nolan8

ok I have aussie passports, kids aussie passports are underway, and spousal visa is underway.
We currently live in a very very small house in uk (renting) we have four kiddies 10 being the eldest.
OH is hoping to apply for jobs prior to our move, and with his experience and stuff we are looking at a salary around 60,000.00
I will be looking for work once kiddies are sorted at school.
we will obviously be renting in Perth and by the looks of it will be paying a little more for a house four times the size.
We are bringing nothing with us (everything we own is just not worth it)
We are hoping to have around $20,000.00 with us to get started.
ARE WE MAD.
We live a fairly good life here, we love walks, parks, and beaches (just dont get the weather for it here)
We will not need to budget for holidays, big theme park days, and are happy with second hand cars.
We eat well, but live on a very strict budget.
I am soooo scared that the cost of living will be too much of a killer, however i know the lifestyle will be soooooo much better.
The kiddies are very excited, and so is my family (who live in Perth)
Are we mad to do this on a small very small tiny small budget

Snap Shot

Please please please take your possessions with you. I accept you say they are not worth it. They are. Right now you don't realise what they mean to you. Yes really. You are probably not sentimetally attached to your potato peeler etc but everything being new and unfamiliar when you emigrate is jarring. Your, 'stuff' (not just kitchen utensils) becomes a familiar comfort blanket to you. Just gradually replace it as it wears out over the years in Australia as you would have done anyway.

We heard a story at an emigration expo of a family that emigrated without their stuff, two years later, they were still getting over it. They wanted to buy all new stuff on arrival. From what I know now, they had no bloody choice !

I emigrated to the other side of the world with my husband last February with a 20' container full of a 3 bedroom house load of stuff, no kids, no car, no pets. Albeit New Zealand not Australia.

Pennines49

Not enough in my opinion, stay put.

jad n rich

Was thinking that 60k for a family of 6 would be a hideous struggle.

But if the OP husband is an engineer, then maybe she means pounds not dollars.

I would be very wary of relying on family benefit, if hes an engineer, the family will probably fall into that lucky tax bracket the govt calls rich, the famiy who is hit with every tax and levy as they are so erm rich

Claim tax benefit after you know your final annual income, that way they wont be able to claim it all back off you, and the govt here has access to everything financial you do.

Reaver

Have to say I think you are a little nuts to be honest. You're in the same boat as us relatively, 4 kids, renting a relatively small albeit (4 bedroomed) house, wanting a better lifestyle. We're hoping to get out there in a few years, but I sure wouldnt go for a job that only pays $60,000 (if you're talking £'s, then I think you will be okay till you get a job...). I would be looking at a minimum of $85,000 with reasonable confidence wife will also secure a job.

$20,000? wont last you two minutes if things start going wrong. Sorry, but you're on here coz you want opinions right?

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alipally

I won't make any comments on what it costs to live in Aus, other than to say I know families of 6 who live on $60k a year with all the government support etc, they live well, (IMO well doesn't mean big hols or nice car, it means eating well, going to the surf club/ footie club, feeding the family and paying the bills)

Please spend the £3 or £4k on the container though, replacing your stuff isn't finiancially wise.... It will cost 2 or 3 times the amount spent on shipping.... And that's just the financial cost... Never mind the time, energy and frustration of not knowing where to shop.... And then there's the emotional cost to go with..... $20k isn't a lot to start with don't waste it on buying new versions of what you already have... Beds for the family could quite easily wipe out the. 25% of the budget....

Dorothy

You're bringing $20k, 4 kids, no possessions (so have to buy all new) and no jobs to go straight into? Sorry to say, but I think you're crazy. It's going to cost you at least $10k straight off to get set up - rental bond, cheap (very very cheap) vehicle, and basic start ups like stocking a pantry, dishes, etc. Your remaining $10k isn't going to go very far unless you or your OH manage to get jobs immediately. You're not going to be able to furnish a home and still have anything left over with only $10k, sorry to say.

