Am I Flippin' Barmy?????
Sep 24th 2003, 8:55 am
#16
Banned
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 3,467
wont every one of us on this forum be giving up "quite a lot" .Whether we have loads of dosh or just family we will all be giving up a huge unimaginable part of our familiar everyday comfortable lives
Sep 24th 2003, 8:58 am
#17
Just Joined
Thread Starter
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 6
Originally posted by jandjuk
Do you mean your wife doesn't want to go??
If so, I would think very carefully about and consult the whole family...
If everybody wants to go just do it... life is short. If you are not bothered about your career then you are risking little. Life is what you make it, and a million dollars in the pocket helps you make it even better. (Just make sure you keep enough aside should you want to return to the UK)
You sound like you already think you like the Aus lifestyle and culture, and if you think you will settle well then go for it.
Do you mean your wife doesn't want to go??
If so, I would think very carefully about and consult the whole family...
If everybody wants to go just do it... life is short. If you are not bothered about your career then you are risking little. Life is what you make it, and a million dollars in the pocket helps you make it even better. (Just make sure you keep enough aside should you want to return to the UK)
You sound like you already think you like the Aus lifestyle and culture, and if you think you will settle well then go for it.
I guess I was expecting most people on here to say "go for it" - after all, thats why most of you are on this forum. I certainly think we might regret it if we didn't at least try it. Its just that its a whopping great thing to try!!!
Sep 24th 2003, 9:14 am
#18
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 8,147
Originally posted by doeyedonteye
Sorry - didn't mean to imply that my wife doesn't want to go! She's going through the same questions and fears that I am. One day we want to, next day we are not so sure. One of my worries is that if we stay for a couple of years then my daughter would be coming up 15, which would be a bad time for her to return to the UK, taking into account her education (not to mention teenage stress!!!!)
I guess I was expecting most people on here to say "go for it" - after all, thats why most of you are on this forum. I certainly think we might regret it if we didn't at least try it. Its just that its a whopping great thing to try!!!
Sorry - didn't mean to imply that my wife doesn't want to go! She's going through the same questions and fears that I am. One day we want to, next day we are not so sure. One of my worries is that if we stay for a couple of years then my daughter would be coming up 15, which would be a bad time for her to return to the UK, taking into account her education (not to mention teenage stress!!!!)
I guess I was expecting most people on here to say "go for it" - after all, thats why most of you are on this forum. I certainly think we might regret it if we didn't at least try it. Its just that its a whopping great thing to try!!!
hi there doeyedonteye!!!
wow if I had that much in the bank I would be long gone!! returning to the uk when your daughter was 15 shouldnt put you off - I would imagine she would fit straight back into the education system without any probs. perhaps someone with kids that age would be able to advise you better though!
Go for it!
Sue
Sep 24th 2003, 9:18 am
#19
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Jun 2003
Location: Mandurah WA
Posts: 1,395
Originally posted by doeyedonteye
Sorry - didn't mean to imply that my wife doesn't want to go! She's going through the same questions and fears that I am. One day we want to, next day we are not so sure. One of my worries is that if we stay for a couple of years then my daughter would be coming up 15, which would be a bad time for her to return to the UK, taking into account her education (not to mention teenage stress!!!!)
I guess I was expecting most people on here to say "go for it" - after all, thats why most of you are on this forum. I certainly think we might regret it if we didn't at least try it. Its just that its a whopping great thing to try!!!
Sorry - didn't mean to imply that my wife doesn't want to go! She's going through the same questions and fears that I am. One day we want to, next day we are not so sure. One of my worries is that if we stay for a couple of years then my daughter would be coming up 15, which would be a bad time for her to return to the UK, taking into account her education (not to mention teenage stress!!!!)
I guess I was expecting most people on here to say "go for it" - after all, thats why most of you are on this forum. I certainly think we might regret it if we didn't at least try it. Its just that its a whopping great thing to try!!!
We all want to go and give it a try because we can and we don't want the if onlys and and the wish we hads as we get old and grey.
We all also go through the 'yes we wills', and the 'no we wont's', and the 'oh my god, we've done it now', and 'are we doing the right thing'. (I have lost count how many times I went through that lot).
We are off in October, and I can truly say that I am looking forward to it now like never before. If it doesn't work out, we will have to come back with our tails between our legs, but at least we will have tried it.
Good luck in your decision, and if you decide to go for it, this forum is brilliant when you are going through it all.
PS If I was going with the amount of money you were going with, I wouldn't be worried at all.
Whisky
Sep 24th 2003, 9:46 am
#20
Forum Regular
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 100
Re: Am I Flippin' Barmy?????
