TraceyW

Totally agree here. Free up more money by going over east. My OH keeps banging on about it. He reckons we would actually enjoy our lives and be able to afford to have fun over there, rather than slogging our guts out here without much to show for it. I dunno. I'm just as confused as you Aston!

Geordie George

An interesting one.

Family is obviously important to your wife, as she wants to be near her sister. That's a good reason to head to Aus and Perth in particular.

Wanting an easier lifestyle? Personally, I don't think that moving to Aus provides that. It can offer a different lifestyle to the UK (if you work at it), but people are creatures of habit - you tend to find yourself doing much the same here as you did there (by and large).

I find that the cost of living here is pretty much on a par with the cost of living in the UK. (And while I'm in Sydney, there's been an awful lot of late about how the cost of living in Perth is now comparable with the cost of living in Sydney- particularly house prices).

I'd speak to the Mrs. Work out what's important to you and yours and where you think might provide that. Making changes to your lifestyle doesn't necessarily mean you have to move 12,000 miles to do that. If it turns out that you think Aus better ticks your boxes, then go for it.

The mix of answers you'll get here demonstrates how much it's horses for courses. The best thing you can do is ignore all of us and make up your own mind.

kez81

I think if you can afford you should try elsewhere australia is such a big country, Melbourne wasn't for us not sure if Perth is yet! Glad we did the move though with drove up from melbourne and it was a brillant experience we have seen quite alot of oz and i think its a real shame when people come over and only ever see the place they are living. If we do return to the uk i be glad ive experienced different parts of oz!

kezxx

Nomore

Best advice yet

steve99

I'll have to agree with you on that one

Nikki

Hi Aston

Hope your sitting comfortably cos I like to ramble, mostly twaddle and I find it hard to give short snappy answers!!!!

I have been in NSW for 5 months, in a town where I have family. We visited the same town twice before on holiday and have never ventured more than 2 hours from our family.

We made the decision to move to Australia for various different reasons, in the earlier days we thought we would be mortgage free, also for some the usual reasons; laid back lifestyle, work to live not live to work like in the UK, better quality of life for our kids etc...you know the drill!

It was never an option to move anywhere other than where our family are, we figured that it was a big enough move away from our loved ones so why land ourselves somewhere where we have nobody. We thought at least for their birthdays and other occasions the kids would have some family around them. I look back and think we had the pick of the country, but in life don't most of us either live somewhere cos you were born there or settle in a place where you have connections!!

Unless you are coming over here with a serious bundle of cash, then you are unlikely to lie back on the beach all day! Sure our weekends are laid back because we make an effort to enjoy them, go places, relax and enjoy the surroundings. But Monday to Friday and sometimes Saturday my O/H works harder than he did in the UK, same type of physical work but the heat makes it harder and although I wouldn't say it to his face, he is a fit guy!! , but landing in a new country means you need to get out there to see how things are done, we want to get on here and do well, my Husband wants to work for himself like he did in the UK, but he has to start right back at the beginning and watch and learn, but he is doing the groundwork now which will hopefully sort out our future.

It has to be this way for now as I am not working yet, we have no childcare help (family all work), one of us has to be there for the kids. But we took the view that in terms of finances, this is going to be the hardest time, with only one income, once I return to work we will have more money coming in and in a year or two we hope O/H will have his own business earning better money than he is now. The beginning is never going to be easy, my FIL said moving here would put us back 10 years, I laughed at him, but in some ways I know what he means.

But we are well aware that the reasons we came here for will not be so evident within the first few years, yet we are not put off because we have accepted this. Your relationship has to be rock solid. The hurdles we have got over would have been so difficult if we didn't have eachother to lean on.

Try not to have the master plan, sure you need a plan, but have goals for the future. Make the decision that is right for all of you and for the right reasons. Have you thought of renting for a while, I thought this was a waste of money, but if you earn interest off your money in a good interest earning account one may balance the other. This will give you time to get a feel for Perth without buying a house and feeling that you are stuck there.

I know how hard it was for me when I arrived here and lots of women on here will agree with me, this rollercoaster does not end when you arrive here, if you are out at work, your wife will need all the support she can get and if she is on her own, she might resent you for that.

We have learn't that Australia isn't paradise, it doesn't have all the answers that make life perfect, however, for us we are enjoying it as a family here and as long as we are happy here, we will stay.

So thats my bit of twaddle over!!!

Good luck with whatever you decide.

