Will I ever have di...
 

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[Closed] Will I ever have disposable income again?

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wife + 5 year old + 2year old + mortgage + nursery fees + car + living

=

1 working 2nd hand XC bike with a pitiful collection of spares and a life spent at car boots, poundshops and trawling the classifieds

It never used to be like this. Does it end?


 
Posted : 23/09/2012 10:02 pm
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When you're to old to enjoy it.

I'm only going to have one child and one car and my wife will damn well work as well. Hope that makes it easier.

Maybe check your expenses?


 
Posted : 23/09/2012 10:03 pm
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Not if you are a teacher!


 
Posted : 23/09/2012 10:04 pm
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Oh. God. How depressing. Still, nappies, puke, poo, snot, wailing, sleep deprivation, no time to get anything done... Totally worth it, right? Right?? RIGHT??? 😯


 
Posted : 23/09/2012 10:07 pm
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Sorry it gets worse. I have a 15 year old boy and a 6 year old girl. After working away last week I was presented with the following requests/demands:

£160 for guitar lessons (10 weeks)
£80 football club fees
£49 gym club fees
£100 down payment for school trip (£550 total @ £100 every six weeks)

Both cars need servicing and the rear wheel on my faithful Marin Rocky Ridge is beyond economical repair.


 
Posted : 23/09/2012 10:09 pm
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**** this, me and my missus will stick to Springer Spaniels.


 
Posted : 23/09/2012 10:10 pm
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Truly it does. I still have the mortgage and car/living expense but kids are now in college and last year of school with little jobs of their own to teach them about income and that. On the bike front I think we all want the next one up but it will come in time, just ride your one like you stole it. 🙂

Edit. Seems I got off lucky. you are royally fOOOOOked.


 
Posted : 23/09/2012 10:10 pm
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The tiddlywinks are worth it. The only having ONE bike is killing me, especially as now I've regained enough of a life to start using it.


 
Posted : 23/09/2012 10:11 pm
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Nah, it gets better. They start stealing stuff off other people once they get past 12 or 13 and that relieves the burden.


 
Posted : 23/09/2012 10:14 pm
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Divorced+living in shared house+no social life+living off pasta= 7 bikes (I may not be happy but who gives a sheet....I've got 7 BIKES!!)


 
Posted : 23/09/2012 10:14 pm
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Pretty much in the same boat, one three year old, and a one week old. I work full time, wife will go back to work at some point within 6 to 9 months for three days a week. Nice but modest house for them to grow up in, a focus in the drive, and some great grandparents five minutes away who are fantastic and save us a fortune in child minding fees! Couldn't do it without them.
Had three bikes in my mancave/garage, sold the old road bike (hardly used), the cobbled together hardtail built for the missus (also hardly used) and my enduro sworks frame to fund a new 575 frame a coupla years ago. Upgraded wheels, forks and a few other bits and bobs mostly out of Christmas and Birthday money. My birthday is nine days after the other so January sales are always scrutinised, as are the classifieds!
I don't ride as much as I used to so happy with one bike, my family and my life. It's all good, even if I don't go away skiing every winter!!


 
Posted : 23/09/2012 10:16 pm
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haha, my chrimbo and berkday list is always CRC vouchers please 🙂


 
Posted : 23/09/2012 10:25 pm
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Ha! serves you right for having sprogs. Get rid of the bloody things & get a parrot.
Miles better value for money.

(I ****ing hate kids me, can you tell)


 
Posted : 23/09/2012 10:30 pm
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😀


 
Posted : 23/09/2012 10:34 pm
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Bwarrp sticking with springer spaniels can get expensive too, mines cost me well over £3.5k in 4 years!!


 
Posted : 23/09/2012 10:44 pm
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Ha! serves you right for having sprogs. Get rid of the bloody things & get a parrot.

I would, but eBay keep pulling my listings...


 
Posted : 23/09/2012 10:46 pm
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Quite happy having my weans..have always wanted a family.
Does mean the wife's not very keen on getting a dog though..


 
Posted : 23/09/2012 11:04 pm
 bruk
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Apparently gets better when nursery fees finish, helps from 3 when you get some free sessions but even with 1 it is equivalent to a 2nd mortgage!

Just think how they will pay you back in your dotage by bundling you off to a nursing home.


 
Posted : 23/09/2012 11:12 pm
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esselgruntfuttock - Member
Ha! serves you right for having sprogs. Get rid of the bloody things & get a parrot.
Miles better value for money.

