$80000 a year needed
Jan 19th 2005, 1:11 am
#196
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: May 2004
Location: Birkdale QLD
Posts: 7,642
Re: $80000 a year needed
Originally Posted by ABCDiamond
The Tesco one may be similar to the 75c loaf we can get here. OK for toast though 
You can get bread here for 75c, 95c, $1.15, but then $2.48 gets you the Wonder Gold or Noble Rise.
You can get bread here for 75c, 95c, $1.15, but then $2.48 gets you the Wonder Gold or Noble Rise.
The bread in UK supermarkets is sold at a loss, its a loss leader to get you in there and buy the other stuff. As far as I know, they don't do that here. So comparing the price of a UK Tesco brand loaf to a loaf here is pointless.
And anyway, as the previous poster said, its much more fun to bake your own, I've just stuck a loaf in the breadmaker now
Cheers,
JTL
Jan 19th 2005, 1:29 am
#197
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: May 2004
Location: Birkdale QLD
Posts: 7,642
Re: $80000 a year needed
Originally Posted by glittababe
Sorry not a typo! Family of 5 (2 adults, 3 boys), cost of basic groceries per week at Woolworths $310, however the fruit and veg never kept more than 2 days and weren't 'A' grade (spoke to neighbour about this, apparently the 'A' grade stuff gets shipped out), so we went to fruit and veg farm shops daily, plus we brought other stuff daily (milk, meats etc) which brought our shop bill over $400. Again we're very health orientated and prefer organic, plus I'm lactose intolerant, so certyain foods are more expensive. However, I would still have only taken home $600 a week, with food costs, rent etc etc I couldn't afford to live! You don't take your family 11,000 miles to be worst off. At the end of the day you live to your means. Now back in the UK we're enjoying the prices of Asda, free schooling, free dental treatment etc etc Please don't state how they're not free cos we pay for them with our taxes, cos we also pay 40% tax in oz and STILL have to pay for dental and health costs!
Well our weekly shopping usually comes to about $100, and thats buying all the best quality stuff, free range, organic, best cuts from the best butcher, fruit and veg from the best local fruit barn etc. With my parents staying here, its gone up to $200. I am at a loss how it is physically possible to spend $310 in Woolworths. Are the trolleys big enough???
Whats your grocery bill now in the UK? Are you still buying the same quality stuff? When we were in the UK our grocery bill per week was about 70 pounds, again, all best quality stuff.
I really can't imagine where you got the $470 from, we couldn't spend that on 4 adults and one dog in a week even if we really tried.
Cheers,
JTL
Oh I meant to say, our $100 weekly groceries include 2Kg bag of Laucke flour for bread (makes 6 loaves), and 1 Coopers homebrew kit (with dextrose) for beer. So thats the basics covered!
Jan 19th 2005, 5:49 am
#198
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Jun 2003
Location: Sydney beachside
Posts: 3,505
Re: $80000 a year needed
Originally Posted by JackTheLad
Well our weekly shopping usually comes to about $100, and thats buying all the best quality stuff, free range, organic, best cuts from the best butcher, fruit and veg from the best local fruit barn etc. With my parents staying here, its gone up to $200. I am at a loss how it is physically possible to spend $310 in Woolworths. Are the trolleys big enough???
Whats your grocery bill now in the UK? Are you still buying the same quality stuff? When we were in the UK our grocery bill per week was about 70 pounds, again, all best quality stuff.
Cheers,
JTL
Whats your grocery bill now in the UK? Are you still buying the same quality stuff? When we were in the UK our grocery bill per week was about 70 pounds, again, all best quality stuff.
Cheers,
JTL
Originally Posted by Glittababe
We are a family of five, our weekly shop bill in Tesco/Asda in the UK was £40-80, we were shocked when we were shopping at Woolworths (oz) and were getting weekly shop bills of over $470!
