So what is the consensus??
 

With all the recent talk about maternity benefits, medical costs, education costs etc. etc, I wonder what people who have already made the move to Australia think. Are you better off (financially and otherwise).

Realise this is a circumstancial question (i.e. we won't be mortgage free when we get there), but just wondered what people felt. Your thoughts are appreciated.

Sarah

Re: So what is the consensus??
 

Otherwise = Better off
Financially = Not better off, although more by choice.

Overall = Happy here :D

Re: So what is the consensus??
 

Hello,

Better off financially?-No! not struggling,just managing!

Otherwise?- 100% Happier with life in general :D !!

Donna.

Re: So what is the consensus??
 

Couldn't say it any better than Donna really! Although the struggling bit isn't such a struggle now we've been here a bit longer, but way worse off financially than in UK!

Re: So what is the consensus??
 

About the same - more expensive than we though it would be - although quality of life 100% better.

Re: So what is the consensus??
 

Farm more expensive than we thought it would be, we were basing prices on the old days :D my oz husband remembered, prices have caught up and cost of living is similar to what it cost us in UK. If we had jobs we would be in hot water, fortunately we work for ourself and the oz economy has had a really good run.

Happy yes, but notice we are less stimulated mentally, everyone around you is the same so you dont notice it day to day, then like last weekend, was mucking around with the kids with scrabble and a dictionary we found asking them what simple works like vigilant, humble, devout, etc mean, they had no idea, I guess with a simple beach barbie lifestyle you dont really get to use a lot of deep conversation :eek: take the news for eg, its about sport and local stories, I guess life is far less worldly than in the UK. Will be making the Kids watch the international news from now on :D

Re: So what is the consensus??
 

My daughter comes home with learning words like the following:
adversity
alkaline
bludgeoned
bodices
bullockies

These are the first 5 of a list of 100 words for this term, and she is only 8.

I need to check the dictionary myself to help her on some of them. :)

Word number 72 is "Scottish" How does one explain what that means ? :D

Re: So what is the consensus??
 

Definitely not better off financially :( . Our salaries went much further in the UK. However, previously we both worked late on in the evening and most weekends. Now we spend evenings walking by the sea and weekends are times for socialising, having BBQs and using the swimming pool. We have not worked on the weekend since we arrive.

Molly

Re: So what is the consensus??
 

Our littlen' is 7 and this weeks spellings include:

archaeologist - which I have just lean't to spell :D
heiroglphics - ditto
sphinx
myth
soldier
cleopatra
pharaoh

studying ancient history

Jill

Re: So what is the consensus??
 

PS.......... far far better off in everyway, now all we need is Perth to open an M&S and life would be 100% perfect.

Jill :)

Re: So what is the consensus??
 

Tight:D

Also describe bullockies please:D

Re: So what is the consensus??
 

On the whole happier. But life is completely different for me anyway because I used to work full time and now I don't go to work.

Husband has to work harder than he had anticipated. Aussies generally work hard in his workplace....(this was a bit of a surprise :D ).

Have quite a big mortgage - but then.....we're also in Sydney.

Re: So what is the consensus??
 

It depends on the individual and the circumstances.

To give an example

a) we were from London where it is expensive
b) we did not buy 10 years ago.

The chances of us being financially better off are therefore less likely than if you had bought 10 years ago and have a tiny mortgage, for example. if you are from outside London and have a 70k mortgage and a good job you have to reconsider whether or not Australia is really an option financially.

You have to decide whether the perceived "fringe benefits" will outweight these.

Badge

Re: So what is the consensus??
 

It must be cause your in bayside :rolleyes:

:D

Re: So what is the consensus??
 

Just looked up the definition for ya, it means

"Noble, Handsome, caring, intelligent, funny, erudite, profound, can hold their drink, doesn't get arrested at Hogmany Parties in the Grand View Hotel"

It does go on a bit, but I think you get the idea :p

JTL

Re: So what is the consensus??
 

Ours are in year 2 & come home with spelling lists including words like marsupial, Australian, platypus, kangaroo & monotremes. Obviously Australian animals are the go in our school! ;)

As for the OPs question, better off financially, & alot better off lifestyle-wise. Small village in Hampshire compared to bayside Brisbane.

Re: So what is the consensus??
 

Those who drive bulls sans bollocks.

Re: So what is the consensus??
 

About the same.

We'll be first home buyers soon, and can only afford a cheaper area, and only because we live very modestly. We have fun, but it's cheap fun mostly :D

Re: So what is the consensus??
 

Are you sure Jill isnt a pseudonym and you're really Mandy Skeggs!! LOL!! :D

Re: So what is the consensus??
 

Hey simone!

Have you started looking at houses then? how much deposit do they require?

fabie!

ps: enjoy the week end!

Re: So what is the consensus??
 

