather busy with teaching, other work, decluttering and prepping various items for sale.

Had a new pupil start violin (5 years old) with the same name as my wife (her name seems rare amongst the current generation of school children). To say my wife's name and have a 5 year old looking back at me is a really strange experience. :rotfl:I've taught a few with my name and that's not strange at all but I was one of a few at school. Also spent my entire senior school years being known by my surname. :rotfl:

Financially, I've nothing to report other than we are sticking to no eating out and a low (for us) food spend.

maman

AlexLK wrote: »

In our current situation I cannot believe my wife and I are doing well (nothing to do with the mortgage, though). At the moment we could not afford to give our son a first class education, nor could we guarantee him a future income and property without my parents. I believe most parents want to do better than their own parents did?


It seems that life gives us many challenges, perhaps to change our own perceptions.

I suppose that most posters on here are comparing your finances, property and lifestyle with their own or with the national average. Your perception is based on what your parents have so your 'normal' is very different. That's not a problem in itself except that not being able to match it makes you so unhappy and leads you to continually brand yourself a failure. MrsK, on the other hand, has a very different normal and can see that LittleK could have a good education, make his own way in the world and earn his own income without looking to parents just as she has.

AlexLK wrote: »

On an entirely different note. I've made bolognese sauce for pasta, chili con carne and lasagne as well as my cottage pie. Thank you again.

Cooked a few more things. Only food shopping about three times per week at the moment which has made quite a bit of time.

We'll soon get you to shopping in Aldi once a week!:rotfl:

AlexLK

Today has been busy but that has meant an NSD for both Mrs K and I. Unfortunately, my wife isn't very well. Nothing life threatening, just some kind of cold / flu type thing. She went to work today but has agreed to do some work from home tomorrow. On the positive side, there's no chance of her going out with her colleagues tomorrow evening. She didn't find me saying that very amusing, though.

My father has been in one of his strange reminiscent moods today, getting very upset. Mother called me asking if I'd listen to him for a few hours this evening whilst she went dog walking as he'd apparently been like this all day. So, after my son went to bed, I went to see them; certainly scored some points there. However, this evening has done nothing to alleviate my concerns for my father, I'd rather he was his usual cantankerous self than how he was this evening.

On another note, we're hoping to have all the roofing work done by this time next week. I'll be really pleased when that is over.

maman wrote: »

I suppose that most posters on here are comparing your finances, property and lifestyle with their own or with the national average. Your perception is based on what your parents have so your 'normal' is very different. That's not a problem in itself except that not being able to match it makes you so unhappy and leads you to continually brand yourself a failure. MrsK, on the other hand, has a very different normal and can see that LittleK could have a good education, make his own way in the world and earn his own income without looking to parents just as she has.

We'll soon get you to shopping in Aldi once a week!:rotfl:

I'm sure I won't ever consider myself a success, maman. I'll admit that I am concerned about how I could ever prepare my son for a life of making his own way in the world.

:rotfl: I can't see that happening. Whilst I have absolutely nothing against shopping in a discount supermarket (I have little care for food "brands"), I do still like to buy the majority of food from small independents.