Jan 19th 2005, 6:05 am
#199
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: May 2004
Location: Birkdale QLD
Posts: 7,642
Re: $80000 a year needed
Originally Posted by nickyc
No, no JTL, Glittababe would like you believe that she can buy the same goods in the UK for 40-80 pounds....
Well thats just ridiculous
As I said, we are pretty nice to ourselves food wise whereever we are, so our shopping hasn't changed since moving. So for 2 adults living on very good food, the grocery bill is $100 a week, it was 70 pounds in UK. For 4 adults (as my parents are staying with us at the moment) our average bill is $200. Its not simply doubling as it sounds, my Mum and Dad are more into pre-packaged foods, and ready made meals, tins of things, whereas we go for the basics, fresh fruit, veg, meat, rice pasta etc.
It goes to show that eating healthily actually works out about the same as eating the pre-processed stuff.
I think Gllitababes quote of $470 is absurd, daft, unbelievable
. Unless she can quote figures for what she was paying that amount of money for per week, I can only assume its a case of a returnee to the UK trying to console herself with fictions about the expense here. Maybe her highest bill EVER was $470, when she was stocking up the freezer or something, or maybe her first shopping when she first arrived, when all the basics had to be bought. I can't think of any other realistic explanation.Cheers,
JTL
Jan 19th 2005, 6:33 am
#200
Cheesy Member
Joined: Jul 2003
Location: Brisbane
Posts: 1,033
Re: $80000 a year needed
Originally Posted by JackTheLad
...include 2Kg bag of Laucke flour for bread (makes 6 loaves), and 1 Coopers homebrew kit (with dextrose) for beer. So thats the basics covered!
Cheers,
DagBoy
Jan 19th 2005, 7:10 am
#201
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 10,375
Re: $80000 a year needed
Originally Posted by JackTheLad
Well thats just ridiculous
As I said, we are pretty nice to ourselves food wise whereever we are, so our shopping hasn't changed since moving. So for 2 adults living on very good food, the grocery bill is $100 a week, it was 70 pounds in UK. For 4 adults (as my parents are staying with us at the moment) our average bill is $200. Its not simply doubling as it sounds, my Mum and Dad are more into pre-packaged foods, and ready made meals, tins of things, whereas we go for the basics, fresh fruit, veg, meat, rice pasta etc.
It goes to show that eating healthily actually works out about the same as eating the pre-processed stuff.
I think Gllitababes quote of $470 is absurd, daft, unbelievable . Unless she can quote figures for what she was paying that amount of money for per week, I can only assume its a case of a returnee to the UK trying to console herself with fictions about the expense here. Maybe her highest bill EVER was $470, when she was stocking up the freezer or something, or maybe her first shopping when she first arrived, when all the basics had to be bought. I can't think of any other realistic explanation.
Cheers,
JTL
As I said, we are pretty nice to ourselves food wise whereever we are, so our shopping hasn't changed since moving. So for 2 adults living on very good food, the grocery bill is $100 a week, it was 70 pounds in UK. For 4 adults (as my parents are staying with us at the moment) our average bill is $200. Its not simply doubling as it sounds, my Mum and Dad are more into pre-packaged foods, and ready made meals, tins of things, whereas we go for the basics, fresh fruit, veg, meat, rice pasta etc.
It goes to show that eating healthily actually works out about the same as eating the pre-processed stuff.
I think Gllitababes quote of $470 is absurd, daft, unbelievable
. Unless she can quote figures for what she was paying that amount of money for per week, I can only assume its a case of a returnee to the UK trying to console herself with fictions about the expense here. Maybe her highest bill EVER was $470, when she was stocking up the freezer or something, or maybe her first shopping when she first arrived, when all the basics had to be bought. I can't think of any other realistic explanation.Cheers,
JTL
Everyone eats different food, people just need to check for themselves we all know how to access Tesco or whatever websites, the names here are coles and woolworth which becomes safeway in victoria, bi-low is another one but is owned by coles-myer anyway. It might take a few minutes but most can get a very accurate idea of one of their major expenses (well it is if you have children).
