Hi, a new mum I know online has recently complained about how little she gets from her ex in child support. She gets $80 a week from him in child support plus full payments from Centrelink. I get $7 a week from my ex and some parents get nothing. She says she would rather not get his pocket change. She's now complaining he's not paying. Fairenough but it was defiantly helping. She says it's not enough because it doesn't cover formula and nappies. She also later started her on solids early and complained she didn't have enough to buy her solids even though she didn't need it. She got angry at anyone who says it was a lot for child support which it is
10 Replies
Actually I disagree totally. $80 a week is not a lot. It may seem like a lot for a baby, but child support doesn't go up with a child's age. I get that some people are doing it worse off, but why would people be pissed at her ranting over $80 a week. She is entitled to rant. Even though I survived on full benefits and often got no CS sorry $80 is pretty whimpy just as you would be more entitled to whinge about what you get!
I don't get how the CS has any bearing on wether solids have been started or not!
It's more the fact she said she would rather go without it. I totally get she's upset though. Not saying she can't rant just how she went about it. She was complaining she didn't have enough money to buy her solids once because her child support was too low. But I'm not sure why she started her on solids at 2.5 months old if she can hardly afford her current formula. Just didn't make sense to me
I agree that $80 a week doesn't cover the cost of raising a child, but you can't expect a parent to pay with money they don't have.
My husband pays around $80 in child support and we wouldn't be able to make ends meet if it went up.
We budget very carefully and every dollar counts in this household.
But parents on single parent payments get compensated if their child support is low and the payments are reduced the more you receive in child support. So she'll still be on practically the same income even if he did pay more.
I'm not sure what your question is, or if this was just a rant, but I think the real problem with your new friend stems from jelously.
She gets over 10 x the amount of child support you do, and she's ungrateful and complains that it's worth nothing. It sounds like you resent her for that.
It's probably best that you let this friendship go.
There's nothing wrong with what you're feeling, but you shouldn't be friends with someone you feel such judgement for.
On a side note -
I don't know where she's shopping, but I spent $40 a fortnight on Huggies nappies and wipes.
$20 a week for formula, $11 nappies, $3 wipes, food is a spoon of your own banana, potato or pumpkin it's a few dollars if she bought it extra.
Her parenting payment covers that and she as the carer should cover that and fit it into budget.
Yeah I disagree but I also get why she's having a rant. From his point of view $80 and doing nothing is an insult. So is $7.
Plus us single mums can't go and rent a share room, we have to pay for a whole flat and live a family life on one budget. It's hard, it sucks, no matter if you're working, getting centrelink, getting child support.
But on the other hand we're really lucky we get centrelink and it's enough for us to stay home with our kids, even on very basic living, I'd never trade places. Its important to have gratitude and look at the positives.
My husband pays what the child support agency says he has to pay. We have one of his children and she has the other but she pays zero and he can pay upwards of $190 a week to as little as $30 a week depending on business income. She has never paid child support for her child that lives with us and we have three children to raise and she has two. ( one to another ex partner).
if he is the bio dad of your three it should reduce the amt of child support he has to pay. my ex brother in law had two with my sister, and got remarried and after they had a child it reduced his child support by 2 thirds. as he had another dependant.
I can see were she's coming from but seriously I'd love to get that. Currently I only get $8.50 a week. It's an absolute joke. All because the ex can lie and cheat the system and get away with it. She should get over it, she could be getting way less than that. Be great full she's getting something.
I get what you get. $1 a day. It's a joke so I can see how your friend throwing that in your face has led to this rant. Child support is a joke. My husband earns too much so I don't get any assistance to help fill in the gaps. My son and I just live on a bit over $30,000 per year as I work part time. My ex goes on overseas holidays at least twice a year. He has a great life, with VERY deep pockets. Child support don't give a crap
I get $70 a week which is a reduction in what cs said he had to pay! And no I don't think this is a fair amount although this is in the higher range of what's been paid per week in the last 10 years. Why do I feel ripped off? Umm he claims a reduction due to his special needs child and his dependant wife as well as her other special needs children... He does not contribute to any other costs regardless, then crys poor whilst spending $1000 at bcf for fishing gear in one shopping spree!! (Which he provided the receipt for in his application to reduce child support) all the while he pays peanuts and he can prevent me from moving away. Imo.... If you won't contribute appropriately cause your partner thinks you should have to pay a cent then let the parent who wants he child move and support them like they deserve!! (Oh and his wife gets over $100 a week in cs plus 50% of ALL EXPENSES in relation to her children!) seems fair.........
Are you just venting or asking a question? Im the grand scheme of things $80 a week is not alot of money for a child... however its a shitload more than the $7.34 a week that i get!!!!