Originally posted by doeyedonteye
Dear All
I've been a silent onlooker on these pages for some time and have been suitably entertained and enlightened by the various topics/banter raised - so many thanks.
Having pondered emigration to Aus for some time, you have all left me totally confused!!!! So given my circumstances described below, am I completely mad to consider this major change?
About me ? I'm male, 39, in IT, married with two children aged 12 and 7. I have a good job paying £52k/year, but which I dislike with a passion! I don't work particularly long hours (35-40/week) plus 50min commute each way. I have a nice 4 bed modern house with garden overlooking fields in a cul-de-sac location in North Kent. I have no mortgage or other debts, so I guess life
is comfortable. I'm fairly sure I would qualify under skilled independent, and would end up going to Aus with around A$1,000,000.
My wife and I have no family or other ties to Aus, though we have visited on holiday and loved it. We also have no great family ties to the UK (parents deceased, not particularly close to brothers/sisters). We are comfortable with the 'slightly old fashioned/out of date' feel to Aus, so things like not having the latest car don't bother us. Being called a 'pom' or whatever wouldn't bother us either, our best friends feel comfortable
taking the p*ss out of us, just as we are comfortable taking the p*ss out of them!!!
Motives? Usual, I guess. Me and Mrs are happier when the sun shines (though we are not particularly beach people), I don't want to keep doing what I'm doing (work-wise) for another 20 years. We feel the UK is too crowded and not what it used to be. We are probably in a bit of a rut and feel like we need a fresh challenge. We want the kids to enjoy more of the outdoor life, rather than just a few months a year.
What would we do if we went to Aus? Well we have no desire for an 'executive' standard of living (whatever that means) and I probably wouldn't want to continue in IT. Maybe try to work part time. Maybe set up a business (no idea what), possibly buy some property to rent out. I guess with a million dollars we maybe could live off the interest on the capital, but I doubt this is a good long-term plan.
OK?..enough, enough. What do you think?..especially those in Aus already? Am I completely bonkers to risk my current lifestyle and take this risk? Or would I be completely bonkers not to take a chance to 'downshift' in a beautiful country? In my position, what would you do? All comments negative or positive are welcome.
I promise promise promise to do what the majority say (well, maybe!)
Dear All
I've been a silent onlooker on these pages for some time and have been suitably entertained and enlightened by the various topics/banter raised - so many thanks.
Having pondered emigration to Aus for some time, you have all left me totally confused!!!! So given my circumstances described below, am I completely mad to consider this major change?
About me ? I'm male, 39, in IT, married with two children aged 12 and 7. I have a good job paying £52k/year, but which I dislike with a passion! I don't work particularly long hours (35-40/week) plus 50min commute each way. I have a nice 4 bed modern house with garden overlooking fields in a cul-de-sac location in North Kent. I have no mortgage or other debts, so I guess life
is comfortable. I'm fairly sure I would qualify under skilled independent, and would end up going to Aus with around A$1,000,000.
My wife and I have no family or other ties to Aus, though we have visited on holiday and loved it. We also have no great family ties to the UK (parents deceased, not particularly close to brothers/sisters). We are comfortable with the 'slightly old fashioned/out of date' feel to Aus, so things like not having the latest car don't bother us. Being called a 'pom' or whatever wouldn't bother us either, our best friends feel comfortable
taking the p*ss out of us, just as we are comfortable taking the p*ss out of them!!!
Motives? Usual, I guess. Me and Mrs are happier when the sun shines (though we are not particularly beach people), I don't want to keep doing what I'm doing (work-wise) for another 20 years. We feel the UK is too crowded and not what it used to be. We are probably in a bit of a rut and feel like we need a fresh challenge. We want the kids to enjoy more of the outdoor life, rather than just a few months a year.
What would we do if we went to Aus? Well we have no desire for an 'executive' standard of living (whatever that means) and I probably wouldn't want to continue in IT. Maybe try to work part time. Maybe set up a business (no idea what), possibly buy some property to rent out. I guess with a million dollars we maybe could live off the interest on the capital, but I doubt this is a good long-term plan.
OK?..enough, enough. What do you think?..especially those in Aus already? Am I completely bonkers to risk my current lifestyle and take this risk? Or would I be completely bonkers not to take a chance to 'downshift' in a beautiful country? In my position, what would you do? All comments negative or positive are welcome.
I promise promise promise to do what the majority say (well, maybe!)
Sep 24th 2003, 10:05 am
#21
Brain Drained
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 1,882
Re: Am I Flippin' Barmy?????
