A mum refuses to leave a penny of her kids’ inheritance – instead using her “hard-earned” cash to further her own career and buy clothes to perform in.
Janey Kirk, 60, says her children, Carla, 30, and Adam, 26, are “in the same mind frame” and stand by her controversial choices – wanting their mum to enjoy herself.
Despite cash being off the cards, Janey will leave her house, car and Airbnb business to her kids – but wants to make sure they work hard themselves to understand the value of money.
Janey suggests parents with “idiot” kids shouldn’t leave money to them – as she believes they’ll “waste it and squander it”.
Janey spends what she needs “when needed” and says her children need to work “all their days” to be in the same position.
Believing inheritance money is more of a “modern thing”, Janey says she was never left money by her mum and dad.
Janey, a singer, from Fife, Scotland, said: “I’ve always believed that your house is good enough to leave.
“If you’re a young 60 like I am, I don’t feel that I should have to be putting money away from my kids when I could be using it to further mine and Carla’s career, go on working holidays and buy new clothes to work in.
“If I didn’t have to look after my mother than I’d probably be in Greece every month.
“I don’t put money away, I spend it as I need it and I use it as I need it.
“When I die if there’s anything left, then it’s theirs of course.
“I’m quite old fashioned that I’ve had to work all my days to be in that position, so they need to as well.
“It’s their life to make of it – I’m here for advice and things like that.
“I have a good insurance on my death, and my house and all I own will be theirs, but I’m not going anywhere fast and they may be well into their 70s or 80s by the time I kick the bucket!
“Safeguarding MY future comes first I’m afraid.”
Janey says she did give them some money – around £3000 – when they were younger, but that’s now gone.
She said: “They’ve spent it all on holidays etc.
“So once that was used, I’ve never bothered to add more.”
Carla is following in the same footsteps as her mum – taking up a life in the arts and they often perform as duo on TV together.
Janey said: “Carla doesn’t need it, she’s singing and earning well.
“She has a song that has gone viral called ‘If You Love Me Let Me Know’ with 19M views.”
“When we’re on TV shows when we both sing that generates an income from people Googling you and buying our CDs and DVDs that we have made.
“It’s all being used to further mine and her career.
“I never ask Carla to pay – when songs are ready, I make a music video which again generates a forever income I will leave to Carla.
“There’s a method to my madness of not putting money aside for them.”
Despite her polarising beliefs, Janey says her children are fully on board.
She added: “Their thoughts are the same as mine – they’re in the same mind frame.
“They encourage me to enjoy things.
“I give to them all the time now and I’d rather give them little bits while I’m alive when they need it and see what they’re getting for it.”
In terms of other people, Janey believes it’s a circumstantial decision but says parents with “idiot” kids shouldn’t leave any behind.
She said: “It all depends on the kids you’ve got.
“Some people have got idiots as kids and I don’t think they deserve it.
“If you’ve got studious children then I do believe it would be a good idea if you can afford it to put money aside – I’ve just not got that kind of kids.
“If I had a studious family and they needed it for college and university then that’s a different situation and I’d look at it – it all depends on the kids.
“But most of them are just idiots.
“Adam is a great guy and as long as he’s happy doing what he does, then I’m happy.
“Carla has her singing career.
“Adam has a never ending pot of cash especially for him for if he ever is stuck.
“He never abuses that and often a twenty pounds note will sit for a few weeks.
“This is much better than saving it up for him, knowing he is never stuck for cash.”
Janey’s TV show can be seen every Saturday evening at 10:30pm on Sky on Channel 588.