I would also say that if your OH expects to make $60k it will be a struggle in Perth. 60k GBP is a different story (that equates to about $90k AUD). $60k in Perth is not a lot for a family of 6. Perth is very expensive and I would think that with 4 kids under 10 you will need an income of at least $90-100k. Especially if you plan on private schools or taking any kind of holidays.

BritAus

How about paying a lot less rent by getting a house / flat only twice the size of your current place ? Might not be the dream but as renting you can upsize pretty easily if things are working out well. If they're not, you're not stuck with a costly rental you have to downgrade from (would be very demoralising).

Can you get rid of a couple of the kids ? 4 seems too many on the budget !!

Definately take stuff over - we all underestimate how much replacing EVERYTHING will cost. Just ask anyone whose stuff was destroyed in a fire or flood. Insurance claims for contents are massive and its all the little stuff that adds up.
Australia costs more than we Brits think sadly.
Are you currently surviving on £40,000 (~60,000AUD) a year ?

Don't get disheartened by answers, just plan accordingly / change expectations or choose another place to live (although that then might impact income !).

BritAus

http://britishexpats.com/forum/showthread.php?t=754137

These guys have the samd worries but are talking about $120,000AUD and a family of five.
The thread also raises the issue of the 'real' exchange rate taking into account the cost of living being 2.5:1 or so making the $60,000AUD looking more like £25,000 for comparison purposes.
I don't live in Oz though so can't really comment - just been analysing the info at hand.
I wanna move to Oz too so am learning about these things.

nolan8

wow thanks soo much for all your comments, we have taken them all on board, we currently live well and surrvive on uk 26,000.00 so thats not a huge amount of money.
we are realistic in knowing that australia is not the land of dreams, however we are both hard workers and love the outdoor (free activity) life, we love socializing with people and are great at sticking to a budget (we still manage to save money on our current income)

I think we will rethink bringing stuff with us, however so many conflicting views on white goods, flat screen tvs etc.

The earnings of $60,000 was a take home estimate not gross, so thats after super, medicare and tax.... and thats just one salary, i am hoping to work also and make up the fun money.

We dont holiday now and dont mind driving old bangers

Reaver

Okay, I probably replied in haste last night, just before I switched off but now I'm pretty sure you're clinically insane (j/k ).

Looking at http://www.realestate.com.au/rent/ the cheapest 3 bedroom home in the areas you're looking at, $400 p/w, that equates to $10,600 for 6 months rent which is probably what you're going to have to pay upfront with no job off the bat.

You describe your OH as an Machine Operator, Engineer. If he hasn't got as degree then he wont qualify as an Engineer in Aus which means lower wages. Machine Ops are typically on around $25 p/h, which works out at $925 for a 37 hour week and $48000 per year.

I hate to say this, but it doesnt sound like you have done the maths at all. I know your already an Australian citizen, so I would urge you not to rush this, forget June 2013 and save for another few years.......... otherwise I think you could end up as one of the numerous expats that return from Aus every single year because "things didnt work out."......

Just my opinion.

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Bikergirl

I would say if you have no jobs to come to, with limited savings and 4 kids to feed etc bring everything with you if it is only a couple of years old. if your washing machine is 10 years old then probably a slightly different matter

jad n rich

Probably not insane Just very hard to believe how expensive it is here now.

We came out in 2000. Our bills back then were a third of what they are now. No way on this planet have our wages tripled since then.

By july we will be hit with a entire raft of extra charges and fees and the budget in may is going to target families just like us - again!

We earn very good income's, no mortage, only two teens at home and every month we are just staggered at our bills.

A 90 day leccy acct just came in $602, we have every energy saving device/tip known to man and its still crazy. That will go up twice in the next 90 day period due to approved increase and carbon tax....

House insurance went up $300, set to rise again, medical insurance is set to hit $500 a month with gillards latest 'hit the working families' scheme.

OP should really look into what it costs now, medical/dental/education bills for kids are an unexpected surprise if coming from the UK too.

