ExKiwilass

yup. Your wife will have to work if you want extras. Join the club...

For a whole house $1000-1200 pm seems quite reasonable to me. Here you can rent a basement suite with 2 bedrooms for that.

deise1980

They look lovely and in some places even better than a lot of private rentals and i can't see how "undesirables" could afford to pay 1000-1200pm and some Utility bills on top ??
Rgds
Deise1980

deise1980

That income i would expect to be from both of us working ,wife working maybe 20 hours a week in evenings so it would actually be around 3200 combined ?
rgds
Deise1980

Dashie

There's always debt. That's the only way we could afford extras. With 2 under 5, it's not financially viable for me to work, calculating in daycare and potentially needing a second car.

For low income PR or citizens there is some government help. Not as much as the UK though. There are also food banks and other social assistance programmes. What makes you think that moving to Canada on a low income would give a better future for your kids? I know many who have/are moving back to the UK to give them just that.

ExKiwilass

with 3 kids it will be tight. imo. When we were living on a lot less money we were shopping at Value Village and Salvation Army for clothes, virtually never went out or entertained at home, very tight food budget (lots of legumes). Doable but we only have 1 kid.

ExKiwilass

yup. been there.

Alan2005

That would getting close to poverty imo.

Almost Canadian

I believe you would be crazy to move to Calgary if the only income you could achieve resulted from two minimum wage jobs and if it was likely that you would remain in such employment for some time.

When we first moved here, I was the only one in work earning $55,000 a year. However, we brought a large amount of capital with us and I knew that such an income was only going to be for a short period of time.

I recall meeting up with Judy in Calgary shortly after I arrived and, when I explained my plan to her, she could not hide the pity in her eyes. Fortunately it worked out for us.

dbd33

I don't think two immigrants on minimum wage can support three children in Canada.

Almost Canadian

I think that, generally, they would not wish to have one built in their communities (if they were already living there) or would not choose to move to a community if there was already one there.

NIMBYism it may be but, correctly or incorrectly, that it how it is.

ExKiwilass

ok. there's a bit of that mentality on the west-side here. freaking nimbies

Siouxie

Townhouse complex's tend to be cheaper too - just a thought (or is this what you meant?). They are very popular in the Hamilton area.

http://www.rentfaster.ca/calgary-tow...?sortby=price&

kijiji

gottarent

Calgary City also offer affordable housing options: http://www.calgary.ca/CS/OLSH/Pages/...a-for-CHC.aspx

You should also take a look at Padmapper

Living on a low income isn't fun - but if it's a stepping stone to potentially earning a higher income it's do-able. I think you have to weigh up the likelihood of your earning potential v costs in both countries and decide which is going to work better for you.

deise1980

Ok i think a few things need further clarification .firstly neither my wife or I will be on min wage in fact my gross income will be almost double the min wage and my wife will pick up something in evenings so our total in after taxes and other stoppages are expected to be around 3200pm take home . I certainly won't be moving to be worse off than i am right now .
people on this forum say Canada / Alberta COL is on par to the UK well if that is correct and you take home 400pounds/800dollars (rough estimate)per week which is what we'll be earning ,you should live fairly good cause i know families in UK living quiet well on 400 pounds a week .

With regards to our kids having a better life ,clearly the Canadian population is ageing by all accounts and new blood is needed in many places from what I'm reading well there is expected to be a lot of job opportunities over the next good few years which would give my kids a better chance of securing a descent job after studying ,were looking at the long term picture so yes in mine and many more people especially Irish opinions would be the same .
Rgds
Deise1980

ExKiwilass

3200 for a family of five is still not going to give a good standard of living..imo..in Canada. Plenty of unemployed youth in Canada, too, fyi.

But I can tell this is not what you want to hear.

Alan2005

I wouldn't be surprised if there are people on similar incomes using food banks.