Tough decision.....
Mar 17th 2011 | 9:19 pm
#31
Banned
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 22,348
Re: Tough decision.....
A funny old place this. But we only live once, might as well live it to the full and enjoy the ride as best we can 
Mar 17th 2011 | 10:01 pm
#32
Forum Regular
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 192
From: Brisbane
Re: Tough decision.....
I am a 43 year old Plumber/Gas fitter from the UK and I have a Full Independant Visa to live in Australia. We have had the visa for two and half years but have never really felt ready to move. I have always thought we would get to Australia and a 5 year visa seemed a long way from expiring. We feel that we are now at the 'now or never' stage and have just paid a deposit for Flights in October to move to Brisbane, and I need to pay the balance in two weeks!
Problem is that in all honesty the doubts have already started to set in. We have been to QLD and have spent 6 weeks in the Sunshine Coast in the last few years. We all loved it and my children would have stayed if they could!
It's the money side of things that worry me. I have my own business in the UK and I know I will never be rich but do enjoy a pretty good lifestyle. I would hopefully bring £60,000 with me, but is it enough with the poor exchange rate and the price of Realestate in Australia.
I must add that i really do want to do this but I suppose the fear of getting there and not being able to get the 4 bed house on the Coast is a worry.
I love to hear from anyone who can offer advice as I have to make my decision soon......
Problem is that in all honesty the doubts have already started to set in. We have been to QLD and have spent 6 weeks in the Sunshine Coast in the last few years. We all loved it and my children would have stayed if they could!
It's the money side of things that worry me. I have my own business in the UK and I know I will never be rich but do enjoy a pretty good lifestyle. I would hopefully bring £60,000 with me, but is it enough with the poor exchange rate and the price of Realestate in Australia.
I must add that i really do want to do this but I suppose the fear of getting there and not being able to get the 4 bed house on the Coast is a worry.
I love to hear from anyone who can offer advice as I have to make my decision soon......
If you are still fortunate enough to own a buisness in the uk which makes money firstly good on you. A recession on average will last for five years which should see uk coming out 2012-2013. Dont throw the towel in over there to come somewhere which is going to embark on one in the next two years.
60k at your age is not alot in money if that is all you have. Do not throw that away on a dream which will not come through. It will take you two years before you can even trade as a gas fitter.
Take a holiday over in europe or close buy where you have not been, go home and then re-evaluate.
If you are making good money with little ear ache then relax.
Mar 17th 2011 | 10:25 pm
#33
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 1,323
From: Amongst Melbourne's tall gum trees
I have never paid $6 for a coffee, unless it's a giant one in the Park Hyatt or something!
I know Sydney is expensive but still...
Mar 17th 2011 | 10:45 pm
#34
Forum Regular
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 33
Re: Tough decision.....
Hi,
Coffee @ $6 in the westfield shopping center at Bondi.
I was up around the rocks today...where you have all those little lanes...that was $5 for a coffee....an italian place.
Coffee @ $6 in the westfield shopping center at Bondi.
I was up around the rocks today...where you have all those little lanes...that was $5 for a coffee....an italian place.
Mar 18th 2011 | 9:33 am
#35
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 14,284
From: UK
Re: Tough decision.....
Coles and Wollworths (tesco and sainsburys) are having a price war...not that you'd notice.
A brown sliced loaf costs $4...thats about £2.45 stg!!!!!
Fruit and veg are sooo expensive...do not ask about bananas ($9/kg). Tomatoes are $6-$8 kg.
2 liters milk $4.
The only thing I saw cheaper were grapes
Lets say you go for a coffee after shoping.
A coffee costs $6...A slice of cheese cake $7. The kids will want a juice...$5.
Go to manly beach for a day out and have lunch...fish and chips $15, steak sandwich & chips $18, kids burger & chips 7$, diet coke $7. total for 4 of us $51.(£31)
How about a flight home to see the family...$1700 AUD each economy.
The kids school $2k per child.(catholic schools tend to be the best and they all charge 2k approx per year)
After school care for the kids, $1k/month for 2 kids.
I do not have a car but saw a saloon kia advertised for 18k...is that good...petrol seems to be cheaper...but we do not need a car...yet.
Weekly travel card $48 its good buses, trains, ferry. Kids $24.
Then you have the services, GAS, electric, internet, phone, mobile, tv, landline...not sure yet....but lets say $1k-$2k/month.
A brown sliced loaf costs $4...thats about £2.45 stg!!!!!
Fruit and veg are sooo expensive...do not ask about bananas ($9/kg). Tomatoes are $6-$8 kg.
2 liters milk $4.
The only thing I saw cheaper were grapes
Lets say you go for a coffee after shoping.
A coffee costs $6...A slice of cheese cake $7. The kids will want a juice...$5.
Go to manly beach for a day out and have lunch...fish and chips $15, steak sandwich & chips $18, kids burger & chips 7$, diet coke $7. total for 4 of us $51.(£31)
How about a flight home to see the family...$1700 AUD each economy.
