Vickie78

Exhausting and exciting times ahead. All the best with your move

I just had a look at them, good price. Thanks for sharing

My ex and I Seperated just over a year ago. Part of the reason for deciding to move back, no friends here same so hard to do it seems? Plus that internal yearning to go home that I had for years, literally only stayed here because I met said ex and we had kids. He's happy for us to go, so that was that. One of my Uncles live above Scotland in Orkney where I was actually Born, they are indeed a friendly bunch. I'm so happy it had worked out for you, and I look forward to hopefully posting a similar happy story in the future

Exactly right, that's why after months of umming and ahhing still with a deep seeded yearning to go home. I did the whole eff it, lets go! it's now or never and never well that filled me with absolute dread. Am I scared? You bet, Excited? You bet, Worried? Sure It's a big move, I was only 15 when we came to Australia so as an adult it's a whole different ball game. But yes if we don't do it now, it will definitely be the point of no return based on my kids ages, my finances and well it's just time. My kids are super excited, and I am as well in between the adulting stuff hehe.

Sorry to hear about your separation. Good to see another happy to be back story though, Brexit is also in the back of my mind as I plan and start organising stuff to move back(uncertainty doesn't sit well with me) , but it is what it is and we are still coming home regardless. I also was not aware that you could use an expired PP, You live and learn hey. Any tips for making new Friends etc when we get back? I have some old Friends over there of course but they are spread far and wide as is family so hmm going to be lonely for a bit I Imagine

Yes I know, I just meant you can open an account online, but yes still have to do the whole prove who you are/where you live thing

Not sure where to go at the mo. Trying to narrow it down to a good/decent secondary school (not private) with good job prospects and rent that isn't too insane. LOL. I shall look into HSBC I know Lloyd's have a returning to U.K bank account too, which I also need to look deeper into as well. Thank you eta: Am I reading that right? There are ZERO fees for using HSBC card overseas? Says $0.00 for cash withdrawal and 0% of the total value amount of each such transaction for purchases?

I try to be, but do have some bad days (who doesn't) but the prospect of being home soon, is definitely helping Thank you x

Exactly, good luck to them. hehe

Looking forward to that day. I think I will literally kiss the floor once we land. I don't care who sees me, or laughs or shakes their head. LOL

I have read similar around, got to do what we have to do I guess. It will work out eventually. Thank you

Interesting you say that I find Melbournites just as materialistic and judgey(God forbid you don't like/follow sport...oooof! lol) . I've lived here 25 years. Even my own Family Aunt/her kids, cousin and her hubby. All about the houses/horses/money/lifestyle/keeping up with the Joneses. Then again that's never been my persona, so probably wouldn't matter where I lived. /shrug. Each to their own

I'm only going by January because that is when my current 12 month lease runs out and I don't want to continue it. If I had passports already I'd be tempted to just get on a plane. Stuff doesn't mean anything to me and can be replaced. Happiness far outweighs material things for me. But realistically I do need to take some stuff, It may not even be 10 boxes that's just a guess at this point. I do need to go through each room and decided sell/giveaway/throw/take because I have two kids. hehe. So yeah Jan at the latest for us. Your passports will be quicker than ours, ours is longer due to me never leaving Aus since mum moved her back in the 90's and kids haven't had one before either so we are all first timers in HM Passport eyes. Annoying as I was on my mums, but it is what it is. I'd rather be gone sooner, if only we could swap hehe. Where abouts in the U.K will you be off too? That's something We still need to work out too. I grew up in Dorset before we came here, so no idea where to go now. Googling is doing my head in. LOL.

I'm not "urgent" but planning to move to the U.K by Jan at the latest (I don't want to stay here anymore and need to get kids into school there asap) , I too am overwhelmed but we can do it. My ex has signed a letter allowing me to apply for Passports for the kids/stay in the U.K. Phew! So i am about to apply for mine and theirs. That's step one. Once we have those (6 weeks ish fingers crossed) I will then do a TOR for Movecube I am taking two bikes, and 10 boxes. That seems to take 3 weeks(tor app). After that will be selling my car, selling anything else of value (Fridge etc) giving away anything else and chucking the rest in a skip. Then it will be sorting out the final things like outstanding bills, ending lease/getting bond back, cancelling/pay out remainder of phone contract so it's unlocked for the U.K. Keeping Aus bank account open (telling them going overseas so don't block my card) until I can sort out a U.K one, once that is done transfer money across. Sorting out temp accomodation over there, and then looking for a rental/job) Getting on the plane and going home. Scary and exciting all at the same time. My trick is not to overthink things, it will work out