(I **** hate kids me, can you tell)

No bother, I must remind mine not to pay for any of your care when you are old and decrepit. Good luck getting your parrot to cover that.


 
Posted : 23/09/2012 11:15 pm
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In the old days you'd have retirement to look forward to and maybe some disposable from having paid the mortgage off and a good final salary pension with perhaps some savings and great interest rates.

But not any more, and worse you'll be living longer and get a crap pension, probably with no savings income and still be supporting the kid's who are up to their eyeballs in debt.

And when you're helpless in your old age, on life support and can't do anything for yourself, you can't even have someone pull the plug for you.

😀


 
Posted : 24/09/2012 12:58 am
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disposable income! are you having a laugh!!


 
Posted : 24/09/2012 1:06 am
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Kenny when you put it like that....if Nasa/Russia/China/the EU space agency turned round and asked me if I wanted to go on a one way trip with a handful of other people to colonize mars...I think I would take it.

I'd rather live fast and die young doing something important, mad and dangerous with my life, rather than wait to die in a death box (ones house).

That's the problem..... as fight Fight Club put it.... we're the middle children of history..... we have nothing to do..... no great frontiers to conquer (with the exception of killing the locals in Afghanistan)....besides sitting on our arses in 9-5's staring at the ceiling saving up for a two week retirement cruise before we die.


 
Posted : 24/09/2012 1:09 am
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oh I do love an stw existential thread. can we have another?


 
Posted : 24/09/2012 1:22 am
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What's the point?


 
Posted : 24/09/2012 6:16 am
 CHB
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bwaarp...no great frontiers?
Pish!
Scientists and engineers are smashing down frontiers at a faster rate than our species has ever done.
Theres more to frontiers than colonising space. For the 99% of us that are not pushing these boundaries, thats no bad thing as progress needs a society to develop in, and you are society.


 
Posted : 24/09/2012 6:26 am
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I would, but eBay keep pulling my listings...

Deal direct with the medical research labs, no worries about Paypal gift either.


 
Posted : 24/09/2012 9:15 am
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Having no money I have come to live with but its the lack of time to do all the things I cant afford that hurts these days. With 2 young uns the wife works weekends and evening so fiddling in (guilt and argument free)riding and climbing is becoming impossible......grumble to no one in particular over.


 
Posted : 24/09/2012 11:46 am
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sucks dont it. Wife 3/4 through her maternity leave. Money's leeching through the account left right and centre. Savings have evaporated and I've just had to sell my 29er to ease the situation. 4th year of a pay freeze. life's quite trying at the moment!


 
Posted : 24/09/2012 11:50 am
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You have disposable icome, you just chose to buy kids with it 🙄


 
Posted : 24/09/2012 11:52 am
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£160 for guitar lessons (10 weeks)
£80 football club fees
£49 gym club fees
£100 down payment for school trip (£550 total @ £100 every six weeks)

I'm quite looking forward to that type of expense in a few years as the cost of childcare in these parts is brain-boggling.


 
Posted : 24/09/2012 11:52 am
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Can't speak for anyone else but my boys are worth every penny 😀


 
Posted : 24/09/2012 11:57 am
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We had 3 in nursery for two years! Would have been fine if planned - but twins were a surprise in the second pregnancy... More than a second mortgage in terms of costs and only now after 1 year where all are at school are we getting back on our feet. That is the case even with two decent salaries and a reasonably modest lifestyle...


 
Posted : 24/09/2012 11:59 am
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Just got our second one into school, not paying out £ 600 a month on nursery fees has helped massively (as did getting made redundant and finding a much better paying job at the same time). Rapidly clearing our debts and the future is looking brighter. This time last year I was beginning to wonder the rest of my life would just be a treadmill existance to feed to offspring.

Still not saving anywhere near enough and aware costs will increase again at some point but happier for the moment.


 
Posted : 24/09/2012 12:01 pm
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Nah, it gets better. They start stealing stuff off other people once they get past 12 or 13 and that relieves the burden.

[img] [/img]

Samuri, yesterday 🙂


 
Posted : 24/09/2012 12:04 pm
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Rewski has it.

Yer just have to see the good around you, you may not have a few quid for beers n inner tubes but you have a couple of sprogs and some folks don't have that option.

Mind you I don't have any sprogs..


 
Posted : 24/09/2012 12:07 pm
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Kids are worth it but I am worrying how we'll get through when our 3rd is born in Feb! Oh and the fact we've had to buy a (not so) new car after realising you can't fit 3 car seats in a family estate.

