Lots of questions.....Please Help!!
Apr 26th 2009, 9:30 pm
#1
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Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 3
Lots of questions.....Please Help!!
Hello all,
And so here I am again musing about a move down under, it has been 4 years since I first thought about making the move to Aus and i pop in occasionally but have not logged in for some time (my previous incarnation was oldhamisadump but for some reason my user name is not recognised).
Anyway I have a few questions I would appreciate any input from those in the know.
1. My wife is type 1 diabetic, what sort of costs would be involved in keeping her alive!!!? At the moment in the UK we have the good old nhs but obviously down under we would have to pay for her insulin etc as she would not be covered under medicare as it is an existing condition.
2. We have around £100k to bring with us, would this be a decent amount to set up/use as a deposit to buy a home in a decent area, possibly Melbourne or Adelaide? Are house prices coming down in Aus? and if so by how much?
3. The old economic chestnut! A major factor for use to relocate is that I feel that we will suffer more in the UK than most western economies in the global recession and I believe we face a bleak future of massive hikes in taxation and less public services as well as a jobs market in freefall (if you are lucky enough to have a job - forget a pay rise for a while). What is the job situation there? My wife is a microbiologist and I am a transport manager here but I also hold an LGV class one license and would be happy to drive down under, would we be able to find work and if so would the wages we earned be enough to raise 2 kids in a decent suburb and have a not too extravagant lifestyle but enough to go out once/twice a week for a meal?
4. We are looking at a reccy trip later this year but as yet I feel that i want to go not for the pull of Aus (though this may change after the reccy) but mainly for the push from blighty. I know that Aus is not utopia and it has similar problems to the uk but I am so sick of the glum faces, damp weather, crap public services, high taxes, despicable scum of a government and utter boredom of the same old sh1t that I feel like my head will explode with frustration at times. I also feel that the harder you work in the UK the less you get for it nowadays and I may as well join the rest of the dole scroungers here insted of working and saving for a decent retirement because lets face it, all of us will have to work until we drop in blighty due to Gormoron Browns economic incompetence.
5.I am an outdoors type person and spending around 2 months a year (at best) outside in England just is not enough for me, yes I know that the hot sun forces the aussies inside a lot but surely you spend more time outdoors than here! I also know that there are more reasons to go than the weather but after 38 years of damp and drizzle it's a good enough reason for me!!or is it - you tell me!
Any input positive or negative would be aprecciated.
Cheers
Stuski (formerly the artist known as oldhamisadump!)
And so here I am again musing about a move down under, it has been 4 years since I first thought about making the move to Aus and i pop in occasionally but have not logged in for some time (my previous incarnation was oldhamisadump but for some reason my user name is not recognised).
Anyway I have a few questions I would appreciate any input from those in the know.
1. My wife is type 1 diabetic, what sort of costs would be involved in keeping her alive!!!? At the moment in the UK we have the good old nhs but obviously down under we would have to pay for her insulin etc as she would not be covered under medicare as it is an existing condition.
2. We have around £100k to bring with us, would this be a decent amount to set up/use as a deposit to buy a home in a decent area, possibly Melbourne or Adelaide? Are house prices coming down in Aus? and if so by how much?
3. The old economic chestnut! A major factor for use to relocate is that I feel that we will suffer more in the UK than most western economies in the global recession and I believe we face a bleak future of massive hikes in taxation and less public services as well as a jobs market in freefall (if you are lucky enough to have a job - forget a pay rise for a while). What is the job situation there? My wife is a microbiologist and I am a transport manager here but I also hold an LGV class one license and would be happy to drive down under, would we be able to find work and if so would the wages we earned be enough to raise 2 kids in a decent suburb and have a not too extravagant lifestyle but enough to go out once/twice a week for a meal?
4. We are looking at a reccy trip later this year but as yet I feel that i want to go not for the pull of Aus (though this may change after the reccy) but mainly for the push from blighty. I know that Aus is not utopia and it has similar problems to the uk but I am so sick of the glum faces, damp weather, crap public services, high taxes, despicable scum of a government and utter boredom of the same old sh1t that I feel like my head will explode with frustration at times. I also feel that the harder you work in the UK the less you get for it nowadays and I may as well join the rest of the dole scroungers here insted of working and saving for a decent retirement because lets face it, all of us will have to work until we drop in blighty due to Gormoron Browns economic incompetence.
5.I am an outdoors type person and spending around 2 months a year (at best) outside in England just is not enough for me, yes I know that the hot sun forces the aussies inside a lot but surely you spend more time outdoors than here! I also know that there are more reasons to go than the weather but after 38 years of damp and drizzle it's a good enough reason for me!!or is it - you tell me!
Any input positive or negative would be aprecciated.
