tinaj

Great to see you back Hevs. Hope things take a turn for the better, we are bound to have bad as well as good times. Let's just hope the good times happen for a while to come.

The only reassurance I can offer is that special needs support is drastically underfunded in the Uk as well. You would have a fight on your hands for many a year there to get any additional support as well.

Keep DIYing And can you do something wrong soon so we can have a giggle, you are getting too good now???

hevs

My god!!!

I just popped back onto see if anyone was around and now i'm all choked up, so thanks for that

Whisky, hope you get through your brick wall soon. xx

Di, if you lived closer i might let you have a turn!!

Juliet, i know all about the lazy thing. Fingers x ed for you, lets face it, Wales

Nige, cheers mate, its kinda like dyslexia, but coordination and motor skills are shot too.

Jad n rich. Niall is mildly on the add cusp aswell and my OT in the UK mentioned the Ritalin thing, i basically refused point blank for all the same reasons as yourself, it makes me Hope you get some help soon too

Bordy, check ya pm's and please reply soon and cheer me up

Simone, thanks

Debs, sorry to highlight this, but at least you can be prepared. Chins are up hun xx

Thanks ML!!! you may just regret that

Yve. God after you're few months its put my stuff into perspective and i feel very shallow for winging about money. I hope things turn a corner for you soon. Shall i send you a strip of choccy

HP. twas a beautiful day here today, that certainly helps. Thanks ,

Tina, thanks, i hit my thumb hard with the lump hammer today, does that count??

DianeOZ

Bloody hell Yve, he just keeps getting poop doesn't he Hope something turns up, pref a lottery win

dobbo

Heres to a good long weekend feeling positive in the sunshine

juliet

tiredwithtwins

Hi Hevs,
sorry to hear life has been so crappy for you lately.....wondered where you'd gone! We could have done with you in here the other day...the boys were getting a bit high and mighty, we needed you with ya chainsaw to hack em down!!!!!
hope life turns for you soon.....

sue

bundy

Hey Hevs,

It's good to see you back, we've missed your amusing tales. I'm still getting over the house-burning episode...

Anyway, my cousin's son has dyspraxia and is quite badly affected by it (he's also dyslexic). However, he has been having a lot of help from Ed Pyshcs and special tutors and the difference is profound - if you want any more info, let me know and I see what I can find out. The main thing is that it's been spotted and something can be done about it. Fingers crossed for both your son and you. Coming from a family of dyslexics I know that any kind of learning difficulty or *faulty wiring* can be a bit of a battle to overcome, but then all the dyslexics in my family are total high-achievers and far more successful than me (non-dyslexic) with my various degrees even though none of them have two qualifications to rub together!

Chin up mate. Worse things happen at sea, and all that

footie chick

Welcome back mate.

As this shows you have missed by everyone here. Thanks for your honest posting and letting others know just what life can be like sometimes.

Now best you get on with some more renovating as you have all them choccie calories to burn off

Footie xx

HUP

I have to admit that the past couple of weeks have been pretty crappy. We have been pouring the money into the house and the realisation that we would have to go back to budgeting (Ahhhh) and accounting for the cents.

We are currently living on a household income of $50000. This is not really enough to live on. Well thats a bit of a lie. You can live on it but ya aint gonna have a lot of fun and you won't be able to save that hard

We have had a good 8 months or so and we will now have a couple of slightly more frugal months. I would suggest that for a family of four you will need an income of around $80000. This should allow you to live comfortably and save for those unforseen events (Dentists, urgent flights to the UK etc etc.).

Hevs is about to start her business and that will ease the blues. Money may not make you happy but it certainly takes the pressure off

It has been hard work getting to where we are today. It is not cheap to live over here and most people will need to be earning a reasonable income to survive. We have had and will continue to have some fantastic experiences that we would not have had in the UK.

We live in a potentially beautiful house in a beautiful area. We are minutes drive away from some stunning scenery (The Dandenongs) and about 40 mins from some fantastic beaches and diving.