Jan 19th 2005, 7:41 am
#202
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Jun 2003
Location: Sydney beachside
Posts: 3,505
Re: $80000 a year needed
Originally Posted by JackTheLad
Well thats just ridiculous
As I said, we are pretty nice to ourselves food wise whereever we are, so our shopping hasn't changed since moving. So for 2 adults living on very good food, the grocery bill is $100 a week, it was 70 pounds in UK. For 4 adults (as my parents are staying with us at the moment) our average bill is $200. Its not simply doubling as it sounds, my Mum and Dad are more into pre-packaged foods, and ready made meals, tins of things, whereas we go for the basics, fresh fruit, veg, meat, rice pasta etc.
It goes to show that eating healthily actually works out about the same as eating the pre-processed stuff.
I think Gllitababes quote of $470 is absurd, daft, unbelievable . Unless she can quote figures for what she was paying that amount of money for per week, I can only assume its a case of a returnee to the UK trying to console herself with fictions about the expense here. Maybe her highest bill EVER was $470, when she was stocking up the freezer or something, or maybe her first shopping when she first arrived, when all the basics had to be bought. I can't think of any other realistic explanation.
Cheers,
JTL
As I said, we are pretty nice to ourselves food wise whereever we are, so our shopping hasn't changed since moving. So for 2 adults living on very good food, the grocery bill is $100 a week, it was 70 pounds in UK. For 4 adults (as my parents are staying with us at the moment) our average bill is $200. Its not simply doubling as it sounds, my Mum and Dad are more into pre-packaged foods, and ready made meals, tins of things, whereas we go for the basics, fresh fruit, veg, meat, rice pasta etc.
It goes to show that eating healthily actually works out about the same as eating the pre-processed stuff.
I think Gllitababes quote of $470 is absurd, daft, unbelievable
. Unless she can quote figures for what she was paying that amount of money for per week, I can only assume its a case of a returnee to the UK trying to console herself with fictions about the expense here. Maybe her highest bill EVER was $470, when she was stocking up the freezer or something, or maybe her first shopping when she first arrived, when all the basics had to be bought. I can't think of any other realistic explanation.Cheers,
JTL
We are a family of four adults (including 2 6ft tall sons who are basically eating machines) and I never buy any convenience foods at all. I make every meal from scratch so most cash goes on meat/fish/fruit/vegetables. I also buy top quality ingredients - free-range eggs and chickens, best cuts of meat etc - and spend on average about $150-$170 a week. This includes two rounds of sandwiches that they each take every day for lunch.
I did spend over $300 in the supermarket once - it was just before visitors from the UK were due and I bought a heap of extra stuff - but you were right - it was too much to fit into one trolley.
Jan 19th 2005, 8:07 am
#203
Keeping it fairly real
Joined: Jun 2004
Location: In the sun
Posts: 32,863
Re: $80000 a year needed
Originally Posted by nickyc
Couldn't agree more...
We are a family of four adults (including 2 6ft tall sons who are basically eating machines) and I never buy any convenience foods at all. I make every meal from scratch so most cash goes on meat/fish/fruit/vegetables. I also buy top quality ingredients - free-range eggs and chickens, best cuts of meat etc - and spend on average about $150-$170 a week. This includes two rounds of sandwiches that they each take every day for lunch.
I did spend over $300 in the supermarket once - it was just before visitors from the UK were due and I bought a heap of extra stuff - but you were right - it was too much to fit into one trolley.
We are a family of four adults (including 2 6ft tall sons who are basically eating machines) and I never buy any convenience foods at all. I make every meal from scratch so most cash goes on meat/fish/fruit/vegetables. I also buy top quality ingredients - free-range eggs and chickens, best cuts of meat etc - and spend on average about $150-$170 a week. This includes two rounds of sandwiches that they each take every day for lunch.
