macadian

If you say so....

dboy

What would a good wage in london be, just out of interest.

dieseltank

I'm not trying to make a contentious issue, as the original post is about joining the police for which I’ve gained some really useful information... thank you.

Everyone’s circumstances are different, and unfortunately in our current circumstance our move to BC is currently (and that’s why I need to change it) financially difficult for us.

Our household income is now nearly exactly the same numerical figure in dollars as we were in pounds in London (so in reality we earn half what we used to, or whatever the current exchange rate is). This is our personal circumstances and for us it gives us far less disposable income than in London as the cost of living is not half over here, in many cases its proportionally higher. I’m not moaning about Canada or BC, but I just think its good for people to know that beautiful mountains and lakes aside, when it comes to paying for things you need to be aware that you need to earn a certain amount so not to struggle...

Assuming you earn the same numerical amount of dollars as pounds (like us)… here are a few some examples of why you’d have less disposable money in BC;

Sky TV in UK - £50 a month
Shaw Cable in BC - $110 a month

Mobile Phone in UK - £30 a month
Mobile Phone in BC - $60 a month

Car insurance in UK - £400 for the year
Car insurance in BC - $2100 (that’s with our no-claims from the UK)

Basic Healthcare in UK – nothing
Basic Heathcare in BC - $96 a month for two of us.

These are our costs, so I’m not wanting to start a tread on the price of jam, but what I’m saying is that in BC we (us personally) really need to earn two dollars for every pound we earned in the UK to have the same sort of disposable income and savings…. And my issue is that those jobs that pay these higher wages seem to be few and far between in BC (and in the current climate).

Before I get comments of 'so bugger off back to the UK', we are happy we made the move, and we left London for the Canadian lifestyle. But there is still a cut-off point that you need to reach in your salary to have a desired 'lifestyle'... otherwise whats the point.

el_richo

See above in red......

I do sympathise with you though as no doubt we'll be in a similar boat when we move next year. My earning power in London is huge whereas in Vancouver not so much (probably like for like as you are).

dieseltank

I appreciate your comments, but I think you've slightly missed my point. Yes TV and a mobile phone are not essential but what I'm saying is that in Canada they can eat away at a larger proportion of your income than in the UK (again based on our circumstances).

That said, if we can't afford basic luxuries like TV and a Cell phone that we had in the UK then surely our level of lifestyle is diminished... turning the whole reason to move to Canada on its head.

Oh... when you get to Canada you'll be paying a shed load of taxes above and beyond NI... so in that sense healthcare in the UK does feel like its free.

el_richo

Well not really. I personally aren't moving to Canada to watch TV or use a cell phone and it won't be a deal breaker if we can't afford it or can't get either. In fact one of the huge things for me is that Vancouver offers me many things that will keep me away from the TV, thus negating owning one. Yee haaaa.....

Yep i actually agree with you on this one. Bah humbug!!!!!

dieseltank

[QUOTE=el_richo;7483013]Well not really. I personally aren't moving to Canada to watch TV or use a cell phone and it won't be a deal breaker if we can't afford it or can't get either. In fact one of the huge things for me is that Vancouver offers me many things that will keep me away from the TV, thus negating owning one. Yee haaaa.....


A dreamer... So if you can't afford a cell phone or a TV how will you afford to see and enjoy BC. Will you only do things that are free? How about the gas money to get there?
How about the cost of a lift pass or entrance fee? God forbid you might want to have a drink on the waterfront or treat yourself to weekend away in Kelowna!

I was like you before I moved here... "money is no matter I just want to be in Canada!"... "I'll live in shack just to be there"... Unfortunately your bubble will burst once you're here. Living costs money!!! In BC you have to pay for things.

el_richo

Well truth be told, we're pretty comfortable in the money stakes so i will be able to afford a cell and do many things, like drink on the waterfront, buy or rent a nice place downtown, drive my car, holiday worldwide etc etc.

What i was saying is that if money was tight i wouldn't be using a cell or cable and yes even if i couldn't it wouldn't deter me from moving. Most of the activities i'll be doing are free and i already own most of the "tools" to do them so......bingo .

I do know where you're coming from though and do agree that if you move to another country to improve your lifestyle then generally money will be a factor. I'd like to think i'm crazy enough to do my due diligence clearly and realistically to paint myself a picture of what will REALLY happen, not what i'd LIKE to happen.

By moving we're all taking a risk, some more than others, and some people win and other lose. The difference is usually made when the risk is calculated.......

Oh my goodness, i'm rambling now. Is it obvious that i'm bored and tired?

dieseltank

[I][I][I][I][QUOTE=el_richo;7483076]Well truth be told, we're pretty comfortable in the money stakes so i will be able to afford a cell and do many things, like drink on the waterfront, buy or rent a nice place downtown, drive my car, holiday worldwide etc etc.[/

What i was saying is that if money was tight i wouldn't be using a cell or cable and yes even if i couldn't it wouldn't deter me from moving. Most of the activities i'll be doing are free and i already own most of the "tools" to do them so......bingo .

