Originally Posted by cheers

Thank you for finding that for me. The US numbers are what I entered to just to get an idea.
I'm listening to a radio station in the Liverpool area called Smooth Radio. They have an American singer Neil Diamond as a guest and they are playing his music. How weird. Me in the US listening to a Brit station that is playing American music and they are interviewing an American artist. I love the music of this station. Now Bee will make it more weird and say she is listening to the same station.

Back to the budget. I don't understand why gas is so expensive there since I think they get the gas from the North Sea. My last gas bill was £10.72 ($17.06) for the month.
Water is another one, £30? UK is where they make water You can even go outside and steal the stuff there. This month my bill is £32.72 or $52.02 and remember I live in the desert so water is like gold. I am running the sprinkler system for the lawn and plants so its high now. Landline phone is high in the UK, £30 vs £15.09 here in Utah. Electricity is low in the UK. I'm not complaining, just saying. Jackie are you listening?

Maybe I should be posting in the Moving to the US forum?

I still like the idea of moving there.

Originally Posted by Bevm

North Sea gas is pretty well done, and the UK has to import most of it now. Same for oil. That resource was squandered to bring in foreign money to keep up a comfortable lifestyle and get politicians re-elelected.

As for water, processing and purifying costs a lot, which is why everyone with a house should have water butts and use rain water for their garden.

We have one on our new house and it's amazing how quickly it fills with a good rain, and then lasts. We're putting in two more now we've had the gutters fixed.

I suspect the water in your part of the US is heavily subsidized, Cheers, because without subsidies, no one would live there. The American aversion to social welfare doesn't apply to things like water for desert-dwellers, or for farmers growing water-hungry crops in arid areas!

Bev

Originally Posted by cheers

I noticed that they had those 'water butts' in Hawaii and I don't think I would want to use them for drinking water.

You mention the American aversion to social welfare. I think that goes back to the days of mass immigration and the swim or sink mentality. We both might be surprised as to how much social welfare exists here. Example, you are sick and have no money you go to any hospital and they can't refuse to treat you. You can also get free food I think by using a card that replaced food stamps. Just swipe and eat.
Last thing it is very expensive to work here and the last immigrant arriving will work for less money than you do and that is what has made America what it is today. (you can fill in what you think America is today) We probably have more millionaires than Russia and China if that is a measure of success?

Originally Posted by Beedubya

I think you are way more American than you are British, Cheers............ nothing wrong with that, just sayin'....................

Originally Posted by cheers

Maybe I'm a man without a country

Originally Posted by islandwoman120

Shall I take out my violin?

Originally Posted by cheers

Get back to your garden!

Originally Posted by islandwoman120

That's where I'm heading today, don't worry.

Originally Posted by dontheturner

Hello Jackie, My Wife is out there every morning, from very early, till late at night. She cannot get over the long hours of daylight here. In Thailand, it is dark by 6.30pm every day - summer or winter. Take care - Love Don

Originally Posted by islandwoman120

New photos taken today - it is the first day of the 10 day Frome Festival -
http://www.flickr.com/photos/islandw...7627155647874/

Originally Posted by cheers

I noticed that they had those 'water butts' in Hawaii and I don't think I would want to use them for drinking water.
?

Originally Posted by islandwoman120

I love the garden, and am relearning a lot of the names of plants and their habits as most of my US time was spent in the great Northwoods of Minnesota and Wisconsin - lots of trees, fewer flowers, and a very short growing season.

Originally Posted by Bevm

Definitely not drinking water, no! Though I suppose it might be worth having some water purification tablets that campers carry just in case some major problem shuts down the water supply. I think a certain amout of bleach works as well (not easily portable for campers.) Tastes vile, but without water we die pretty quickly.

Got into the habit of thinking about these things living in Victoria BC, a place that's going to have a major earthquake one day.

Bev