Re: Why is second-hand stuff here so expensive?
 

When we moved to Calgary I worked for a salary of $55k for some time. We were a family of 5 with children aged 13, 6 & 3. It was doable. I don't imagine that it would be any less doable in Edmonton provided one cuts one's suit according to one's cloth.

Granted, I had a fair amount of capital (which was spent in the first few months so we weren't able to use it to supplement our income) and I knew that such a situation would not last long.

I suspect that I would be happier to be on $60k in Edmonton, than on 16k in England.

Re: Why is second-hand stuff here so expensive?
 

Thank you :thumbsup: we just want to live a life..... right now we cant even afford to take our kids out ..... the cost of fuel, or public transport is ridiculous before we start.... and after everything is paid we have £40 a month left ....... it just gets you down

Re: Why is second-hand stuff here so expensive?
 

In Ontario there are four publically funded school systems:

- Catholic English
- Catholic French
- Other English
- Other French

FI operates within the Catholic and Other English language systems and is unrelated to the French systems. Practically, the difference is that, in a FI school only the lessons are in French, in a French system school the school operates in French and it's not uncommon for the staff (and pupils) to be new immigrants who speak no English.

The French school systems are very well funded. I don't know about the general case but the school my children attended, Le Collège français in Toronto, provided an ib program and cramming sessions for the SATs. I don't think pupils at English language schools in Toronto are routinely entered in SATs, nevermind coached for them. The school operates sports teams that compete against privately funded English language schools such as UCC, thus the students are exposed to a side of Canadian life (that of the pampered elite) that they might not even know existed had they attended English language schools.

It seems to me that the school, and I believe other schools in that system, offer their brighter pupils opportunities that would be available to them elsewhere only if they had affluent parents commited to funding their academic lives. All this and drugs and prostitution right on the front steps!

Re: Why is second-hand stuff here so expensive?
 

16k would suck big time, I see your logic!

Re: Why is second-hand stuff here so expensive?
 

Having just arrived in Canada in January this year, I feel I am qualified to comment on the relative cost of living in both countries, as follows:

1. We have always worked on a tight budget, trying to buy bargains where we can and - WITHOUT DOUBT - it is much more expensive to buy foodstuff in Canada when you average everything out. We scour the free ads from the free local papers that are tossed into the drive and note where the cheapest items are yet nowhere can we get the bargains found in Aldi, Lidl, Tesco, Sainsburys and so on - ON AVERAGE.

2. Added together, our utility bills are much more expensive here - and we do not use that much electricity (not going to call it hydro as that means water).

3. Insurances are ridiculously expensive - particularly car insurance, where I WAS allowed to use my previous experience and No Claims (maybe as I am a UK Police Advanced Driver???). The Insurance guy was surprised that I was still not happy when my premium was discounted to $2000 from $4000 - we were paying £400 a year in UK for 2 cars, fully comp, protected NCD on high end cars.

4. DO NOT GET ME INTO A CONVERSATION ABOUT PHONES - Rogers, Bell and Telus have a massive monopoly on the market and charge accordingly. It is a massive ripoff and hopefully soon to be addressed by allowing other competitors in the marketplace (Verizon anyone?).

5. Car prices - we had to buy quickly and bought a 2010 Journey from the local dealer at an elevated price believing it to be dealer serviced or at least serviced well. In retrospect, I should have looked around and bought privately and then taken it in for a service/ test. Since buying our car, it's been in for repairs 4 times (since Jan) and broke down once with an electrical fault. The brakes needed replacing 2 weeks after buying it at $600 and the dealer denied any responsibility for selling a faulty car. Since then it's been good though although I have lost confidence in it.

Now as a counterbalance I must say that I am happy here in Canada and understand the economical reasons for these prices - smaller population density, lesser demand, no real local produced goods (electrical, computers, white goods etc), Taxes and for some reason a Canadian mentality of being anti foreign companies in the Canadian marketplace.

This is merely a post explaining how we find it more expensive here - having done the MathS and directly comparing bargain prices.

Cheers,
Jim Out

PS: I've seen many rusty bangers driving around here in Ontario.

PPS: I've lived in many areas of the UK, Europe and the Middle East and some areas are mega-expensive, some are mega-cheap. It all balances out in the end. Canada is a great country with a diverse population and loads of space - enjoy!

Re: Why is second-hand stuff here so expensive?
 

This is true.

Re: Why is second-hand stuff here so expensive?
 