Originally posted by doeyedonteye
All comments negative or positive are welcome.
I promise promise promise to do what the majority say (well, maybe!)
All comments negative or positive are welcome.
I promise promise promise to do what the majority say (well, maybe!)
If you want to move to another country then do it because you want to. Do it because you think it has something to offer you. Do it because you the lifestyle appeals to you.
If you can't make up your own mind then why don't you stay put until you can.
Sep 24th 2003, 10:07 am
#22
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 11,149
Originally posted by tiredwithtwins
hi there doeyedonteye!!!
wow if I had that much in the bank I would be long gone!! returning to the uk when your daughter was 15 shouldnt put you off - I would imagine she would fit straight back into the education system without any probs. perhaps someone with kids that age would be able to advise you better though!
Go for it!
Sue
hi there doeyedonteye!!!
wow if I had that much in the bank I would be long gone!! returning to the uk when your daughter was 15 shouldnt put you off - I would imagine she would fit straight back into the education system without any probs. perhaps someone with kids that age would be able to advise you better though!
Go for it!
Sue
I would certainly give it a go (that is what I have done) and your cautionary attitude will serve you well.
Sep 24th 2003, 11:39 am
#23
Gone Senile Member
Joined: Sep 2001
Location: Sydney
Posts: 3,014
You need to be sure about things, it isn't a jaunt - as you state you are weighing up the risk of losing income and status (house in the UK). What about a job move first - swop over if possible, leave house in UK, rent or whatever. I know you do not like the job but it at least would let you see if you like the country. If you have the money then spend a bit of it on checking out what you want to do. My husband was unhappy after 22 years in one job. We came here on temp 457 and took 16 months before we sold house in UK, at any point in that time we could have gone back, but decided not to for now!
PS - pick your city and area you want to live with caution, a million isn't that much in terms of property in some, eg Sydney and coastal areas of some burbs. Not being a pessimist but even without mortgage you need income and the bigger the house the higher the costs.
Cheers
PS - pick your city and area you want to live with caution, a million isn't that much in terms of property in some, eg Sydney and coastal areas of some burbs. Not being a pessimist but even without mortgage you need income and the bigger the house the higher the costs.
Cheers
Sep 24th 2003, 12:29 pm
#24
(It's not my real name)
Joined: Sep 2002
Location: Ilukapool. WA
Posts: 12,467
Originally posted by doeyedonteye
Sorry - didn't mean to imply that my wife doesn't want to go! She's going through the same questions and fears that I am. One day we want to, next day we are not so sure. One of my worries is that if we stay for a couple of years then my daughter would be coming up 15, which would be a bad time for her to return to the UK, taking into account her education (not to mention teenage stress!!!!)
I guess I was expecting most people on here to say "go for it" - after all, thats why most of you are on this forum. I certainly think we might regret it if we didn't at least try it. Its just that its a whopping great thing to try!!!
Sorry - didn't mean to imply that my wife doesn't want to go! She's going through the same questions and fears that I am. One day we want to, next day we are not so sure. One of my worries is that if we stay for a couple of years then my daughter would be coming up 15, which would be a bad time for her to return to the UK, taking into account her education (not to mention teenage stress!!!!)
I guess I was expecting most people on here to say "go for it" - after all, thats why most of you are on this forum. I certainly think we might regret it if we didn't at least try it. Its just that its a whopping great thing to try!!!
doeyedonteye, don't forget the application process can take up to 2 years what with RPLs Skills Assessments etc... so your 12 year old might be 14 when you go and 16 or even 17 after you've given it 2 years.
Before you stress yourself and your family out you ought to just double check whether you would get a Skilled Independent visa. At 39 you are on the brink of another 5 point drop for age. You'd have to max out with MODL and possibly bonus points for all that cash.
I'm not saying don't do it but deciding to migrate puts everyone concerned through a lot of stress for, well, 4 years at least.
It helps if you really love Australia and don't just want a big house by the sea somewhere where you don't have to learn Spanish.
Depending on where you go that million isn't necessarily going to set you up for life, you might find you still have to work your arse off here too.
Sep 24th 2003, 12:38 pm
#25
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 11,149
Renth is right,
With all that money boarding school is an option. Parents moving around the world use them to minimise disruption to education. The kids education is very important and their opinions must be taken into account.
With all that money boarding school is an option. Parents moving around the world use them to minimise disruption to education. The kids education is very important and their opinions must be taken into account.
Sep 24th 2003, 12:48 pm
#26
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Feb 2002
Location: Dream life UK....
Posts: 2,912
One million dollars, might have been some magical phrase in 1970, is it really that much to get excited about these days tho!!
