kate 17

Hi,

I was wondering about money? How does being back in the UK affect you financially? Are you better, worse off, or about the same?

I'm expecting to have a much smaller house than I have here in Canada,but to be a little bit better off on a day to day basis.

I know some things are more expensive in the Uk and some things are more expensive in the colonies, but I'm thinking overall!

It did occur to me, that when the time comes I will get a Uk pension plus a Canadian pension. The Uk pension won't be frozen in Britain, whereas if I stayed in Canada the Uk pension would be a Pittance. Therefore as a retiree I will be better off.

I'll certainly be better off when I win the Uk or Euro lottery. It's twice the prize money of the Canadian. I can't wait!

brits1

Not sure about the cost of living in Canada, but I find here in Perth (states here vary) to have become very expensive especially in the last 6 years....things I use to find cheap are nearly double the price I use to pay....maybe it's all swings and roundabouts...salary is a lot less in the U.K than here in Perth (well for some it is) but then lots of things are a lot cheaper....what we found is if you have to live on a budget then you can do a lot easier in most parts of the U.K than you can here in Perth as there is a lot more competition within the food and clothing industry than here in Perth...and usually (and I know this can be slightly the case in the U.K) if you buy shop brands then they are not bad...where if I buy shop brands here in Perth on the whole these tend not to be so great....ie sometimes I use to buy Aldi chocolate and German Wine.....boys loved the chocolate and it was very cheap as was the wine...but I would not buy Coles homebrand chocolate (not too keen anyway on Aus chocolate) as it does taste cheap....so hopefully you get my drift so to speak....we cannot take our Aus pensions out of Australia and because they are government ones we cannot pay into them unless we are goverment employed alas....but all we will do is just set up private pensions again in the U.K and hopefully a British Pension will be good when we eventually retire (wish I was like my Dad..home paid off when I was 12 and he retired at 52 never worked again......)that is of course if I ever get more than 3 numbers and a bonus ball here in Aus on the lottery...and then you only get about $14.24!!!!!! so a big win will happen one day....

Wub

The cost of living in the UK is not a problem, providing you don't have debts to service - like loans and cards. Its debt that does for people in my experience!

Food, clothes and electrical goods are very reasonable. Books, travel etc. the same. House prices are dependent upon which part of the country you plan to go to. The south is always more expensive than the north - though increasingly, shared ownership options are readily available whichever part of the country you settle in.

You can live well on a standard type income if you shop around and take advantage of the wealth of choice available and the regular discounts, sales and two for one offers available in most supermarkets.

We go home every summer for six weeks or so (work overseas) and I'm always amazed at how little we spend - on food, clothes (great sales summer time) even treats out for the family. When living permanently back home, we'd budget for the regular bills and even though we were servicing some hefty debt, still managed to get away for cheap holidays and have days out and treats on occasion.

The quality of life is great - but like everything else in life -its what you make of it!

Bevm

The exchange rate's made quite a difference when comparing prices, but of course comparing is just an exercise as it's not usually practical to buy from abroad because of taxes and charges when it arrives tere. However, if you do compare, remember the added on tax in Canada. VAT is usually included here.

I found this site that calculates it. Might be of curiosity interest to other. For example, buy something for $100 in Canada and at the cash register it costs $112.

Bev

wildcountryian

We're moving back to the west country as soon as we can sell up in Alberta. We've found the price of food here high. And, we've back to the UK twice now, much more expensive than UK supermarkets with all the deals that are available.

Good luck.

steveandpaula

Hi

I'd like a bit of info on this topic too please?

if you could give me a rough idea on phone, internet, pay tv prices

Groceries
meat
petrol
gas
electricity
water
holidays
clothing

Im just looking at a guestimate. I realise it differs for everyone. We are a couple in our 40's that arent too extravagant but we like to enjoy ourselves to and be comfortable.

We are looking at settling in Newcastle/Northumberland at this time.


Feel free to offer anything you may think is of assistance. I havent lived in the UK since i was 15 and Steve has only so I really have no idea

Cheers

Paula & Steve

singingringingtree

Just got back from Shell petrol station and unleaded is £1.20 per litre there today - guess it varies though.

Had council tax bill in yesterday, band D in Colchester, Essex - £1,520 pa

Clothing - there are some very reasonable clothes shops now, Primark, H&M and TK Maxx spring to mind. Tesco, ASDA and Sainsbury's also do well priced and increasingly fashionable ranges.