Did the capital fund a house or were you paying rent/mortgage from that? We lived on little more than mimimum wage for a year here but had no mortgage and had to use capital to pay our bills. We would still be suffering if we had a mortgage.

Re: Why is second-hand stuff here so expensive?
 

It partly funded a house (downpayment), funded vehicles and bit and bobs for the house. We still had a mortgage and it was not used in any way to supplement our income. It enabled us to purchase "stuff".

We would not have been able to manage had we had to obtain a 100% mortgage (even if that had been possible), obtain financing to purchase vehicles and had to use credit to buy the necessary bits and bobs.

Re: Why is second-hand stuff here so expensive?
 

Lyn1972,
You should be aware there's a great deal of anecdotal claptrap written on this site. There are many people (most) live quite satisfactory lives here. It isn't perfect and I know of no-one who claims it is. So many on here have the "it's not like England" syndrome and it's definitely not, which given the UK economic shambles today, is a blessing. Canada has only been identified as such since 1867 (146 years) so its history is short.
I'm under no illusions as to Canada's shortcomings but for me and many other British ex-pats who I know, it's a good life, and I'm not necessarily talking about
old fogies like me, I do know some younger ones.
I am fortunate insofar as I can, and have been for some time, able to return to the UK at any time and live wherever I choose, and I arrived here with £300. Over the years I have travelled the UK extensively, probably I've seen more of it than 99% of posters on here, but I choose to remain in Canada as it's my home and always will be.
Look forward to your adventure and new life. It will not be easy at first but if you tough it out I'm sure you will do well and your family will be happy here.

Re: Why is second-hand stuff here so expensive?
 

Your reading of what I actually wrote is the misleading bit.

The fact is the UK is pretty good overall. Canada is pretty good overall. I'd imagine the same goes for the US or Australia or lots of other places. Most of us who left the UK to come to Canada did so only because it offers the opportunity at a better life. If it was clear it would be worse you wouldn't get on the plane. If you come expecting a "massive upgrade" to your life you're in for a nasty surprise. If you literally can not function without fish and chips, football on the TV and a super fast fibre optic internet connection - don't come. If you don't like the idea of 5 or 6 month winters don't come. If you feel all "British" when you hear a dozen languages in your local supermarket don't come. If you find it a terrible challenge to drive on the right don't come. If you have kids think very carefully before coming. If you have particular health problems think very carefully before coming. Do not complain that "it's not the NHS is it!" I'm probably rather lucky as I do find myself having a better quality of life compared to back home but the most you can really ask for is "about the same".

If it didn't turn out to be a bed of roses it's either misfortune - say a death/illness/losing a job etc...or you didn't research the laws and culture or visit enough in advance. If you do the 2 week summer holiday and then come out you're doing it wrong and can't reasonably expect much sympathy. I also don't accept homesickness as a valid reason for "disliking" Canada. What do people expect to feel when they move away from their native country or family/friends? Sure some people can cope with it and others have a meltdown. That isn't Canada's fault nor should it poorly reflect on the country. It's up to each person to properly examine their own feelings and behaviour in advance. "It'll be alright" or "we'll make do" won't cut it. When you move to a new country with certain expectations "making do" ends up eating your soul and making you as cynical as some posters I could mention.

Most of the moping seems to be about the quality of driving, the bureaucracy of government, the price of cheese or that it snows a bit too much. Similarly paying out the nose for your car insurance or your cell phone. I do my fair share of moaning about such trivial stuff too, usually in jest, but I would have to find myself bonkers if it actually started to affect or lower my view of Canada as a whole. For all of the above even a cursory glance around this forum would highlight these "issues" before you even book your ticket. First world problems eh? We should all count our blessings each day to be in such a fine country or on our way to it. If you can't be happy here I don't think you could be happy anywhere frankly.

Re: Why is second-hand stuff here so expensive?
 

If you have to pay $1500 a month rent or mortgage, that eats up $22500 a year, more than a single minimum wage earner gets after tax. Add on Hydro (water generated power, not water), gas etc.

You may do well to prepare a budget to be sure you are able to manage on what you are earning and look at the prospects for future income.

Unfortunately, many compare the cost of living in the UK to Canada and this in my view is unrealistic, as it is dependent on the FX, which changes a lot and makes no difference to your lifestyle in Canada. This is perhaps only relevant when one is considering a move and before leaving your home country. Once the move is made, the cost of living is what it is and constantly comparing is pointless.

