Cost of living

Old Apr 14th 2015, 7:15 pm
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Default Re: Cost of living

Originally Posted by Bentham
I also find that they teach English better than in the UK. They explain RULES of reading, grammar, spelling, etc., while in the UK they just memorized individual words and phrases.
That's not my experience at all. My children have been to 3 primary schools in the UK, and all of them have taught them reading and grammar 'rules' and spellings. My children are 8 and 10 and know exactly what an adjective, pronoun, verb etc are. Frankly, they know better than their mother does most of the time!


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Old Apr 14th 2015, 8:13 pm
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Default Re: Cost of living

Originally Posted by christmasoompa
That's not my experience at all. My children have been to 3 primary schools in the UK, and all of them have taught them reading and grammar 'rules' and spellings. My children are 8 and 10 and know exactly what an adjective, pronoun, verb etc are. Frankly, they know better than their mother does most of the time!

Mine was in Scotland. May be this makes the difference because they have a different curriculum. Or quite often it depends on an individual teacher.
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Old Apr 14th 2015, 8:57 pm
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Default Re: Cost of living

To be honest the original post is about facts and as I said they are available all over the forum..as to individuals perceptions and experiences everyone will be different Natty Jack...maybe if you are to post what you perceive your life will be like if you go to Barbados then people can feed back if thats realistic

I myself would want to know all the bad things so that if they still didint put me off then I would know it was for me....your experience is going to be as individual as the reason for going.

As for work there is no way you can guarantee work within 6 months...even local bajans can't do that themselves..Bajans are very patriotic and look after each other as you would do on a small island so of course who you know will have an effect.

Expect it to be difficult to adjust to a new way of living (service, slow, immigration issues), expensive (more expensive than UK for certain things) sunny, fun, eye opening, often frustrating, beautiful and different and you wont be disappointed.

By the way did I read right that you were thinking of a year? that is just a holiday really in terms of relocation..in my first year everything was still adjusting
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Old Apr 14th 2015, 9:05 pm
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Default Re: Cost of living

Natty Jack, another option for your husband is to check the British High Commission website regularly. They sometimes hire people with the right to work in Barbados which is his case. In terms of governmental salary, recently they advertised the position of the Deputy Chief Immigration Officer and the salary was $90 K BBD. There was another vacancy at the Attorney General office, this was about $68 K BBD. I think this is less than in the UK.
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Old Apr 14th 2015, 9:40 pm
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Default Re: Cost of living

Originally Posted by Bentham
Natty Jack, another option for your husband is to check the British High Commission website regularly. They sometimes hire people with the right to work in Barbados which is his case. In terms of governmental salary, recently they advertised the position of the Deputy Chief Immigration Officer and the salary was $90 K BBD. There was another vacancy at the Attorney General office, this was about $68 K BBD. I think this is less than in the UK.
Thanks for all the useful info, we'll definatelt be looking into these. Salaries for those posts are quite surprising. I hope something comes up soon by way of employment for your partner.
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Old Apr 14th 2015, 10:25 pm
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Default Re: Cost of living

Originally Posted by Serendipidy
To be honest the original post is about facts and as I said they are available all over the forum..as to individuals perceptions and experiences everyone will be different Natty Jack...maybe if you are to post what you perceive your life will be like if you go to Barbados then people can feed back if thats realistic

I myself would want to know all the bad things so that if they still didint put me off then I would know it was for me....your experience is going to be as individual as the reason for going.

As for work there is no way you can guarantee work within 6 months...even local bajans can't do that themselves..Bajans are very patriotic and look after each other as you would do on a small island so of course who you know will have an effect.

Expect it to be difficult to adjust to a new way of living (service, slow, immigration issues), expensive (more expensive than UK for certain things) sunny, fun, eye opening, often frustrating, beautiful and different and you wont be disappointed.

By the way did I read right that you were thinking of a year? that is just a holiday really in terms of relocation..in my first year everything was still adjusting
Thanks to all for the food for thought. This thread has given us lots to consider. And apologies serendipidy that my original thread seemed to have swayed away slightly from the original title. However the conversation highlighted opinions and experiences that I find very useful and I am confident will be equally beneficial to others who are either exploring the idea of relocating or have indeed made the move already.
Yes that's correct, a year. We are hoping that this time scale would give us the time to find employment on the island and if after (or around that time) we are still out of employment, we could still come back to the UK Without having depleted all of our assets. (Unfortunately we're not rolling in cash) Call it an extended holiday, but I prefer to look at is being realistic: By the sounds of it, it's going to be difficult, we may not like it, we may not find work, the slowness may infuriate me or it may all go the other way. In which case, happy days!! Our 'holiday' paid off and we get to stay longer and actually start to experience life in Barbados. Again I sincerely thank everyone that contributed to the thread, all the posts will assist in our preparations. Serendipidy, may I enquire how long ago you relocated? And was it from the UK?
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Old Apr 15th 2015, 3:53 pm
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Talking Re: Cost of living

Hi Natty dont worry about swaying from the original post I merely pointed that out so that you could still get answers to your original post...its your thread so wherever you want to take it is fine

Great attitude to your extended vacation it will work or it wont be we gave ourselves enough time to decide...you cannot loose its all feed back no failure

In answer to your question I myself emigrated nearly 10 years ago now when it was a lot easier to migrate to Barbados as we had not had the world recession, The Caricom borders were not open and there was a previous incumbent government who encouraged foreign investment.