I did spend over $300 in the supermarket once - it was just before visitors from the UK were due and I bought a heap of extra stuff - but you were right - it was too much to fit into one trolley.
Wine is cheap thou
Jan 19th 2005, 8:09 am
#204
Just Joined
Joined: Nov 2004
Location: Albury,NSW
Posts: 22
Re: $80000 a year needed
Originally Posted by heading_downunder
Okay, let me get this straight.......
What folks appear to be saying is that the general cost of living in Oz is by and large on a par with that in the UK, right?
BUT - the wages paid are rather less.
eg. the total cost of a basket of groceries, a phone bill, an electric bill, petrol for the car and a meal out would cost, say £250 in the UK and £250 in Oz (the equivalent in Aussie $$)
whereas the wages paid for an occupational therapist would be £24,000 in the UK but maybe only £19,000 (or the equivalent amount in $AUD) in Oz.
Or am I reading this wrong?
What folks appear to be saying is that the general cost of living in Oz is by and large on a par with that in the UK, right?
BUT - the wages paid are rather less.
eg. the total cost of a basket of groceries, a phone bill, an electric bill, petrol for the car and a meal out would cost, say £250 in the UK and £250 in Oz (the equivalent in Aussie $$)
whereas the wages paid for an occupational therapist would be £24,000 in the UK but maybe only £19,000 (or the equivalent amount in $AUD) in Oz.
Or am I reading this wrong?
The most expensive phone bill we have had is $210/£85 for the month. This includes Broadband.
We pay $42/ £17 a month, by direct debit for both gas & electric and the gas is always in credit.
We did not come to Oz with a huge amount of money and have a 4 bed house with pool, in a very nice rural area. One that we could not possibly afford in UK. House was $340000/£136000 and we have a mortgage.
I am an engineer and wages in this sector are around same as UK. My wife had a good job in UK with BT and was better paid than myself, but now works in a Hotel as a cleaner. We survive quite comfortably on around £22000 per annum combined income, less than we had in UK.
Our combined income now is around $60000/£24000
We find prices here much cheaper. The only thing we find slightly more expensive is beer. But you can get good wine for as little as $2.50/£1.00 a litre.
Jan 19th 2005, 8:17 am
#205
A Bored of waiting member
Joined: May 2003
Location: Take Off 4th Feb .....
Posts: 535
Re: $80000 a year needed
Personally think we are going to have to agree to disagree on this one.
Obviously some peoples lives back in the UK have been seriously different from mine (Thought i was normal) and what they consider to spend on shopping is alot different to what we spend on shopping, im not going to start doing comparisons because i think that is what is confusing alot of people.
Obviously people spend alot of money on things and think its the norm whereas some of us just about to land are used to not spending as much and then over there will probably/hopefully not spend as much !
so i think maybe the food/drink side of things can't be gauged properly as after all we are all different and will buy different things, and if some have a budget then they will have to stick to it.
The problem with the elec bills is that some have kids that im sure will sit in and watch TV play on Puters and Xbox's whereas some of us don't and will be out down the beach as much as possible.
Rent - well yet again that depends on the people, if you have 5 KIds you are going to need a BIG place but if its just the 2 of you, you only really need 2 rooms (not likely with the size of the houses over there but ...) but it does help in deciding how cheap u have to be.
i think by reading between the lines of ALL the posts the advice everyone would give is to do your research and atleast come with a budget for the first 6 months but that everyone who is about to land is just going to have find out for themselves.
There thats better no more confrontational feelings
Obviously some peoples lives back in the UK have been seriously different from mine (Thought i was normal) and what they consider to spend on shopping is alot different to what we spend on shopping, im not going to start doing comparisons because i think that is what is confusing alot of people.
