Originally Posted by TanieBird (Post 11062906)

:goodpost: This. I would not move here to have the same standard of living. I came over and ended up worse off and I would not recommend that to any one. Living hand to mouth is not living IMO.

I suppose it depends on what you consider to be essential as to how little you can live on. Calgary is OK to get around via transit, but I cannot imagine relying on it to get around as my only source of transport. Therefore a car is essential to me and the other expenses that brings (insurance, finance payments, gas and maintenance as well as a set of snow tires when it was new). To me internet access is an essential in this day and age and as I was doing that I added TV and land line phone to my package. I don't have the most expensive package, nor the cheapest, but it's an expense I am not going to give up lightly. Extra health coverage is pretty essential for me, so taking out Blue Cross coverage is again pretty essential. Hopefully I will get a job soon that offers benefits and I can cancel the Blue Cross plan, but until then I need the comfort of knowing I'm covered if something unexpected happens. My food costs are higher due to being gluten intolerant so I buy the gluten free alternatives which have a premium price.
These are just some examples I can think off off the top of my head at work between phones calls, but it gives you an idea as to how easy it can be to spend extra money and suddenly go "wow, where did that $100k go?"

Originally Posted by IrishGuyAbroad (Post 11063036)

Well to me, my reason for moving out was career progression. I know I could secure a much better job out there than in the UK, and have a better chance of moving up the ladder out there than in the UK. Also, the money would be close to double what my wage is in the UK.

It still wouldn't be close to 100k, but for me and my partner we live on an income of about 22k per year in the UK. Its all down to lifestyle, we are not used to any added extras in our life because we cant afford them. So I just thought it was odd that people were suggesting a family would need 80 - 100k to survive in Canada, to people who survive on 22 in the UK.

But anyway, plenty of food for thought in this thread, and has definitely made me re evaluate whether this is something I want to do

Originally Posted by IrishGuyAbroad (Post 11062854)

Whats your position in the industry that makes you such an expert on Greenkeeping in Alberta?

Originally Posted by IrishGuyAbroad (Post 11063036)

So I just thought it was odd that people were suggesting a family would need 80 - 100k to survive in Canada, to people who survive on 22 in the UK.

Originally Posted by the undutchables (Post 11064276)

My wife and I have been in Calgary for over 5 1/2 years now, came over on a TWP to work for a construction company. In the first couple of years I was earning $75-$80k, which was almost double the equivalent pay in the UK.

As it is only the two of us, we can live reasonably comfortably on that amount, we are not extravagant, however, rent costs us about $22,000 per year alone. Since the floods, our house would easily cost us $5/600 a month more if we were trying to rent it now.
Household bills, heating, elec, tv/internet, food, ins, car exp. etc are approx. the same again. We sold our home in Scotland 9 years ago, with the view to buying here after a few years. What we want to buy, and what we can afford is very different. At the current exchange rate, your UK 22k = $38k.

As a result, we are leaving Calgary in a few months to move to Nova Scotia.

Calgary is a great city, it has been good to us, but not a place to be living week to week. And as my work is outside all year like yours, I often only work 3/4 days a week during Dec to Feb, and have even lost days to the cold weather in May! For your type of work, have you thought perhaps the west coast of BC, or Vancouver Island?

As a footnote, it is 11am just now, and the temp here in NW Calgary is -31, and -40 with the windchill!

I am not saying give up, just look at all the options, and make sure the figures add up!

Originally Posted by Almost Canadian (Post 11064437)

Are you planning a change of occupation in NS?

Originally Posted by the undutchables (Post 11065304)

No, but I am looking into a few ideas that I can expand my business, as well as a sideline business that my wife can work in.

It isn't that I can't physically work outside here in the cold, some of the work I do requires temp above -5. At least in NS the winters are 2 /3 months shorter than here. I have 3 jobs at present that have been sitting since before the holidays that can't be finished. In previous winters I have had jobs sitting for 3/4 months waiting for the weather to warm up. Besides, at -15 or below, jobs that take 4 days in summer, can take 2 weeks. Unfortunately the pay is the same no matter how long it takes!

I got your PM Dave, I will reply later as I am off to work now!

Originally Posted by Almost Canadian (Post 11065343)

OK, all noted. I didn't realise that winters in NS were 2/3 months shorter than those in Alberta.

Originally Posted by the undutchables (Post 11066496)

I have a friend in NS and they didn't get their first snowfall until the second week of December, we had our first snowfall at the end of October, so that is almost 2 months shorter already. Should I re-phrase that to " the months of the year that you can expect snowfall" instead of "winter" ?

Also, I have never heard of snow in NS in May or June, ( although I may be wrong) but I have seen it first hand here in Calgary, more than once. To clarify, when I say NS, I am referring specifically to Halifax. Perhaps the weather in Cape Breton is as unpredictable as Calgary?

Originally Posted by Almost Canadian (Post 11067184)

I have seen snow in May in June in Calgary too. From memory, it remained on the ground until mid morning. Did you really have to miss a day or two off work because of that?

I suspect that there are more construction workers missing work in NS this past week than those in Calgary. I accept that you don't like the weather in Calgary. I hope that your move to NS will prove to be all you anticipate it will.

Originally Posted by the undutchables (Post 11064276)

My wife and I have been in Calgary for over 5 1/2 years now, came over on a TWP to work for a construction company. In the first couple of years I was earning $75-$80k, which was almost double the equivalent pay in the UK.

As it is only the two of us, we can live reasonably comfortably on that amount, we are not extravagant, however, rent costs us about $22,000 per year alone. Since the floods, our house would easily cost us $5/600 a month more if we were trying to rent it now.
Household bills, heating, elec, tv/internet, food, ins, car exp. etc are approx. the same again. We sold our home in Scotland 9 years ago, with the view to buying here after a few years. What we want to buy, and what we can afford is very different. At the current exchange rate, your UK 22k = $38k.

As a result, we are leaving Calgary in a few months to move to Nova Scotia.

Calgary is a great city, it has been good to us, but not a place to be living week to week. And as my work is outside all year like yours, I often only work 3/4 days a week during Dec to Feb, and have even lost days to the cold weather in May! For your type of work, have you thought perhaps the west coast of BC, or Vancouver Island?

As a footnote, it is 11am just now, and the temp here in NW Calgary is -31, and -40 with the windchill!

I am not saying give up, just look at all the options, and make sure the figures add up!

Originally Posted by Jericho79 (Post 11072593)

We moved to NS from Edmonton a couple of years ago, and now we're moving back to Calgary.

I would think very carefully about moving here if I was you. Happy to chat via PM if you like.

Originally Posted by Siouxie (Post 11072633)

?? You said in another post that you are returning to the UK, did you change your mind?

:)

Originally Posted by Jericho79 (Post 11072593)

We moved to NS from Edmonton a couple of years ago, and now we're moving back to Calgary.

I would think very carefully about moving here if I was you. Happy to chat via PM if you like.