bovered Posted July 25, 2012 Share Posted July 25, 2012 Hi everyone, Would really appreciate some advice here. I'm a 50year old single female nurse. I'm due to start working at a major hospital in Sydney at the end of October - I'll be going over on my own but I know my son is keen to 'visit' very soon. My question is : is it just too expensive to make it worth it ? I have spent a lot of effort and money on the process of application/visa/letting-out own property etc, but the closer I get to the move, the more anxious I become about it. I'll be earning about $75,000, so it doesn't look like I'll even be able to rent my own place. My initial intention was to speand some time in Sydney and decide if I want to stay more than a year - it now looks more like I'll be spending/enduring a year working like a dog for a lot of worry and discomfort. Most sites I've visited don't have a single good word to say about Sydney :-( Are there any nurses and/or single women not travelling with their partner or family who have any advice for me ? Many thanks M Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NickyNook Posted July 25, 2012 Share Posted July 25, 2012 Why do you think you won't be able to rent your own place? Where is the hospital? A one-bed flat in a reasonable area should be achievable for around $350-$400 a week. It won't be in a flash waterfront or beach suburb but there are plenty of other areas that are OK. $75k is the average income here. Countless people in Sydney manage quite well on that salary - including families with children. I'm puzzled as to why you think it would be so hard. Sydney is a fantastic city. I've lived here for over 30 years and and have plenty of good words to say about it. It has everything most people could want or need - good shopping, masses of activities, gorgeous beaches, wonderful food, friendly people, excellent coffee and is so physically beautiful it can make you cry. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
northshorepom Posted July 25, 2012 Share Posted July 25, 2012 As per above I guess you've read some of the posts where you've got families of 4 coming on 457 visas on that sort of money? For them it can be a struggle. The realities of needing a 3 or 4 bed house, school fees, and the higher grocery bills associated with having 4 mouths to feed mean that they are in a totally different place financially. Don't get us wrong, when we try and help out those people we try and be realistic about their expectations but that doesn't mean it's tough for a singleton on that money Flats offer much better value than houses in the rental market for a start. The entry point for a decent 3 bed house in a nice area that's not a long way out is probably north of $600 a week, but you can get really nice flats for $350 or $400 - my sister in law lives in a really nice 1 bed + walk-in robe, 1 bath, separate living room, nice kitchen flat with a lovely balcony overlooking a pristine garden for $500 in Neutral Bay - which is one of the posher/more expensive areas of the city, 5 minutes walk from the ferry to Circular Quay. That's miles cheaper than you could get the same thing in London. OK so it's more than you'd want to spend, but it shows the sort of value you can get. For $400 you can get a pretty nice place in somewhere like Leichhardt (or even if you're lucky Glebe, Rozelle, Balmain) - these are great areas in the Inner West, lots of life, lots of parks, not far from the water, good transport I think Sydney works best for Inner City life. It really does revolve around the harbour and the closer you can be, the better. As a singleton this is perfectly achievable - it's much tougher for families as getting enough space anywhere central is so pricey. Also if you're on your own I'm assuming you'll want to be relatively central rather than in some family oriented 'burb. Saying that, I live in outer leafy suburbs, but that's for family reasons. If I'd been here a bit longer, maybe I'd live on the beach, but that's for people who managed to get on the housing escalator 15 years ago when it was cheap and they got $3 oer pound :wink: Sydney is a great city. There really is a good mix of things to do here - loads of outdoor space and opportunities (parks, legendary beaches, sports clubs everywhere etc), historic bits in the centre and a surprising amount of suburbs (lots date from mid 19th century onwards), the cultural life you'd expect of a city of this size and significance, it's visually beautiful round the harbour, an extensive transport system (even if people bitch about it), loads of eating/drinking opportunities from every cuisine and to suit every pocket, easy climate, and so on. The only thing for me is that it isn't London - it just isn't the same global city dynamo of business, culture and mess that my home city is - but it is a hell of lot more relaxing! And plenty of people hate London anyway. It really is a very easy city to live in, so long as you're not in major housing cost stress. I emphasise that because it's the crucial factor IMO. People tend to slag off Sydney for being expensive (justified, but only where housing is concerned - everything else costs pretty much the same as elsewhere in Oz), or "up itself", "too busy", "money obsessed", "uncultured" or the rest of it (unjustified IMO - that's just "Big Apple" criticism in the same way