Are you financially comfortable?

Andrew_Ryan_89

Reading this thread reminds me that the older I get, the more I earn the poorer I feel! Don't take that too literally, one of my friends is struggling with mortgage payments to a point she could not afford her mobile phone bill and it has been cut off. So I appreciate where I am now massively, especially compared to other people.

Back when I was 18 or so, I was working in retail earning just over £200 a week. This was the richest I ever felt - freely buying clothes at any given opportunity, paying for the cinema for my brothers and cousins and having all the latest game consoles, TV's and such. Now, every purchase I make is a very conscious decision.

I wonder what life will be like after the wedding. Still quite a few expensive stuff in the house that need doing so probably won't be able to fully enjoy are income/not have a financial worry until 2018

moomoomama27

I would say we are reasonable comfortable financially. We are a family of 4, and after mortgage, and all utility bills etc, as well as extra curricular clubs and car running costs we are left with about £1000 a month spare cash that doesn't have to go towards anything as I put mo et away for Christmas/birthdays, clothes, car repairs and children's school trips and uniforms.

We haven't always been so comfortable, and there was a time we had to claim child tax. Red it's when the children were very young, but die to job promotions and me going back to work full time, we can know live a very comfortable lifestyle.

Ladykernow

My partner is on 23,000 a year. I'm on around 15,000, starting a new job soon which is a bit of a paydrop, probably around 12,500 a year, but I will still be doing a second job on my days off as well. Personally, I will probably never reach 20,000 a year. That's why I scrimp and save so much. We live ok at the moment, I wish I had more money, but it's probably never going to happen.

hazyjo

We live carefully, but spend it on what we enjoy and indulge when we feel like it or can afford it.


We now have two lovely holidays a year abroad (last one, 5* luxury in Dubrovnik, next one a fab (generous) apartment in the Costa del Sol) (we go off peak and I get amazing bargains).


But we live on one salary (mine!). Almost half goes on the mortgage and bills and doesn't include groceries or the car.


I don't know how we do it really. I'm a legal secretary in London so am not earning big bucks but it's a decent salary.


We don't save. Work pays the equivalent of 12.5% of my salary into my pension. I don't add extra.


We hope to move within the next 3 years to Leigh on Sea (cheaper area than where we are) and be mortgage free with me doing 4 days a week.


Would be nice to have more cash so we can do the things we want like add shutters to the lounge bay window, have a few more weekend breaks, sort the front garden out, or get a new car, but our house is full of lovely things and is nicely decorated (again, I shop carefully) and the rest will get done eventually. I don't really stress about it...


Jx
PS No loans or anything. Up to a grand debt at any one time, but we try to get to zero again quickly.

chelseablue

Forgot to add our only debt is £900 on a credit card, but send them £300 a month until its £0 so I don't think that's too bad

euronorris

Our rent is approx. 41% of my net pay (this is after my pension contributions - I do 7% and company does 3% - and our private healthcare plan). It's such a high percentage as, despite the two of us living there (soon to be 3), we are a single income household (for now).


On top of that, we have council tax, utilities, food etc etc. We only have the one car, and it's usage is going to drop dramatically whilst I'm on maternity leave (not that we were using it much before - I was walking to and from work up until 2 weeks ago).


We have enough to live on, plus a surplus of around £300 each month as we don't go out very much. And we've saved hard to cover my maternity leave, and sold loads of stuff on eBay etc, as I will only get SMP.


Hubby will be SAHD when I return to work after 6 months, so we won't have any childcare costs (which seems to be the biggest cost involved with babies and toddlers, by far). So, our monthly surplus will take a hit, but we'll still be 'comfortable' by our standards.

PlymouthMaid

I have no debts and my mortgage is nearly gone. I have a small savings pot but cannot add to it as I earn less than 15,000 pa and there is nothing left each month. However I feel comfortable on the whole although big bills for the house would give me sleepless nights as I know they would have to deplete my savings. I don't have money to waste on things like eating out but that doesn't bother me really as I prefer my own cooking. I spend very little really but there always seems to be something which needs fixing in my old house or on my old car (which may go soon not to be replaced). I would like to be able to help my daughters out more but there is not much I can do about that as wages are generally pretty shabby where I live and unlikely to improve anytime soon. Could be a lot worse though.

Justwe03

I think I would be comfortable if I had a net of £500 more a month. At the moment, I am bobbing along with my little girls doing ok. I worry most days but don't lose a huge amount of sleep.

I would love to be in a position where the kids don't worry about us being poor and I could afford just one little holiday for the three of us even if it's just camping!

bargainbetty

I am lucky to have a job that pays all my bills and lets me have some fun without having to squeeze every penny. I would class myself as comfortable, and am very grateful to be so. We didn't go short as kids, but we weren't wealthy, so having some security means a lot to all my family, and I get to pamper my mum with treats sometimes


I don't have children, so my disposable income is higher that that of my higher-earning brother who with his part-time working wife has two daughters. Expensive hobby, daughters.

Gazzafatcityboy

Yes I think we are reasonably comfortable right now…

We are saving up to buy a house within the area we live.

I’m on a very good salary just over 6 figures (that’s with bonus otherwise its around the 80k mark) while the gf earns 25k per a year. Since we are trying to save up a lot of money for a deposit and pay off my final debts then we are living in a small studio in London for about 800 quid per month including all bills.

Once we have our own place and everything else is sorted then we are comfortable.

We would be able to go on holiday twice a year and have the general things like a car,tv etc.

I think even though we are reasonably well off we don’t live extravagantly… we still love a good bargain to be honest with you.

Gaz