Re: Moved:fair wages?help
 

For renting I dont really know Alberta that well, you could try searching at www.google.ca or you could try searching for rentable propertys on www.mls.ca

Good luck and keep us updated

Re: fair wages?help
 

Honest advice is to forget it on that money. You have no safety net here, no access to benefit top-ups or cheap utilities. You still have to pay hydro and gas on top of rent. My hydro and gas for this month was over $380 and I am a cow about leaving the heating off etc. Living on the poverty line with kids is no fun, trust me and that, frankly, is what you are looking at. Bowden is tiny (or Innisfail, driven through there, yuk) there is nothing for you or the kids to do when hubby will be gone 16 hours a day. Boredom and no money do not a happy family make.

Re: fair wages?help
 

I totally agree with dingbat,that it is very stressful to live under low
income level especially in a new country. I have read about people living
on very little by doing homesteading and practising simplicity living.
Unless you are creative in budgeting,I suppose you all are able
to get by on your hubby's wage.

Google search on thrifty living and there are books , forum discussions,
exchange of recipes ,ideas and etc. Personally , I would not pay 1 year
rent in advance, it may be difficult to get your money back if you all
found a better place and want to move. Good luck with your decisions.
Yoong

Re: Moved:fair wages?help
 

I did a quick check for you, searching on rental properties in bowden alberta. I found one for you http://www.rentboard.ca/rentals/inde...?s0=1&locid=83
There was another one located in Innisfail, only a 2 bed though and it was listed at $900. Did allow pets though. Not all places do and certainly unlikely if you go through a big management place such as boardwalk.

I would not recommend Innisfail though, we were told by a teacher at the high school that the only people he knows who he works with who live in Innisfail are those that have to i.e. the Principal and vice principal and of course the newly qualified teachers/single who perhaps cannot afford to live elsewhere.:thumbdown:

Re: fair wages?help
 

my hubbys normal hours will be 7am till 5pm ,thought that was ok and high season he may work harder but will be compensated for extra hours!i am aware that i wil find it more difficult being at home with the kids ,i just hope i can find new friends .we dont really have a good salary in scotland and we manage yes with a little help.hubby says if we dont try we will never know !

Re: fair wages?help
 

we intend to have the first years rent ready to pay monthly but not to give them all at once !thought it might give us a better feel how the money will last without struggling as much as we might if we had it to pay of wages!

Re: Moved:fair wages?help
 

thank you for the link to the house in bowden although we had actually already seen it !thought it looked quite nice although quite pricey!

so far you live the closest to where we are intending to go and your opinion is appreciated!

only my hubby been for a research trip ,i have not been he thought it seemed quite a nice quiet town .i am now more concerned that it is not nice and he could be wrong !eeek!!!!

the school in bowden appears a good school with great reputation,have you heard much about it ??

thanks everyone for replys!!keep them coming if you have the time !

Re: Moved:fair wages?help
 

Hi,

I'm sorry, I'm inclined to agree with the others that that's probably not going to be enough.

I was originally going to reply to say that it was just about do-able, as it's pretty similar to our financial situation and we do get by, but without any left over to save, running just one (10 year old!) car, but with enough to pay the bills and not have to worry where the next meal is coming from :) But then I remembered that our heating is by wood-stove, and our property came with enough already felled or dead-standing trees to last for several years, so we're effectively getting free heating, which would otherwise be a big expense with Canadian winters being what they are...

Is there something you could do from home to bring in a bit more money, whilst still being there for the children? I hope you can work it out as this is an amazing country and I don't regret our move at all!

Alex

Re: Moved:fair wages?help
 

I have not been to Bowden, but also have not heard anything bad about it either. Sometimes the best places to find rentals are the local newspapers. Have you checked out the town website.

The only other thing I know is that there is the prison nearby. I will check with my s.i.l tomorrow, she is a RCMP officer so should have an idea as to how bad it really is. I mean as an indication she said she would not live in Innisfail if she had a choice.

Re: Moved:fair wages?help
 

hi thanks for the info about innisfail ,it is quite worrying!i was aware of the prison in bowden although unsure wether thats a reason to not go!
i will try check out the local papers!thanks again and look forward to any further info you may be able to pass on!

Re: Moved:fair wages?help
 

Hi,

I just want to wish you well. Only you and your family can decide on what to do and if you think it's best - then do it. You don't want to think "what if" in ten years time if you don't go. If your anything like me, then you would have done your reasearch and you are not going into this blind.

I have 3 chilldren - all under 6 and I am starting to worry how we will be able to cope. But I am off on a reasearch trip in a few weeks (it is to SK) and if there is anything that I could find out for you - PLEASE just let me know.

Everyone on this website is great and I would be lost without everyones advise - but only you know what is best for your family.:thumbsup:

Re: Moved:fair wages?help
 

hi there,
fantastic and reassuring advice thanks!
your right i have done so much research ,but still need advice from real people!i am so confused as you are probably too!
our kids are much the same age ,mine are 4,3 and 8 months!

my husband has already said that he doesnt want to miss out on this great oportunity with already having a job!he did say if we dont try we will never know!and that we can always come back if it doesnt work out !

i am so terribly confused and upset and almost wishing none of it was our lives and it would go away!

feel free to private message me!

thanks x

Re: Moved:fair wages?help
 

You might look at Olds, as well as Innisfail and Bowden itself for where to live. My friend lives outside Bowden and her kids all attend school there (well eldest has just left to go to University of Calgary) and they all seem very happy. Bear in mind though, that yours would not start school just yet ....... grade 1 is at age 6.
The school board for the area is Chinook's Edge http://www.chinooksedge.ab.ca/schools/index.html

Re: Moved:fair wages?help
 

thanks for the link morwenna!will look into olds as well ,had not actually considerd there!
cheers x

Re: Moved:fair wages?help
 

We drove to Olds today to visit my sil. It is about 15K from Bowden and a college town, so in theory there could be more scope for rental properties saying that however with your canine companion that could be a little more difficult in Olds. (SIL suggested Bowden might have more potential in this instance)

Olds has a hospital (with Helipad) a fairly large RCMP detachment, Extra Foods, SAAN and COOP to name a few grocery stores. And if you truly want to assimilate to the Canadian way of live there is a Tim Hortons (Timmies as you most learn is the only place to buy coffee).

If you choose Bowden you would probably end up doing large grocery shopping in Innisfail or Olds anyway.

As a suggestion for meeting people, it is probably very wise to sign your 2 eldest up for Pre-school (like play school) there should be groups for 4 and 3 year olds and it is certainly a great way for the little ones to make friends and consequently yourself.

SIL had nothing bad to say about Bowden so I suppose that is good.