Mummy3

So, after many threads and posts I feel armed with an amazing amount of information. Thank you to everyone for their time.

OH is wobbling over the COL and worried we will be worse off and may have to negotiate the salary.

Does anyone have any comments about the move to Australia? To help with the final decision? Must say OH's as have made mine

Thanks

Alfresco

You're welcome.

Not that I contributed at all!

Mark Twain:

Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.

Each person (family) is different and aspires to different things. I can't decide your destiny, you need to decide for yourselves.

quoll

Yup, if it aint broke, dont fix it. (Unless you are a compulsive gambler of course in which case rational thinking goes out of the window LOL)

Only move on if you have an opportunity not to be missed.

Mummy3

I feel its an opportunity, that fate is calling as we talked about emigrating years ago but then the kids happened...

Buzzy--Bee

That happened to us too so we just took the kids with us - you can you know!

On topic - what Alfresco said, not doing it will be worse than doing it "it is better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all" etc etc

BB

Buzzy--Bee

p.s. there are some people who will never emigrate, they will talk about it for ever and constantly put obstacles in their own way. A colleague back in the UK always wanted to live in Australia, even came out to holiday with us and loved it, but made excuse after excuse "can't leave the cat, Grandad's too old to leave in the UK, exchange rate is wrong, things going on at work right now, I'll wait til they've finished, kids don't want to leave school friends" etc etc etc. 6 years on he's still in the UK and in another 2 years he will not only be still in the UK but too old to get a skilled visa.

Just do it.

BB

Mummy3

elice_in_oz

We moved before kids so can't honestly say whether we'd have moved as far as Australia after, but we certainly would not still be in the UK as one of us is not British.

Moving with a job offer is half the battle won, as you will not be spending your £ and and so hopefully not constantly be feeling ripped off (try not to compare costs ).

COL has risen over the last few years, but to be honest, we didn't feel like everything was that much cheaper on our last trip back to France. COL has risen across the board. Some things were cheaper and some things were more expensive and some things were the same. Then again, we weren't comparing all the time as we have an account in euros and so use that while there.

If on top of the job, your relocation costs are paid both ways, then you are in a strong position to make asuccess of emigration, as long as you are independent enough from family and friends to live without a support network for a while. We have a great group of friends with whom we share babysitters, school pick-ups and drop-offs, and even help out with things like painting, gardening, diy, etc. it's all about being independent and willing to make new friends!

And you're welcome!

shussel

Hi, Sounds like we might have done a similar thing. We got our PR and then missed the moment to move over here, we then had children in the UK and before our eldest started school we decided we had to finally make the move or forever look back and wonder what might have been...
We moved from London to Sydney in search of a beach lifestyle and a smaller community vibe, but we still wanted access to the City and services \ jobs. Sydney is perfect for us and our kids have a great lifestyle. We will always miss family and friends and some days it gets you down but generally we've learnt to concentrate on the positives and get on with it.
We definitely aren't better off here than in the UK, probably about the same but we spend our money differently - more on housing / rent, running a car, less on socialising and entertaining the kids (although we socialise more as a family than we did in the UK).
If you're at least 60% convinced I'd say go for it!!
Good luck!

Turban Explorer

It would be a shame not to try out something new - especially as you have job offer in place. If you're getting 2.5+ times the UK salary the day to day cost of living should more or less balance out (after the start up expense). Any less then you will feel poorer despite having access to beaches.

The troublesome part with migrating from the UK to Oz is when it comes to a deposit for a house - converting sums of cash at 1.5 means downsizing and locking in a loss for when/if you wish to return to the Uk.

Australia is beautiful but it does cost an arm and a leg to live there in the middle of a commodity boom. So my advice is yes, do it, but make sure you have a big enough salary.

LeeWillo

I have friends like that too. There are always excuses not to do it. Just do it.

Alfresco

So what have you all decided?

Mummy3

The house has sold, just waiting on final paperwork to start the visas!!

Buzzy--Bee

You sold the house before you got the visas!

That's what we did - any very unusual! Good for you - that shows commitment. You are bound to succeed with your emigration goals.

BB

Mummy3

Well the house is a half finished project and we thought we would test the market and see what happened, it took less than a week! So as we could not rent it out it seemed the best idea...
The 457 doesn't give us long if the house hadn't sold.
Just watched poms in paradise, very excited now!