flag of convenience Posted June 11, 2015 Share Posted June 11, 2015 Fresh food people ................ that'll be Woolworths you're taking about ................. I never buy fruit and veg from supermarkets. We are lucky here in Tasmania to get fruit and in particular veggies fresh from the farms and sold in our local green grocers - at least that's where I get mine from in Devonport - super quality and far cheaper than Colesworth. You take the prize. I do try and purchase at farmers markets here but more often out of convenience am forced to buy either supermarket or close at hand Vietnamese fruit/veg market shop, which is only slightly better. I wonder if the nature of Tasmania helps to provide a better produce? Surprised it cheap though. Outside of housing (in comparison with mainland) I thought little was cheap there. Happy to be proved wrong if that being the case. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peach Posted June 11, 2015 Share Posted June 11, 2015 Another load of bollox from someone obsessed with putting Oz down. You mean they thaw the veg out before they put it up for sale? If you weren't so obsessed with negatively comparing Oz to the UK you might just put your brain in gear before putting those cowboy fingers to the keyboard. As jock says, tassie veg can be on the shelves within a couple of hours of cutting as can brizzy fruit and veg grown on the Lockyer valley, which incidentally, is rated amongs the top ten most fertile farmed soil on the planet. I wouldn't bother rising to his bait, PB spent how long in Australia? How long ago? He knows perfectly well that most of the fruit & veg sold in the UK was grown in whichever country the supermarket could have it supplied cheapest from, before being packaged in a 'protective' atmosphere and flown thousands of miles to a distribution centre in eastern Europe before be distributed by road to the supermarkets across the UK, where the willing punters can buy it in cellophane and shrink wrap. Asparagus from Zimbabwe? Beans from Israel? Apples from NZ? No problem!! Fresh it is not.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bristolman Posted June 11, 2015 Author Share Posted June 11, 2015 I have never noticed any difference between the fresh fruit and veg here or Australia, it seems to taste great in both countries. The majority here is from the UK and is fresh. Both countries import a great deal of food, that's fine as long as it tastes good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JockinTas Posted June 11, 2015 Share Posted June 11, 2015 You take the prize. I do try and purchase at farmers markets here but more often out of convenience am forced to buy either supermarket or close at hand Vietnamese fruit/veg market shop, which is only slightly better. I wonder if the nature of Tasmania helps to provide a better produce? Surprised it cheap though. Outside of housing (in comparison with mainland) I thought little was cheap there. Happy to be proved wrong if that being the case. Supermarkets are a bit dearer than the mainland but I only get things like detergents, loo rolls, rice, pasta etc and household items like that from them and only when they are on special (I'm Scottish :laugh:), Eggs I get from a farm as I do veggies. Husband gets his meat from a nearby butchers. I rarely buy biscuits/cakes as I enjoy baking. We love it here. Wouldn't live anywhere else now in spite of the awful weather we had at the start of the week - howling wind and torrential rain. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fish.01 Posted June 11, 2015 Share Posted June 11, 2015 Those of us who return to the UK and genuinely find that overall life here is less expensive, are we kidding ourselves ? Obviously I don't think we are as we see it virtually everyday but a recent thread made me for a second question whether it really is the case. We find equivalent food be it supermarket or eating out to be generally cheaper. We have found food, electricity, gas, car insurance all cheaper here to a greater or lesser extent. Other things like council tax is more but our properties aren't equal so that's a fuzzy one. Beer is noticeably cheaper, wine is on a par. Running car even with more expensive fuel isn't actually anymore overall because of cheaper registration/road tax and only paying one lot of insurance. I have to conclude that we are not kidding ourselves so how come others tell us the opposite ? It's a conundrum that's for sure lol One reason people differ is because some just use the current exchange rate to compare cost of living prices which doesn't work at all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marisawright Posted June 11, 2015 Share Posted June 11, 2015 No comparison with quality of food UK V OZ, the UK wins hands down with quality of food in the better pubs. Found pub meals in Oz expensive and rather bland compared to the UK. I suppose it is not surprising as the veg and salads in the UK is virtually grown next to the better pubs in the UK but in Oz they have to travel miles frozen. I wish you'd stop saying "UK vs Oz" and start comparing city to city instead. You simply can't generalise about Australia, or about the UK for that matter. We've compared prices for pub meals between Perth and Sydney before, and there's a huge difference if you recall. For example the $10 steak, salad and chips available in five local pubs near me in Sydney (and if it's lunchtime and you're an OAP, you get a free beer too). I've found the quality of food comparable in most cases except for seafood, which is definitely not so good here (though the fish is good). