affording to live !!
Sep 4th 2005 | 5:08 pm
#61
DAMN.........I'M GOOD
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 718
From: Barnsley, South Yorkshire for now
Re: affording to live !!
Best reply yet on this post NKSK !..... Defo my/our sentiments exactly
BRICKY ADE
BRICKY ADE
Sep 4th 2005 | 5:10 pm
#62
DAMN.........I'M GOOD
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 718
From: Barnsley, South Yorkshire for now
Re: affording to live !!
Best reply yet on this post NKSK ! Defo my/our feelings exactly
BRICKY ADE
BRICKY ADE
Sep 5th 2005 | 2:05 am
#63
Forum Regular
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 39
From: Safety Bay
Re: affording to live !!
Hi Lindsey, my husband and I are also both Nurses. We have visited Bunbury but couldn't tell you much about the place. Paul works at Fremantle and I work part-time at Rockingham and Kwinana Hospital. We have 4 kids and life here is fab. We are able to send them to lots of clubs and take them out for dinner much much more often. It isn't utopia here and some days we moan a bit (whinging poms!!) but we wouldn't want to go back to the uk now. Some things are cheap - housing must be the big one - but also some things are more expensive. If you take each day as it comes and enjoy the adventure you will have a great time too.
Angie
Angie
Sep 5th 2005 | 5:48 am
#64
Thread Starter
Forum Regular
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 96
Re: affording to live !!
where abts r u living ...
Originally Posted by NKSK
My advice would be – don’t worry.
If you keep comparing then you will have a dreadful time. Somebody said earlier that if Aussies can do it – so can you – but not if you keep comparing life to the UK.
We’ve been here for two months. My salary is $64000 – single income family of four.
We didn’t have much cash in the UK so it’s no big difference. It is unlikely that we will be dual income for a few years as we have a young child and we’ve chosen to have one us stay at home.
Take home – about $920 per week. Nearly half that goes on rent – and we haven’t yet registered for tax credit, rent assistance etc. Do we manage? Yes. Do we have a great time? Yes. Is it a great country? Yes. Was the move a good one? Yes. Any regrets? No. Will we stay forever? Don’t know. Will we return to the UK? No.
Here’s what makes it great for families – the zoo - $100 (45 GBP) for one year’s family membership – unlimited visits! The parks – free. The beaches – free.
The weather – fabulous. Eating out for a family of four cost us $28 the other day – great Japanese food (OK we only have two little kids who don’t eat much but it’s still not bad!). And those people who say that you soon get tired of the beach and the parks – yes probably, but a 4 year old doesn’t!!
I had huge fears about our move – not helped by some people on this forum. It is a great place but please – don’t make comparisons with the UK – most people who are unhappy or who return seem to fall into this trap. Just enjoy what the country has to offer and don't sit at home in the evenings getting your UK and Australia calculators out. If you don’t have lots of cash you won’t die! You’ll just have to eat rice instead of caviar!
I actually really like England - but it just isn't for me and my family. I don't have any time for the "too many asylum seekers/Blair's let the country go the dogs" brigade. My problems with England are basically due to the dreadful climate and the lack of affordable activities for kids to keep them away from the TV. I've noticed a huge difference in my kids since arrival. They rarely ask to put the tv on (because it's so crap!!) and they just seem so much more energised. (And it isn't even summer yet!)
If you keep comparing then you will have a dreadful time. Somebody said earlier that if Aussies can do it – so can you – but not if you keep comparing life to the UK.
We’ve been here for two months. My salary is $64000 – single income family of four.
We didn’t have much cash in the UK so it’s no big difference. It is unlikely that we will be dual income for a few years as we have a young child and we’ve chosen to have one us stay at home.
Take home – about $920 per week. Nearly half that goes on rent – and we haven’t yet registered for tax credit, rent assistance etc. Do we manage? Yes. Do we have a great time? Yes. Is it a great country? Yes. Was the move a good one? Yes. Any regrets? No. Will we stay forever? Don’t know. Will we return to the UK? No.
Here’s what makes it great for families – the zoo - $100 (45 GBP) for one year’s family membership – unlimited visits! The parks – free. The beaches – free.
The weather – fabulous. Eating out for a family of four cost us $28 the other day – great Japanese food (OK we only have two little kids who don’t eat much but it’s still not bad!). And those people who say that you soon get tired of the beach and the parks – yes probably, but a 4 year old doesn’t!!
I had huge fears about our move – not helped by some people on this forum. It is a great place but please – don’t make comparisons with the UK – most people who are unhappy or who return seem to fall into this trap. Just enjoy what the country has to offer and don't sit at home in the evenings getting your UK and Australia calculators out. If you don’t have lots of cash you won’t die! You’ll just have to eat rice instead of caviar!
I actually really like England - but it just isn't for me and my family. I don't have any time for the "too many asylum seekers/Blair's let the country go the dogs" brigade. My problems with England are basically due to the dreadful climate and the lack of affordable activities for kids to keep them away from the TV. I've noticed a huge difference in my kids since arrival. They rarely ask to put the tv on (because it's so crap!!) and they just seem so much more energised. (And it isn't even summer yet!)
Sep 5th 2005 | 7:08 pm
#65
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 315
Re: affording to live !!
Originally Posted by sara-anthony3108
where abts r u living ...