Cheers
Stuski (formerly the artist known as oldhamisadump!)
Apr 27th 2009, 7:49 am
#2
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Jun 2007
Location: Tropical North QLD
Posts: 21,434
Re: Lots of questions.....Please Help!!
Hello all,
And so here I am again musing about a move down under, it has been 4 years since I first thought about making the move to Aus and i pop in occasionally but have not logged in for some time (my previous incarnation was oldhamisadump but for some reason my user name is not recognised).
Anyway I have a few questions I would appreciate any input from those in the know.
1. My wife is type 1 diabetic, what sort of costs would be involved in keeping her alive!!!? At the moment in the UK we have the good old nhs but obviously down under we would have to pay for her insulin etc as she would not be covered under medicare as it is an existing condition.
Pre-existing conditions are irrelevant to medicare! She may have to pay towards costs of doctors visits unless they bulk bill & this will vary from practice to practice. There wil also be costs for insulin, look here http://www.health.gov.au/pbs for a better idea!
2. We have around £100k to bring with us, would this be a decent amount to set up/use as a deposit to buy a home in a decent area, possibly Melbourne or Adelaide? Are house prices coming down in Aus? and if so by how much?
[COLOR="Red"]It would be a good deposit unless you want a mansion. Look at www.realestate.com.au for an idea of prices. It is impossible to forecast how prices are likely to go once the FHOG finishes in June![/COLOR
]3. The old economic chestnut! A major factor for use to relocate is that I feel that we will suffer more in the UK than most western economies in the global recession and I believe we face a bleak future of massive hikes in taxation and less public services as well as a jobs market in freefall (if you are lucky enough to have a job - forget a pay rise for a while). What is the job situation there? My wife is a microbiologist and I am a transport manager here but I also hold an LGV class one license and would be happy to drive down under, would we be able to find work and if so would the wages we earned be enough to raise 2 kids in a decent suburb and have a not too extravagant lifestyle but enough to go out once/twice a week for a meal?
Australia is someway behind UK in terms of going into recession. There are numerous threads on the forum with regard to this & job prospects. Worth your while to spend some time having a look through!4. We are looking at a reccy trip later this year but as yet I feel that i want to go not for the pull of Aus (though this may change after the reccy) but mainly for the push from blighty. I know that Aus is not utopia and it has similar problems to the uk but I am so sick of the glum faces, damp weather, crap public services, high taxes, despicable scum of a government and utter boredom of the same old sh1t that I feel like my head will explode with frustration at times. I also feel that the harder you work in the UK the less you get for it nowadays and I may as well join the rest of the dole scroungers here insted of working and saving for a decent retirement because lets face it, all of us will have to work until we drop in blighty due to Gormoron Browns economic incompetence.
A reccy sounds like a very good idea!
5.I am an outdoors type person and spending around 2 months a year (at best) outside in England just is not enough for me, yes I know that the hot sun forces the aussies inside a lot but surely you spend more time outdoors than here! I also know that there are more reasons to go than the weather but after 38 years of damp and drizzle it's a good enough reason for me!!or is it - you tell me!
Can't comment on the weather in Melbourne because we are in FNQ. However, we definitely do more outdoors up here, especially now that it is a little cooler
Any input positive or negative would be aprecciated.
Cheers
Stuski (formerly the artist known as oldhamisadump!)
And so here I am again musing about a move down under, it has been 4 years since I first thought about making the move to Aus and i pop in occasionally but have not logged in for some time (my previous incarnation was oldhamisadump but for some reason my user name is not recognised).
Anyway I have a few questions I would appreciate any input from those in the know.
1. My wife is type 1 diabetic, what sort of costs would be involved in keeping her alive!!!? At the moment in the UK we have the good old nhs but obviously down under we would have to pay for her insulin etc as she would not be covered under medicare as it is an existing condition.
Pre-existing conditions are irrelevant to medicare! She may have to pay towards costs of doctors visits unless they bulk bill & this will vary from practice to practice. There wil also be costs for insulin, look here http://www.health.gov.au/pbs for a better idea!
2. We have around £100k to bring with us, would this be a decent amount to set up/use as a deposit to buy a home in a decent area, possibly Melbourne or Adelaide? Are house prices coming down in Aus? and if so by how much?
[COLOR="Red"]It would be a good deposit unless you want a mansion. Look at www.realestate.com.au for an idea of prices. It is impossible to forecast how prices are likely to go once the FHOG finishes in June![/COLOR
]3. The old economic chestnut! A major factor for use to relocate is that I feel that we will suffer more in the UK than most western economies in the global recession and I believe we face a bleak future of massive hikes in taxation and less public services as well as a jobs market in freefall (if you are lucky enough to have a job - forget a pay rise for a while). What is the job situation there? My wife is a microbiologist and I am a transport manager here but I also hold an LGV class one license and would be happy to drive down under, would we be able to find work and if so would the wages we earned be enough to raise 2 kids in a decent suburb and have a not too extravagant lifestyle but enough to go out once/twice a week for a meal?
