Xerxes

I'm not saying you won't make friends in Australia. But as you just said yourself, "it's exactly the same here in the UK". There's nothing magical about Australia which will make it more likely you'll make friends. If you can make friends by "being determined" in Australia, then you could make friends in Shropshire by being determined, and save yourself several thousand pounds!

Its not the only reason we are going!

Meant with the best of intentions but be careful as to how you portray your "determination". Sometimes trying too hard to be friendly can be seen as "pushy" or "needy"......................just "go with the flow" and I'm sure you'll be ok

Lol, I know- I won't make it too obvious!

I have to agree with the comments posted above. No matter how friendly and upbeat you are, people who have lived here all their life are really loyal to their childhood friends. If you don't have children like us, then its is deemed almost "strange" and you end up feeling 'billy no mates'

my best advice is to set up your life as you want it, sadly starting out with few people you can socialise with and just 'do your own thing' and, over time, people will come along that you can loosely latch on to for awhile. Its really hard but meeting couple friends is not something I've mastered yet but I'm not giving up. After living in glorious sunny Brisbane for 7 years, the only set back is our poor social life. Basically, its me myself and I. My husband and I go through spits and spurts with wanting to find positive, friendly people to share a laugh with but we are not giving up. Other than the tricky social scene (harder when you hit 40) the life out here is pure magic and we wouldn't have changed it for the world. Keep positive and just don't take other people's reactions too personally. Otherwise, you will be off to the mental ward!!!!!

best of luck!

It's exactly the same here in the UK. When new people start at my work I think "ooh she looks like someone I could be friends with" but then I learn that she still lives in her home town and has a strong circle of childhood friends plus her boyfriend's friends, so has no real need to make friends with work colleagues. It is so hard. I don't live in my home town and have lost touch with my childhood friends (apart from on facebook). It's the one thing I really regret.

So I'm determined to meet people in Australia!

I suppose it does depend on the individual. If you have a similar personality to the Aussies then I imagine you would find it easier to gel with them. English people tend to be a bit sensitive so to become friends with Aussies I reckon you need to be more like them, i.e. enjoy having banter and accept their ways, not complain about them.

I don't think he's being patronising at all. There is a very big difference between feeling part of a community and actually having friends. I feel part of a community in Sydney, because like you, I know the shopkeepers and business owners and will occasionally have a coffee with people from my dance class. Yet not one of those people has ever been to my home or invited me to theirs, and if I left Sydney I doubt they would keep in touch. So they are not "friends".

Have you not made any friends at all in Australia? That seems an awful shame. Did you not meet anyone through work or your neighbours?

I've read a lot of blogs where people say they've been invited to more BBQs and parties than they ever had in the UK and there is a huge social scene there. People who had no close friends in UK have said they've now got loads and they all go to each other's houses and stuff like that.

Maybe Sydney is hard because it's a big metropolitan city like London where people don't notice each other or actually deliberately ignore each other. We are going to Brisbane which from what I've read has more of a 'small town' feel.

If that's your main goal for moving, I would be worried. Check the forums here and you'll find lots of people complaining about how hard it is to make friends in Oz. Australians are very loyal to their friends from childhood, and often don't have room to accept outsiders into their regular circle. So while Aussies are generally friendly and sociable, it's not easy to make friends.

 

Being sporty will make a difference, especially if you're going to Melbourne or anywhere in the country - life revolves around sport. But it's likely to be more of a blokey friendship so I wouldn't bank on making "couples" friends from his sports.

Thanks. That's what its like here too. People have their childhood friends and don't want to make serious new friendships- argghh!!!

We are just going to try and make friends with our neighbours!

There will most probably be meet up groups in the area you live / or are looking to live in Australia , so a quick search on the Internet will pull loads up . For us the local pom meet up groups have been a god send but if you search your local suburb / intentended suburb you will get a feel for what groups are out there and can learn a great deal of what is going on in the community

Thanks! I'm hoping other poms will also be looking to meet people as we will all be in the same boat, so fingers crossed!

Hi

 

where do u live?

I live in Shropshire.

One of the main reasons we are moving to Australia is to make new friends and I just wanted to ask people who have made the move- what is the best way to meet people when you get over there?

I don't want to end up only knowing my work colleagues which has happened here due to my moving around a bit. Although I have friends at work, when I see them outside of work it feels like being at work!!

My hubby is very sporty and will join sports teams and a golf club, but it is harder for me as I haven't really got a social hobby to sign up for. I'm hoping to meet couples through his hobbies.

We don't have kids yet but are hoping to start a family there and hopefully I can meet people through parent and baby classes, but that won't be for at least 2 years after we get there.

Thanks guys! God my head is spinning!