Nikki

loz

Hang on in there Ast and I'm sure you will make the right decision. I seriously think you ought to consider other parts of Oz though as Perth does seem to be an expensive option.
We both came out here to take a back step from the 'rat race' as hubbies job in particular was making him ill in the UK. He was a senior medical buyer for our local NHS trust (and you know what shit they are in ) and at the moment he is loving every minute of working in a warehouse (not much difference eh?). He is happier and more laid back than I've seen him for years (except after a few Rakis at the Harem ).
We came over here with virtuall 'bugger all' and knew it would be tough (and we do have all his family over here) and the week before Xmas we were down to $72 but at no time did we stress.
We are not 'spring chickens' (me 50 hubby 41.........toy boy) but apart from me missing my girls and grandkids have no regrets at all. We are happier, healthier and more contented than we have ever been.

Good luck with your decision making.

Loz x

jad n rich

Aston, if your wifes got family in perth that are going to be as supportive (minding kids etc) as you say you have a big advantage over most coming here. So many women find it hard to settle in OZ, often the reason is often family, if she has that its invaluable, (well unless they fall out )

As someone else just said being a tradesman in Oz is incredibly hard work, and as someone else in perth just said the heat kills ya, but cant you change job?, loads of tradies do it for a while cant hack it and become sales reps or something. You dont have to be a brickie.

After your reccie you said you wanted to buy big ute, jetski, boat, pool, house etc, why not trim that back a bit, most people go mental and buy everything in sight at first, you dont have to, get some mates with a boat/jetski/pool Buy a old bomb, not worth having a decent car here anyway if its going to be on and off building sites, will look like a piece of crap in no time, just buy crap looking vehicle in first place and fit in on the sites, falcon with back seat ripped out for bricks and mixer is a good choice.

Dont worry about all the flash stuff the novelty of it all wears off anyway.

bridie

I agree

The thing you have to remember about moving to Oz is, it's life NOT one long holiday.

You dont have to do what the majority of people seem to think necessary and buy a brand new 4x4 and all the shiny accessories (boat/ caravan/ jetski whatever)

There ARE still plenty of affordable homes in and around Perth, maybe you just need to downscale your expectations a bit to start with. Instead of that 4x2 with pool just two minutes walk to the beach how about a 3x1 with no pool a bit further inland?

If you're in any sort of trade and you're a grafter/do a good job then you will NOT struggle for work, as has been said many times there is no shortage of construction going on all around Perth and other parts of WA. You may not work long hours, from what I've seen the brickies round here have well and truly buggered off home by 3.30pm, they start about 7am.

At the end of the day it's yours and your family's decision but just one thing I want to add: for god's sake PLEASE dont let some stupid TV programme put you off.

HTH

kez81

i agree there is tons of work here but the wages arn't great ,working for yourself is way to go or subby ,thats the only way to do it.

My hubby has just started up he's subbieing and also has put an add in yellow pages previous to this he worked for a company and earned nxt to nothing we are trying to achieve the life we want, but there's alot of red tape to start on your own it can take a while but we have stuck in there ,as much as there has been times i thought bugger im off!!!

I wouldn't discourage anyone from moving here if we didnt we always would have wondered what if.....

Nikki

Kez81

Have sent you a pm.

Nikki

aston man

thank you all for taking the time to help me.

ast

toandfro

moving to be near family is not ,IMO, a good move ,it's not the same as being on hols the promises made are soon broken. if this is the only reason you are moving then It may a big prob. I don't know quite what to tell you ,if you are basically happy where you are then the upset of moving is a lot more than you realise and will take a lot more than 2 yrs to establish yourself. things like work can be good or just plain evil you could get on or have a real struggle. the question to ask ,is would your wifes sister would move to be near you ? .we returned to aust basically follow the adult kids and wish we had stayed put . I can almost guarantee you if you haven't been labotomised you will have real dramas . just my experience hopes it helps
p.s. nothing is as easy or as good or as cheap as the bbc programs suggest even changing you liecence can turn into a nightmare . the other point is if you are mortgage free in the UK you can explore the world from perth you can explore little

BadgeIsBack

It is a difficult question because Perth is so expensive. If it was Brissy I'd say go!!! I really would.

You also need to look at are you REALLY burned out, or are you infact actually bored and in need of a change. You've heard the regrets on this forum.

I think you will do OK in Australia, seriously I do, and its not often I tell people that - I actually consider most people on this forum looking to move to Australia in a 'risk category' somewhere be it work, money, attitude, inexperience, inability to adapt.

But the work situation or the large mortgage may not be any help and may blunt it.

BadgeIsBack

Sound advice - I think people get way too wrapped up with big cars and big toys. When we came over, we kept things simple and it has really paid off.
The first thing which appalled me about this forum was how many 'little Englanders' were coming over for BBQs etc. It was why I joined!

Some people would maintain of course that without toys Australia, and maybe Perth, is not worth living in. That's for you to decide/choose.

Or sell too far!

Finally, some of the very harsh assessments come from people who are very disillusioned - and struggling - don't forget that. Everything seems wrong which is the usual giveaway.