2015 post UK election discussion

[Tree13]

Everyone DOES have the right to procreate. For absolute fooks ache.

And, as with any right, the right to procreate comes with associated responsibilities.... doesn't it?

 

[marty mcfly]

A few things.

Why do you have a hang up on single parents?

At 21 you are not your parents responsibility.

What do you think costs the country more, providing child benefits or tax relief on pensions? Why should single parents have to put up with people getting more tax relief on a pension than they could earn each year?

You should be if you have produced a kid that goes out and acts irresponsibly. Parents should take more responsibility for the kids they produce.

I don't have a major issue this thread has just snow balled from last night when someone mentioned child benefit being cut and I said.

"Actually I'm not sure I like the idea of paying for other men's children".

 

[marty mcfly]

not under a socialist Gov, he's not lol

Then we're all [Poor language removed]

 

[daylightrobber]

If we could save £230,000 in five years mate, we wouldn't be living in the UK!

Mrs Tree earns £28k a year, I earn £22k; Given that her income will drop (I presume?) when she is off on maternity we felt it best to build up some savings to cover that, in addition to those savings we were already trying to build up anyway (in case of redundancy or any of life's other unexpected problems). Because we don't have children, we are able to save and build our careers more quickly / effectively.

I'm not saying it's easy to get jobs on £22k and £28k a year, but equally neither of them are high-powered positions: she's a teacher, I'm a council pen-pusher. What I am saying is we have chosen to live within our means and save up for our longer-term plans. We tell people to save up deposits to buy houses, and to save up to buy cars or holidays. Why is it so strange to suggest that people should save up a bit before having children? As I said before, I am very aware that this is not relevant to people who ALREADY have children - but in difficult financial times I don't quite understand why people (who DON'T already have children) don't consider and plan their finances before having kids.

Tick-Tock, Tick-Tock, Tick-Tock, Tick-Tock,

 

[Tree13]

Not wanting to throw a spanner in your works, but what would happen if you're wife became pregnant with twins or triplets?

You aren't going to like the answer my friend.

They would go to a state school instead of a private one. On a combined income of £50k and with Mrs. Tree's staff discount, we can afford to put one child through the school she works at. It goes up to two if she is able to move into an SMT post. Any more than that though and the costs go beyond what we can afford.

And besides, in your scenario (a very possible one) are we not still better placed to deal with the surprise than would have otherwise been had we chosen NOT to save up first?

 

[marty mcfly]

QUOTE="Adversus, post: 3549105, member: 11918"]
from the child maintenance website
How is child maintenance worked out? In most cases, we follow six steps when we work out how much child maintenance a paying parent must pay. Step 1 – Income We find out a paying parent’s yearly gross income or we check if they are getting benefits Step 2 – Things that affect income We check for certain things that could change this gross income amount, such as pension payments, or other children who the paying parent supports We also convert the yearly gross income amount to a weekly figure Step 3 – Child maintenance rates We apply one of four rates, based on the amount of gross weekly income Step 4 – Children we take into account We take into account the number of children who the paying parent must pay child maintenance for and any family-based arrangements
show me were it says anything about being married or not having a difference of payments

Not just the child maintenance but the total payments to the mother. If she's not married then all she gets is child maintenance.

If the mother is poor the kid is going to be poor.

 

[Tree13]

Tick-Tock, Tick-Tock, Tick-Tock, Tick-Tock,

That's your counter-argument? Mrs. Tree is 26 mate. Time could not be less of an issue. She only finished uni four years ago!

 

[marty mcfly]

That's your counter-argument? Mrs. Tree is 26 mate. Time could not be less of an issue. She only finished uni four years ago!

That's what I thought a few years ago.

 

[Tree13]

Ha ha. That moment when you go for the first scan though and you're bricking it incase it is!

Why would you be bricking it? Could it be due to - gasp - the extra cost?

All the more reason to save up first, surely?

 

[daylightrobber]

That's your counter-argument? Mrs. Tree is 26 mate. Time could not be less of an issue. She only finished uni four years ago!

That's the answer for why most people don't wait to sort their finances out. The time will simply be right. You'll know and it won't be to do with bank balance or how prepared you think you are. It'll be because something is missing in your life. That time will simply hit you.

 

[edge]

]

Not just the child maintenance but the total payments to the mother. If she's not married then all she gets is child maintenance.

If the mother is poor the kid is going to be poor.

so if she got married they would both be rich?
well thinking about it you might have a point my ex walked away with a free house and debt free and a nice monthly income , while i picked up the bill and the kids most nights

 

[Jib in lad]

If we could save £230,000 in five years mate, we wouldn't be living in the UK!

Mrs Tree earns £28k a year, I earn £22k; Given that her income will drop (I presume?) when she is off on maternity we felt it best to build up some savings to cover that, in addition to those savings we were already trying to build up anyway (in case of redundancy or any of life's other unexpected problems). Because we don't have children, we are able to save and build our careers more quickly / effectively.

I'm not saying it's easy to get jobs on £22k and £28k a year, but equally neither of them are high-powered positions: she's a teacher, I'm a council pen-pusher. What I am saying is we have chosen to live within our means and save up for our longer-term plans. We tell people to save up deposits to buy houses, and to save up to buy cars or holidays. Why is it so strange to suggest that people should save up a bit before having children? As I said before, I am very aware that this is not relevant to people who ALREADY have children - but in difficult financial times I don't quite understand why people (who DON'T already have children) don't consider and plan their finances before having kids.

I haven't got any figures but I would say most people do plan their finances before having kids but what we can't plan for is unforeseen circumstances.

Once relative security is achieved then most people just go for it and make it work.

 

[peteblue]

Not wanting to throw a spanner in your works, but what would happen if you're wife became pregnant with twins or triplets?

Oh ffs Eskimo, you are really taking the fun out of sex..,,,,,,,

 

[marty mcfly]

That's the answer for why most people don't wait to sort their finances out. The time will simply be right. You'll know and it won't be to do with bank balance or how prepared you think you are. It'll be because something is missing in your life. That time will simply hit you.

Yea - It's when she starts seeing the big 30 approach.

 

[Tree13]

That's the answer for why most people don't wait to sort their finances out. The time will simply be right. You'll know and it won't be to do with bank balance or how prepared you think you are. It'll be because something is missing in your life. That time will simply hit you.

How can the time "be right" if the finances are not in place? Isn't that a recipe for struggling for the next 20 years? "Feeling like something is missing" is a reason to get a dog, not to have a child at the state's expense IMHO. Absolutely not the way I would ever make that decision - I would regard myself as behaving recklessly and irresponsibly.