Originally Posted by geordie downunder

Ah, I see ,so the kids just coming out of apprenticeships now and renting in Rockingham and surrounds all bought years ago.The ones that became tradesmen over the last 3 or 4 years all bought years ago?

Originally Posted by geordie downunder

The average wage in Perth is around 60K so a lot of people must be getting by on it.. .

Originally Posted by renth

These people are ones who bought years ago or are renting in dodgy suburbs.

I can't see how, or more importantly why anyone would want to come here without any equity and struggle on 60 grand a year. It would be enough to make you slit your wrists.

Originally Posted by ACE

If I was in your position I would rent. We have been renting since we arrived in Sep 2006 and it is the best thing we could have done. We live in a beautiful house in a fantastic spot, we couldn't afford to buy this house but we are enjoying a great lifestyle living in this great house while the landlord pays for the gardener, house insurance, rates, water rates, half the water consumption and all maintenece and repairs. Many of our friends arrived 2005/2006 and rushed into buying. Some of them are now in the situation where they have realised that the area is not for them or they have found houses they prefer but are in negative equity and are unable to move or simply cannot sell. Just take your time and find somewhere you like. It is not the end of the world if you have to rent for a couple of years until you are both working and are able to find somewhere you like.

Originally Posted by ianhutch1

You would never be able to survive on 80k with a 300k mortgage, me and my wife are on over 120k combined and we have been told we can only borrow 300k in the current climate.

Originally Posted by markallwood

great advice I reckon. I would also rent for 2yrs on arrival, and I reckon that you'll see house prices drop significantly in that period. Another 2 or 3 rate rises, or even just one of 0.5%, will see a massive number of investment properties go on the market.

Originally Posted by daddyofthree

Hi Kay,
I am looking at moving over next year and providing that I can obtain a teaching job, I will only be on 60k. I have a wife and three young children but hope to have a morgage of 200k. Have you been before?
Alan

Originally Posted by ianhutch1

Where the hell do you shop? We are finding clothes out here horiffically expensive and much worse quality that the UK too....

Case in point I bought a G Star hoody in Perth and it was $180, went back to the UK and bought a Bench one (what I would consider a comparable brand) for 40 pounds.

Decent jeans in Perth are about $120-150, jeans in the UK are 30 quid in Next including a belt.

The missus is finding the same, a work "top" over here is about $70, in the UK would be 15-20 quid max. Boots and shoes dont even go there.

Food is definitely more expensive for us and we are watching what we buy and only buying in season and are shopping at the local butchers and fruit shop which is a lot cheaper than coles and woolies - the quality isnt a patch on what you would get in the UK either which is a disappointment considering they stick "local" produce down your throats all the time.

As for bills our first electric bill was $170 for a month but we did arrive when it was 40+ and the aircon was on more or less 24/7. Just got our water bill and that was $160 for 3 months which isnt too bad.

It baffles me when people say its cheaper here, if you like stuff to a comparable standard to what you had in the UK then its been way more expensive in our experience.

But its still great

Originally Posted by geordiebloke

Forgive my ignorance, but when referring to income ie $60k etc etc
do people mean gross or take home?
When we arrive in August I'll be on $60k, plus eventually some shift allowance.
Mrs geordiebloke will be working about 30 hrs per week as a nurse, not sure
what she'll be getting paid for these hours, maybe $40k.
We will be renting as we're not selling our house in the UK yet.
Not sure how we're going to manage after reading some of this?

Originally Posted by geordiebloke

Forgive my ignorance, but when referring to income ie $60k etc etc
do people mean gross or take home?
When we arrive in August I'll be on $60k, plus eventually some shift allowance.
Mrs geordiebloke will be working about 30 hrs per week as a nurse, not sure
what she'll be getting paid for these hours, maybe $40k.
We will be renting as we're not selling our house in the UK yet.
Not sure how we're going to manage after reading some of this?

Originally Posted by rockpeblar

We have two young children and one salary. We live in a nice house ($450/wk rent) but don't eat out or drive flashy cars and we get by on $100k gross salary - not living poorly but hardly the high life either!!

Originally Posted by renth

Either dual incomes or are coining it.

I just can't see how anyone earning 60 grand (and without significant equity to help buy a house) could afford to live here. Renting is going to cost about $1500 a month so that would leave about $1800 plus whatever family tax benefit you'd get for the kids.

Why come to Australia to be on struggle street?

Originally Posted by geordie downunder

I asked a young lad at work yesterday,he'll be around the 28 mark.He has 2 children and his wife does not work.For some reason everybody says they get nothing from the govt for children.After a bit of cajoling he said just over $300 a month in child benefits.

He smokes,don't know if his wife does.He would be earning anywhere between 55 and 60K a year as he likes a day off regularly,but usually works 5 hrs on saturday morning.I would think his nett wage would be between $800 and $900 a week.

He rents a house in Rockingham for $250 a week,he drives a 8 or 9 yr old Barina.Say he has $600 a week left after paying rent,then the welfare payments on top of that.

He says he gets along no problem,never short of money,also never a fortune left at the end of the week either.

All over the world people get by on average wages,to improve their lifestyle the partner can work part time or full time.Why would people not get by on average wages in OZ?

Do people get by on average wages in the UK ,or is everybody making a fortune and there are no low paid or average wage jobs?