Kabroom Posted July 24, 2009 Share Posted July 24, 2009 Yes I agree with all of this. However, consider the following scenario ... To be honest the clincher will be if I get a offered a relocation to Melbourne. Its a huge job. Nice money etc. So that would allow us to try Australia with no discomfort and no financial risk (kids in private schools, 2 company cars etc). If I dont get the job, then we'll stay in the UK and see how it pans out I guess. The main thing for me now is to get to Afghanistan before I do any of this - thats a key part to my plan. Fulfill a life long ambition. Then after that ...... Australia with luck. Hm. Afghanistan, Australia .... if it doesnt work out I guess its Austria next (assuming I just go alphabetically on my quest). The irony is I am not all that materialistic in many ways (dont drive Mercs, but could afford to easily - my favorite car I have had over the past 10 years was a Nissan with 150k on it, it just felt comfortable). Then my company said it was bad for their image etc. Weird world - less worried about my work that the car I drive. I guess I want what we all want. To sleep well at night. To wake up each day and feel good. To do the right thing for my familly. In the last 2 weeks I have been really devasted by somethgn that has happened to a friend of ours. They are VERY wealthy (I mean seriously - at least £20m in the bank). But a couple of weks ago their son (14) was informed that the "niggling injury" he had from rugby wasnt. It was bone cancer. Chances? Maybe 50% as it has taken 5 months for the doctors to get it right. My friends would trade every penny they have, every house, every plasma TV for his health. Everything (and I mean everything) else is irrelevant. God blessed me with 2 lovely healthy kids, a lovely and healthy wife and gave me the gift of depression (I am bipolar, in common with many so called high achievers). I am grateful for what I have. Sometimes it pays to look around. Yes you are right...money versus health...it is no comparison. I am very sorry to hear about your friends son...this is one of the many worries about being a parent. You sound like an adventurer it which case would you ever be settled? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JoanneHattersley Posted July 24, 2009 Share Posted July 24, 2009 Its like I said back on one of the first few pages.........all depends what you want from life and when! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest LukeSkywalker Posted July 24, 2009 Share Posted July 24, 2009 Yes you are right...money versus health...it is no comparison. I am very sorry to hear about your friends son...this is one of the many worries about being a parent. You sound like an adventurer it which case would you ever be settled? Oh mh God. My dear Nana died 3 years ago aged 96. Her final words to me were "you will never be content, no matter how much you have, what you do or where you live". She knew me probably better than anyone else alive. I think she was probably right. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest bowbrum03 Posted July 24, 2009 Share Posted July 24, 2009 The ones that spend that ridiculous amount of money on unnecessary things use a Credit card, and are usually in debt for the rest of their lives. The ones that spend wisely and look after their money are usually debt free. There are a few people on this site, who have asked the question. What would happen to me if I ran away from my credit card debt in England. I can see the same question coming, what will happen if I ran away from debt in Australia. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Aldo Posted July 24, 2009 Share Posted July 24, 2009 The ones that spend that ridiculous amount of money on unnecessary things use a Credit card, and are usually in debt for the rest of their lives. The ones that spend wisely and look after their money are usually debt free.There are a few people on this site, who have asked the question. What would happen to me if I ran away from my credit card debt in England. I can see the same question coming, what will happen if I ran away from debt in Australia. and Spain..:biglaugh: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest bowbrummer Posted July 24, 2009 Share Posted July 24, 2009 The ones that spend that ridiculous amount of money on unnecessary things use a Credit card, and are usually in debt for the rest of their lives. The ones that spend wisely and look after their money are usually debt free.There are a few people on this site, who have asked the question. What would happen to me if I ran away from my credit card debt in England. I can see the same question coming, what will happen if I ran away from debt in Australia. Very True! NB Mate just seen your name many apologies, didnt realise there was a similar one here, would you like me to change it, I wouldnt concern yourself too much though your blogs are more elequent than mine, is ya from Bow per chance?:cute: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest inlimbo Posted July 24, 2009 Share Posted July 24, 2009 Personally if I disliked the area or state I lived in I would make sure I travelled the width and breadth of Australia before I could justifyably give an opinion about the country. Such a diverse land! j Agreed, and I think that goes for the UK also. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest inlimbo Posted July 24, 2009 Share Posted July 24, 2009 Think I missed an insult on this thread..just as well eh! Cheers Jo for deleting before I saw it, saved me an hour or 2 on here, lol :hug: good job you did miss it Fiona, it was not nice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Aldo Posted July 24, 2009 Share Posted July 24, 2009 good job you did miss it Fiona, it was not nice. and i'm sure its all lies.