The kids school $2k per child.(catholic schools tend to be the best and they all charge 2k approx per year)
After school care for the kids, $1k/month for 2 kids.
I do not have a car but saw a saloon kia advertised for 18k...is that good...petrol seems to be cheaper...but we do not need a car...yet.
Weekly travel card $48 its good buses, trains, ferry. Kids $24.
Then you have the services, GAS, electric, internet, phone, mobile, tv, landline...not sure yet....but lets say $1k-$2k/month.
If you want to make a proper comparison then you need to use 2.2 ~ 2.4. You can't expect people that have been selling coffee in Australia for the last 20 years to start dropping their prices because of the AUD: GBP exchange rate. Most people should be looking for and achieving a salary which is equivalent to their GBP salary x 2.2 ~2.4. And therefore you need to apply ths to prices as well.
We pay about $500 a month for gas, electric, internet, phones, Foxtel package.
Mar 18th 2011 | 9:41 am
#36
Account Closed
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 14,188
Re: Tough decision.....
Do you think it makes seense to translate at current exchange rates then? I don't think so unless you are talking about somebody earning in GBP, living off savings or tourists.
If you want to make a proper comparison then you need to use 2.2 ~ 2.4. You can't expect people that have been selling coffee in Australia for the last 20 years to start dropping their prices because of the AUD: GBP exchange rate. Most people should be looking for and achieving a salary which is equivalent to their GBP salary x 2.2 ~2.4. And therefore you need to apply ths to prices as well.
We pay about $500 a month for gas, electric, internet, phones, Foxtel package.
If you want to make a proper comparison then you need to use 2.2 ~ 2.4. You can't expect people that have been selling coffee in Australia for the last 20 years to start dropping their prices because of the AUD: GBP exchange rate. Most people should be looking for and achieving a salary which is equivalent to their GBP salary x 2.2 ~2.4. And therefore you need to apply ths to prices as well.
We pay about $500 a month for gas, electric, internet, phones, Foxtel package.
Who came up with that figure? Not disputing anything you say, just wondering where those numbers come from? Are they used because it then makes everything look 'reasonable'?
Mar 18th 2011 | 10:10 am
#37
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 14,284
From: UK
Re: Tough decision.....
If I were to compare prices using 1.6, then it needs to be done for income and if I do that my Australian salary GBP equivalent is about 60% higher than I was really getting in the UK. This tells me that it does not make sense to compare prices at 1.6 as there is no reason why I would deserve a 60% uplift.
Mar 18th 2011 | 6:48 pm
#38
Forum Regular
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 33
Re: Tough decision.....
Fair point about exchange rates...you need an economics phd to work it all out!
Your 2.2 sounds good though....I'd say 2.6..maybe there is a cheaper place to shop than coles & Wollies!.
Many thanks for the info on the service charges.
Your 2.2 sounds good though....I'd say 2.6..maybe there is a cheaper place to shop than coles & Wollies!.
Many thanks for the info on the service charges.
Mar 18th 2011 | 6:56 pm
#39
Forum Regular
Joined: Feb 2009
Posts: 173
From: Nr gold Coast
Re: Tough decision.....
Before I moved here someone told me not to compare anything. I know its human nature. But I have trouble working it all out comparison wise. I think my wages are a bit better than UK. I do have a company vehicle which saves Us alot. but my mortgage is many times greater here. At the end of the day we can actually save money for things(flights etc). We spend more on entertainment and activities here. Though obviously there are many more activities here to be enjoyed for free. I would also add we have nothing like $180K gross income(Perhaps Sydney should be avoided), not even 2/3 of that. But a car is worth $10k to $14K a year I suppose. Things will get harder here I`m sure, But at present I do not worry about money like I did in the UK. And yes TV here is crap.
Mar 18th 2011 | 8:07 pm
#40
Forum Regular
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 160
Re: Tough decision.....
To the original poster....What did you decide to do?
Joanne
Joanne
Mar 19th 2011 | 12:21 pm
#41
You sip .... I glug !!!
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 2,790
From: Over the hill!
Re: Tough decision.....
The Australian dollar was floated on 8th December 1983. Since then it has been as high as 3:1 (Sep'01) and as low as 1.35:1 (Jan'85) but the average figure for the entire period is just over 2.2:1.
Dont know if thats the reason everybody picks 2.2 though
Mar 20th 2011 | 6:55 pm
#42
Forum Regular
Joined: Dec 2010
Posts: 33
Re: Tough decision.....
If you are coming to sydney...multiply your current salary by 3.0 .If they do not offer you that then stay in the UK (assuming you are with a multi who is relocating you)
Just was out shopping (wollies)
Sunrise Fruitdrink $2.97 2lt (home/cheap brand)
2 lt milk $3.69
Regular Mince (not steak mince.) 0.59kg $4.72
1 Garlic Bread $1.85
1 Green pepper $0.89
4 oranges (normal sized oranges) 3.04
Rice crispies (home/cheap brand) 3.39
1 tin plum tomatoes (home/cheap brand) 1.25
1 packet of basil $2.45
Yes spag ball tonight!