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flag of convenience Posted June 12, 2015 Share Posted June 12, 2015 Supermarkets are a bit dearer than the mainland but I only get things like detergents, loo rolls, rice, pasta etc and household items like that from them and only when they are on special (I'm Scottish :laugh:), Eggs I get from a farm as I do veggies. Husband gets his meat from a nearby butchers. I rarely buy biscuits/cakes as I enjoy baking. We love it here. Wouldn't live anywhere else now in spite of the awful weather we had at the start of the week - howling wind and torrential rain. Sounds similar to countryside living here in WA in the past. Certain aspects still exist today. Hope the weather improves. All part of the Tassie good life though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lismith25 Posted June 13, 2015 Share Posted June 13, 2015 How do the costs compare with the wages? I am reading all of the replies, as a serious return is on the cards for us, but as a teacher and electrician the wage difference between countries is pretty huge. The arguments over living costs is a major issue for us, so this is a very interesting point. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul1977 Posted June 13, 2015 Share Posted June 13, 2015 How do the costs compare with the wages? I am reading all of the replies, as a serious return is on the cards for us, but as a teacher and electrician the wage difference between countries is pretty huge. The arguments over living costs is a major issue for us, so this is a very interesting point. In most cases the cost in housing is also huge unless your London and the south east based Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newjez Posted June 13, 2015 Share Posted June 13, 2015 Yes for those with solar panels I agree. I am looking at installing some hopefully this year. You could start a thread, my wife and I have discussed it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newjez Posted June 13, 2015 Share Posted June 13, 2015 How do the costs compare with the wages? I am reading all of the replies, as a serious return is on the cards for us, but as a teacher and electrician the wage difference between countries is pretty huge. The arguments over living costs is a major issue for us, so this is a very interesting point. Have you checked with latest exchange rates? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lismith25 Posted June 13, 2015 Share Posted June 13, 2015 Have you checked with latest exchange rates? As far as i can work out, teacher in AU $ 69,500 ( 34,000 pound) from web site uk wage 24,000 to 29,000 pound. Electrician town work AU $78,000 ( 38,750 pound ) from web site uk wage 26,000 to 32,000 pound. Big difference in wages and AU also pay 9% super on top, not sure if uk has a compulsory superanuation. Want to head back home but don't want to be worse off financially if we can help it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bristolman Posted June 13, 2015 Author Share Posted June 13, 2015 As far as i can work out, teacher in AU $ 69,500 ( 34,000 pound) from web site uk wage 24,000 to 29,000 pound.Electrician town work AU $78,000 ( 38,750 pound ) from web site uk wage 26,000 to 32,000 pound. Big difference in wages and AU also pay 9% super on top, not sure if uk has a compulsory superanuation. Want to head back home but don't want to be worse off financially if we can help it. Much of the difference can get eaten by extra costs over there, housing, food etc so it isn't always as easy as just comparing wages. Also I suppose it comes down in no small part to where you want to be. Look at the big picture and weigh up the pros and cons. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Que Sera Sera Posted June 13, 2015 Share Posted June 13, 2015 All the comparisons are so relative to where you live in both countries and obviously your earning potential. My OH is a high earner even without FIFO so we can't compare really as its a bit unfair. I'm on a minimum wage job however as a casual and I earn $21 an hour £10.50 an hour! Our house is the exact same cost as one we left in the village we lived in so no extra costs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newjez Posted June 13, 2015 Share Posted June 13, 2015 As far as i can work out, teacher in AU $ 69,500 ( 34,000 pound) from web site uk wage 24,000 to 29,000 pound.Electrician town work AU $78,000 ( 38,750 pound ) from web site uk wage 26,000 to 32,000 pound. Big difference in wages and AU also pay 9% super on top, not sure if uk has a compulsory superanuation. Want to head back home but don't want to be worse off financially if we can help it. Trust me, £29,000 is not the top of the teachers pay scale. You have to jump through some hoops, but many teachers earn a hell of a lot more than that. http://www.nasuwt.org.uk/consum/groups/public/@salariespensionsconditions/documents/nas_download/nasuwt_012874.pdf Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bound4Tassie Posted June 13, 2015 Share Posted June 13, 2015 Depends on size of school too but my husband earned as a deputy in UK primary what he STARTED on as a newly qualified teacher in Aus. So do expect a likely pay cut! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lismith25 Posted June 13, 2015 Share Posted June 13, 2015 Thanks for the responses, we are aware we would earn less in the UK, but somehow if the living costs were also less it would balance out. Over here we both have good jobs including super, living expenses are high where we live, but we are able to save a bit each month. While the move would not be for financial reasons, I am concerned that the areas we are thinking of moving to in the south west will leave us a lot worse off. And that is a huge obstacle for my husband to overcome! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grizzly111 Posted June 14, 2015 Share Posted June 14, 2015 Whilst I can understand money is top priority for some but does anyone actually move back to the UK for a superior life? (ie: if money was no issue, where would you rather be UK vs Oz?) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johndoe Posted June 14, 2015 Share Posted June 14, 2015 Whilst I can understand money is top priority for some but does anyone actually move back to the UK for a superior life? (ie: if money was no issue, where would you rather be UK vs Oz?) That really is a loaded question as it depends on your age and circumstance. "Superior" is also a "loaded" word so I can only answer in my own way. I love what Oz has given me and I love Oz and Aussies, but as I've gotten (notice that Americanism there :-) older, I yearn for the earlier familiarity of the UK............IOW, you can't deny your roots and how those roots influence you, albeit at different stages of your life. Money only enters into it, not because one or the other offer more financially but basically, because I couldn't survive, as a pensioner, on the UK state pension alone, if I returned to the UK. It's not about seeking better financial circumstance (for me) but more about financially surviving.........a huge difference with regards to your words "priority" and "superior" So, to your original question, I'd rather be in the UK, but that has nothing to do with what the UK or Oz has to offer, or financial concerns about either, but more to do with my domestic circumstance and recent events. Just as emigration doesn't have to be a "finality" so it is that often relationships aren't either, so I would advise anyone to think long and hard about the likelihood of future relationship breakdown with regards to migration. When you devote your life to someone who really wanted it, who then, 20 yrs down the track, dumps you, where does that leave you when you have been on home duties all those years, raising your kids, and have no social circle to fall back on? Edited to add: That although this might seem like an individual circumstance, not likely to affect the average PIO member, I'm posting not only because of my personal situation, but because I heard it all before from others and thought that it wouuld never apply to me...........how wrong can you be? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fifi69 Posted June 14, 2015 Share Posted June 14, 2015 That really is a loaded question as it depends on your age and circumstance. "Superior" is also a "loaded" word so I can only answer in my own way. I love what Oz has given me and I love Oz and Aussies, but as I've gotten (notice that Americanism there :-) older, I yearn for the earlier familiarity of the UK............IOW, you can't deny your roots and how those roots influence you, albeit at different stages of your life. Money only enters into it, not because one or the other offer more financially but basically, because I couldn't survive, as a pensioner, on the UK state pension alone, if I returned to the UK. It's not about seeking better financial circumstance (for me) but more about financially surviving.........a huge difference with regards to your words "priority" and "superior" So, to your original question, I'd rather be in the UK, but that has nothing to do with what the UK or Oz has to offer, or financial concerns about either, but more to do with my domestic circumstance and recent events. Just as emigration doesn't have to be a "finality" so it is that often relationships aren't either, so I would advise anyone to think long and hard about the likelihood of future relationship breakdown with regards to migration. When you devote your life to someone who really wanted it, who then, 20 yrs down the track, dumps you, where does that leave you when you have been on home duties all those years, raising your kids, and have no social circle to fall back on? Edited to add: That although this might seem like an individual circumstance, not likely to affect the average PIO member, I'm posting not only because of my personal situation, but because I heard it all before from others and thought that it wouuld never apply to me...........how wrong can you be? Thats it, everyone's situation is different. I too love living in Aus....but if circumstances were to change then head back or somewhere different we would. You need to weigh up situations....sometimes its for monetary reasons, sometimes the pull of heart strings. you may decide, like me, to live a poorer life, but better lifestyle, but if that becomes too hard, I would move in the blink of an eye. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bristolman Posted June 14, 2015 Author Share Posted June 14, 2015 Whilst I can understand money is top priority for some but does anyone actually move back to the UK for a superior life? (ie: if money was no issue, where would you rather be UK vs Oz?) Well yes we moved back for what for us was going to be a 'better' life, money wasn't the issue at all really. We have a similar lifestyle to the one we left behind, we are better off financially, not much but as I said that wasn't really the issue. Money is definitely not a top priority for us. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Que Sera Sera Posted June 14, 2015 Share Posted June 14, 2015 Our lifestyle has no comparison to our UK one. Our House at the same price is 4 times the size of the one we had, We swapped a tiny 3 bed one bath Semi for. A huge 4 bed, 2 Bath, Study, Gamesroom, Tbeatre room and swimming pool. My OH is currently earning 3 x his UK wages. We can see the sea from our drive, a 2 minute drive. A 15 minute walk. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bristolman Posted June 14, 2015 Author Share Posted June 14, 2015 Trust me, £29,000 is not the top of the teachers pay scale. You have to jump through some hoops, but many teachers earn a hell of a lot more than that. http://www.nasuwt.org.uk/consum/groups/public/@salariespensionsconditions/documents/nas_download/nasuwt_012874.pdf Yes I was thinking that looked to be incredibly low and judging by what is in that link 29k is pretty low. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shellybingobingo Posted June 14, 2015 Share Posted June 14, 2015 [ATTACH=CONFIG]30219[/ATTACH] Just been for a carvery my last one packing tomoz ! Feeling Emosh ! 6 pounds 95p Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Perthbum Posted June 14, 2015 Share Posted June 14, 2015 Whilst I can understand money is top priority for some but does anyone actually move back to the UK for a superior life? (ie: if money was no issue, where would you rather be UK vs Oz?) UK 100% For me personally it is a far higher quality of life compared to Perth. For someone else it might be Oz that pushes the buttons. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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