Danners

My three (soon to be four) year old is missing his pals back home. Anyone around the Northern Beaches want to meet up at a park for a play date?

Dan

damnit, typo in the header - Elanora Heights!

It's a reasonable question, considering that until recently rent kind of was tax deductible in a roundabout way, in the form of living away from home allowance, LAFHA. Similar to salary sacrifice, a portion of income would be exempted from being taxed as it was assumed to be for funding a second home and other expenses. Now unavailable for 457s whose other home is abroad.

thanks, this is probably what they were talking about

I'm moving on a 457 - someone mentioned that I might be able to offset my rent against my income tax. Are they barking up the wrong tree? I can do it in Hong Kong, where I live at the moment.

cheers

We arrive in January and petrified!!we should all meet up to calm the hell down!!

Where are you going to be? Could do with meeting some people in the same boat as us!

If I wasn't the 'King of Anxiety' myself, I would tell you not to worry about! But what could be better than arriving in Sydney in the middle of December, and a Xmas & New Year in the sun & warm! Do you know where you are going to be living?

Elanora Heights for the first month ... then who knows! Hoping to find something around Frenchs Forest / Forestville

Me too. Depart on the 16th.

We arrive on the 15th!

Less than two weeks to go.

Anxiety levels are through the roof.

This time in less than two weeks I'll officially be a PIO.

 

First impressions

We are lucky enough to be staying about 300m from north Curl Curl beach in a lovely apartment (beach house Sydney), the sun is shining and so far it's been great, we have so many things to do and find out before we go back in just under three weeks but it's a great adventure

 

Rob

We stayed there too on our recce in July! Say Hi to Nicky!

Breaking up the family, that's the thought that most consumes me today. Me first, then brother Neil, and finally brother Michael, leaving Mum and Dad at home alone, with Nana, (whom I never saw again after saying goodbye to her at Gatwick.)

 

I'm hardly unique, though! Australia is (always) full of people who have left home, some never to return. Perhaps it's the thought of having 'ripped' up, no, 'uprooted' myself from my nice little village life, cushy job with the Council, pleasant family life.

 

Doesn't do to 'dwell' on what might have been, does it!? And my parents got to see Australia, and make contact with long lost family in NZ. I did get to 'turn back time', after a fashion, going back for a few years.

 

Too many platitudes and cliches! And I won't go back now, possibly not even for a holiday.

Your arrival date in Oz was pretty much my arrival date on Earth! I hope that in 35 years I'll be able to look back on my decision to bring my family to Australia with no regrets

Hi, similar situation here. I'm moving with my company - also starting Jan 13th and looking to live North Sydney! My visa was taken care of by my firm (fairly large multinational with offices in Sydney). Approval process took 4 weeks from start to finish but this was all locked in back in July. My family and I all needed medicals before they were approved but it was a pretty painless process.

In terms of temp accomodation, we found a one month let through North Sydney facebook groups. Then it's going to be a mad dash to find somewhere longer term when we get feet on the ground. All agents I've been speaking to are telling me the market is very fluid and there's no point even looking really until a couple days before you arrive as places go super quick.

Would love to know how you get on - feel free to PM me.

Danners,

I know exactly where you are. If you are in Belrose, Frenchs Forest, Forestville area, bus to city can be boarded on Warringah Road or on Forest Way and away you go, mate!! This is the easiest way, no doubt. Go to www.131500.com.au, punch in your travel details, and bob's ur uncle!! Scooter might take forever, but contrary to what is posted here, Aussie drivers are fine.....nothing like here in the states!!

Thanks, the bus does seem like a really good option. Maybe I'll just get a scooter for running around Cheaper and more environmentally friendly option than a second car!

1) Fine bars for selling alcohol to drunk people. I can't stress this enough - in the same way supplying alcohol to minors is illegal, selling more booze to already drunk people should be too.

2) More tax on booze aimed at specifically at youngsters (alcopops etc).

3) For people that are D&D, give them a choice of a) hefty fine, or b) mandatory alcohol education classes.

4) repeat offenders: mandatory civic service (cleaning streets on a Sat/Sun morning) or, last resort, jail.

If only I were PM of the world...

I bank with HSBC and have an account in the UK and one in Hong Kong. I tried to open one in Oz but there customer service in HK is terrible making it a royal pita. So I opened an NAB account online - which was a DODDLE.

I may open an HSBC account when I arrive as transferring money between HSBC accounts will be easier, but I'm going to use NAB for my day-to-day stuff and if their service holds up I may end up moving everything to NAB.

ninja edit: finding an HSBC branch when I was there in July was a major chore

thanks guys. I guess option b could be to cycle/scoot to my nearest train station. I'm just trying to figure out the logistics of working in the city but living as far away as is practicable

Hopefully I'll know a bit more by December ;-) my little girl is 7 after Christmas and my little boys just turned 5. How old are yours?

Mine are a little younger; our boy will be nearly four and our girl will be 18 months. Can't wait to get there and get stuck in

My OH has a friend who lives in North Sydney (but closer in than the areas you are looking at) and I'm pretty sure he scooters into Darling Harbour every day (not literally!). Let me see if I can ask him and I'll get back to you...

thanks vicky, much appreciated. Keen to find out about parking etc ...

I'm the same! Lurked since Christmas but only just made any comments. We will have been in sydney 3 weeks on tue so not long lol!

Im herewith my husband and 2 young children! We are trying to find a rental at the mo that takes pet and finding the selection to be quite shocking! Do you like Melbourne? Me friend is moving there after Christmas, her husband is from there!