Australia is someway behind UK in terms of going into recession. There are numerous threads on the forum with regard to this & job prospects. Worth your while to spend some time having a look through!4. We are looking at a reccy trip later this year but as yet I feel that i want to go not for the pull of Aus (though this may change after the reccy) but mainly for the push from blighty. I know that Aus is not utopia and it has similar problems to the uk but I am so sick of the glum faces, damp weather, crap public services, high taxes, despicable scum of a government and utter boredom of the same old sh1t that I feel like my head will explode with frustration at times. I also feel that the harder you work in the UK the less you get for it nowadays and I may as well join the rest of the dole scroungers here insted of working and saving for a decent retirement because lets face it, all of us will have to work until we drop in blighty due to Gormoron Browns economic incompetence.
A reccy sounds like a very good idea!
5.I am an outdoors type person and spending around 2 months a year (at best) outside in England just is not enough for me, yes I know that the hot sun forces the aussies inside a lot but surely you spend more time outdoors than here! I also know that there are more reasons to go than the weather but after 38 years of damp and drizzle it's a good enough reason for me!!or is it - you tell me!
Can't comment on the weather in Melbourne because we are in FNQ. However, we definitely do more outdoors up here, especially now that it is a little cooler
Any input positive or negative would be aprecciated.Cheers
Stuski (formerly the artist known as oldhamisadump!)
Good luck
Apr 28th 2009, 9:49 am
#3
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 1,289
Re: Lots of questions.....Please Help!!
I am an outdoors type person and spending around 2 months a year (at best) outside in England just is not enough for me, yes I know that the hot sun forces the aussies inside a lot but surely you spend more time outdoors than here! I also know that there are more reasons to go than the weather but after 38 years of damp and drizzle it's a good enough reason for me!!or is it - you tell me!
To me it makes an enormous difference to have blue sky and sun nearly every day.
We are in Perth, which has a hot dry climate. Melbourne on the other hand is famous for having four seasons in a day and quite cold winters. It's not my cup of tea weatherwise.
If the weather is important to you, do some research on www.bom.gov.au Have a look at rainfall, temperature, humidity for Melbourne and Adelaide throughout the year.
Although we chose Perth because of the climate, we also researched jobs before we came. Best weather won't do you any good if you can't find work. Have a look at www.seek.com.au
Apr 28th 2009, 3:30 pm
#5
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Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 3
Re: Lots of questions.....Please Help!!
Cheers Ozhappy and sallyclaire, I will follow your advice.
Grayling - no I am not agrophobic but living in the north west where it constantly p1sses down, it kind of puts a dampener on any outdoor activity, as I type this now it is 4.30 pm and it's dull, grey and damp as it lashed it down all day yesterday, weekend was ok as we had a glimmer of sun for an hour or two - ON A WEEKEND AS WELL!! WOW and all this in springtime, but if it's anything like the last two years that will be the end of british summertime. Seriously how are you supposed to get your kids geared up for a walk or a bike ride when you have to get your cold weather gear out to go for a bloody walk - no wonder kids today spend so much time on the ps3 (yes I am sure they do in aus as well) but the fact are that it is so much more enjoyable being outdoors when the sun is shining and your clothes are not covered in crap: cue grayling gnashing of teeth, wringing of hands and wailing about all them flies 40 degree temperatures etc. No critisicm pal, I enjoy reading your tale of woe but you just need to call it quits mate and get back to blighty! but if you have anything constructive to add please feel free.
Grayling - no I am not agrophobic but living in the north west where it constantly p1sses down, it kind of puts a dampener on any outdoor activity, as I type this now it is 4.30 pm and it's dull, grey and damp as it lashed it down all day yesterday, weekend was ok as we had a glimmer of sun for an hour or two - ON A WEEKEND AS WELL!! WOW and all this in springtime, but if it's anything like the last two years that will be the end of british summertime. Seriously how are you supposed to get your kids geared up for a walk or a bike ride when you have to get your cold weather gear out to go for a bloody walk - no wonder kids today spend so much time on the ps3 (yes I am sure they do in aus as well) but the fact are that it is so much more enjoyable being outdoors when the sun is shining and your clothes are not covered in crap: cue grayling gnashing of teeth, wringing of hands and wailing about all them flies 40 degree temperatures etc. No critisicm pal, I enjoy reading your tale of woe but you just need to call it quits mate and get back to blighty! but if you have anything constructive to add please feel free.