It’s amazing that it’s always the people who have money who say they don’t need it!!!

We are also ok financially too, but my whole point is that Canada offers an amazing lifestyle, but you do need money to pay for it. Everyone’s definitions and requirements of having ' a lifestyle' are of course very different. One person's desired lifestyle may be that they spend lots of money enjoying fine wine and good restaurants, another person's lifestyle may involve going for a hike all weekend and have a BBQ when they get home (so spending very little money). There is however costs involved in all lifestyles, so people coming to Canada need to calculate whether they can afford their desired or minimal level of lifestyle.

My honest question to you is…

If you came to Canada, are you prepared to live a 'hand to month' life just because you're in Canada. No car, no nice flat, no holiday, no meals out... nothing. You are purely content being in Canada and only have the clothes on your back. If the answer is honestly ‘Yes’, then I admire you, as you genuinely value living here above any thing else…. I salute you!

I love Canada, but I won’t live in shack and have a diet of bread and water just to be here…. If being in Canada resulting in us losing what I believe is our required 'lifestyle; then we'd have to look to move on.

Living the dream isn’t just about the place you live, it’s the quality of life you have at that place.

el Richo... I'm not having a go at you, I'm just trying to prove a point. Canada is great, but you still need to be able to achieve a certain level of required comfort when you're here. I don't believe that all the tramps on 'Hastings and Main' are all British Expats who don't care about money and don't need any just because they live in BC....

Almost Canadian

[QUOTE=dieseltank;7483268][I][I][I][I]

Quote:

Originally Posted by el_richo

Well truth be told, we're pretty comfortable in the money stakes so i will be able to afford a cell and do many things, like drink on the waterfront, buy or rent a nice place downtown, drive my car, holiday worldwide etc etc.[/

I dunno, those that live on the East coast appear to do fine without any of those things

dieseltank

snow is worth more than money

el_richo

Well my answer is i would not move to Canada if that were to be my new "lifestyle". In all honesty i wouldn't even contemplate moving if money could potentially be an issue, even though my wifes family and many of our friends are there. Saying that, if my lifestyle in the UK was equally as economical then bugger it, i'd be in Canada.

Yep same here. Up until the point when Tiffany & Co begin providing free diamonds and chanel give out free watches and handbags i'm always going to keep the earning power high or savings level up there with the best of 'em.

Yes and no. For me personally Vancouver provides me with a great place for my boat (when i buy it), great skiing, excellent social life, great views, etc etc. But that's just me. My good friend who moved just enjoys the fact that he no longer has to suffer the "rat race" and enjoys the HUGE reduction in population. He spends hardly anything as he's happiest hiking near his home on a weekend and has no cell phone, internet, or cable to disturb him. A good book and binoculars for the birds are good enough for him.

So i guess quality of life is an individual thing.

No sure, i truly understand what you're saying and i agree with it to a point. What i'm trying to put across, badly, is that the "certain level of required comfort" is different for everybody. What some people enjoy or are happy with, some are not. The problems begin when you're the latter and you move to another country without realistically doing your due diligence or setting your expectations far too high (i'm not saying that's you by the way).

dieseltank

I agree with you.

We came to BC without really knowing the true cost of living over here. We came out on holidays when the pound was strong and everything appeared to be really cheap. Once we started earning dollars & paying bills we realised that we were worse off living here than in the UK (again based on disposible income at the end of the month).

I'm the first person to say BC is amazing. I snowboard and mountainbike as much as the wife will let me and that is certainly more valuable than being stuck on the tube. But where I never previously worried about bills and could afford nice holidays we now have to really budget and have financial stresses which I've not had since I was 18.

We have no regrets though, I'm just highlighting that unless you're happy with just having a good pair of binoculars, then you'll need to crack a tough job market in BC to really live your Canadian dream.

el_richo

By the way, in answer to your original post, i think joining the police force is a commendable route and would think the experiences it would give you would certainly be interesting. I'd love to do it purely for the feeling of actually making a difference instead of just maximising profits for a huge corporation. I won't do it mind you

rae

please consider other aspects to the job, rather than the usual focus on pay, pensions, career options and other benefits.

shift work is not easy, especially at this time of life if you have no experience of it before.
be prepared to regularly miss important aspects of life previously a given, birthdays, anniversaries, christmas.
accept that you will generally deal with nothing but human detritus, misery, deprivation, poverty, angst and woe.
you will never be thanked for anything by anyone, and if you are, there will be double the amount of people complaining about the same issue.
there is a serious potential you will be injured at some point, possibly to the point where you will have to give it up.
there is a good chance that at some point you will be sued and personally liable for your actions, not withstanding good intentions or that you actually did the right thing.
a high percentage of officers die shortly after they retire.
alcoholism and divorce is rife.
you will be entering a disciplined career and will have to behave accordingly with regard to rank structure, dress and behavior and off duty.