Say a nice house costs you $500,000 here, easily done depending where you are heading. That leaves you a mere $500,000 invested at 4.75% bringing interest of $456 a week. Our food costs us almost half of that amount alone.
Give Oz a try, but I dont think your going to feel like youve won lotto or anything. Reality is once you buy a house you will probably need a job to cover the rest of your bills.
Say a nice house costs you $500,000 here, easily done depending where you are heading. That leaves you a mere $500,000 invested at 4.75% bringing interest of $456 a week. Our food costs us almost half of that amount alone.
Give Oz a try, but I dont think your going to feel like youve won lotto or anything. Reality is once you buy a house you will probably need a job to cover the rest of your bills.
Last edited by dotty; Sep 24th 2003 at 2:23 pm.
Sep 24th 2003, 12:58 pm
#27
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Jan 2003
Location: Perth, Jnr is back!
Posts: 1,286
No one can make your mind up for you, everyone feels should they shouldn't they, some folk are loaded some folk aren't. Whether you have a "comfortable" life in Uk or are struggling, everyone is making a step into the unknown and losing the security of familiarity.
Sometimes I think $$$ confuses the issue. Some of the happiest people I know here are skint!
Mind you if there is any going spare chuck it my way to buy some
veggie seeds.
Diane
Sometimes I think $$$ confuses the issue. Some of the happiest people I know here are skint!
Mind you if there is any going spare chuck it my way to buy some
veggie seeds.
Diane
Sep 24th 2003, 1:34 pm
#28
Forum Regular
Joined: Apr 2003
Location: Singapore
Posts: 216
Very tough options?
I have done this a couple of times, (moving countries), including going to and from Australia. It is very hard work and very unsettling with the giving up of a good career etc.
You do however have another option, if you can hang on until you are 55 years of age you could enter Oz under the Retirement Visa scheme.
Clearly you already have the necessary funds for this visa (I think it is a AUD $650,000 requirement right now).
Maybe by the time you are 55 you may even have 2 million bucks and could aford to keep your home in the UK and maintain one in Oz.......just spend your time between the two places.
What could be nicer, 6 months in the UK for the summer and 6 months in Oz for the winter........perfect!
Make sure you keep all your dosh off-shore and you won't pay much tax in either country either.........opps don't tell anyone about that one!
Not sure if you can hang on for another 16 years of course, but it is an option worth considering?
Good luck!
I have done this a couple of times, (moving countries), including going to and from Australia. It is very hard work and very unsettling with the giving up of a good career etc.
You do however have another option, if you can hang on until you are 55 years of age you could enter Oz under the Retirement Visa scheme.
Clearly you already have the necessary funds for this visa (I think it is a AUD $650,000 requirement right now).
Maybe by the time you are 55 you may even have 2 million bucks and could aford to keep your home in the UK and maintain one in Oz.......just spend your time between the two places.
What could be nicer, 6 months in the UK for the summer and 6 months in Oz for the winter........perfect!
Make sure you keep all your dosh off-shore and you won't pay much tax in either country either.........opps don't tell anyone about that one!
Not sure if you can hang on for another 16 years of course, but it is an option worth considering?
Good luck!
Sep 24th 2003, 1:56 pm
#29
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Sep 2003
Location: Maroubra
Posts: 753
a few things:
1. You make no mention of what your kids think about moving away from their friends. all I could see you mention is what you were thinking was right for one of them.
2. A$1m is no way enough money to sit back with and raise a family. It might be that you don't mind downgrading your lifestyle but again what about the rest of your family? In my experience its not so easy to take all the material stuff away from teenagers. I know I've been one.
3. The retirement option would seem to make good sense.
1. You make no mention of what your kids think about moving away from their friends. all I could see you mention is what you were thinking was right for one of them.
2. A$1m is no way enough money to sit back with and raise a family. It might be that you don't mind downgrading your lifestyle but again what about the rest of your family? In my experience its not so easy to take all the material stuff away from teenagers. I know I've been one.
3. The retirement option would seem to make good sense.
Sep 24th 2003, 2:00 pm
#30
Y Ddraig Goch
Joined: Aug 2002
Location: Body is in Brissie. Heart and soul has long flown home.
Posts: 3,722
Re: Am I Flippin' Barmy?????
Originally posted by doeyedonteye
Dear All
I've been a silent onlooker on these pages for some time and have been suitably entertained and enlightened by the various topics/banter raised - so many thanks.
Having pondered emigration to Aus for some time, you have all left me totally confused!!!! So given my circumstances described below, am I completely mad to consider this major change?
