Guest SO,DIZZY Posted March 25, 2010 Share Posted March 25, 2010 good luck guys.. we are also very disalusioned with the cost of living here.. we are in Melbourne and paying through the nose for everything.. if id of known the cost of living would be so high and wages so crap would I have come to Australia.. im not sure now... we are also in our forties and in my opinion too old to take on massive morgages even though we would have a decent size deposit a sensible size house here would still cost us in the region of a 350,000 doller morgage and with interest rates so high we would be nuts to take on such a commitment.. we are not enjoying paying 400 dollers a week rent for a box either we are looking at our time here now as a long working holiday we are not planning to settle here long term as basically we cant afford to we cant look forward to our old age here as it would be too expensive... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrcatania Posted March 25, 2010 Share Posted March 25, 2010 good luck guys.. we are also very disalusioned with the cost of living here.. we are in Melbourne and paying through the nose for everything.. if id of known the cost of living would be so high and wages so crap would I have come to Australia.. im not sure now... we are also in our forties and in my opinion too old to take on massive morgages even though we would have a decent size deposit a sensible size house here would still cost us in the region of a 350,000 doller morgage and with interest rates so high we would be nuts to take on such a commitment.. we are not enjoying paying 400 dollers a week rent for a box either we are looking at our time here now as a long working holiday we are not planning to settle here long term as basically we cant afford to we cant look forward to our old age here as it would be too expensive... Same feeling as me. I look into the future 5 years and really can not see how Australia plays a part in it anymore, financially and for many other reasons. I just can not settle and can't see how I ever will. I've done the working holiday visa before and feel I am just doing it again. I really think that going home is the inevitable outcome from this and that this is better done sooner rather than later while I am not tied up with a job/accommodating etc. Hardest part is letting go of what was once a dream. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul1Perth Posted March 25, 2010 Share Posted March 25, 2010 Same feeling as me. I look into the future 5 years and really can not see how Australia plays a part in it anymore, financially and for many other reasons. I just can not settle and can't see how I ever will. I've done the working holiday visa before and feel I am just doing it again. I really think that going home is the inevitable outcome from this and that this is better done sooner rather than later while I am not tied up with a job/accommodating etc. Hardest part is letting go of what was once a dream. You obviously feel that "home" is still the UK and don't regard Australia as home. It sounds like you just came out here too late in life and have had some bad luck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest SO,DIZZY Posted March 25, 2010 Share Posted March 25, 2010 However While my husband and i have had several discussions on how we see our future here in Australia we have not made the decision to go home we have spent too much energy time and effort in to getting here and so instead we have resolved to get everything out of Australia we possibly can.. and have decided we will throw the towel in when we are good and ready.. we just cant see the benifit from doubling what we are paying in rent now to having a morgage.. we are going to however sell our house back in the uk and invest in mabey three or four properties there and and one to rent out here and when we are at retirement age we are going to go and live somewere romantic and cheap... we are not going to let Australia beat us we are just going to go with the flow and get a camper van and every chance we get we are going to get out of the city and enjoy what Australia has to offer.. weve decided that the big ranch house would be nice but not if it meant having nothing else to show for our lives... anyhow who knows what the future will bring for us... so far our lives have been pretty good and i live with the knowledge that we always have managed before and we will find a way to manage now... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrcatania Posted March 25, 2010 Share Posted March 25, 2010 You obviously feel that "home" is still the UK and don't regard Australia as home. It sounds like you just came out here too late in life and have had some bad luck. That's exactly right. When I was on a working holiday 11 years ago I would have killed to stay here. Perceptions and expectations do change as we get older, unfo' this move was just too little too late, and yes, throw in some bad luck to boot..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest SO,DIZZY Posted March 25, 2010 Share Posted March 25, 2010 That's exactly right. When I was on a working holiday 11 years ago I would have killed to stay here. Perceptions and expectations do change as we get older, unfo' this move was just too little too late, and yes, throw in some bad luck to boot..... Australias economy is putting a lot of unexpected financial presure on people it is hard for people to see it as the land of opertunity now with the cost of living so high ... If you can never invisage owning your own home here what are you going to live in and on your old age what have your children got to look forward to in terms of opertunities etc all valid worries and all for seriouse cosideration.... the truth is if you spend a lot of time contemplating your bills and living costs in general living here you have to equate if its worth it... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest rayman1 Posted March 25, 2010 Share Posted March 25, 2010 That's exactly right. When I was on a working holiday 11 years ago I would have killed to stay here. Perceptions and expectations do change as we get older, unfo' this move was just too little too late, and yes, throw in some bad luck to boot..... You are exactly right. It was just alittle too late for me and the family. Should have listened to the wife who predicted everything that has happened was going to happen. Bet you didn't know I was married to mystic meg LOL. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest MSTO Posted March 25, 2010 Share Posted March 25, 2010 That's exactly right. When I was on a working holiday 11 years ago I would have killed to stay here. Perceptions and expectations do change as we get older, unfo' this move was just too little too late, and yes, throw in some bad luck to boot..... I was here on a working holiday visa 11 years ago too....things do change as you get older, children come along etc etc....I am hoping to appreciate the UK a whole lot more when we go back....in saying that I was never unhappy in the UK but I do admit I never made the most of it but will do when we return. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest SO,DIZZY Posted March 25, 2010 Share Posted March 25, 2010 I had a lot of worries before we came about the economy and didnt mention it to my hubby i geuse i was hoping for the best.. we are simple people in terms of life style and dont mind economising to a degree (wouldnt start knitting socks or anything and still buy the good mayonaise at 6 dollers) so i knew we would manage.. I also thought that there would be a future here for us but now i cant see that.. we are just not paying what they are asking for a house and,,, thats that,,, we didnt get roped in to it in the uk with the highly inflated housing market and im not doing it now the thought of commiting ourselves to working untill we are seventy is not on.. im not sure what we will do when renting gets more expensive only time will tell the uk has many faults but the low cost of living is a big winner in my eyes im going home for a wedding in may and i cant wait im going to eat out for breakfast lunch and dinner and send lots of stuff over for my family here to enjoy and while im here in Austalia im not spending a bloody penny more than i have to.. last week we whent to lorne on the great ocean road there was a cafe there that wanted 8 dollers for a bacon and egg roll.. the day i pay five pound fifty for a bacon and egg butty il show my ar*e in woolies window... good luck guys just look forward to all they brimming shopping trolleys full of grub eating out every few nights the flicks for the kidds great transport links and all the other free stuff like dentistry and glasses and the nhs not to mention the dole if you get stuck... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quoll Posted March 25, 2010 Share Posted March 25, 2010 Australia has been "hard" several times over the last few decades. Many of us who started on the home ownership ladder 20 odd years ago had a really hard time - very high mortgage rates, high cost of living etc and we didnt benefit from the pound/dollar conversion for many years so a lot of Australians were struggling when the cashed up Poms came here and were living in luxury. It is only now that those of us who have done the hard yards in Aus and built up a bank balance have the capacity to spend it abroad. I guess for new migrants they look at what the last lot of migrants were able to achieve but really that last lot were reaping the rewards of a strong UK economy. Aus has always been expensive. BTW I can recommend knitting socks as therapy but unfortunately buying the wool is just as expensive as buying a cheap pair of chinese made socks!!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest rayman1 Posted March 25, 2010 Share Posted March 25, 2010 I was here on a working holiday visa 11 years ago too....things do change as you get older, children come along etc etc....I am hoping to appreciate the UK a whole lot more when we go back....in saying that I was never unhappy in the UK but I do admit I never made the most of it but will do when we return. Good luck with the return home MSTO. I too was not unhappy in the UK. The grass is greener etc for me, i am afraid. We will definitely apprciate all we have over there and am sure will turn out good for us once again. The family are sure glad we are coming home. My kids are the only grandkids my mum and dad have. Will keep everyone informed how we get on in the months ahead. Good luck and happiness to everyone, whatever the future has to hold for them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest jenjoshnat Posted March 25, 2010 Share Posted March 25, 2010 last week we whent to lorne on the great ocean road there was a cafe there that wanted 8 dollers for a bacon and egg roll.. the day i pay five pound fifty for a bacon and egg butty il show my ar*e in woolies window... LOL, love this comment, but right you all are, the cost of living is completely ridiculous, we are a family of 5 (3 children aged 11, 7 and 3) we are living in Perth at the moment but are considering a move to Brisbane, we left the UK in hope of being able to provide our children with a better future, and yes it probably is a better environment for them but we can barely afford to live, pay day on friday and all gone by wednesday, we are constantly having to dip into our bank account from the UK which is slowly but surely dwindling away. I want to help out with the income, but i still have a child at home at the moment, and with the cost of childcare whats the point of getting a job to pay someone else to look after my child and have nothing left at the end of it. I can't even get a night job as a fruit and veg stacker, they want bloody experience for this, experience in stacking fruit and veg??? I've looked into doing a course but they cost a bloody fortune and all our money has dissapeared by wednesday so i've got no chance....... Anyway i'm really living up to the name winging pom are'nt i.......Not sure what to do for the best really, i think some serious thought is in order though.:confused: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest MSTO Posted March 25, 2010 Share Posted March 25, 2010 Good luck