Going Home
#121
Re: Going Home
That's not in doubt is it?
I referred to some of these benefits having cropped up quite a bit in the posts of many over the years (as illustrated nicely by the new thread I then referred to where people are talking precisely that level of benefits commensurate with higher salaries) and they included the business class flight.
A couple of posters said it wasn't all sweetness and light and made the not unreasonable point about being in a good condition to carry out their work. I then asked "Are any of you lucky enough to gain by being able to use airmiles (or something similar, like discounts) accrued on work travel for personal travel/hotels?"
The question didn't even mention business class, just work travel.
A number of people answered in the affirmative showing that there was indeed an advantage.
There's nothing about assuming everybody does. That's why I posed the question, to find out.
#122
Re: Going Home
You can but its pretty poor value IMO. As an example St John's to London is 60k points and $620 cash or 133k points - more than double.
Best value for the average redeemer is domestic travel (for around 50k points and $100 or so I could get to Vancouver from St John's). For the particularly savvy and flexible traveller its business class round the world travel on star alliance airlines that don't charge the huge taxes and surcharges that AC do.
Best value for the average redeemer is domestic travel (for around 50k points and $100 or so I could get to Vancouver from St John's). For the particularly savvy and flexible traveller its business class round the world travel on star alliance airlines that don't charge the huge taxes and surcharges that AC do.
#123
Re: Going Home
You're right, it depends on the business... But for me, the business I would start up requires me to be present (computer service/repair) at least until the business is doing well enough that I can afford to pay someone else to work alongside me and be there when I jaunt off - its also not very lucrative funds-wise, i'm better off climbing the career ladder then when I have enough experience going into IT Consulting...
#124
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Jun 2012
Location: Vancouver, BC
Posts: 850
Re: Going Home
Hello! I am quite new to the site and have never posted before but thought our recent experience may help shed some light on a few things if you are thinking about moving to the Calgary area. We visited this area on holiday and loved it so worked really hard for 2 years to set up a job for my husband who is a mechanic and finally moved here a month ago from Scotland.
The place is lovely however we are finding everything so expensive! The cost of food is crazy, especially milk and cheese! Weekly papers provide details of the special offers in all of the local stores but who has time to shop in 5 different stores just to save some pennies!
Childcare is extortionate! We have 2 young kids and so far all of the enquiries we have made show that it is the norm for mum to stay home and look after the kids or for both parents to work all the hours to pay for a private nanny which can be about $2000 a month! Some childcare day homes have really long waiting lists and most pre-schools which would be the equivalent to nursery at home only provide 7 and a half hours care per week for $150-$200 a month.
We were under the impression that the working culture here allowed for a lot of family time however our experience so far shows that it's live to work here not work to live! I am aware that we have only been here a short time however it was apparent really quickly that we were much better off at home and we underestimated the support and childcare we had nearby.
Obviously this is a personal experience and we are fortunate enough to be in the position to go home.
The place is lovely however we are finding everything so expensive! The cost of food is crazy, especially milk and cheese! Weekly papers provide details of the special offers in all of the local stores but who has time to shop in 5 different stores just to save some pennies!
Childcare is extortionate! We have 2 young kids and so far all of the enquiries we have made show that it is the norm for mum to stay home and look after the kids or for both parents to work all the hours to pay for a private nanny which can be about $2000 a month! Some childcare day homes have really long waiting lists and most pre-schools which would be the equivalent to nursery at home only provide 7 and a half hours care per week for $150-$200 a month.
We were under the impression that the working culture here allowed for a lot of family time however our experience so far shows that it's live to work here not work to live! I am aware that we have only been here a short time however it was apparent really quickly that we were much better off at home and we underestimated the support and childcare we had nearby.
Obviously this is a personal experience and we are fortunate enough to be in the position to go home.
#125
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Sep 2009
Location: Airdrie, Alberta
Posts: 382
Re: Going Home
Thank you for your reply plastic. We are not suffering from homesickness and did carry out lots of research prior to coming out here. We have friends and family here who enjoy living here but they are happy to have one parent stay at home with the kids until they attend school. I'm afraid I enjoy working and would like to continue being a working mother however the childcare options are very limited, and expensive.
#126
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Mar 2012
Location: Calgary
Posts: 962
Re: Going Home
'Lot's' being unquantified but evidently insufficient.
I'd have thought research priority number 1 if you have children would be 'how am I going to care for my children and how much will this cost?'
I can understand foreigngirl not reading 7 pages of comments, the majority of which are off topic.
I'd have thought research priority number 1 if you have children would be 'how am I going to care for my children and how much will this cost?'
I can understand foreigngirl not reading 7 pages of comments, the majority of which are off topic.
#127
Re: Going Home
Since living in Canada I have learned not to always take things for granted.
One does expect some differences but if funding child care costs were not an obstacle for parents' particular working patterns and salary levels in the UK, I wouldn't expect it to be a deal breaker for comparable working patterns/salary levels in Canada.
In the OPs case it doesn't seem that this wasn't researched, more that they underestimated what they already had.
As someone once said, you don't know what you've got till it's gone.
#134
Re: Going Home
I have been living in the UK for 4 years. The standard of living compared Canada is low. There is far more violent crime here compared to Canada. The UK is a dump! LOL