Am I happy that we moved?
Absolutley.
Knowing what I know now would I do it again?
Absolutley.
Will I be staying here for ever?
To early to say really. I can't forsee anything that would make me want to go back. I have also looked at it and thought were would I want to go back to. I couldn't come up with any affordable answers. When I say that I mean I know areas I like in the UK and I know I would never be able to afford to live there

I would say this to all those people who have yet to make the leap. It is very hard work. You should be really sure that it is what you want to do. I also suspect that money WILL BE a big issue for a lot of people.

When you get used to the big houses and pools you then have to get on with your life.

Pollyana

Good to see you both back and smiling!! Very true words HUP, it is hard work, and the way is paved with gold, you have to work for every cent don't you. I'm earning 2/3 of what I was on in the UK, I haven't been this broke for years, but I still don't regret it, the good bits do outweigh the bad. Its odd having to rethink some priorities though, do I see the doctor this week or does it have to wait till payday.
Heres to hoping Hev's business takes off quickly; in the meantime, find her some more wood to saw up!!
Missed you both - keep your chins up and keep posting
Polly
xx

Badge

Knowing both HUP and Hevs well, I will break radio silence to say that their situation is OTHERWISE GOOD.

YES HUP is underpaid. I earn twice what he earns and have no kids.
YES they have spent a lot of money - but much of it on the house and their kids.
YES they live in what I think is NOW a great home.
YES they live in one of the nicest villages in SE Melbourne- FACT.

YES they BOTH are good examples of migrants. They don't whinge, they get on with people. I am pleased to have them as mates and 18 months ago I never expected to socialise in any expat circles.

YES they couldn't have all that in the UK - or would be otherwise working just as hard - and more (nor could I).

Should this put people off?

NO NO NO NO NO NO. They have just done loads of spending that's all. Budgeting is the norm, and they are mortgage free. With a rein in and better paid jobs they will be there within the year.

YES you still have it GOOD here.

The reality is that unless you earn my sort of money OR am mortgage free, Australia can be hard OR much the same AS THE UK.

HOWEVER, I still maintain the rewards are otherwise GREAT/better than the UK (for ME and, for a great many people.

Don't let the negatives fool you. Remember the likes of Herman (funded by Australia/he earns GBP 100K and he lives in a mediocre Surrey village compared to HUP and Matt), Mike Stanton (can buy a UK home funded from Australia) and Dotty (can buy a UK home funded from Australia) are loaded. Everyone is struggling EVERYWHERE ;-)

FAIR DINKUM.

Badge

Badge

I still love this country.

Dert cert.

It's winter, and we have beaut sunny days even in Melbourne.

Melbourne - the weather, I think, is actually one of it's best kept secrets..

Badge

Grayling

Hi HUP ans HEVS

Thank you for your honest post.

I have just started another thread about incomes as I think it very important.
Hope you don't mind me quoting you

Hang on in there. Hope it all works out

Best wishes

G

Phoenixuk2oz

Howdie Hevs..........

So glad you came back. Thought we'd lost you to the outback.....gone to be a tree fellar [someone ooo cuts wood that is]

Eee matey......

It don't matter where in the world you live, the young un is gonna have this problem and it don't matter where in the world you live, you are gonna have days when you are p*ssed off

The good news is......you are a strong family, feet firmly on the ground, realistic and sensible enough to get through any highs and lows

Sh*t dayz happen matey......and tomorrow is another day

Good to have you back......

We "wood" miss ya if ya left us

footie chick

Brilliant post Hup a honest dose of the day to day reality of living in OZ.

footie xx

artep

Hiya Hevs mate!

Keep your chin up gal....like others have said, sh*t times come to us all, but you're a tough cookie! In previous posts you've shown what a great positive attitude you have and I'm sure whatever life throws at you, you'll deal with it.

Fingers crossed everything works out ok with your lad, like you say, at least its been picked up. Keep us posted!

Can I just say, I'm still in awe of you for putting your hand up on the top shelf in your shed, without being able to see what's up there.:scared: :scared:
I wouldn't even go IN the shed, never mind have a fumble about in there!.......well...I might if it was with Brad Pitt....or Pierce Brosnan...or Nicolas Cage....oooerr I'm coming over all funny