The nursery fees and clubs that seem to be springing up for everything take a fair whack out of the bank every month too.

But just seeing the look of pride on my daughters face on Saturday when she had her first proper dump in her potty was priceless!


 
Posted : 24/09/2012 12:08 pm
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My wife disposes of my income for me. Does that count?


 
Posted : 24/09/2012 12:14 pm
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Shhhhhhhhhhhhhhh what you need is a secret bank account.

Don’t feel guilty I am sure the misses halves the price of any new clothes she buys when you asks and leaves have the shopping in the back of the car so it can be smuggled in when you are not looking. How many time has you asked “Is that a new top” and “Oh no its an old one I have not worn for ages”.

It’s all part of the game. Just don’t go too silly.


 
Posted : 24/09/2012 12:28 pm
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That's just what happens - mainly with kids' clothes mind you so I shouldn't complain I guess.


 
Posted : 24/09/2012 1:37 pm
 Gunz
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Two kids, 6yo girl, 4yo boy.
Took them round 7.5 miles Challenge Trail in Haldon Forest on Saturday which they both did without needing any pushing for the first time (quite a lot of Smarties were consumed though).
The sun was out, we picnicked, mucked around in the jump park and they learnt how to pull cool skids whilst shouting yeehar like cowboys.

At the same time I'm so skint I could just about afford the car park. Do I care? I'm the happiest/luckiest man in the world.


 
Posted : 24/09/2012 2:26 pm
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At the same time I'm so skint I could just about afford the car park. Do I care? I'm the happiest/luckiest man in the world.

I salute you sir, you're doing it right...


 
Posted : 24/09/2012 2:27 pm
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I have no children at all, yet still don't seem to have any spending money...


 
Posted : 24/09/2012 2:41 pm
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flange - Member

At the same time I'm so skint I could just about afford the car park. Do I care? I'm the happiest/luckiest man in the world.

I salute you sir, you're doing it right...

+1


 
Posted : 24/09/2012 2:43 pm
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Got a 6 year old and 3 year old and thats expensive, add in a wife in her 3rd year of uni and things are tight.

Would i change it, no not a chance.

Biggest thing i regret is lack of time. Had a ride for the first time in a couple of months on Saturday and loved it. My own fault as messing round with show cars and football too.

Things should get better come next September when the wife starts working and my little boy starts school.

End of day money isn't the be all and end all. Nothing better than spending a few hours mucking about in the woods with the kids 🙂


 
Posted : 24/09/2012 2:54 pm
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I have 3 kids aged 9,7 and 5.I`m separated from their mother and going through divorce.Even though I have a fairly good job,paying well over the national average once I have paid my mortgage,food,fuel,child maintenance,paid my life assurance and my bills,plus saved a bit into my car fund,I have about £100 a month left,which includes my budget for going out.

And this is despite me living fairly frugaly,for example buying 2nd hand furniture for my house and so on.

So no to answetr the question I can`t imagine having any disposobale income until I reach 60!

But,totally love my kids and its so rewarding seeing them grow up that I can genuinely say Im happy.


 
Posted : 24/09/2012 3:14 pm
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they learnt how to pull cool skids

Noooooo....it's people like you who've caused all those braking bumps. Educate them properly!


 
Posted : 24/09/2012 3:22 pm
 Gunz
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Noooooo....it's people like you who've caused all those braking bumps. Educate them properly!

I didn't say they were skidding on the way into corners. Proper top speed, fire road, foot out, front wheel crossed up blasters were the order of the day.
I will however educate them that some mountain bikers only like bumps in certain pre-ordained locations.


 
Posted : 24/09/2012 3:42 pm
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As of today all my kids have jobs, (teacher, policeman, nurse) and they left home a while ago. All I need to do now is get them to take all the junk they left behind and then change the locks 😉


 
Posted : 24/09/2012 4:56 pm
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kentishman - you could be on to something there! another bike chum has suggested the same thing AND I even have the infrastructure in place 😆
Totally agree about the wife and "I've had this ages" line. I might try it with "I've always had a full XO groupset" 8)


 
Posted : 25/09/2012 10:53 am
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Bollox to that. Me and mrs s are on holiday in an all inclusive resort FULL of pre-school kids. The parents all seem to have undergone leucotomies. Funny how we can hear the brat on the next table screaming and chinking its spoon repeatedly on its plate yet the cerebrally neutered parents are oblivious.


 
Posted : 25/09/2012 3:42 pm

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