London gets it. It's the biggest and to foreigners most prominent city in Australia, and hosts most of the financial services industry, so it cops the flak). Yeah, it's a big, busy city. But all the better for it IMO. It's great fun, and easy to boot. So long as you can afford that rent. Which as a single person, you probably can, much easier than a family can manage it So good luck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deeno88 Posted July 25, 2012 Share Posted July 25, 2012 Hi there, my partner just got a job in sydney on a 457 visa, he wants me to go at xmas to see what i think, then id have to look at renting my house out leaving my job. convincing my daughter and i know nothing about sydney. Im just like you in the fact that all ive read seems negative and doom and gloom. its like should you risk everything and turn your life upside down or stay where you are safe and stable ? tough decision Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
northshorepom Posted July 25, 2012 Share Posted July 25, 2012 Just curious, what sort of thing has been negative/doom and gloom, and where have you read it? As per my earlier post, believe tales of housing cost and make sure you have this covered. Ignore all the BS you hear about how the people are or the culture is (or isn't). It's a big city, there's something for everyone here, but equally it won't suit everyone - and a lot of that is down to how it makes you feel, which you can't generalise about - it's personal Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rupert Posted July 25, 2012 Share Posted July 25, 2012 I don't know what sites you have been going to if you have not seen a good word about Sydney. Sydney is a fantastic city, actually it wasn't my first choice but I am very glad that we ended up here now and cannot imagine being anywhere else really. The salary of $75k won't provide a flash lifestyle, but you would certainly be able to rent your own flat. Housing is expensive in Sydney, but as someone else has already said, the rest is about the same as anywhere else. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yorkcath Posted July 25, 2012 Share Posted July 25, 2012 Hi, I'm in my mid 40s and came out by myself 3 months ago for a nursing job and to see if I could have a better life here. I earn about $75k and live in 'The Shires', about 25km south of the CBD of Sydney. I do save quite well but only because I flat share ($200/week) and don't have a car, otherwise I wouldn't be any better off here than home financially. I spend loads on food - about $110 per week. Work hours are longer but you get an 'ADO' day once a month - an extra day off in lieu of the 8 hour day. You can also do something called salary packaging (also known as salary sacrifice) where your rent, mortgage, credit cards, car leasing and a number of other things can be taken out of your wage directly before tax. I haven't signed up yet but I could save $1200 per year doing this. Flat sharing might be a good idea to meet people to start with (bring references). There's a great social group called 'Meet Up' (see their website) and they have lots of different sub-groups including a 40s and 50's group whom I met up with and they were lovely. I love my job compared to home, feeling really valued and have great teamwork. Let me know if you have any other questions and if you fancy meeting up for a cuppa when you get here, send me a PM. Good luck! Cath Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MARYROSE02 Posted July 25, 2012 Share Posted July 25, 2012 Why did you decide to come to Sydney in the first place? Why did you put yourself through the application process only to start looking for reasons to fail before you have even got here? My advice is to save yourself further disappointment and cancel your plans and just stay in the UK. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deeno88 Posted July 26, 2012 Share Posted July 26, 2012 my partner keeps going mad cause I'm reading stuff and always have a negative answer for him ive just read about how expensive it is, schools are years behind the uk, people won't like you cause your from the uk (please don't quote me, it's only what I read) I've seen forums in there where people can't wait to go home. my partners sister and mum live there and his mum paid $400 for a bed sheet , I mean really !! problem is I've never been before so he may as well ask me to live on the moon he goes a week on Monday and wants me to go out at Xmas to see what I think , big decision to leave everyone and everything behind hard decision Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yorkcath Posted July 26, 2012 Share Posted July 26, 2012 I think you have to throw yourself into the lifestyle and make an effort and come with a positive attitude. I've found all the Aussie's I've met really friendly, from the people at work to random people I've chatted to in the streets to ask advice about the area. I have heard that other parts of Australia are more friendly though. There are lots of clubs eg bushwalking, ex-pat clubs, to meet people. It admittedly doesn't feel like home here yet, but there's loads of places to discover and Fiji and other beautiful Pacific Islands aren't far away. There are cheap places to but things like linens e.g. Linecraft. I bought a set of sheets for $30 for example. Clothes here