31 Years In

[skippy]

[quote=old pom;138490]
Skip, you're right about young people wanting what it took us years to get, but I think our parents said the same about us. It all depends on what everyone else has and you never want to be the one who doesn't have it.

So true O/ P, but in this day & age there seems to be a bit of overkill, An old friend of mine lost everything after going guarantor for one of his kids.
I'm not sure these days whether it's the lack of common sense or what, but so many young people are having to sell up because they have taken on too much debt and can't cope with the repayments when the interest rate starts rising.
We were always told to save something for a rainy day, perhaps because of the drought, some people here in Oz thought it wouldn't rain again, ha ha.
We had our rough times sure, but everything was based on my basic wage only, just in case something went wrong, which it did several times, especially the first few years, todays society sees both parents working, kids in childcare once the chord has been cut, just to be the owner of a house etc.
Thankfully we had everything payed for some years ago, just as my working career came to a sudden end because of an industrial accident, I hate to think how that would affect some young couples these days with the changes to workers comp that came in the year before I got injured.
On a brighter note, I wouldn't change any part of my life, the only regret I have is not coming here sooner, I have experienced things that I use to dream about, sitting on the front step of our terraced home in Yorkshire as a child, to be able to take the dog down to a deserted beach is an unreal feeling, and to see the grandchildren playing in the sand at anytime, not like once a year as it was in my day, makes it all worthwhile.

[old pom]

I know what you're saying Skip and I get the horrors when I watch that programme 'Hot Property' and see young couples bidding $2-3 million or more for houses in Sydney. There they are with no children or some tiny little baby and I think, why do they need such a big house now? And why do they need to saddle themselves with such a huge mortgage? It's almost as though they think they have to get into the market now as tomorrow will be too late.
Did you really dream of sitting on a beach when you were young? I wanted to be a rock star! Oh well, at least your dream came true ah mate.

[skippy]

Originally Posted by old pom

Did you really dream of sitting on a beach when you were young? I wanted to be a rock star! Oh well, at least your dream came true ah mate.

Hi O/P, yes, after an old pupil of our school came from Oz and showed us some photo's on a projector, I always wanted to come here & couldn't get the picture of the beach out of my head, so coming here was a dream come true & an ambition fullfilled.
I wanted to be a rock star too, had my first guitar at 12, three of us used to play Lonnie Donegan songs in our back room, I will send you a pm.

[Ellie 2]

[quote=skippy;138516]

So true O/ P, but in this day & age there seems to be a bit of overkill, An old friend of mine lost everything after going guarantor for one of his kids.
I'm not sure these days whether it's the lack of common sense or what, but so many young people are having to sell up because they have taken on too much debt and can't cope with the repayments when the interest rate starts rising.

I so agree that young couples today want everything yesterday, but having said that I think the banks have to shoulder some blame. When we applied for our mortgage they would only take the husband's wage into consideration and then the repayments couldn't be more than 25% of that wage. You had to have at least 10% deposit too. Today they can borrow 100% and then they have the ridiculously high limits on credit cards. No wonder they get in strife. The thing that really annoys me is when that happens they don't accept any of the blame for their own decisions, but blame the government or whoever else they can think of.
Thankfully, not all put themselves in this postion. I know a lot who have been very sensible.

[skippy]

Elle, the banks are selling a product at the end of the day, so they are not that bothered whether the young couples can afford the repayments or not, they always get their money back one way or the other, it's all about profits these days unfortunately.

[jason vango]

old Pom what a fabulous story , i wish you the best of luck you seem a true gent?? what part of the uk do you come from?? i live in a small town in suffolk called Sudbury and i am trying in vain to persuad my wife to emigrate to oz but i ge the usual stuff thrown back...........what about my parents?? what about your parents ?? and the dogs?? oh and the best is .....the grass cannot be that greener or everyone would do it........

i am a Prison Officer and also a retained fire fighter..i have been a Prison Officer for nearly 5 years and a Fire fighter for nearly 11 years, the truth is i do not know who to contact or ask for assistance or help in emigrating i have probably got around £150,000 equity in my house at the moment.

England is not good at the moment we seem to be paying too much for everything and have nothing for US !!! i two daughters just deserve more from life......


its been superb chatting to you hopefully we will again...

jas

[old pom]

G'day Jason,
There are many people on this forum who can point you in the right direction for how to get to Oz. It's not as easy as it was in my day when you paid your money and they said come on through. Post a question and someone who has more up to date knowledge than I will help you.

I think of myself as coming from London because I lived there (in flats too numerous and awful to mention) for the last few years before coming to Oz. I was actually born in Salisbury but my father was a banker and in those days managers were expected to be part of the community so we moved each time he got a promotion.
We moved east when I was quite young and lived for the most part in Surrey and in Woking for longer than any were else.

BTW, I'm a member of the Rural Fire Service here in the mountains. We've had so much rain this year (our yearly average of 1100mm in the first 6 months), that hopefully there won't be any bushfires this season.