jad n rich

Have you tried googling in a aussie mortage calculator, I put in 25 year mortage, 7.5% $350,000 and it came up with $2473 a month. Sounds high, better check that.

Agree food $250
Petrol as a tradie, depends where you work minimum $50+ a week
second car for missus school runs shops etc $40?
Rates and water $40
Running of cars, rego ins etc allow around $40 - 50 a week plus repairs etc
Elec, much debated but with pool most have said around $35 a week
Gas?
Phones?
Insurances for house, contents etc say $20
Medical ins if you do earn more than $100,000 you will be stung by high income (yeah right mr howard) levy so best to take priv health, around $60 a week for us, not the top level.
If not priv allow for specs, scripts, docs visits unless they bulkbill, specialists, you pay for all of this even for the kids.
Schools even state you should allow $1000 per kid per year easily, levies books, contributions, sports, excursions etc

Probably loads more but that will get you started

Edit, forgot a big one, if your a subbie your insurances etc but also you provide your own pension, gov one is means tested, you need to set up your own provision for retirement, superannuation, depends how much pension you want but at 40 you would need to make pretty high payments to get a decent pension.

On $75.000 a year you might get a little bit of tax relief at end of year for the kids, better to claim at end of year, if you claim a wad of cash in weekly payments at the end of the year the govvy wants it back, claim with your tax return and at least it will be yours to keep if you get a couple of grand.

M J

I think when children come along, we as parents lose the option (or should) to be selfish. A decision like this is one you should make ,with your other half telling her how you feel, but ultimately your decision is for the future of your children and whats best for them, right?
Best of luck
M J

BadgeIsBack

Happy with all you've typed - and agree with it. Like I said, I don't like it when people have to deal with unions that's all, and the attitude of some people in some employment areas or the culture it unfortunately creates. I'm lucky. I don't. I never tried to put above anyone else (your comment on grocers). I'll leave that to alot of 'professionals' out there like my old mate Mike Stanton.

Truth be told it fustrates me. I probably didn't make that clear. There's a sense of guilt too I guess. But then we all try to work clear of some of that as we go up the ladder...

bridie

I suppose it depends what wages you were on in the UK. When we came here my husband got work as a metal machinist (his trade for the last 12 yrs) and was paid equivalent to £2 an hour more here straight away - mainly because his UK employer was tight. He also had an employer who valued hard workers and had two payrises before he left to do his electrical stuff.

Agree about the red tape, unfortunately it's a bug bear but hang in there, it'll be worth it in the end

bridie

Suppose it depends on the individual person, we are doing quite well with two modest cars (10yr old Terios and 8 yr old Excel) and no other toys, no boat, no caravan, we just dont need them to feel it's worth it (does that make sense?! )

I really do think people get hung up on having brand news cars and all that, and flash houses. The only reason we decided to build was because at the time we arrived it was cheaper to buy land and build than it was to buy (even taking into account all the finishing off and paying rent for a year). We would still have been happy living in a smaller/older house, these things just arent THAT important.

Maybe we've been lucky as not once has the thought of moving back to the UK ever crossed our minds, we thank our lucky stars nearly every day for the opportunity to live here and compared to our life in the UK we are so much better off in many ways (probably not financially though on DHs wages at the mo!!)

Dont know if any of that makes any sense or is just hormonal, pregnant woman ramblings...

BadgeIsBack

I'd go along with that! My reference was more of a swipe at the old accusation that there is not much on over here, mixed in with the fact though some people do need to feel a void.

Having said that I only joked the other day to a neighbour that we like living semi-rural as we get to play with rideons, water pumps and chainsaws and the like. How shallow.

bridie

oooh, chainsaws scare me!

BadgeIsBack

Mate. I was SH*T scared of mine until quite recently. Used to pluck up a fair bit of courage. I'd start it up, look everywhere for stones and rocks and detritus - make a cut. Put it down and look around to see if anyone had seen me. Wipe my brow....

Then tell Chief I'd been busy all arvo.

toandfro

my apiologies I did not mean to insinuate that you consider yourself better than anyone else, my point was more these jobs need to be done and people have different levels of ability ,however all are deserving of respect and decent treatment .I have been a union member since I was sixteen the need being again ,companies forced to do the right thing rather than the dependence on the decency of individuals .I understand the perceived i'm on my tea break from 7-1 then I'm on lunch attitude and I have come across people who don't pull their weight and deserve all they get .I have been in the situation that I refused to go on strike for a man ,who in my opinion deserved to be sacked. when you are in a position where you are selling your labour instead of your ability then you really have little to bargain with and need the union or other help to force fair treatment (I don't like the word force but can't think of another to use at present.