are very expensive for the quality so bring stuff from home. Cars are pricey though and you need about $8K for anything decent. Someone told me to come out for 2 years before going home, then you'll get a real sense of what your life is like in Oz. Hope that helps Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest jtrd Posted July 26, 2012 Share Posted July 26, 2012 I did come with my family, but I'm a nurse and have a fantastic job which pays about 20k more than what you have quoted, so like the difference in housing prices, there are also differences in wages - depending on what you want to do. Sydney is a great place to live, with so much variety on your doorstep. Take a leap of faith, sometimes it really is worth it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deeno88 Posted July 26, 2012 Share Posted July 26, 2012 yes that does help catch thank you xx also does anyone know if I can be easily added to my partners 457 visa when I'm in the uk ? im also on the expat forum and keep getting replys from a woman who used to live in oz , is now back in the uk and looks like she just spends her time replying to people about oz, and to be fair alot of thR doom and gloom has come from there Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NickyNook Posted July 26, 2012 Share Posted July 26, 2012 ive just read about how expensive it is, schools are years behind the uk, people won't like you cause your from the uk (please don't quote me, it's only what I read) I've seen forums in there where people can't wait to go home. my partners sister and mum live there and his mum paid $400 for a bed sheet , I mean really !! And most of that is plain nonsense. It might seem expensive when you convert prices at the current exchange rate, but when living here and earning dollars people manage fine. Over 5m people live in Sydney. There are no more people living on the breadline here because it's 'so expensive' than in any city in the UK. Schools are not years behind the UK - educationally Australia usually beats the UK in surveys. And if your partner's mother really did pay $400 for a sheet then she's got more money than sense because you can buy perfectly good sheets for a 10th of that price. Really - you've got to keep a sense of proportion. Australia is a first world country - millions of people have emigrated here over the years and live quite happily. I've no idea whether you'd be happy living here but why not come at Christmas and take a look? Then you can make an informed decision instead of relying on the opinions of miserable people on forums. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MARYROSE02 Posted July 26, 2012 Share Posted July 26, 2012 I don't know why people look at the minsicule number of posts on PIO from disgruntled 'failed' Pommie migrants and assume that they speak for the whole of the forum. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deeno88 Posted July 26, 2012 Share Posted July 26, 2012 I don't assume they speak for everyone it's just trying to do some research when making a very hard decision Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Rodster Posted July 27, 2012 Share Posted July 27, 2012 Come to Melbourne, much better!!. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deeno88 Posted July 27, 2012 Share Posted July 27, 2012 ha ha don't really have thR choice Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deeno88 Posted July 27, 2012 Share Posted July 27, 2012 thank you nicky i just don't like the unknown , im a planner ha ha so all this is a little tough for me ill try and visit and take it from there Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Delaneym Posted July 27, 2012 Share Posted July 27, 2012 Hi everyone, Would really appreciate some advice here. I'm a 50year old single female nurse. I'm due to start working at a major hospital in Sydney at the end of October - I'll be going over on my own but I know my son is keen to 'visit' very soon. My question is : is it just too expensive to make it worth it ? I have spent a lot of effort and money on the process of application/visa/letting-out own property etc, but the closer I get to the move, the more anxious I become about it. I'll be earning about $75,000, so it doesn't look like I'll even be able to rent my own place. My initial intention was to speand some time in Sydney and decide if I want to stay more than a year - it now looks more like I'll be spending/enduring a year working like a dog for a lot of worry and discomfort. Most sites I've visited don't have a single good word to say about Sydney :-( Are there any nurses and/or single women not travelling with their partner or family who have any advice for me ? Many thanks M This single 47 year old is going and although earning a little more than you I will live as to the extent of whats comfortable and i will still send money for sons and trips to uk. I know people (nurses) who earn less than that have comfortable lives it depends on what your lifestyle is/will be and where you live etc... happy for you to pm and keep in touch! marion Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MARYROSE02 Posted July 27, 2012 Share Posted July 27, 2012 Imagine you have been looking forward to the London Olympics for seven years, have booked your tickets, accommodation, are all ready to go, then you start to read a few of the negative reports about SNAFUS & FUBARS that accompany EVERY Olympics. So you sell your tickets, cancel your accomodation, stay at home, and spend the rest of your life wondering if you should have gone after all. There's probably a few people like that in England now, who turned their back on their dream of a new life in OZ. 