About me ? I'm male, 39, in IT, married with two children aged 12 and 7. I have a good job paying £52k/year, but which I dislike with a passion! I don't work particularly long hours (35-40/week) plus 50min commute each way. I have a nice 4 bed modern house with garden overlooking fields in a cul-de-sac location in North Kent. I have no mortgage or other debts, so I guess life
is comfortable. I'm fairly sure I would qualify under skilled independent, and would end up going to Aus with around A$1,000,000.
My wife and I have no family or other ties to Aus, though we have visited on holiday and loved it. We also have no great family ties to the UK (parents deceased, not particularly close to brothers/sisters). We are comfortable with the 'slightly old fashioned/out of date' feel to Aus, so things like not having the latest car don't bother us. Being called a 'pom' or whatever wouldn't bother us either, our best friends feel comfortable
taking the p*ss out of us, just as we are comfortable taking the p*ss out of them!!!
Motives? Usual, I guess. Me and Mrs are happier when the sun shines (though we are not particularly beach people), I don't want to keep doing what I'm doing (work-wise) for another 20 years. We feel the UK is too crowded and not what it used to be. We are probably in a bit of a rut and feel like we need a fresh challenge. We want the kids to enjoy more of the outdoor life, rather than just a few months a year.
What would we do if we went to Aus? Well we have no desire for an 'executive' standard of living (whatever that means) and I probably wouldn't want to continue in IT. Maybe try to work part time. Maybe set up a business (no idea what), possibly buy some property to rent out. I guess with a million dollars we maybe could live off the interest on the capital, but I doubt this is a good long-term plan.
OK?..enough, enough. What do you think?..especially those in Aus already? Am I completely bonkers to risk my current lifestyle and take this risk? Or would I be completely bonkers not to take a chance to 'downshift' in a beautiful country? In my position, what would you do? All comments negative or positive are welcome.
I promise promise promise to do what the majority say (well, maybe!)
Dear All
I've been a silent onlooker on these pages for some time and have been suitably entertained and enlightened by the various topics/banter raised - so many thanks.
Having pondered emigration to Aus for some time, you have all left me totally confused!!!! So given my circumstances described below, am I completely mad to consider this major change?
About me ? I'm male, 39, in IT, married with two children aged 12 and 7. I have a good job paying £52k/year, but which I dislike with a passion! I don't work particularly long hours (35-40/week) plus 50min commute each way. I have a nice 4 bed modern house with garden overlooking fields in a cul-de-sac location in North Kent. I have no mortgage or other debts, so I guess life
is comfortable. I'm fairly sure I would qualify under skilled independent, and would end up going to Aus with around A$1,000,000.
My wife and I have no family or other ties to Aus, though we have visited on holiday and loved it. We also have no great family ties to the UK (parents deceased, not particularly close to brothers/sisters). We are comfortable with the 'slightly old fashioned/out of date' feel to Aus, so things like not having the latest car don't bother us. Being called a 'pom' or whatever wouldn't bother us either, our best friends feel comfortable
taking the p*ss out of us, just as we are comfortable taking the p*ss out of them!!!
Motives? Usual, I guess. Me and Mrs are happier when the sun shines (though we are not particularly beach people), I don't want to keep doing what I'm doing (work-wise) for another 20 years. We feel the UK is too crowded and not what it used to be. We are probably in a bit of a rut and feel like we need a fresh challenge. We want the kids to enjoy more of the outdoor life, rather than just a few months a year.
What would we do if we went to Aus? Well we have no desire for an 'executive' standard of living (whatever that means) and I probably wouldn't want to continue in IT. Maybe try to work part time. Maybe set up a business (no idea what), possibly buy some property to rent out. I guess with a million dollars we maybe could live off the interest on the capital, but I doubt this is a good long-term plan.
OK?..enough, enough. What do you think?..especially those in Aus already? Am I completely bonkers to risk my current lifestyle and take this risk? Or would I be completely bonkers not to take a chance to 'downshift' in a beautiful country? In my position, what would you do? All comments negative or positive are welcome.
I promise promise promise to do what the majority say (well, maybe!)
Why don't you try it for a year or two years? It's one thing to holiday in a place another to live there.
The only thing I would be worried about in your position is my 12 year old's education. I've seen too many expats in my time (especially in Asia) where the children aged around 12 and up were disrupted by moving around. Being pulled out of one school to start another at a vital period of their education. Younger children don't seem to suffer, but teens ...can be a problem
Just my opinion.
Go for it if you feel it's the right thing to do for you and your family. You can only but try, nobody can tell you what is right and wrong for you.
Cheers