Research areas and schools like I am currently doing, you might be surprised at what you can/can't afford. I grew up in Dorset, But I'm not going back there when there are so many places in Britain to choose from

I work in I.T Q.A/Testing etc

Don't get me wrong Australia has had it's good moments, and I'm not knocking it. It's as you say I've never felt at home here, mum hasn't either and to be honest I wanted to go Home years ago, but then life happened and I met someone, we had kids and then his father passed away and that progressed to him pushing us away and deciding he didn't want to be with us anymore and well quite frankly that was the last straw and my big kick up the arse to go home, nothing else keeping me here anymore. He doesn't really spend any time with his kids, has given his blessing in terms of signing anything he needs to allow me to get passports etc and so on to take them home and yeah, I'm fully aware it's not going to be the same, or easy or any of that. But the thought of just being back where I belong, that nagging feeling that has never gone away, well that to me is more important than money. New beginning/fresh start and my time to shine! (I've always put everyone/thing before me).

Good to know! I don't mind doing it, but it would be nice to not have to

Not running away from anything, except a longing to be home

Thank you for your advice, much appreciate it and will take it all on board eta: just had a quick look at mse seems to be like the Aussie version called get credit score, my credit rating is great here, but I know it means diddly squat over there.

So much this, see I don't have this problem with my kids, My eldest is HF ASD so only has 1 good friend, and my youngest is still trying to make friends (bad time at school, whole other story) which is why despite being tweens I in my situation don't have this an issue but my main point from my own experience is when Mum decided to Move to Australia I was that Teen (14) I had loads of friends, and was mighty upset/pissed off having to leave them and my home behind with zero choice (dad wasn't in the picture). So yes if you are going to move, do it while they are young with minimal impact. Kids are resilient and adapt easy, I got over it eventually, but I do have to wonder if that is what set me up for failure in Australia some what.

I have plenty options from what I have been researching within my Budget, even in the south. I'd happily pay 6 months or a year up front, so again not an issue. As I'm only 41, I still have a good 30+ years of work left in me. That's why I am of the mindset of both starting fresh back at home, while I'm still young enough to do so as I really don't want to be stuck in hell for another 30 odd years. Now that I have no ties here what is the point? I want my kids to have a better education than Australia and more opportunity not only with education, but jobs and travel. People keep going on about the Pension, but I have savings, I have the capacity to work and save more, and hopefully invest one day once everything is sorted and back on track. I'm not planning to move to the U.K and sit on my arse doing nothing. I have also read that once you are working you can do voluntary contributions? But whatever. So if I don't get the full Pension, or only a % of it I plan to top it up per say by having Savings etc to fall back on. Australian Pension is pittance, medicare is good yes, but elderly care is also terrible, I watched my Grandma go through all of that. Horrible.

That's fine, I actually held him back when he started school here as that was the advice given for Boys... Stupidly though I realise now as he is well above his peers academically so if we were to move to the U.K I have no doubt he would slot in nicely so don't think that would be an issue.

I'm not planning on moving to Christchurch was just where I lived pre Australia, hence the background Info. As for Pension, not really a game changer for me, like I said we have savings, mum has her stuff so she is fine, I have plenty of working years left plenty of time to save and get on with life, and well my kids are young enough to get ahead. I'm not going to rely on a pension even at max rate it's pittance well in Australia at least. So I'm not going to not go to the U.K just because I might not get a full pension. Where we would move too, not sure yet, still researching all that stuff.

Mums not retired yet, she's not that old. I have also mentioned plans to work I have no intention of going home to claim benefits(Wouldn't be able to anyway I'd assume there is few years you have to wait like Aus) . I do have savings, and the funds for the move and mum does too. I was just reading on the NI information that as long as I work for at least 10 years then the state pension is a thing. I'm only 41, PLENTY of working years left in me yet and definitely more than 10, I'm pretty sure mum still has her Prudential pension or whatever you call it, bit like aussie super? that she had before we moved here as well. My kids are old enough now to look after themselves so that's not an issue anymore. Mum worked from the age of 16 in the U.K all the way to 30 or however old she was when we left. So my plan basically is move, get a job, get the kids into school, work my arse off save more, and yeah all will be ok. Also I'm debt free and not a sucker for cash day loans