Chortlepuss

We brought 20K GBP out with us 5 years ago to cover initial set up costs (we'd already paid a rental bond) and a brief holiday before I started work 3 weeks later. Two kids, I was starting on a high wage. Got a cheap (ish) car and the money didn't last that long. Like the last poster said it is horrendously expensive here. We shipped stuff and I remember throwing away shampoo/toiletries etc saying I'll replace them in Oz. I wish I'd put in everything and stocked up. I've had a great time in Oz (been here 5 years) but financially it has been painful. As an example, I have full hospital and dental cover and still had to pay $1K out of pocket expenses for my kid's wisdom teeth extraction recently (there is next to no public dental cover here). Last year, hubbie's dental treatment set me back $3K. Even a trip to the docs will cost you $30 - it all adds up and makes me terrified of getting sick. Trip back to the UK for 4 - minimum of $15K. Electric, broadband horrendous.....Don't want to depress you, but can't you wait to save up a bit more cash?

Dorothy

Ok, so $60k per year works out to $5000/month or $1150/week + approximately $285/week for FTB allowance. Let's break down what your likely outgoings are going to be...

Rent: $400-500/wk = $2166/month
Groceries: with 2 adults & 4 children about $250-300/wk = $1085/month
Electicity: $250-300/month (ours is roughly $300 with 2 adults/1 teenager at home)
Gas: $100-150/month (again, ours with 2 adults/1 teenager)
Petrol: $200-500/month (depends on what car you have and how far your OH drives to work. With 6 of you you're going to need a decent sized car)
Insurance: $250/month (with 4 kids you're going to need private insurance for things like dentists, ambulance cover, etc.)
Internet: $100-150/month
Mobile phones: $100-150/month
Foxtel: (TV) $150/month

We're already up to $4700 per month and that isn't including any incidentals like buying the kids a treat or you going out for dinner once in a while. $60k take home in Perth is not a lot. Especially with 4 young children. And any money you potentially make will likely be spent in daycare costs unless you only intend on working school hours and all your kids are in school - in which case you're going to need to factor in school fees (yes, even state school has some fees. And don't forget uniforms, class trips, etc.)

I've based the above on our averages for a family of 2 adults and 1 teenager living at home. Bear in mind that a lot of these bills can't be paid monthly and you're going to have to budget for them. Gas and electric come quarterly, petrol is whenever you need it.

I also drive a Barina and only put about $60 per month of fuel in. However I also pay $110/wk in public transit fares to get to work and back. My husband drives to work and puts roughly $90-100/wk petrol in his vehicle - he works much closer to his office than I do to mine, but he drives a bigger vehicle.

Please realise how much it costs to fly back home should anything happen and you need to get there. I've just done a very quick Expedia search and for 2 adults & 4 children to go from Perth to London (not sure where you're from) leaving on 23 April (you'll have to book early if you have to get home in a hurry) for 2 weeks it's $11 000.

I don't think anyone is trying to put you off. Just making sure you realise that with 4 children, no jobs and only $20k to get set up you are going to find it very difficult indeed. You said in your first post that you think the lifestyle is going to be much better. With what you've said so far, I cannot possibly see how scrimping and pinching pennies is going to make your lifestyle anything but stressful. Trust me, we've done the penny pinching thing and it's very difficult and stressful and it certainly was not better than the lifestyle we left behind. Granted 6 years on it has improved, but that's partly because we're in better jobs, our children are not little and dependant on us (one doesn't live with us full time and the one who lives at home is doing an apprenticeship so pays her own way) and we both work full time. I'm sure you're determined to do what you want to do and won't be put off by a bunch of random internet posters who tell you not to come. Just be aware that it's very expensive to live in Perth and with one income of $60k take home and relying on FTB for spending money it's going to be a hard slog.

One other thing...Not everyone finds work straight off. My electronic engineer husband was out of work for our first 9 months in Australia and we ended up having to use most of our savings to survive and eventually had to move interstate for him to find work. Even though I was working full time my wage was not enough to support us and there were weeks where we had to choose between paying the full amount of the rent or putting petrol in the car so I could get to work.

Good luck to you. it all works out for you.