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted July 24, 2009 Share Posted July 24, 2009 Great post and I agree with you but just to add my perspective.. If you drive 2 new Mercs in the UK, then driving 15 year old cars in Oz is again unlikely to appeal.. MY OH drove a new BMW M-sport in the Uk, here we've accepted a 17 year old car because we used the money from the car to get here. Neither of us could care less (but then we agonised over the purchase of the BMW because of the 'status symbol' connotations and finally came to the conclusion it was the car that best met our criteria and it'd be reverse snobbery NOT to buy it!) Personally I will not move to Australia unless I can have a better standard of living for either myself or my kids. Why bother? .. I think that depends entirely what you mean by a 'better standard of living' - if you mean more affluent then that is very unlikely - I can only speak from personal experience working in IT in the financial sector and moving from Scotland to Perth but my salary in $'s is less than it was in £'s so it's more than halved & we've gone from living in a 4x2 with 3 reception rooms to struggling to buy a 3X2 with a single open plan kitchen/dining/family room (our mortgage will be the equviilant of £50K more) In my industry many, many Australians come to the UK for a couple of years to earn big money to set themselves when they move back. If you mean more family time then that is also unlikely (unless you make significant lifestyle changes which could also be made in the UK), Australia has some of the longest working hours in the developed world and less annual leave (averages I'm sure many people will claim in their case this isn't the case) We have chosen to combine are move with a complete overhaul of our priorities - it is these changes not Australia itself that have given us a 'beter quality of life' (different in my mind from 'standard of living') If you mean better schools then personally I'd say 'yes, yes, yes' but many a thread on here shows much support of the opposing view (and if you consider 'league table position' to be an important factor in selecting a school then the less academic, more holistic approach to education may put you in the 'no, no, no' camp). For me my results oriented UK education 'work hard and you'll get a good job' is what eventually lead me to having a poor quality of life. Having just got back from a holiday in the UK though we are seriously trying to answer the question 'why did we bother?' We don't hate it here, in fact I love it so it isn't a question of going back but the gains have been far smaller than we anticipated. What worries me is ..... what happens to my kids AFTER school. £25k of University debt? Jobs? etc.. Do you mean in UK or Oz?? I actually don't know where would be worse. But as you say............ I say - each to their own. All of us on here are damnded lucky to have the choice in one respect, but in another that very availability of choice creates a kind of "looking over the fence at the green grass" torture. After 8 months I'm thinking the grass is just a different shade of green, not better, not worse, just different! Jules Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest bowbrummer Posted July 24, 2009 Share Posted July 24, 2009 Excellent post Jules, very balances and factual. I guess it depends on who you are working with and which state (unsure), my Dad works usually 4 x 12 hrs shifts leaving a 3 day weekend for fishing and camping and the long service is invaluable coupled with 6 weeks hols per annum, sickies and compassionate leave, they still have the odd moan but to me it seems very fair. cheers j Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted July 24, 2009 Share Posted July 24, 2009 Not saying that some posts on here are not true as everyone has different standards of living. We are a family of 4, we came to Melbourne with under $10k and we are doing well on it, unlike in the UK everything we have here (apart from our home) is bought and paid for, it may not be the best quality but material things are not important to us anymore, we have a comfortable life and get to spend time together and that to me beats any car or LCD TV, its not just a jelous statement, we had all of that in the UK but I commuted 4 hours a day and spent no time with my young family. Its a struggle here sometimes, especially when I think how easy things were in the UK but its totally worth it. Im sure that if we came here thinking that we would be living the high life we would be back in the UK by now, but we did the sums and realised early on that we would have a lifestyle change and its all worked out for the best, Im proud that the 1994 Falcon sat on my drive is all mine...paid in full upfront with no finance or loans, Im proud that the 21" CRT TV Im watching is all mine, Im proud that here in Australia I owe no-one money and my simple life has made me a richer man in so many other ways. Terry DITTO DITTO DITTO It is so liberating when you move here owing nothing and owning nothing and you can 'start again' with a new set of priorities. We get to take our son to school everyday and pick him up three times a week and I don't work any school holidays - we no longer have mobile phone contracts, broadband, satellite TV instead I watch the joy in my son's face when he sees me arrive to take him home. I read Afluenza sometime before we made the move and I committed to not falling into the same trap again. Jules Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Andy Posted July 24, 2009 Share Posted July 24, 2009 good job you did miss it Fiona, it was not nice. **** stirrer:biggrin: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Andy Posted July 24, 2009 Share Posted July 24, 2009 and i'm sure its all lies.. **** stirrer:biggrin: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