'So why did you change your mind?' 'Well, there were a few whinges on PIO from people who did not like it, and rather than find out for myself, I thought it would be best if I just stayed in England.' Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deeno88 Posted July 27, 2012 Share Posted July 27, 2012 maryrose I think people are looking for advice rather than what could be taken as a dig or sarcasm to our posts. sorry if I've ready them wrong but there doesn't seem to be any advice in your answers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LKC Posted July 27, 2012 Share Posted July 27, 2012 We live in Sydney, a family of four managing fine on a salary of $65k and to be completely honest there is nowhere else in the world I would rather live. It can be expensive, but it doesn't have to be. Living in the uk you have the choice of whether to buy bed sheets from Harrods for 400gbp or from Tesco for 20gbp. Same thing here. You find friendly and unfriendly people everywhere in the world, our being from overseas has never provoked anything but interest from people. There does seem to be a small handful of people who delight in telling people how rubbish Sydney/insert other city and Australia are, simply because things haven't worked out for them. There are a far larger number of people who say nothing because they are too busy off and enjoying their lives. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MARYROSE02 Posted July 27, 2012 Share Posted July 27, 2012 maryrose I think people are looking for advice rather than what could be taken as a dig or sarcasm to our posts. sorry if I've ready them wrong but there doesn't seem to be any advice in your answers That's my point. They are NOT looking for advice. I LOVE telling people what a wonderful place Sydney is to live. I love telling anyone who will listen that whenever I ask anybody from the UK or Ireland if they like it here, they invariably say, 'I don't like it here, I LOVE it here.' It was the same when I went for a drink with a few 'PIO'ers' the other Saturday at 'Jackson's on George.' Yesterday lunchtime, I walked down Elizabeth Street in the usual glorious Sydney sunshine and wondered for the millionth time why the word 'winter' even exists, when I am over-dressed with a jacket on over my summer-weight shirt. I was talking to a cricketer in Centennial Park the other month who told me they lose less days to bad weather playing in winter than in summer. It's the same again today, sunshine, 9-16 degrees, and I'd be going for a swim at Bronte if I wasn't working overtime today. On Wednesday night, after work, I went to the Trinity Bar in Surry Hills, one of my (three) favourite pubs within easy walking distance, although there are another twenty or so within a kilometre of my home - along with innumerable restaurants and cafes. I had the $10 Wednesday special - pork sausages- YES PORK!, mash and peas. My friend Kurt had the beef sausages and we swapped one for one. I don't really care for beef sausages but he prefers them. The Thursday special of $12.50 chicken schnitzel is also excellent, as is the Sunday roast for $20, which I had for the first time last week. I think I can almost hear the sharp intakes of breath & indigation. 'OMG! how can he pay those kind of prices for the world's most awful food. Doesn't he know that Tesco and Asda sell them for half the price and the quality is twenty times as good.' Listen to 'LKC". They can tell you much better than me what life is like in Sydney, getting by on what I consider to be a pittance, and I'm single with no mortgage! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
deeno88 Posted July 27, 2012 Share Posted July 27, 2012 It is so scary tryin to make a decision on a place I've never been to, I think I'll go at Xmas and. decide from there, I have alot of other complications in my life that add to the decision but that's by. the by and yes your right there is a woman on another forum that went to oz, it didn't work out and now she seems to spend her time saying how bad oz is and how we won't manage on the salary my partner has been offered, I can't be added to his 457 visa as I'm in the uk, schools are a fortune blah blah kind of hard went you get that negativity my partner wants us to go as he feels we would have a better life I suppose I can only try it hey Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LKC Posted July 28, 2012 Share Posted July 28, 2012 I do understand how big a decision it is, but the way you have to look at it is that you won't know if it is the right thing to do until you do it. We came over hee with two small children, to half the salary and the opinion that we had to just go for it and immerse ourselves in life here, and that is what we did. It worked for us, and whilst I am not saying that it would suit everyone, because it clearly is a very personal journey, don't give up before you even reach the first hurdle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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