Groceries have been high over last couple of years, but think prices might be coming down a bit now due to fierce competition between the big supermarkets. Generally quite expensive, but lots of in-store offers to take advantage of which helps. Bread around £1.20 for a branded loaf (78p Tesco own brand) and £5 for a couple of chicken breasts.

Dills

The cost of living is very dependant on how you live, I am a single mum of four, own my house (mortgage) manage a pre school (term time only), I get a really good deal in the UK, I am eligable for tax credits, also my second son goes to a state boarding school, and because the education is free, the boarding is classed as childcare, so I get 80% help with the boarding fees, which are 750 a month (I pay 250 a month, tax credits pays the rest) I can feed all five of us for less than £100 per week, infact yesterday I popped into ASDA to grab something to wear to Uni, I bougt a pair of stonewashed slouched Jeans £16, a t shirt £2 and Jade Green Jumper £4, I also bought my lunch and a drink all came to less than £25. Petrol is expensive, but depends on how much driving you do, apart from driving to work, I walk every where. I have an electric and gas meter, and put about £10 a week on each, more in the winter on gas. I dont pay council tax, because I am studying, my mortgage has just come down from 758 to 630 a month (fixed term just ended). I take how around 3500 a month and can save each month, in fact we are all off to Turkey in August for two weeks all inclusive (4,000) cant wait need some sun LOL.

Wub

We have two adult kids living and working in the UK. One rents and one has bought a property.

The 'renter', pays 600 per month for a gorgeous detached semi-rural house and budgets around 100 per month for community charge, 100 for utilities, 50 quid for internet/phone/cable and about 100 a week for food/petrol/miscellaneous -two adults to budget for. Roughly, one income goes on all the living expenses and the other on discretionary stuff.

The 'buyer', pays 500 per month mortgage, 80 a month community charge, 100 per month bills, 50 for internet/phone/satellite and 120 per week for food/petrol.
Two adults, both working.

My 'renter', is currently on holiday in New York and my 'buyer', still has student debt but manages to go on European holidays at discount rates two or three times a year.

Both are mad about music festivals too and are often to be found camping out with their significant others whenever the opportunity arises!

They're young, on professional salaries -but nowhere near the top of the scale as yet -and they have a very nice life. Both run second hand cars and tell me its the cost of petrol more than anything that's biting at the moment.

Hope that helps a bit!

Fleaflyfloflum

Go to mysupermarket.com to compare major supermarket prices. Asda is the cheapest on there

You can also go to loads of comparison sites to find the best deals for almost anything these days. Just type in google what you want to compare and it will give you comarison websites

Fleaflyfloflum

Not sure where you are buying your chicken breasts from!!! I can buy two already cooked and hot family sized chickens for £6 in Morrisons!

And i'm a bit further south in Essex and paying £1.11 for petrol

steveandpaula

Thankyou all of you. I/we will take on board all you have to offer.


We are in need of a reality check on all aspects of moving to the uk so any information given will be welcomed

Cheers

paula & steve

livinginreality

Cost pf petrol where I live yesterday was £1.10 per litre.I've said this on numerous other threads before.We live in a village on the Wilts/Somerset border.We are working class people who both work fulltime.We both run cars,we travel alot(usually 4x per year),we eat very healthily,we socialise alot(local pub,gigs,theatre,ect)and we don't have any debts.We live quite a simple life and don't want for anything.So I guess if we can do it,anyone else can.We are lucky we live rurally,which we love as we also do alot of walking.Life is good where we are!

kate 17

Thanks for all the interesting replies. It's nice to know that no-one is destitute after burning all the bridges.

Bob

All depends on usage and where you live yada yada yada...

Phone/Internet about £20 a month for nothing special but that's iPhone simple plan

Petrol, about £1 a litre or there abouts, but plenty of public transport, retired folks get the bus for 10p and long trips are either free or minimal, my mother since she hit retirement age hardly puts 1K miles a year on the car and uses the bus regularly

Council tax is expensive, don't know exact rates but my mother is paying around £20 a month for electricity

Car insurance is also really cheap, full comp with AA membership was under £250 a year my mother said, which is much better than my $1200 a year kick in the nuts for less coverage.

My mother lives in Oxford btw.