When we arrived it ranged from $2.25 to $2.60 to GBP, so Canada seemed really cheap. It makes no difference once here, it is better to look at what income you have here, what expenses and what's left over. The price of cheese in the UK or car insurance won't help a dot once you are living in Canada.

If at the end of the day you are left with no more in Canada than the UK, that can help make the choice. In my view, folks moving from developed countries who move for the sake of change, a different experience can do well and settle in more easily, those moving for economic reasons and because the old country is going to the dogs, may soon be disappointed.

Re: Why is second-hand stuff here so expensive?
 

..... but comparing is inevitable when one is living on a UK pension paid in £ or by a UK company in £.

Re: Why is second-hand stuff here so expensive?
 

We pay about $4.14 for two litres of milk here, it drives me!

Re: Why is second-hand stuff here so expensive?
 

Absolutely agreed

Re: Why is second-hand stuff here so expensive?
 

What I did is stop drinking/using as much milk ;)

Re: Why is second-hand stuff here so expensive?
 

Where do you think we go when we want something different? It's not enough, the climate in Alberta doesn't suit our hobby, the summer season is just too short, we thought we would adapt, we haven't. There are many amazing things about Alberta and until this last winter I wasn't ready to give up the mountains, I am now;) We have obviously discussed this much amongst ourselves, we want easier access to the wider world too. We want some smaller roads, more places to visit without driving for days. It's hard to put into words how we feel and what we want, the main thing OH and I are on exactly the same page. Classic cars are a huge part of our lives and it's just not diverse enough in Alberta, you go to a car show and it's all camaros and challengers, last week at the downtown cruise there was a mini and a spitfire but dozens of firebirds and mustangs, there were in excess of 500 cars, so it was a great night, there just isn't 'enough' here for us to spend the rest of our lives.

Re: Why is second-hand stuff here so expensive?
 

I agree with Auld Yin. Not everything posted here is either a) true or b) intended to be helpful. For a newbie it takes time to work out who is offering genuine advice, who is polishing their ego, and who (for whatever reason) is being deliberately misleading.

I know quite a number of ex-Brits who have a good life here. Many emigrated at a time when return to the UK was neither cheap or easy. Some say that if it was they might well have gone back. However, now they have established their lives here they are glad they didn't.

Obviously, Canada is not going to suit everyone. I am glad about that. If it suited every Brit then it would be no different to Britain (and I would want to leave). The key word is different. If you can enjoy, or at least accept, the differences you can have a good life. If you have a mindset that thinks everything that is not exactly as you are used to is somehow bad or backward then you will probably struggle, at least at first.

Something that is very individual is how much you will miss your family and friends. It seems to hit some people much harder than they expected. A reality of emigration is that you can't replace a supporting network of family, friends, colleagues and contacts in six months. It gets done, but it takes time and effort.

Fortunately for me this was never really an issue. I have never felt the need to be surrounded by friends and acquaintances, I enjoyed the challenges of starting out afresh (and avoiding some of the mistakes I made first time around) and I brought the people who really mattered with me. That said, it is difficult to be sure in advance how you will react. You learn a lot about yourself when you emigrate. Some people learn that they are not emigrating type of people.

Anyway, on to money. Posters here say you need somewhere between $25,000 and $250,000 a year to live an acceptable lifestyle. IMO an acceptable lifestyle depends as much on what you want to spend as what you earn. Also, and also just IMO, $28 per hour is doable, it is OK to get started, but it certainly does not buy an aspirational lifestyle.

Your biggest expense will be rent so if you can be flexible about size and location this will help. You will also need some cash to make a deposit for rent and utilities, to buy a vehicle, and to pay the first year's insurance. You are probably used to budgeting carefully and this skill will help. If your OH can get a promotion/payrise in the future, or if you could find a job when the children are a bit older, that will pay for things like a holiday or a trip back to the UK.

Re: Why is second-hand stuff here so expensive?
 

I can see comparing exchange rate and how if affects lifestyle here, but don't see the point in comparing the cost of goods between two countries, unless you plan to move there or regularly purchase goods from there.

Getting paid in a foreign currency, which we do and paying bills in a foreign currency, which we do, affects what is left in our pocket at the end of the day. Comparing the cost of living in Australia, the US or the UK to what my converted CAD ends up being is pointless. It is how many CAD I have in my bank account and how it pays for my cost of living where I live, not what it would get me if I lived somewhere else.

