Originally Posted by esperanza (Post 5619338)

Ummm, that's not the cheapest deal, as we pay $30 a month!! It's with Bigpond, I know lots of people slate them but they've been fine for us. Please don't make patronising comments about it- I'm not making it up, I do know what I'm talking about! Maybe it is so good they pulled it, we signed up to it about 6 months ago.

Perhaps we do live incredibly cheaply - where I think it's just as good I will buy the home brand version of things like beans, canned tomatoes, mineral water etc. I don't buy 'extras' every week, like deodrant/toothbrushes etc, and I make my own lunch to take to work - which is usually salad. Don't buy prepped meals, buy more of what is in season/on offer... but also buy what we want to have.

Some weeks our shopping is $200, if it's a 'big shop' but that's only once a month tops - the rest of the time it is under $100, so I just averaged it out and guessed. We sometimes eat out/takeaway as well, but not more than once a week and that's cheaper than the UK, I find. Sometimes we'll spend $50 at the butchers and fill up the freezer with meat...

I should add that this is not in Sydney, but when I have been to supermarkets in the city I was pleasantly surprised by prices and actually found more choice of things like meats and cheeses at better prices than there are in my local. Probably to do with there being more of a cultural range than where I live out in the regional burbs.

Originally Posted by TiddlyPom (Post 5619552)

We're on Bigpond too. It's been excellent.

My shopping for three children and two adults comes in at about $180-$200 a week... We don't eat convenience foods, make a lot of things, so I cook from raw ingredients. We buy our salad and veg at a large fruit market which is excellent value.
I go to Aldi for basic stuff like pasta, toilet roll, etc.. It's darned cheap. I buy home branded stuff too, like Esperanza. I've just got a veggie patch going. Even if you're in Sydney, it's possible to do veggies... There's a place in Bondi with a balcony covered in huge veggies! :lol: Never let space deter you!

I tend to buy in season... I freeze. I don't live in Sydney, but I am in an area which has the second most expensive Coles in Australia because they think we've got money to burn... so my bill can be lowered even more if I shop down hill!

I think you're going to be fine from what you describe. You don't have to spend money to live in Sydney to enjoy it. Fab parks, lovely beaches...
I hope you can relax a little. It's a very stressful scenario but given your relocating previously, I'm sure you'll wing it.

Originally Posted by kevinbloomfield (Post 5619587)

He's right, have a look here
http://my.bigpond.com/internetplans/...rs/default.jsp
It's only a 256K connection though with 200MB download limit. Should be fine for occasional surfing and checking email but forget about UKNOVA

Originally Posted by esperanza (Post 5619753)

Ours doesn't have any limits, we got a good deal it's linked with our phone etc - but I feel vindicated nonetheless, thank you! :D And did you see there is also a deal for $14.95 a month? I imagine they screw you somewhere else, but still that's very cheap.

(Oh and I'm a she, just for the record! :))

Originally Posted by esperanza (Post 5617272)

Our water is included in our rent, so for us yes cheaper than the UK!
No TV licence, so you'll only pay for telly if you want sky/cable.
Our broadband is $30 a month, no limits.
Gas & Electric.... not sure actually, but I'd guess about $50 each a month? That was during winter though... there might have been a couple of leccy bills that were higher than that. They've never been enough to make me mad! I'd say on the whole cheaper than the UK, but we are about to hit summer so the aircon leccy bill might make me change my mind, we'll see!
Also if you rent you don't pay council tax ('rates' here) as they are paid by the property owner. Bonus!

Originally Posted by earlneath (Post 5683388)

Mate if you are a geologist and are going to work servicing the mining sector this is the place for you the mining sector here is going gangbusters. If whoever is hiring you is any good they will want to keep you which implies they will pay you right and there is so much money in mining now I would've thought you will be on a fairly steep upward pay rise curve each year; if they are short paying you then you shouldn't have too much trouble finding work for another firm.