Things have drastically changed in that time and although its not yet as hard to get into Barbados as it is the UK its definitely getting more and more difficult.

Barbados has had to protect its economy and its own and they do a much better job of it than the UK....I just wish they could do it with more "aplomb" (lol have never used that in a sentence before l) as its not what is done but how it is done that really does the wonderful island any justice

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Old Apr 16th 2015, 9:42 am
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Default Re: Cost of living

Originally Posted by Serendipidy
Hi Natty dont worry about swaying from the original post I merely pointed that out so that you could still get answers to your original post...its your thread so wherever you want to take it is fine

Great attitude to your extended vacation it will work or it wont be we gave ourselves enough time to decide...you cannot loose its all feed back no failure

In answer to your question I myself emigrated nearly 10 years ago now when it was a lot easier to migrate to Barbados as we had not had the world recession, The Caricom borders were not open and there was a previous incumbent government who encouraged foreign investment.

Things have drastically changed in that time and although its not yet as hard to get into Barbados as it is the UK its definitely getting more and more difficult.

Barbados has had to protect its economy and its own and they do a much better job of it than the UK....I just wish they could do it with more "aplomb" (lol have never used that in a sentence before l) as its not what is done but how it is done that really does the wonderful island any justice

Dips
Thanks Dips.
Hats off to you for doing it!!
Just trying to research healthcare insurance. Would you agree that it's a must? I'm not sure if I'm looking in the right places but so far it seems it will be our biggest expense after rent.
Also, is it usual for employers to offer med insurance as part of remuneration? Of course we couldn't rely on that. To be honest this is my biggest concern.
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Old Apr 16th 2015, 2:54 pm
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Default Re: Cost of living

Do you really need healthcare if your going for a year when you can get travel insurance to cover you for the majority of the time and if you get sick its around £600 to get on a plane and return to UK?

Healthcare will depend on which job a person gets. I know very little about it as I am self employed.
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Old Apr 16th 2015, 3:08 pm
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Default Re: Cost of living

I have looked at five job announcements in the local newspaper. Only one mentions the insurance. A visit to the doctor is 100 BBD and the British citizens are entitled to the following for free: Hospital treatment; Treatment at polyclinics; Ambulance travel; Prescribed medicines for children and the elderly. You can also take advantage of your husband's status and once you and the child apply for dependents visas you will have same rights. However, if anyone has serious preexisting conditions I would not recommend coming.
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Old Jul 18th 2015, 6:37 pm
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Default Re: Cost of living

Could I ask is that with the ACO running all night? $250 BBDs a month? That's amazingly cheap compared to where I live at the moment. I'd heard your electricity was expensive but I'm wondering if it will be cheaper in Barbados?
I hope you don't mind me asking just if that's the price that's brilliant.
I hope food is as cheap lol I won't know myself coming from here.
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Old Jul 18th 2015, 7:13 pm
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Hi Princess the one thing to guarantee is not cheap is food (and clothes)..most expensive place I have ever lived food wise...Barbados says its because we are an island..yet so are all the other caribbean islands and no where near as expensive...locals shop smart aha just realised why that shop is called shop smart lol....expect food to be one of the highest outlays..re hospital treatment although in theory brits are entitled to it I have heard people having been turned away at hospitals saying that not exactly true..who knows what the small print is in our recipricol health agreement..and as for the poly clinic even the locals dont really want to sit there waiting for health care
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Old Jul 18th 2015, 8:41 pm
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Default Re: Cost of living

Hi Thanks for the reply,
I live in Anguilla which apparently is the second most expensive island after St Bart's in the Caribbean.However the supermarkets in St Bart's are cheaper than here.
We've apparently one of the most expensive electricity tariffs in the world that why I was shocked what people were writing on here about Barbados electricity being so low.
If you ran two bedrooms all night on AC you would be looking at around $1000 U.S. A month
A weekly shop if you watch what you eat around $400 U.S. The food comes from the U.S. Via PR And it's not great quality either. Where French Islands like St Martin and St Bart's import from France.
Going out for an average dinner here, one course and a few drinks per couple easily $180 U.S.
The import taxes we pay are huge so I'm wondering if the prices of clothes will be comparable?
We have medical insurance I wouldn't take the risk not being insured but it's good to know about the information regarding British citizens.
I really appreciate you taking the time to reply because it all helps.
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Old Aug 7th 2015, 2:28 am
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Default Re: Cost of living

Originally Posted by PrincessBananaHamock
Could I ask is that with the ACO running all night? $250 BBDs a month? That's amazingly cheap compared to where I live at the moment. I'd heard your electricity was expensive but I'm wondering if it will be cheaper in Barbados?
I hope you don't mind me asking just if that's the price that's brilliant.
I hope food is as cheap lol I won't know myself coming from here.
Yes, AC running all night but in only one small bedroom.
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Old Aug 11th 2015, 12:10 am
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Default Re: Cost of living

Thanks that's brilliant to know.
We've been here 5 days and I love it. The super markets are amazing and such a fabulous choice with fresh fruit and veg too.
The price is on par with what I was paying in Anguilla. Plus I love the products because they are mainly from home where it was mainly all American products in AXA.
It's so green here too, I think luckily I live in a very beautiful place so I keep having to pinch myself. But so far so good.
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