How do people afford it?

liney

With the above circumstanve assuming you both worked more than 30 hours per week, your tax credit entitlment came up at £21.08 PW child tax cedits.

My friends earn in the region of 40k and still get around £250 per month paid out of their £800 per month for 2 children.

I was simply stating that parents are better off working, as the goverment pays a large chunk of childcare especially for those on low income. I wouldn't personally class £40k as low income, yet 30% is paid by the goverment. They get a highter % in comparison to yours, but they have 2 children, and you have only 1.

Also they are only paying £800 for 2 children, while you are paying £700 for one: must be the difference geographically.

If you are not claiming help with your nursery fees, then look at entitledto.com, which uses goverment calculators to determine what you should be able to get help with.

nicola1982_2

We have what we call a 'priority plan'. We take out our essentials (rent, cc bills, facilities, C Tax and basic food). Out of what's left we choose what we would prefer, so we chose broadband and Sky TV over having a nice car (we have a 1.1 Rover that I can fill the tank for just over £20), we don't go out at the weekends and we only buy clothes to replace old clothes. Usually clothing purchases are made with Christmas or birthday gift vouchers. I will also go to Peacocks/Matalan to buy my clothes - they look much more expensive than they are. We holiday in Britain when we can - but we will save a lot of money and get the best apartment and eat out. The saving is that we go in offpeak time. One thing we believe is important is buying organic vegetables, but we offset the cost against our other shopping which we buy in Aldi or Lidl, so we always eat well.

I'm expecting my first soon and we will change our plan again, reducing our broadband service, using the car less often and either not going away or cutting out the extras on holiday depending on how well off we are.

dianadors

I know a few people who seem to have and do everything. I know for a fact that most of these are still being bailed out by parents or wealthy in laws.

Glen0000

To be honest these days anything more than one child is a luxury. We have one and there is no way we could afford anymore. Quite simply we cannot afford to buy a house big enough. We live in a 3 bed terrace and that is just about big enough for the 3 of us. I earn £35k a year and we just about manage on one income. We only have one car, holiday in the uk and a £100k mortgage. Wife has just taken a small part time job to give us a bit extra. More importantly we don’t have any debt. That is why we don’t have 2 cars etc.

If we had 4 children we would really struggle and it would mean no sky, no holidays, no nights out at the pub etc. You surely realise that 4 children is a large family to support and you will struggle far more than those of us with 1 or 2 kids. You must have your reasons for having such a large family, so focus on those, rather than the fact they make you skint! That is life I am afraid!

Glen0000

dianadors wrote: »

I know a few people who seem to have and do everything. I know for a fact that most of these are still being bailed out by parents or wealthy in laws.

My friend is on £21k with 3 kids. He has 2 holidays a year, new kitchen, 2 cars etc. The difference between him and me? He has £60k of credit card debt which he keeps adding to the mortgage. I don't know how he sleeps at night.

dianadors

I know one person who has around 50k credit card debt but it doesnt bother him because he says when his parents die he will be loaded as he is an only child and they are loaded. I hope my kids never think like that! He isnt a very nice person.

pollyanna24

OddjobKIA wrote: »

we have 4 kids and live on a wage of £16,000 its simple how we affrord to live like this.

Dont spend what you havent got

As marvellous as this would be cos I could give up work and have 4 kids.. and still have £11K left after bf's wages, it's not always possible... our mortgage alone costs us £12K a year! :eek:

hobo28

dianadors wrote: »

I know one person who has around 50k credit card debt but it doesnt bother him because he says when his parents die he will be loaded as he is an only child and they are loaded. I hope my kids never think like that! He isnt a very nice person.

Thats why I'm telling my kids that I intend to spend all my money before I die. Whats the point in working hard all my life and not enjoying it!?!?!

Besides which I want my kids to work for what they have instead of waiting to see what i leave them.

I don't expect my parents to leave me with anything. They worked hard and sacrificed a lot to raise me. Anything they have now, as far as I am concerned they should enjoy.