Obviously people spend alot of money on things and think its the norm whereas some of us just about to land are used to not spending as much and then over there will probably/hopefully not spend as much !
so i think maybe the food/drink side of things can't be gauged properly as after all we are all different and will buy different things, and if some have a budget then they will have to stick to it.
The problem with the elec bills is that some have kids that im sure will sit in and watch TV play on Puters and Xbox's whereas some of us don't and will be out down the beach as much as possible.
Rent - well yet again that depends on the people, if you have 5 KIds you are going to need a BIG place but if its just the 2 of you, you only really need 2 rooms (not likely with the size of the houses over there but ...) but it does help in deciding how cheap u have to be.
i think by reading between the lines of ALL the posts the advice everyone would give is to do your research and atleast come with a budget for the first 6 months but that everyone who is about to land is just going to have find out for themselves.
There thats better no more confrontational feelings
Jan 19th 2005, 8:17 am
#206
Prisoner of Her Majesty
Joined: Jan 2005
Location: Chapel Hill, Brisbane
Posts: 838
Re: $80000 a year needed
Originally Posted by glittababe
Very true quality of care is everything and sometimes you have to pay for it. However, i live in Suffolk and have a fab NHS dentist and GP (its like a lottery tho). It means that the children all get great dentistry (well until they're 18 anyway), plus all of my kids will need some cosmetic dentistry which will cost a fortune in oz! I think most people using this forum are realistic regarding the costs involved. Our friends had already spent 7mths living and working in oz before finally making the move in Nov. 'just in case' it all went pearshaped they made provisions for returning to the UK and are very glad they did. I've said to my hubby tho, at the moment we're enjoying being back in the UK cos of the cooler weather, snow and generally being part of our little village life again - however 6 mths down the line will I be begging DIMIA to let me back in????? We've weighed everything up, we know how expensive it is in oz and all the probs the country has, all in all we're pretty realistic. threads like this are fab tho as they remind me of the little things like the price of bread ($2.17 :scared: - shocking), smugly its 15p in Tescos (be it the value one). Its certainly a reality check for most peeps! If you're in debt in the UK, would it be any different in oz (in the long run)????
I can't understand some people's logic? It seems that people regard the UK as being one of the cheapest places on earth! $2.17 equates to about 88p. Most 'decent' loaves of bread are well over £1 so where's the problem?
Organic food - it's expensive everywhere in the UK and in Oz. Surely where it counts (the big investments - cars, houses, etc) Oz is far cheaper. You can pick up a Ford Focus brand new for £7,700. So even taking the slightly lower wages into consideration it isn't that bad! We all know housing is cheaper in Oz (yes its going up but you still get more for your money).
Nuff said
Jan 19th 2005, 8:20 am
#207
Forum Regular
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 68
Re: $80000 a year needed
Look, knocking one person for their weekly shopping costs by claiming you shop for half that amount is pointless. The weekly shop encompasses more than food for breakfast and evening meals - cleaning products, packed lunches for kids, pet food, special dietary requirements, feeding athletes who eat 5 meals a day, etc. Those who spend only '$100 a week' on groceries, how many times do you eat away from the house in a week? Do you take lunches to work or buy from the deli? Do you eat out in the evenings? Weekends? All money spent eating elsewhere is of course going to make your weekly supermarket bill cheaper.
Wouldn't it just be more meaningful if we all agreed a basket of shopping, including brand names or quality level, and then quoted how much we all pay from our respective supermarkets for these items?
Wouldn't it just be more meaningful if we all agreed a basket of shopping, including brand names or quality level, and then quoted how much we all pay from our respective supermarkets for these items?
Jan 19th 2005, 8:23 am
#208
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: May 2004
Location: Birkdale QLD
Posts: 7,642
Re: $80000 a year needed
Originally Posted by jad n rich
$470 does sounds high, but your calculations sound a bit out too, 70 pounds is about $170 dollars so are you saying food is almost half the price of the UK here? I dont think many would agree with that one.