I have a friend who's pension is in GBP and he has taken a 30% cut in income over the past few years compared to when he arrived in Canada. The price of cheese, milk or car insurance in the UK has no impact on his lifestyle here.

It is what it is.

Re: Why is second-hand stuff here so expensive?
 

More like the first few years.

Re: Why is second-hand stuff here so expensive?
 

Sounds like you really want the UK!

Re: Why is second-hand stuff here so expensive?
 

I have to say that's what would worry about living somewhere like Calgary, it's just too cut off from the rest of the continent.

Re: Why is second-hand stuff here so expensive?
 

Well that's fair enough. I thought it may have something to do with the classic car thing. I suppose southern Ontario has more places to go than out West and is closer to the Eastern US, so that makes sense, though I think the winters will not be altogether different. In any case, interesting to hear your thought process.

Re: Why is second-hand stuff here so expensive?
 

[QUOTE=Auld Yin;10862220]Lyn1972,
You should be aware there's a great deal of anecdotal claptrap written on this site. There are many people (most) live quite satisfactory lives here. It isn't perfect and I know of no-one who claims it is. So many on here have the "it's not like England" syndrome and it's definitely not, which given the UK economic shambles today, is a blessing. Canada has only been identified as such since 1867 (146 years) so its history is short.
I'm under no illusions as to Canada's shortcomings but for me and many other British ex-pats who I know, it's a good life, and I'm not necessarily talking about
old fogies like me, I do know some younger ones.
I am fortunate insofar as I can, and have been for some time, able to return to the UK at any time and live wherever I choose, and I arrived here with £300. Over the years I have travelled the UK extensively, probably I've seen more of it than 99% of posters on here, but I choose to remain in Canada as it's my home and always will be.
Look forward to your adventure and new life. It will not be easy at first but if you tough it out I'm sure you will do well and your family will be happy here.[/QUOTE

Thank you and what your saying is so true, we dont expect to live in luxury or have lots of spare money we just want to live and have a better chance in life, canada is a beautiful country and for us its an adventure and the chance to be happy..... :D


You are so making sense :thumbsup: I am looking forward to it..... I have expect it to be

Re: Why is second-hand stuff here so expensive?
 

this is an interesting point. When we chose to move to Canada we could have located absolutely anywhere. We weren't constrained by jobs or provincial nomination. We chose Vancouver Island for the very reason that we don't feel it's cut off from anything. We can be in downtown Vancouver in 20 minutes from Maple Bay (just up the road from us) by float plane (for about $75). We can be in Seattle in 2 - 4 hours by boat. We can be in Victoria (the capital of BC) in 40 minutes. I know the Island is considered an old person's graveyard, but we honestly haven't found this at all. We have 2 young kids and they have lots of friends all around us. We have friends - many of them - of our age all around as well. It was the fact we don't feel isolated here that won us over from being on the mainland in the interior somewhere. We had the perception - right or wrong - that to live in, say, Kamloops or the Okanagan was lovely, but to get to somewhere else was a very long trip. We just liked the proximity of big cities without having to actually live in one.

Re: Why is second-hand stuff here so expensive?
 

This is something we have in Ontario. We look out on fields in every direction, the park across the road is 10,000 acres (10,000 acres of bugs admittedly) but we shop in central Toronto and can be in NYC in less than a day by car/train. We have easy access to Detroit and Buffalo (which, to us, is an advantage). Piff Poff would gain that by moving to southern Ontario though not by going to Cochrane or similar.

Re: Why is second-hand stuff here so expensive?
 

It's called "Thrifty's" in Vancouver.

Re: Why is second-hand stuff here so expensive?
 

Yes fair point, I did think that myself after I posted. The closeness of the US means people use that as a release valve rather than objecting to some of the more stupid things in Canada, on a variety of issues.

I think the main example actually is the lack of private healthcare in most Canadian jurisdictions. Oh this is so stupid I'd rather pay for the operation and not wait... so I'll go to the US.

In fact the booze situation is even more stupid because it's illegal to buy interprovincially (except for wine bought in person) which encourages people to go to the US also.

Re: Why is second-hand stuff here so expensive?
 

I'm not. Well I mean I'm happily criticizing I suppose but Canada is definitely a better place to live than the UK. (Although I suppose I am always posting on here about how much I prefer the TV and radio which appears to be a unique POV. :lol:)

I could go on at great length (and have) but basically the underlying reason why Canada is better is that the UK suffers from a wide variety of problems, the root cause of which are that there are too many people living too close together.