Perth
Sep 5th 2005 | 8:53 pm
#66
Thread Starter
Forum Regular
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 96
Re: affording to live !!
we are looking at both Perth well Bunbury/Mandurah or Sunshine coast ..
both seems to have there good point and bad points .. spoke to a builder on sunshine coast earlier today and he said work is a little down at the mo .. yet people in Perth recon they are crying out for bricklayers .. houses and land seem cheaper in Perth .. we have friends on sunshine coast so would be easier to settlle I think ... why did u pick Perth .. and what job do u do ..
all the waiting for the visa makes u think more about what ifs .. would be better to just get there without having to think !!
both seems to have there good point and bad points .. spoke to a builder on sunshine coast earlier today and he said work is a little down at the mo .. yet people in Perth recon they are crying out for bricklayers .. houses and land seem cheaper in Perth .. we have friends on sunshine coast so would be easier to settlle I think ... why did u pick Perth .. and what job do u do ..
all the waiting for the visa makes u think more about what ifs .. would be better to just get there without having to think !!
Originally Posted by NKSK
Perth
Sep 6th 2005 | 11:47 am
#67
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 315
Re: affording to live !!
Originally Posted by sara-anthony3108
we are looking at both Perth well Bunbury/Mandurah or Sunshine coast ..
both seems to have there good point and bad points .. spoke to a builder on sunshine coast earlier today and he said work is a little down at the mo .. yet people in Perth recon they are crying out for bricklayers .. houses and land seem cheaper in Perth .. we have friends on sunshine coast so would be easier to settlle I think ... why did u pick Perth .. and what job do u do ..
all the waiting for the visa makes u think more about what ifs .. would be better to just get there without having to think !!
both seems to have there good point and bad points .. spoke to a builder on sunshine coast earlier today and he said work is a little down at the mo .. yet people in Perth recon they are crying out for bricklayers .. houses and land seem cheaper in Perth .. we have friends on sunshine coast so would be easier to settlle I think ... why did u pick Perth .. and what job do u do ..
all the waiting for the visa makes u think more about what ifs .. would be better to just get there without having to think !!
I'm not a brickie. But I'm constantly hearing about skills' shortages here and the waiting list for houses to be built is apparently very long.
There's loads of other jobs going (have a look at www.seek.com.au) if he fancies a change. I should imagine that if he can't get work here he won't get it anywhere.
Sep 6th 2005 | 2:16 pm
#68
You sip .... I glug !!!
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 2,790
From: Over the hill!
Re: affording to live !!
Originally Posted by dshole
So no one taught you how to type or spell I take it?
At least I had the excuse of being a wee bit drunk for my typing & spelling - what excuse do you have for your rudeness ?
Sep 6th 2005 | 2:21 pm
#69
You sip .... I glug !!!
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 2,790
From: Over the hill!
Re: affording to live !!
Originally Posted by mathmagician
Well said!! I think it was probably typed by their pet.
At least I had the excuse of being a wee bit drunk for my typing & spelling - what excuse do you have for your rudeness ?
Sep 6th 2005 | 2:33 pm
#70
Forum Regular
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 216
Re: affording to live !!
Originally Posted by Vegemite Kids
Actually when I made that post I was living up to my signature line and had chocolate in one hand, a glass of red wine in the other and was just the teensiest bit smashed ! think my spelling and typing was quite good for the circumstances
At least I had the excuse of being a wee bit drunk for my typing & spelling - what excuse do you have for your rudeness ?
At least I had the excuse of being a wee bit drunk for my typing & spelling - what excuse do you have for your rudeness ?
Sep 6th 2005 | 3:06 pm
#71
You sip .... I glug !!!
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 2,790
From: Over the hill!
Re: affording to live !!
Originally Posted by sara-anthony3108
if I am being over optomistic then thats even worse than I thought how can u live on 750.00 per week - tax .. I have seen adverts that offer bricklayers 250 per day (Perth that is ) also our uncle who lives that area and is in the trade say they are paying $1.17 per brick .. now my maths say that works out alot more than 250.00 per day as hubby can lay easy 500.00 bricks per day .. over here anyway .. maybe slightly different over there .. if u know of any bricklayers than can give me more info pls let me know ..
Lots of Aussie bricklayers with Aussie experience, references and connections will be applying for these jobs, so as a newbie with no OZ experience or work history hubby might have a bit of a struggle initially to go straight to the front of the queue, and he will have periods when one job is finished and other is yet to start where he earns nothing for a few days. (Also the occasional period over the winter months where like this week it's blowing a hooley and pishing with rain and no outdoor work gets done)
Remember most brickies are contracted rather than salaried so you cant guarantee the paycheck and he can be 'laidoff' so to speak at anytime, so you have to budget for that also.
That's why I say the average is about $700-750
Regarding how you can live on $750 per week, lots of families already do, but also thats partly the reason that in many cases both partners work cos you cant afford the luxuries on that kind of salary.
Good luck and hopefully having an uncle here in the business will mean that hubby is consistently employed and gets the type of salary he hopes for.
Sep 6th 2005 | 3:09 pm
#72
You sip .... I glug !!!
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 2,790
From: Over the hill!
Re: affording to live !!
Originally Posted by dshole
I don't need an excuse; I’m just an opinionated arse hole.
) but remember admitting your problem is the first step to solving it