Everyone eats different food, people just need to check for themselves we all know how to access Tesco or whatever websites, the names here are coles and woolworth which becomes safeway in victoria, bi-low is another one but is owned by coles-myer anyway. It might take a few minutes but most can get a very accurate idea of one of their major expenses (well it is if you have children).
Everyone eats different food, people just need to check for themselves we all know how to access Tesco or whatever websites, the names here are coles and woolworth which becomes safeway in victoria, bi-low is another one but is owned by coles-myer anyway. It might take a few minutes but most can get a very accurate idea of one of their major expenses (well it is if you have children).
I'm just stating the the costs on the receipts we have. As you say, just look at the websites and figure out the costs. I think you'll find ours are as we said.
As a fun game though, try to get a grocery bill to be $470, now thats tough!
try it at Coles! Can't be done, without buying a TV or something
Cheers,
JTL
Jan 19th 2005, 8:23 am
#209
A Bored of waiting member
Joined: May 2003
Location: Take Off 4th Feb .....
Posts: 535
Re: $80000 a year needed
Originally Posted by samnrob2
This thread is starting to bug me!
I can't understand some people's logic? It seems that people regard the UK as being one of the cheapest places on earth! $2.17 equates to about 88p. Most 'decent' loaves of bread are well over £1 so where's the problem?
Organic food - it's expensive everywhere in the UK and in Oz. Surely where it counts (the big investments - cars, houses, etc) Oz is far cheaper. You can pick up a Ford Focus brand new for £7,700. So even taking the slightly lower wages into consideration it isn't that bad! We all know housing is cheaper in Oz (yes its going up but you still get more for your money).
Nuff said
I can't understand some people's logic? It seems that people regard the UK as being one of the cheapest places on earth! $2.17 equates to about 88p. Most 'decent' loaves of bread are well over £1 so where's the problem?
Organic food - it's expensive everywhere in the UK and in Oz. Surely where it counts (the big investments - cars, houses, etc) Oz is far cheaper. You can pick up a Ford Focus brand new for £7,700. So even taking the slightly lower wages into consideration it isn't that bad! We all know housing is cheaper in Oz (yes its going up but you still get more for your money).
Nuff said
sending you karma rob, read my post i too have had enough
oooooops dropped my rose tinted glasses !
Jan 19th 2005, 8:25 am
#210
Keeping it fairly real
Joined: Jun 2004
Location: In the sun
Posts: 32,863
Re: $80000 a year needed
Originally Posted by samnrob2
This thread is starting to bug me!
I can't understand some people's logic? It seems that people regard the UK as being one of the cheapest places on earth! $2.17 equates to about 88p. Most 'decent' loaves of bread are well over £1 so where's the problem?
Organic food - it's expensive everywhere in the UK and in Oz. Surely where it counts (the big investments - cars, houses, etc) Oz is far cheaper. You can pick up a Ford Focus brand new for £7,700. So even taking the slightly lower wages into consideration it isn't that bad! We all know housing is cheaper in Oz (yes its going up but you still get more for your money).
Nuff said
I can't understand some people's logic? It seems that people regard the UK as being one of the cheapest places on earth! $2.17 equates to about 88p. Most 'decent' loaves of bread are well over £1 so where's the problem?
Organic food - it's expensive everywhere in the UK and in Oz. Surely where it counts (the big investments - cars, houses, etc) Oz is far cheaper. You can pick up a Ford Focus brand new for £7,700. So even taking the slightly lower wages into consideration it isn't that bad! We all know housing is cheaper in Oz (yes its going up but you still get more for your money).
Nuff said
Yes Ford Focus you can pick up for $20k but then add your stamp duty and rego, about $1400 combined. How much is a bog standard Focus in the UK out of curiosity?
White goods and groceries are about the same as the uk....... I know I live here
Petrol is half the price of the uk but you do more miles out here bcause the place is so big