I just wanted to hear from someone who had actually used them instead of getting the "please use my business" spiel!

What exactly does Moneycorp do and do they charge you? Do you transfer your savings into a Moneycorp account and then they transfer it into your Aus bank account?

Thanks @k8bug79 ! Did you set up with moneycorp before you left the UK or when you got over there?

Ok,serious now,this is what i think,off the top of my head,the banks(amongst others)have had to pay out billions in compensation over useless PPI policies,they fixed the LIBOR rate we borrow and raise mortgages on,some of them were fined massively,but did joe public get any recompense because of this fraud?

 

They also got away with massively overcharging for "fines" on accounts for years,£35 pound for a computerised letter?honestly!

 

We just had RBS arm,"Global Restructuring Group" deliberately engineering small businesses to go bust,with exorbitant charges and fees,so they could then buy these companies themselves when they went bust,for peanuts.

 

The Royal Mail sell off was another one that cost the tax payer fortunes,the very same banks that "advised" gvnmt on the share price profited by millions within days of the sell off,Lazard bought 6 million shares at £3.30,then sold them at £4.70 a cpl of days later,making £8 million in the process.

Lazard at one stage advised selling the shares at £2.12! yer couldn't script it.

 

They've been stealing off the lot of us for years,but the public aren't interested in that,in general anyway,they're too big and powerful for us to worry about eh.

 

Lets moralise and condemn "our own" if they cant(or wont) repay a debt though,it's easier isn't it.

The bankers are the real thieves,i wouldn't condemn anyone who stung the banks,others can if they want,your choice,but i wont,i have strong principles on debt,life in general,and doing the right thing,but not when it comes to institutions that have been fleecing us for years,balls to them

That's my opinion,it wont change,so don't bother preaching to me,just google "banking scandals",and see how many times these unscrupulous bastards have fleeced you,me and the tax payer in general.

The gvnmt has a hobby horse,"scroungers" who they demonize,yet they sit round a table and wine and dine fraudsters who have been fined millions by the courts all over the world,Lazards,the Rothchilds,Merrill Lynch,they're all at it,and have been forever,google the federal reserve scandal in the USA,its unbelievable the amounts we are talking about.

 

So condemn the little man walking away from debt if you want,i only wish the public got as outraged over the real fraudsters,right,i've had me rant,i'll leave this thread alone now,tara!:wubclub:

Lol! I just don't want to start my new life looking over my shoulder and dreading the post coming in case its a threatening letter. Therefore I shall continue paying my debt from Australia!

Oh how I love how these threads end up :smile::smile:

 

 

To answer your question with experience. We have left a couple of cards back in the UK (We have been here nearly a year) we have changed all the addresses to here and we send a lump sum back through Moneycorp to pay off the monthly payments. The GBP is strengthening against the $ and therefore we are not clearing as much as we would like.

 

Cancel all insurances, ppi etc as none are valid over here. There is no problem keeping a UK bank account open just make sure they'll send replacement cards to you when you need them.

 

We added my Mum as a 3rd party signatory to our joint account which was suggested by Natwest as they said that way she can come in and change addresses and make inquiries on our behalf.

 

I will admit to being tempted to walk away, I question who wouldn't, but I am too scared that regs will change and we will have a can of worms to deal with. However they are least of my priority. If things get tough they'll be the first thing to be missed.

 

In response to the 'How can you afford to move' posts, we moved over on a budget and we didn't have any luxuries. We are now way better off than in the UK, have a really good quality of life and have just bought a brand new car. So it's achievable.

Thanks for picking up the thread again for me here! With regards to paying your credit card, how exactly did you do it? My credit card is with Lloyds, who I bank with. I've got a current account and 2 savings accounts with them, so do I close those and just leave the credit card open? Do I tell the bank I'm emigrating? What address do I give them? Sorry for all the questions but I really haven't got a clue!

I think it's the fact that they charge massive amounts interest so you really only use them as a last resort before bankruptcy. I think if you were at that point you would probably be deeply in the doo-doo and not have any option but to leave them behind!

Would all the holier than thou still hold the same line if we were talking pay day loans rather than credit cards?

I imagine that most people who are emigrating are going as skilled migrants so are probably earning a decent enough salary, so I doubt many would have those kinds of debts. I think you have to be in a real hole financially to go near those companies so more than likely wouldn't be in a position to emigrate. I don't know though and apologise if anyone has got them and is offended!

Just get a loan before yer go Xerxes..................

What do you mean?