with the return home MSTO. I too was not unhappy in the UK. The grass is greener etc for me, i am afraid. We will definitely apprciate all we have over there and am sure will turn out good for us once again. The family are sure glad we are coming home. My kids are the only grandkids my mum and dad have. Will keep everyone informed how we get on in the months ahead. Good luck and happiness to everyone, whatever the future has to hold for them. Well I am hoping the grass is greener the other side for me....I am aware of all the faults of the UK and after being away 5 years realise lots has changed. However in saying all that things in the last 5 years have changed for me too....2 children infact and them growing up with family around them means so much more to me and my husband now. Good luck Rayman....nice time of year to go back aswell. :biggrin: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest SO,DIZZY Posted March 25, 2010 Share Posted March 25, 2010 Australia has been "hard" several times over the last few decades. Many of us who started on the home ownership ladder 20 odd years ago had a really hard time - very high mortgage rates, high cost of living etc and we didnt benefit from the pound/dollar conversion for many years so a lot of Australians were struggling when the cashed up Poms came here and were living in luxury. It is only now that those of us who have done the hard yards in Aus and built up a bank balance have the capacity to spend it abroad. I guess for new migrants they look at what the last lot of migrants were able to achieve but really that last lot were reaping the rewards of a strong UK economy. Aus has always been expensive. BTW I can recommend knitting socks as therapy but unfortunately buying the wool is just as expensive as buying a cheap pair of chinese made socks!!!!! Just to give some clarity.. twenty years ago interest rates in the uk had reached 13% and dole cues couldnt get any longer people in the uk have only in the last decade benifited from lower interest rates forced largely by the goverment keeping the banks in check before half the country was homeless.. like it was back in the eighties... we too in the uk have been through some very tough times we are now however jumping out of the frying pan in to the fire in terms of economics.. but thats not the problem the problem is that Australia is a giant rip off people are paying way too much for comodities here especially food and power you live in a society that has almost all year round sun but do not take advantage of that by instaling solar energy (like most of sunny europe including poor countries like Turkey were every house has one) vat (gst)is lower here than the uk so why are people paying so much more for goods especially childrens clothes footwear etc(all same cheap asian imports as uk) food is a giant rip of eating out for instance my idiot husband payed 9 dollers for two table spoons of rice and three pee sized cubes of chicken in a take away chinese two weeks ago for lunch I almost blackened his eye when he told me... the mark up on that was im sure was about 1000% you are all too eager to part with your cash also income tax as i cant see what you are getting for your money in terms of infrastructure either very little social housing no free hospital and doctor,dental care for most and a means tested pension.. were is all that money going?? ive also been told things have doubled here in the last 5 years so why is that?? as far as im aware the base price for lots of things has gone down.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest30038 Posted March 25, 2010 Share Posted March 25, 2010 vat (gst)is lower here than the uk so why are people paying so much more for goods especially childrens clothes footwear etc It's called, "economies of scale". The smaller the population/purchasers, the lesser the discount. kev Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest chris955 Posted March 25, 2010 Share Posted March 25, 2010 Some of us remember when interest rates here in Australia were 17% in the late 80's, we weren't buying at that stage so we had a giggle about it but we wouldn't now. I have no answer as to why it has become so expensive here in recent times, people keep saying that we didn't (officially) go through a recession but in what way does it benefit us if houses, food, clothing etc are all so expensive ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest chris955 Posted March 25, 2010 Share Posted March 25, 2010 While that obviously makes sense why has it been a fairly recent thing ? 10 years ago everything was cheap but not anymore. It's called, "economies of scale". The smaller the population/purchasers, the lesser the discount. kev Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest SO,DIZZY Posted March 25, 2010 Share Posted March 25, 2010 Some of us remember when interest rates here in Australia were 17% in the late 80's, we weren't buying at that stage so we had a giggle about it but we wouldn't now. I have no answer as to why it has become so expensive here in recent times, people keep saying that we didn't (officially) go through a recession but in what way does it benefit us if houses, food, clothing etc are all so expensive ? im not sure you read my post correctly i said that you are paying less gst here and five times as much here for the same asian imports clothes etc we get in the uk.. implying you are being ripped off.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest SO,DIZZY Posted March 25, 2010 Share Posted March 25, 2010 It's called, "economies of scale". The smaller the population/purchasers, the lesser the discount. kev I would of thought a country the size of Australia in population /customers would be able to hold its own in terms of the size of the uk as a comparison... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest chris955 Posted March 25, 2010 Share Posted March 25, 2010 Yes I agreed, like I said we didn't go through a recession but how has it benefited the average family ? Not at all really. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest funkymonkey Posted March 25, 2010 Share Posted March 25, 2010 Well I am hoping the grass is greener the other side for me....I am aware of all the faults of the UK and after being away 5 years realise lots has changed. However in saying all that things in the last 5 years have changed for me too....2 children infact and them growing up with family around them means so much more to me and my husband now. Good luck Rayman....nice time of year to go back aswell. :biggrin: This is the same as us. We have been here just over 5 years and our house is going on the market in the next couple of weeks so we can return to the UK. My husband, who is Australian does not really want to go. He asks me every morning if i have changed my mind!! His main reason is because of his job, he really likes it and it pays well etc. I have been the one pushing the move, which is hard work on your own and is a huge responsibility. We have had three children since we got here and i know that we will not be able to afford flights home for holidays in the future once we start paying for three sets of school fees! I have missed home for the whole time i have lived here but i am in absolute turmoil in trying to remain positive with our return home. The thought of starting again..finding a decent rental, jobs, schools etc nearly scares me enough to not go. If it fails i know my husband will blame me and of course i will blame myself too, for being selfish and wanting to go home. We will have nowhere to stay when we go back so we will have to stay in a travel lodge or something until we can find a rental and that on its own makes me feel so guilty. We have a nice house here with a lovely garden for the children. Sometimes it feels all too much and i feel like giving in, admitting defeat and just staying here and putting up with living here. Even though i have never settled here and ended up pretty depressed last year because of the constant living in limbo state we are in. My family would love us to come home but they have no room to put us up (found this pretty disappointing when i asked i have to say) and they have all moved on with their lives so i worry that there won't be a place for us there either. Gosh, what a mess, i wish i could wave a magic wand and transport us back to the UK with a happy husband, good job, nice house etc Mind you for all his grumpiness about going, he has got a skype interview with a company tonight without really trying very hard and i have been offered a job with my old company should i want to work, (have young baby so bit hard at the mo)! Anyway, sorry for whining on, i don't have anyone to talk to about it and it just goes around and around my head all day long. Think we have to stick to the plan and go home and take the chance that it will all work out ok!! Thanks for listening.:unsure: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quoll Posted March 25, 2010 Share Posted March 25, 2010 And good luck with it FM! I sincerely hope it all works out for you - I am sure it will because you are at least off first base with job prospects. It definitely looks as if this is the time for you to move - the longer you leave it the harder it is to escape. Your husband is a keeper if he is prepared to move to UK for you, many Aussie blokes wouldnt do that! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quoll Posted March 25, 2010 Share Posted March 25, 2010 While that obviously makes sense why has it been a fairly recent thing ? 10 years ago everything was cheap but not anymore. I am not sure that everything was cheap 10 years ago - Australia has always been expensive for those living here long term. It certainly appeared cheap for new migrants from UK because their pound stretched a long way. We have always paid through the nose for pretty much everything when you compare it with relative incomes. I just got back from UK on Sunday and walked around Canberra looking for lunch yesterday - I could not believe how expensive the cafes all were and yet just over a month ago I would have been quite content to fork out that much for a focaccia or whatever took my fancy. A month of good eating at half the cost (and not just the $/L difference, literally half the cost!) has made me acutely aware of just how much we are ripped off. I guess I notice it every time I go home but this time the difference was really marked. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest funkymonkey Posted March 25, 2010 Share Posted March 25, 2010 And good luck with it FM! I sincerely hope it all works out for you - I am sure it will because you are at least off first base with job prospects. It definitely looks as if this is the time for you to move - the longer you leave it the harder it is to escape. Your husband is a keeper if he is prepared to move to UK for you, many Aussie blokes wouldnt do that! I know, thanks Quoll. Its so true that the longer you stay the harder it is to escape. Everyone runs the UK down and i know it has its problems and i believe we could have a good life in either place but i just always feel so empty and lonely here. He has his family, his mates from Uni, mates from work. His social calender is great and he loves his job. The highlight of my social calender is playgroup once a week! I haven't been out on my own without children for over four years (except to get hair cut and doctors appts) and i know it isn't healthy. The job interview for him is good but of course he doesn't rate the company and he "just knows" the pay will be poor compared to what he gets here!! The exchange rate is good at the moment too so i hope now is the right time. Thanks again Quoll Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest valleylass Posted March 25, 2010 Share Posted March 25, 2010 Anyway, sorry for whining on, i don't have anyone to talk to about it and it just goes around and around my head all day long. Hi funkymonkey Don't look at it as whining just see it as bouncing ideas off a virtual audience! Good luck with the move and Quoll is right, if you've got jobs that's half the battle. Best wishes valleylass Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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