:confused: sorry that one has gone right over my head, please explain, then I'll know if you have upset me or not LOL :D

Jill

Re: So what is the consensus??
 

The school book they came out of covers all of QLD according to the teacher. :rolleyes: :rolleyes:

Re: So what is the consensus??
 

Did you not see "A New Life Down Under" with the whinging pom moaning how she longed for M&S knickers cos Oz knickers were no good.... ?

Re: So what is the consensus??
 

Thats exactly what I said to her teacher :D

But I did find the meaning in an old Australian Dictionary. And it is about pairs of Bullocks being driven as transport, or even the people who drove them. :)

Re: So what is the consensus??
 

Normally about 10%. Which we have(for about a $190.000 house)

But hsbc won't give us a mortgage yet because Pascal is still on a temp spouse visa, and some of the other banks MIGHT, but I'm quite sure they'll either charge more interest, or want more deposit(20%). And that I am not willing to do, and don't have enough deposit for that.
So, we're waiting. We don't mind really, we're happy where we are, the rent isn't that high so we are saving, and hopefully the house prizes won't go up much in the next year.....

:)


P.s. in 1993, year 6, we were learning about eutrophication(and erosion, ph levels etc), and I can still spell it really quickly. Was top 3 of my class speller back then... wouldn't be now! :D

Re: So what is the consensus??
 

We are from the north east of England, had 45,oooK mortgage, bought 20 years ago though, made good profit, now got a bigger mortgage with view to selling and buying without mortgage in a few years time. Too late to reconsider if Australia is an option now Badge :confused: .

Depends how you like to spend the money.

For me we are financially same, however, we both have to work to achieve what we want. Wheras in UK I needn't have worked.

Australia gives us a good lifestyle, house with swimming pool in a good area, in my opinion the kids are better off here, but then we could be better off moving to another area of UK, who knows. I still love the UK, always will. But we chose Australia and love it. Just think we are lucky to live where we want.



Marie

Re: So what is the consensus??
 

so its a person who drives with two bullocks then :confused: :D

Re: So what is the consensus??
 

Persons with bollocks who drive bulls without.

Re: So what is the consensus??
 

What happens if the drivee has had an op and had the aforementioned removed. Is he still licenced to drive said bulls without :confused: ;)

Re: So what is the consensus??
 

Wouldn't pass muster.

Re: So what is the consensus??
 

We're in our early 30s with two young children and had a small amount of equity in the UK, so there was never any chance of living mortgage free. Sometimes I feel trapped in this rental after owning my own home (hubby self employed plus doing short term contracts so longer to get mortgage despite high earnings) and its annoying to not have the credit history we had in the UK... but we love Aus and have come to terms with the fact that things will be a bit harder to begin with and we just have to accept that we can't yet buy etc. I expected that we'd have bought earlier and we have had trouble with our landlords (numerous inspections as previous tenant trashed the place and was evicted) now I've mellowed out and am just "looking forward" to buying rather than wanting to get out asap.
As Badge says, its much easier to get the dream house etc. if you had significant equity in the UK, but I have a feeling I will appreciate the new house more when the time comes as I've had to wait for it. I was quite humbled the other day when I moaned about renting to my Kiwi friend and she told me they'd been in the same position for 6 years. There's also a danger in comparing with other migrants, if you do that you'll never be happy.

Re: So what is the consensus??
 

Hi larrisa, i think you have put it into words wonderfully. we were/will be in the same possition as yourself. no house to sell, did that before we left 3 yrs ago, again with not much equity at all (paid for the relocation and that was it).
Every day we thought about how we were going to get out of the rental trap and it just brought us down.
It took years to be where we are in england, contacts through work and friends took a whole lifetime.
On returning to oz we will be taking the pressure off and just go with the flow, esp when you have small childre. Life is hard enough financially making sure that they have all they need and want without applying pressure to be a home owner.
On reflection i don't think it was about renting, i think it was about giving us something to tie us down to our new lives, something that would have made us feel that things were permanent not just passing through.

I think i might get a dog next time :D

louise

p.s. good things come to those who wait ( i just wish some bugger would tell me why we have to wait so damn long) :p

Re: So what is the consensus??
 

Hi Louise, I hope it all works out for you this time, at least you will know what you're letting yourself in for. We've also been thinking about getting a dog, it's a big decision and we're now sure of the right breed etc. but our landlord won't let us! Great... one of the reasons was so the kids would be more settled and grow up with the family dog, ahh well, we will get one eventually!
The contacts thing is a biggy. We're gradually putting down roots now (how can I say that expression without it sounding bad :confused: ) and it helps when you know people who can help you out with local information etc. which you just wouldn't get from Expats, unless they've been here a few years. A lot of the job scene is "who you know" rather than "what you know" unless you're in a real demand job.
take care
Larissa