luisem143 Posted November 18, 2009 Share Posted November 18, 2009 haha Fiona you make me laugh, all through this thread I have been laughing at your responses, you sound like my husband, but you speak the truth :-) Anyway just wanted to ask quick question, I'm hoping to come out next year but was hoping to do midwifery thats not looking possible now so was wondering what the wage was like for a nurse in melbourne (I know your not in Melbourne) or do you know where I can find out. Cheers Lu x Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Weasie Posted November 23, 2009 Share Posted November 23, 2009 I have just read through this whole thread - gotta be the best one on the site!! It has had action / violence and some great real life examples of what it really costs. Thanks to all posters for a cracking debate:laugh: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
legoman Posted November 23, 2009 Share Posted November 23, 2009 yep, we suffered lost 30k thinking it was going to be plenty, amazing how quick the money went and then with probs getting licences for trade it became a race to get work licences or return. we lost and had to come back to uk. selling house this time to give more. bought 3 cars in 1st year, 2 engines blew up on 1 and the mechanic tried to replace the 2nd engine with my 1st blown engine 3weeks later and tried to charge me 1300 dol again. next car 750dol repairs and 5 days later 500 repairs. then smashed in a rta. was a nitemare. still not sure how our city and guilds trade certs get us into oz then when we arrive they are not recognsed and we have to jump thru hoops and attend college again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pablo Posted November 23, 2009 Share Posted November 23, 2009 I have just read through this whole thread - gotta be the best one on the site!! It has had action / violence and some great real life examples of what it really costs. Thanks to all posters for a cracking debate:laugh: Well yer should have been around on the nite,the deleted posts were even funnier!:biggrin: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Weasie Posted November 23, 2009 Share Posted November 23, 2009 doh - maybe will have to stir it up again!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest itskaren Posted November 23, 2009 Share Posted November 23, 2009 I am really not sure how people have done this for less than 10k? We had $100,000k and it all went within 6 months. Everything we own is secondhand, we are in rented accommodation. The kids are in a private school so fees came out of that... but even so! We don't drink or smoke. I think Australia is SO expensive! Good luck to those coming over! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pablo Posted November 23, 2009 Share Posted November 23, 2009 I am really not sure how people have done this for less than 10k?We had $100,000k and it all went within 6 months. Everything we own is secondhand, we are in rented accommodation. The kids are in a private school so fees came out of that... but even so! We don't drink or smoke. I think Australia is SO expensive! Good luck to those coming over! Any good news for me as a smoker,VERY fond of a scotch and beer etc?!!!:biglaugh::cute: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest singlemum Posted November 23, 2009 Share Posted November 23, 2009 Hi All, flights................... $4400 shipping.................$3200 car hire 5wks ........$2000 hotels 5wks............$5700 petrol 5wks............$300 food 5wks..............$1400 rent (6months in advance ) $18200 bond.........................$700 new car.................$18000 hubbys car.............$4000 furniture.................$9000 lap top....................$600 kids bikes /trampoline etc...........$2000 total $69500....thats approx 35000 english pound ( sorry no pound sign on oz pc ) this list is so minimal and basic the real cost is prob another 30% on top when you include theme parks, eating out, take aways, hair dressers, school fees etc etc lots of love to all... Colette x:hug: I am agreeing that you have to take many hidden costs in to consideration however, I think your list is rather extravagant. I would be looking toward friends on in Oz to help secure a rental property and car before I landed, meaning no hotels, and no hire. Theme Parks, Eating out, take aways, hair dressers ... well they can wait until I am set up. School Fees however, is something I am looking in to at the moment .. if you have any further info I would appreciate it. I have just upped my budget for moving to £16,000 and I am continually making amendments but I think 40k is too much and I am positive this can be done for less. Baring in mind that if I pull this off I will be working straight away, I am thinking start small and build my life over there. I am not expecting to have anything that I dont have here. And I don't have too much .. but I/We are happy. :biggrin: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bobj Posted November 23, 2009 Share Posted November 23, 2009 total $69500....thats approx 35000 english pound ( sorry no pound sign on oz pc ) To produce the £ sign: press the Num Lock, key (make sure the light is on) Now, hold down the Alt key and type 156 Cheers, Bobj. PS You blokes should have come over when I did. I only had £134...My Dad paid my £10 fare:wink: Cheers, Bobj. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
legoman Posted November 23, 2009 Share Posted November 23, 2009 total $69500....thats approx 35000 english pound ( sorry no pound sign on oz pc ) To produce the £ sign: press the Num Lock, key (make sure the light is on) Now, hold down the Alt key and type 156 Cheers, Bobj. PS You blokes should have come over when I did. I only had £134...My Dad paid my £10 fare:wink: Cheers, Bobj. bring back those days, $3 dollars to the pound will do :cry: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bobj Posted November 23, 2009 Share Posted November 23, 2009 bring back those days, $3 dollars to the pound will do :cry: From memory, it was 17/6 UK to the Aus £ in 1963 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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