JenJen

Hubby's been offered $82,000p.a

We have 4 kids (11,9,4 and a baby)
I won't be working at least initially and possibly not until baby goes to school (5 years??)
Hubby's not based in Sydney CBD he'd be working Inner West and he'd be looking to commute up to an hour from there so we could could afford a good size rental (idea is the kids get a room each - so either a 4 bed with a room that could be used as 5th bedroom or a 5 bed).
Don't really want to pay more than $600 - 650 and less than that if possible.

Are we going to be able to not just survive but LIVE in Sydney on this wage?
We do want to try and negotiate a bit more money but I want to base it on what they've offered so that anything he earns more than that is a plus?

Thanks

IvanM

We struggle with 2 kids and a stay at home mum on more than that.

Kooky.

Did you look up the Cost of Living threads, JenJen? Finances always generate an, erm, healthy debate but I think you'd struggle. Sorry

Let me find one of the threads and edit this.

edit: here you go http://britishexpats.com/forum/showthread.php?t=615537

E3only

Decent pay but 4 kids so you have to think. Any income from the UK like rental etc to support?

Currently a three bedroom in West Sydney is renting around 450-500. The same could be 550-600 in Strathfield and more expensive in easter subbs. The point is, it all depends on what lifestyle you want to live. What car you would drive etc etc.

If you ask me though - 82k is not enuf for a family for 6 in Sydney that is for sure.

BadgeIsBack

It's one of life's mysteries how some people cope at all.

Most people I know who do well either have 2 incomes, or do clever things with tax, or have ultra low mortgages. Many are doing it tough - I would wager.

I found out today my mortgage is the same as a family who is 13 years older. Made me feel somewhat financially relieved - especially as we don't particularly struggle at all - sense of perspective I mean.

JenJen

Yes Seasider I've been reading the numerous cost of living threads but of course as is the nature of the beast some of the thread gets off track and a bit silly and jokey and there are oftren vast differences in what people think as just an average shop - ESSENTIALS - with a few treats, to we'll buy what we like which to some is a typical shop but those with more than 2 kids who don't earn BIG $ call a luxury.
Like now most weeks I can get the shopping here in the UK down to £80 - 90p.w and that is with treats for the kids, 3 large loaves of bread and two half loaf things, 12 pints of milk.
Kids generally have cereal for brekkie, sanwiches and a cooked meal each day, there's always something on option for afters and always fruit in the house.
However I do often grocery shop online as it saves anyone doing the OOoh shall we try this week game?

I'm still failing miserably to work out if we continued to be 'sensible' with what we spend wether we could afford a life on the annual earnings and not just to survive?

On another thread I listed on here yesterday I was asking opinions on Sydney suburbs as some repeatedly come up as cheaper 4 - 5 bed property to rent between $470 - 550, some fairly new looking and not short term rent.
Yes i'm more than aware some areas with TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE prices are well worth stearing clear off but if they were fairly average areas to live it would then make it more affordable.

Yes I know i'm craning about all this but I don't want to agree to something that would put us in an awful financial situation and mean we have an awful quality of life out there.
If it was just me and hubby we'd just jump on a plane but I don't want to make a mistake and have the kids grow up to resent us for it.

So do we a) ask for more money and accept anything over $90,000 IF they're prepared to negotiate that amount? and not accept less than that
b) look for something elsewhere Brissy ? Mellie? for that sort of wage?

Kooky.

Perhaps you

c) stop getting stroppy with people that are trying to be helpful.

Only you know your lifestyle and what you buy each week. We can only share our experiences, and I know that I and quite a few others have taken the trouble to post comprehensive information that you can use or ignore to better suit your circumstances. The figures I posted include some things that can be classed as luxury/frivolous, which are itemised (e.g., cleaner, laundry, eating out) but do not include any clothing, holidays, big-ticket items.

You could always do as ABC sometimes does - pretend you are doing an online shop and see what it comes out at.

spottydog

does the $82k include the 9% super?

I think you would struggle but it does depend on how you are used to living too. You can get 4/5 bed rentals for $500 to $650 a week in Sutherland shire (possibly just over the hour commute) and if you are willing to spend time food shopping and buy veg depending on season not just head to the supermarket then you can get cheap good quality food. For us 10kgs of potatoes were $9 and 10kg of onions $5 in the greengrocer today and the butcher had the usual whole rumps at less than $10 a kilo (although we splashed out on the Wagu at $22 a kilo 'cause we just love it).

Petrol is currently $1.26 a litre. As a renter you don't have to pay council or water rates, with a digibox (starting at $100) you don't need to bother with foxtel as you now get a reasonable channel selection.

Where I find Oz is good is free weekend entertainment as the weather is good enough to be outside so plenty of walks and beach time and also there are lots of campsites for cheap weekends away.

HTH

mecheng

All I can kindly suggest is putting a spreadsheet together of your major expenses, i.e. rent, food, car/fuel/maintenance, clothing etc etc and researching on the web how much these items cost in Sydney. Everything is online these days so it shouldn't be very difficult, hopefully. As has already been said, your lifestyle is your own so everyones view/opinion is going to be subjective based on their own particular circumstances. Good luck.

lastere

4 kids on one salary in sydney is insane. maybe you can survive on potatoes but what happens in an emergency? oh, i forgot in a communist society the "community" pays for it. nevermind.

you should go inland get a house with veg garden and live a normal life.

JCSUPERMOTO

$82K Seems cool
But some people could cope on half that and some people would need more.
It all depends on ya outgoings and life style,so i dont think anyone can really say if its enough or not!

You taking money over?

JenJen

[QUOTE=Seasider;7888688]Perhaps you

c) stop getting stroppy with people that are trying to be helpful.

QUOTE]

Seasider ? At what point was I getting stroppy? Obviously one of these scenario's where people interperate something written as meant one way when it wasn't.
Wasn't stroppy about what you or anyone has written.
When you have young children I don't think anyone wants to take a BIG risk financially???
Just been giving myself a migraine trying to work out everything we may need to budget for and allow at least a small amount over for those little things that always creep up when you can't really afford it ???

Spotty dog
The 82k doesn't include the super or overtime but as hubby would be working 4 an a half days a week he doesn't want to be doing too much of that or like some weeks now he won't see much of the kids at all.

mechang
have been doing that this afternoon it just doesn't look good and we don't live outragiously now.

JCSUPERMOTO
We would be taking money over from the sale of the house BUT by the time we'd paid to get us and the belongings we want to take out there and bought cars and furniture and paid those wonderful little up front bills, I don't think we'd have very much left at all

Hopefully no one will take offence to anything said this time

mecheng

No offence will be taken on my end JenJen. I know the feeling in that it is a very stressful experience but do the sums as best you can, seek advice on what you aren't sure about or may be missing, and see how it comes out. If it doesn't add up financially based on what your husband is getting offered, then at least it is a legitimate reason to go back to the employer and seek more. If the reason is good enough, employers are willing to pay more (depends on employer and what your husband can bring to the business). That's my experience anyway but everyone will have a different viewpoint on that.

quoll

$82k in Sydney, even with all the centrelink benefits you will pick up for having 4 kids (you do have PR?), I think would be a struggle. You would do better in a small town on that income but, then, your employment options would be limited so it would be a swings and roundabouts kind of thing. In my books it would be a BIG financial risk even though of course there are millions of folk in Sydney doing it on less than that - I guess it all depends on what you expect out of life.

4500 Times

I would be looking for something elsewhere. I would say that salary here in Brissie is decent, and if ya look at the burbs say at the most a hours commute, you would get a decent rental for a lot less than the figures been quoted on here.