The above is like going to sainsburys and buying the cheap stuff in those white packages!...cannot believe I'm buying it.
If I bought kellogs rice bubbles (as they are called down here) $7.23
As a previous poster put it...forget the exchange rate...you need a comprehensive list of every day items and find out how much they would cost. So get your weekly shopping list give it to a mate (down here) and ask them to price it up for you. Just ask them to go to coles or wollies...not to shop around getting the best price.
Just was out shopping (wollies)
Sunrise Fruitdrink $2.97 2lt (home/cheap brand)
2 lt milk $3.69
Regular Mince (not steak mince.) 0.59kg $4.72
1 Garlic Bread $1.85
1 Green pepper $0.89
4 oranges (normal sized oranges) 3.04
Rice crispies (home/cheap brand) 3.39
1 tin plum tomatoes (home/cheap brand) 1.25
1 packet of basil $2.45
Yes spag ball tonight!
The above is like going to sainsburys and buying the cheap stuff in those white packages!...cannot believe I'm buying it.
If I bought kellogs rice bubbles (as they are called down here) $7.23
As a previous poster put it...forget the exchange rate...you need a comprehensive list of every day items and find out how much they would cost. So get your weekly shopping list give it to a mate (down here) and ask them to price it up for you. Just ask them to go to coles or wollies...not to shop around getting the best price.
Mar 20th 2011 | 7:07 pm
#43
Forum Regular
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 192
From: Brisbane
Re: Tough decision.....
If you are coming to sydney...multiply your current salary by 3.0 .If they do not offer you that then stay in the UK (assuming you are with a multi who is relocating you)
Just was out shopping (wollies)
Sunrise Fruitdrink $2.97 2lt (home/cheap brand)
2 lt milk $3.69
Regular Mince (not steak mince.) 0.59kg $4.72
1 Garlic Bread $1.85
1 Green pepper $0.89
4 oranges (normal sized oranges) 3.04
Rice crispies (home/cheap brand) 3.39
1 tin plum tomatoes (home/cheap brand) 1.25
1 packet of basil $2.45
Yes spag ball tonight!
The above is like going to sainsburys and buying the cheap stuff in those white packages!...cannot believe I'm buying it.
If I bought kellogs rice bubbles (as they are called down here) $7.23
As a previous poster put it...forget the exchange rate...you need a comprehensive list of every day items and find out how much they would cost. So get your weekly shopping list give it to a mate (down here) and ask them to price it up for you. Just ask them to go to coles or wollies...not to shop around getting the best price.
Just was out shopping (wollies)
Sunrise Fruitdrink $2.97 2lt (home/cheap brand)
2 lt milk $3.69
Regular Mince (not steak mince.) 0.59kg $4.72
1 Garlic Bread $1.85
1 Green pepper $0.89
4 oranges (normal sized oranges) 3.04
Rice crispies (home/cheap brand) 3.39
1 tin plum tomatoes (home/cheap brand) 1.25
1 packet of basil $2.45
Yes spag ball tonight!
The above is like going to sainsburys and buying the cheap stuff in those white packages!...cannot believe I'm buying it.
If I bought kellogs rice bubbles (as they are called down here) $7.23
As a previous poster put it...forget the exchange rate...you need a comprehensive list of every day items and find out how much they would cost. So get your weekly shopping list give it to a mate (down here) and ask them to price it up for you. Just ask them to go to coles or wollies...not to shop around getting the best price.
Mar 20th 2011 | 7:59 pm
#44
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 8,390
From: Canberra
Re: Tough decision.....
Mar 20th 2011 | 9:33 pm
#45
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 460
From: Brisvegas
Re: Tough decision.....
At your age it is now or never! I came over at the same age - never thought I'd make it and managed to get PR just in time. It's a hard call, and you've got some good advice already. If you really really love Australia, and are prepared to drop your standards then I'd be tempted to give it a go, but as stated Oz is very expensive. A 4 bedder by the beach is likely to be up in the $millions, and personally I've found my standard of living here to be a bit lower here than the UK, even though earning similar incomes. Housing costs are high, medical costs are high and holiday costs are prohibitive ($2500 return trip to UK). Prospects for school leavers/graduates a bit brighter than in the UK at the moment. Looking back, I could have had a holiday in Australia every year for ages for the costs of what we paid to move over, plus the comparatively reduced cost of living in the UK.
Please don't move for the weather. This year, the summer hols were so wet, the kids were indoors for nearly the whole time. I'm going back to the UK in June July and desperate looking forward to some sunshine!!!!
Please don't move for the weather. This year, the summer hols were so wet, the kids were indoors for nearly the whole time. I'm going back to the UK in June July and desperate looking forward to some sunshine!!!!
