moneypenny20

It's a term bandied about, a bit like rose tinted glasses that means little. Because someone thinks they will have a better life (for whatever reason) in Aus it becomes a dream and they are then knocked for it. Not sure it's a dream as such, more a hope that what they want, in whatever shape or form, exists in Aus.

Nothing wrong with having a 'dream' and attempting to make that 'dream' come true, why it's knocked so much is beyond me. We all have them, whether it's moving to another country or having a healthy child.

seayork2002

I agree there is nothing wrong with having a dream, but if I going to uproot my entire family, take kids out of school, leave well established jobs or whatever and move halfway across the world to a country I may have never visited or only visited on 'holidays' then I am going to make darn sure it is not because of a 'dream' and more of a well thought out plan.

moneypenny20

Well thought out plan or dream - it's the same thing in my book.

Si T

The well thought out plan is what makes the dream a reality in my book.

I am yet to see someone look at something they like and say "my what a lovely well thought out plan"

The problems occur when those with a dream don't have a well thought out plan to back it up.

shiels

You havent missed out, believe me!

lumpommer

Its a same I would love to live in Oz

But everything is so godamn expensive.

No wonder the majority of people think they are being ripped off.

eddie007

My australian dream is a little differentto my australian reality... but only because of choices we have made... like we choose to live within walking of the beaches and city centre for the kids, we both grew up/ spent our teens in isolated villages and KNOW what its like if you've just got your horses/dogs/ animals and no nearby friends.. It used to be a 13 mile cycle ride to see my best mate at school... one I mmade regularly...

When WE grow up we'll go country... but right now its pretty damned perfect

cresta57

Dream is quite correct IMO. Once upon a time you could sell your 3 bed terrace in Hull, Hell or Halifax & move to somewhere say for example Mooloolaba on the Sunshine Coast. You'd have a house with a pool close to the beach for the same as you sold your terrace property for. For many people that dream became a reality, now it's turned into a nightmare.

koalakim

I'd agree with that Cresta. Oz's cost of living has risen soooo much since we first came out to visit in 97. In those days our friends were earning next to nothing but still managed to rent an apartment on the Northern Beaches in Sydney.

We went shopping with them and we filled the trolley up and it cost $50, now that same trolley would cost you $300 +?

Even between our final recci in 06 to when we moved in 07 a two bed apartment rent had gone up $100 a week.

So we had a "dream" which everyone back in the UK thinks it's wonderful that we've fulfilled it (esp now we are citizens), we also had a "well thought out plan" but it all went pear shaped when it came to selling the UK place and buying here thanks to the exchange rate and the rise in house prices here. We "in the plan" were only going to have a tiny mortgage and now we have a bigger one than in the UK .

However, before anyone says we should have waited to buy... during the last dip in our area, it didn't mean that you could get a bargain, it just meant no one put their houses up for sale! So with a lack of property on the market, prices didn't move.

I think the thing to do is research and research before you come out, check job salaries, check rentals and house prices, ask on here about the cost of electric, gas, water, food and then at least you'll be prepared and see if you can afford it, because it doesn't matter how nice Oz is, it's not nice anywhere when you are struggling these days.

It also depends where you live, we're the same as Eddie in choosing to be near the beach because that's what we had in the UK so we have paid a price for that but these days I couldn't bear to be inland, well unless I had a nice big pool

Oh and BTW we had rice for dinner last night!


P.S. It's not just Oz, same thing is happening in Spain. A lot of people sold and were able to buy a lovely villa and live on their UK pensions but now with the exchange rate they are struggling.

deb68

Lol no, i only asked if lumphammer was from black country because of the name its a ale in the black country
We eat sheds full of black pudding and grey paeys

lumpommer

Deb Grey paes make you FART

deb68

Nice though, especially with vinegar and bread and butter, lol.

moneypenny20

WTH are grey paeys?

cresta57

Grey Pays un Baercon

DeadVim

I had cous cous last night, felt proper decadent so I did.