Jamesy

Crunch time!! Offer on house from cash buyers!! AAAggggghh, I know I should be happy but I have some concerns.....


We both have brilliant jobs with fantastic pensions and are very comfortable

Thinking of Adelaide but I am worried about getting a job which is half decent and even more worried about hubby as he is in a highly specialised field (Air Traffic Engineer)

Hubby is thinking of starting his own business, but I am worried about his experience to do so and lack of local knowledge of SA

SO......

We have to decide

Do we stay for a few more years whilst I mull this over, if we do, then we have decided to still sell and go for a 'self build'

or

go!!

Can't deny this forum has opened my eyes and started to give me serious doubts about work prospects, high taxes, lack of holidays with empoloyers etc. I know money isnt everything but lets face it you need it to survive?
Sorry to unburden, but I would appreciate your views...

debsy

At the end of the day you are the only one that can decide We know that there will be difficulties getting a job so we are going to start a business.

We think that if we dont try it we will regret it forever and we have got a good price for our UK house so now is the time for us to go.

Don

No harm in waiting for a few years if you can validate PR. You would have the luxury of letting your pensions accrue a few more years and can probably save money more easily in the UK than in Aus if you are on decent UK salaries.

The economic side of moving to NZ is certainly giving us pause for thought, too - it really is potentially quite damaging to one's finances to give up European life for Antipodean if you are already well 'set-up' financially in the UK. Many people don't realise how good company pension schemes (ie final salary schemes) are compared to the alternatives and they should not be given up lightly. :lecture:

You could still go in a few years' time and preserve your PR status but with a lot more spondoolies in your pocket and to come later at pension time.

whisky

I think that this is the hardest decision for all of us Jamesy, and its only you that can make that decision.

I being here, have no regrets but remember wherever you are you have to work for what you get and acheive out of life.

Best of luck with your decision.

Whisky

TraceyW

It's a hard decision we all have to make.

I for one, and I'm sure many folk out in ex-pats land, have all sat at one time or another and thought "we can't do this. We've got too much to loose"

But I think you summed it up when you said money isn't everything. I know it's important, we all like a certain standard of living don't we, but if your husband is in a specialized job such as his, he obviously has a lot of brainpower, so why can't he try something new? Why doesn't he sit back and ponder on what he would really 'like' to do?

I reckon you have to weigh up the thing as a whole. All the forseable problems with going, will they outweigh the regrets in years to come by staying here?

Good luck with your turmoil...

ABCDiamond

A few questions to ask yourselves:

Are you really happy where you are ?
Is your future secure where you are ?

Why are you considering moving to Australia ?
Can you afford to return to UK if you don't like it here ?

If you don't go, will you regret it later ?

Jamesy

Thanks for all your comments, it really smacks you in the face when years of planning and dreams come to fruition and you suddenly realise its time for the big leap into the unknown. We have validated our visas so have until 2008 to actually move, TURMOIL!!! Anyone know a good clairvoyant?!!

Jamesy

Interesting one!!


A few questions to ask yourselves:

Are you really happy where you are ?

Reasonably happy but bored........ does that make sense?

Is your future secure where you are ?

Very secure jobs with final salary pension scheme, good salary and 6 weeks leave

Why are you considering moving to Australia ?

Good one, back to the boredom factor, living in the South East restricted space, climate....... But are we being complacent about what we have??

Can you afford to return to UK if you don't like it here ?
Can do that, reasonable amount of equity but not to the jobs etc we have now, as time doesnt stand still..

If you don't go, will you regret it later ? [/QUOTE]

Good one, I'm asking that question on both sides, will I regret going or staying (oh no back to that old song by The Clash)

I know a lot of you have or are in the same dilemma and appreciate your time and views

Megalania

Stay. All you need is a holiday. 6 weeks rough camping / cooking / travelling in costal / rural / outback Aus is all you need. Forget the cities - just the same as anywhere else.

Still bored: go chop a cubic meter of firewood.

wombat42

Perhaps the best thing to do is to apply for jobs in Adelaide while
still living in the Uk and if you are successful then move to Adelaide, if not stay in the UK.

MikeStanton

Adelaide etc - looks like a very high risk strategy.

Why Adelaide? Very small market compared with Sydney or Melbourne.

As for starting your own business, have you done it before? Don't forget that 80% of all new businesses fail - probably higher if you don't have a good 'feel' for the local market.

MikeStanton

I never thought I'd say it, but that's very good advice from Meg

ABCDiamond

Have you been to Australia before, and for how long ?

Can you afford a good long holiday here. (months not weeks )

I understand the happy but bored bit. I change my life direction almost every 3 years

Only you can know in the end what you want, but I don't mind giving you more questions to think about

What part of the SE are you from ?

Don

You might find it relatively easy to get 6 months' sabbatical leave from your employer with pension rights continued to be accrued...

tiredwithtwins

hmm...tricky one this....and rightly only you can make the ultimate decision.
My partner and I and the 3 kids were going to go, but after reading stuff from the good folks on here I realised the problems I had were not going to be solved by moving to Oz, despite it being the one thing id dreamed of doing since first going there many years ago. We have now split up, and although I now cant go (i wont take the kids away from their dad) I can still have holidays there etc........what im trying to say is that its not the end of the world - its not a case of it being something I regret not doing......i may get the opportunity to go years from now, who knows?. Does that make sense? Its not something you would regret....not unless disaster struck where you are now, and you lost everything - family, financial security etc...! maybe then you would think....if only id gone to Oz.....
Sorry im rambling.....its hard to put into words how i feel at the moment..........im saddened I cant go, but as someone who is eternally optimistic I automatically looked at the positives in staying here.......and life isnt so bad after all!

Sorry i cant offer a more sensible response...!!!!

sue