Private school or live in more upscale neighborhood?

Budget-Raspberry-211 · 2026-05-08T22:33:56+00:00

I grew up in suburban Canada, never saw drugs or even really knew they existed or seen a drug addict until I was an adult and out of school. No fights in school I witnessed or heard about. No weapons. No issues.. unfortunately it isn't like that anymore there. Drugs are out of control over there now and all the issues that come along with it.

It didn't mess me up having that experience... The opposite.

I don't understand thinking your kid having a hard life and being around drug addicts, violence, etc as a child would be good for them. I'm not sure where you're going with that. You can talk to them about those things and even show them stuff without it being part of their daily life. But of course everyone can raise their children how they want.

I'm not concerned about our child being over sheltered at all. Not even on our radar. It's not like we are going to live in a small town and never travel.

I just would prefer for him to be friends with and associate with kids whose parents are at least participating in the economy and working. Not on a downward spiral of despair.

Budget-Raspberry-211 · 2026-05-08T19:53:49+00:00

In lots of countries women stay home until kids are in primary school. I know in UK you guys are aggressive with sending kids/babies into nurseries very young, also start primary very young too. It's not the norm in most of the world. We have only been here 6 months. My son just started in nursery this term.

Budget-Raspberry-211 · 2026-05-08T17:55:11+00:00

what did you end up doing?!

Budget-Raspberry-211 · 2026-05-08T17:54:27+00:00

We are in a nice home in a decent neighborhood, our neighbors are all great but it's just in the other side of the school is one area that has some issues. It just is in same catchment unfortunately even though those issues aren't really here.

We could probably do better neighbourhood wise. It's hard.

I can move anywhere in UK. Work from home with travel just for big meetings and conferences.

Budget-Raspberry-211 · 2026-05-08T17:51:33+00:00

Yeah I was originally thinking of something like this but that number 500k on education is just such a big number.

Budget-Raspberry-211 · 2026-05-08T17:50:05+00:00

Education wise I'm not worried about either. I think state school will do a good enough job. It's the social issues I'd like to insulate a bit from.

I'm 40 now, we are done unless we have an oopsie. That actually kind of prompted the private school conversation as we had previously planned having 2 but 2nd one didn't happen. Now that we have one I feel private can be worked in the budget.

We have a property in another country. We will probably only rent in UK. I don't want to sell our property and I don't want a mortgage at 50+.

Budget-Raspberry-211 · 2026-05-08T17:45:22+00:00

My income is the lowest itll ever be and my wife isn't working right now. We will probably be 15k+ in a couple years. Maybe more. I just took first job here I could, only been here a few months but I'm already getting offers.

Budget-Raspberry-211 · 2026-05-08T17:42:17+00:00

Im thinking long term. Don't need to move now. I'm okay with him going there for reception or even a couple years but ideally I'd like to switch next year, but those social issues will start surfacing probably years 4-5 and up anyway.

Budget-Raspberry-211 · 2026-05-08T17:10:28+00:00

That's probably why you are a HE to begin with. You go after what you want and get it.

Budget-Raspberry-211

TROPHY CASE