Just on the basis of how quiet it is in Canada I think it is worth moving here. Took me three months to be able to sleep properly because it was so weird that it was quiet at night.

Re: Why is second-hand stuff here so expensive?
 

I never get that comment. I assume it's because the Canadian dollar is so high against foreign currencies at the moment. A hang over from when the dollar was weaker perhaps.

Re: Why is second-hand stuff here so expensive?
 

I can't imagine that's a factor (assuming it's true). I don't go to Qc specifically but, if I'm there, I'll buy booze and bring it back, the same way I used to take cigarettes to Newfoundland. I imagine everyone does and, like me, probably has no idea that there are regulations around it.

Re: Why is second-hand stuff here so expensive?
 

http://globalnews.ca/news/742031/b-c...s-liquor-laws/

Also: Bill C-311

If you value your liquor licence, you have to be careful who you sell to. I'm sure you can find it but there was a big thing on CBC about the enforcement of the law against wineries in the Okanagan, hence the change in Federal law.

Re: Why is second-hand stuff here so expensive?
 

Never heard of any such law before. How very odd. Still, if it's had no effect on me after all this time, I don't suppose it will now.

Re: Why is second-hand stuff here so expensive?
 

I just received a junk mail from a VW dealer offering a trade for my car (plainly they haven't see it). It contains the following relevant text:

'In its June 10th edition MACLEAN’S Magazine describes the problem this way: “Consumers who put off new vehicle purchases during the recession are now being forced to replace their aging rides – and they’re looking to do so at a time when attractive used vehicles, are, for a host of reasons, difficult to come by.” We call it the perfect storm… and we know that when
you finish reviewing this email you will be excited by the opportunity.

Here’s the problem in a nutshell:

The 2008 financial crisis forced most manufacturers to get out of leasing which has stopped the natural flow of vehicles coming back to the dealership and has created a scarcity of quality used vehicles in the area. Existing used-car shortages have now caused used car prices to spike over the last few years which have made traditional acquisition avenues like the wholesale auction much less attractive.'

Dunno if there's any truth in it. I stopped daring to open Macleans after the Conrad Black/Barbara Ameil blow job issue.

Re: Why is second-hand stuff here so expensive?
 

:thumbsup: very true, and cant wait to start our new life :)

Re: Why is second-hand stuff here so expensive?
 

We hardly use any of it now....

Re: Why is second-hand stuff here so expensive?
 

There are very few aspects of life in Canada that cannot just be transferred to the UK and many positives also. People comment on here about those who come with rosé-tinted glasses but when they dream/reminisce/fantasise about the UK it's with wearing those same rosé-tinted specs. I had the problem at first, but I took the $1,000 cure after 3 years and since then I've been quite fine, thank you Canada.

Re: Why is second-hand stuff here so expensive?
 

Average wages in Canada, Stats Can.

From what I can tell you will be a pretty average Canadian if stats Can is correct in their numbers.

Re: Why is second-hand stuff here so expensive?
 

No idea Thrifty's was sold...lol

They are a small player in the lower mainland, I think they have 7 or 8 stores in total, with the rest being on the Island.

If you catch their sales in the flyer, good deals can be found.

Re: Why is second-hand stuff here so expensive?
 

To be honest, the $28 per hour quoted by the OP is really not anything to write home about, especially for a skilled worker. A temporary custodian, with the Edmonton school board, earns $22 per hour. Now I am not saying they shouldn't -- I work for the Calgary board, as a Facility Operator; boiler ticket, Applied Management Certificate through SAIT School of Business, Facility Management Certificate, etc -- and earn $26 per hour. However, the tradesmen we employ are on $38 per hour and up. So, the $28 per hour offered to the OPs husband, is decidely average, and only really reflects the cost of living in Edmonton. Not really gonna "live the life of Riley".

Re: Why is second-hand stuff here so expensive?
 

Any government job has inflated wages for those sorts of jobs. A custodian in a private sector will basically be min. wage. My last employer paid the custodial staff 10.27/hr.

I mean transit bus drivers in Vancouver start at 22-29/hr just to drive a bus around.

28 is good money in my eyes, but then again I have never earned more then 12/hr in my life...

Not all skilled jobs lead to super high wages, nurses are very skilled in my opinion and only start at 31/hr in BC. (new grads) they top out around 40/hr.