Hope to speak again ;-)

Hi, I'm arriving in Sydney with my wife and two young children in December. I may have to pick your brains nearer the time as we'll be going through the same thing! How old are your little monkeys?

Anyone do this? I'm looking to live around Forestville, Belrose sort of way and considering transport options.

Cheers

u must have expensive tastes if ur going to spend 8500 a month.. I dont think car insurance will be that much. I just got car insurance for a learner driver and myself with no claims for only $400 a year.. small car though but i bet it wuld be £1000 in the UK

Hi, I absolutely don't have expensive tastes I'm hoping I've aggressively overestimated, to be honest. For the car insurance (likely a 3-4 year old safe family car) I've tried to account for registration and everything (someone told me it's 400 on top of the fully comp insurance, or something) plus insurance for a little scooter.

just realised two things. 1) I've double counted the reg fees, 2) I've grossly overestimated the train fare. Sweet, that brings it down to about 8k

These are our numbers current as of Jan this year.

 

http://www.pomsinoz.com/forum/money-finance/173796-our-budget-worksheet-victoria.html

Thank you. We are going to be in Sydney and my budget shows outgoings of 8500 (using pretty aggressive estimates) a month so looks like I'm in the right ballpark. Much appreciated

You might want to add in medical expenses/private health insurance plus contents insurance (in addition to home buildings if you have a mortgage) plus perhaps income protection insurance? Add road service for the car. What about clothing?

 

You may also want to consider a salary sacrifice into superannuation for your old age. Then add holidays on top too. I've no idea where it went but excluding mortgage/rent and paying everything off on a credit card each month, my average spend for two oldies running two cars close to the centre of a city was $5k and that was a couple of years ago (no expensive vices either just a preference for organic foods). Your groceries may be a little low IMHO but you can probably economy shop and keep it down to that.

thanks, I have health through work and superannuation. But I'll up my food estimate I think, as you're not the first to suggest I might be a little low there. I'm on a 457 so no point in income protection as I'll be shipped out if things go bad!

Appreciate the feedback!

Hi there, been running the numbers (or trying to) and would really appreciate a view on whether I'm being aggressive enough on some of the 'bigger' items.

Family of four (kids 3 and 1) with one car, modest home about 45 mins train ride from the CBD. Me = working in the city, wife = currently stay at home mum.

Thoughts welcome - thanks!

[TABLE=width: 402]

[TR]

[TD][/TD]

[TD]Monthly[/TD]

[/TR]

[TR]

[TD]HOUSING[/TD]

[TD][/TD]

[/TR]

[TR]

[TD]Mortgage/Rent[/TD]

[TD]AUD 3,200[/TD]

[/TR]

[TR]

[TD]Home Insurance[/TD]

[TD]AUD 125[/TD]

[/TR]

[TR]

[TD][/TD]

[TD][/TD]

[/TR]

[TR]

[TD]UTILITIES[/TD]

[TD][/TD]

[/TR]

[TR]

[TD]Electricity, heating, water, refuse[/TD]

[TD]AUD 250[/TD]

[/TR]

[TR]

[TD]Phone and Internet[/TD]

[TD]AUD 50[/TD]

[/TR]

[TR]

[TD]Phone mobile[/TD]

[TD]AUD 80[/TD]

[/TR]

[TR]

[TD]Cable[/TD]

[TD]AUD 120[/TD]

[/TR]

[TR]

[TD][/TD]

[TD][/TD]

[/TR]

[TR]

[TD]GROCERIES[/TD]

[TD][/TD]

[/TR]

[TR]

[TD]Groceries (food & household goods)[/TD]

[TD]AUD 867[/TD]

[/TR]

[TR]

[TD]Dining/Eating Out[/TD]

[TD]AUD 433[/TD]

[/TR]

[TR]

[TD][/TD]

[TD][/TD]

[/TR]

[TR]

[TD]TRANSPORTATION[/TD]

[TD][/TD]

[/TR]

[TR]

[TD]Car Insurance[/TD]

[TD]AUD 108[/TD]

[/TR]

[TR]

[TD]Fuel[/TD]

[TD]AUD 217[/TD]

[/TR]

[TR]

[TD]Bus/Taxi/Train Fare[/TD]

[TD]AUD 520[/TD]

[/TR]

[TR]

[TD]Registration/License[/TD]

[TD]AUD 50[/TD]

[/TR]

[TR]

[TD][/TD]

[TD][/TD]

[/TR]

[TR]

[TD]CHILDREN[/TD]

[TD][/TD]

[/TR]

[TR]

[TD]School Fees[/TD]

[TD]AUD 650[/TD]

[/TR]

[TR]

[TD][/TD]

[TD][/TD]

[/TR]

[TR]

[TD]ENTERTAINMENT[/TD]

[TD][/TD]

[/TR]

[TR]

[TD]Hobbies[/TD]

[TD]AUD 500[/TD]

[/TR]

[/TABLE]

Where are you headed Danners? Exciting stuff

Thanks!

Will be working in Sydney - currently trying to decide where to live. Somewhere on the train line oop North of the city seems most likely.

I'm just looking forward to a change of enviroment - clean air, outside space woohoo

Hi, it's definitely happening. My visa was approved yesterday, the boy has a place at school, we have a house rental secured for a month. Arrival date, December 15 - just in time for summer Christmas. Now to start thinking about a more permanent abode ...