I have to agree with eyebrows. When my OH walked out on me he was the main breadwinner. My wages were �10 more than my mortage. So that left the endowment policy, council tax, water, leccy. gas, eating, TV licence etc to be paid. I took on a bar job in a nightclub 5 nights a week plus I went and did "lunch times" for the stall holders for a fiver a time in the local market at weekends. I lived off beans on toast, gave up Sky TV and luxuries such as wine, chocolate etc (except when given as pressies) and took in a lodger. I not only paid all my bills I actually paid off �3k off of my mortgage in the first 2 years. It was hard work and I wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy but I kept the house and life got loads easier. I wasn't brought up to believe that life owes me, unfortunately people seem to think that its their right to have all these goodies without having to work for them