We had debts before we left UK. Had loads of bad luck with bad debtors to hubby's company and some bad mortgage advice etc. Short story is we set up a DMP with 'stepchange' and moved over here with about £1000 in our pockets (family of five). We send money back to our UK bank account each month to cover it, (despite being advised by citizens advice to wander off into the sunset and forget about it - shocking). We found jobs immediately - carpentry and admin - Melbourne area, and got a rental sorted. Been very lucky so far. Been able to afford two cars too. Been here for nine months and so glad we didn't listen to all the negativity when I was asking for advice on here and people saying about excessive amounts of money needed to move with. Determination, versatility and a positive attitude helped us immensely. Best of luck

It's good to hear that you don't necessarily need a shed load of money to do it. We need a big chunk of cash to ship our 3 cats and 2 dogs over. We were going to leave them behind cus it will cost so much, but we can't do it! Otherwise I reckon we wouldn't need that much money. We have friends who love in Brisbane who we are hoping will let us stay there when we first arrive, and we are hoping for me to get a job before we go, so it's only paying for flights really. We aren't taking any furniture, only the bare essentials!

.......I agree PC.........

.......it was more the fact that ...' Money lending'......has become big business.....

........credit cards a way of life...

........I don't have one......and find being able to buy something's difficult....

........and it's this.....I have issues with......

.........to be caught in the web of finance.....increasing interest rates.....

.........on an amount that initially was manageable....

.........can all to easy become financially crippling..........

.........though.....needs....and wants......need identifying,,,,,,,IMO....tink x

 

.......but to the OP..........

........I hope you find your answer and commend you on your sense of fair play........

Thanks! To be honest the debt I have is from years before we even thought about emigrating to Oz. I just accepted the fact that I would be paying it off until I got a windfall or inheritance to clear it! It's not even a very large amount but that's my business! I just didn't know if you had to clear your debts before emigrating or could carry on paying them from abroad or transfer them to an Oz credit card.

I'm really glad and grateful to have had so much advice from everyone and opened up quite a lively debate!

Hi all,posting from good old Adelaide!lol Been here since early March.Anyway........Why are some posters not taking responsibilty for their own actions,and blaming financial institutions for their woes?No one forced you to take credit cards or other debts you have!You do have a choice!And before anyone shoots me down?Im 53,and apart from a mortgage,we have never had any debts.No not calling myself an angel,just pointing out that if you live within your means you do not have to clock up the debts.Really annoys me when (and Ive read a few posts on here over the years of this nature,and not saying OP you're one of these people)but why is ok to just wipe your hands of a debt you accrued and just fly off to another country and pretend it never happened?I hope anyone who has done this or contemplating it,if nothing else learns their lessons,and when emigrating or returning to their homeland,don't repeat the same pattern.Is is impossible for people these days to actually wait and save for stuff these days?I went into a Salvos op shop today with my twin,and was pleasantly surprised how cheap all the homeware was.Curtains $2,baking dishes 50c.Are people too busy keeping up with the Jone's these days???

I'm sorry but you have no idea what life is like in the real world! I'm 33 and bought my house 8 years ago. It has not increased in value at all. Therefore I have only made the money back from the sale that I have paid off it over the last 8 years. I imagine that when you bought your house 30 years ago it has probably increased in value by at least 200%, giving you a huge profit to use for your emigration.

My credit card debt is from struggling as a student with no help from my parents whatsoever, not from being frivolous and buying things I couldn't afford! We are saving £400 a month between us for this move so don't judge me with your typical opinions from a middle aged man who has no clue about how hard it is for people in their 20's and 30's to start a life.

Oh and I never asked how to leave my debt behind without paying it off- I asked how to transfer it so I could continue paying it off. I never "blamed financial institutions" for my debt

Sounds very tempting!

Thanks so much everyone for the advice! I didn't know if you had to close all of your accounts before you left. We could definitely change our address to the in-laws and keep the bank account open to continue paying it off.

I have read elsewhere that you can emigrate and they could never catch up with you to make you pay off UK debts, but I think I would constantly worry that they would find me lol!!

Brill, you've made me feel a lot better.

If you don't have enough money to pay your credit card can you afford even to emigrate? It's a costly business.

How stupid of us- we didn't think it through! Of course we can't afford to emigrate because we don't want to pay off a bill that can potentially be transferred and paid off monthly, why didn't we think of that?! What would we do without people like you on these forums being so kind and helpful? If you've got nothing to contribute to the discussion please keep your negative opinions to yourself.

Everyone else- thanks for your feedback! We do not want to waste the money we have put aside for the move on paying back a credit card that we would just rather carry on paying for monthly. We want to use our lump sum for the move and sipping the pets over and getting established etc.

Can you keep a UK bank account open and carry on paying it from Australia if you don't have a UK address? The credit card is with Lloyds who I bank with.

I wondered what people do about credit card debts when they emigrate. We can't afford to pay it off before we go.

Can you transfer an outstanding balance on a credit card in the UK to one in Australia?

Thanks.