Jobry01

i know some people are struggling in nz re cost of living and it must be a real downer
this might make you feel better
me and oh are both senior nurses so fairly good income, but still need to watch what we spend
mortgage (endowment shortfall) with endowments & insurance $3100 a month
food (three teenagers) shopping at aldis and lidls very few treats $450 a week
car bmw 4 years old 85000miles $19500
wife has lease car $414 a month
diesel both cars $968 a month
insurance $575 not voluntary
road tax $345
cinema for 4 $53 no food included
xmas night out cheap set menu in curry house with few drinks after $345
dry ski slope (no snow due to climate change)for 1 hour for 1 adult two kids $70 after spending one hour on M8 getting there
two kids hobbies $60 a week
eldest son scrounging train and food money for uni and nightsout PRICELESS
no wonder i am losing my hair (seemingly that is in the past it was lost a long time ago)

alanmacc

Look on the bright side Jobry, you could be a hibs fan ...........

Justcol

$3100 for mortgage and insurance. jesus thats expensive.

TeamEmbo

I'm confused (yep, I know, doesn't take much). Are you quoting UK prices and converting to NZ$?

BEVS

I wondered that too.

Jobry01

yes

i am obviously unaware of cost of things in NZ but through some threads it appears cost of things seem to even out

should to insure car for 19yo my car $2700 his own car $8000

we poor hibs fans think xmas has come early 10 wins in a row still in touch with the old firm in december

Genesis

On Kate's NZ wage of C $65000k pre tax per annum (which is about $20k above the median) which equates to $3,800k avo tax (per 4 weeks) that would leave us with $700 for all food, bills and general living.

I have always thought that living over here in NZ is NOT as fiscally onerous as it was in the UK..well for us anyways.

Jobry01

we feel that moving to NZ would not only be a great lifestyle choice but we would be financially in more secure position
we would both be working (hopefully in fairly well paid jobs)
and no bloody endowment shortfall
j

and we could retire when we want not the govt, the way the nhs is going i will be giving out medicines using a zimmer

Justcol

Errrr you might rethink the retirement thing, its not unusual here
for kiwis to work into their very late 60's and even mid 70's. pensions are non existant and
most cant afford to retire.
I read recently of a guy retiring at 93. i work with a couple of ladies who are
67 and 71, my wife has worked with nurses who are 67 and uni lecturers who are 70+
Car insurance- you dont need it, its not a legal requirement but would only be a few
hundred bucks for a young un.
if your lifestyle and expectations generate dept in the uk you will not be any better
off here. and i've said it before but nice scenary doesnt pay the bills.
As senior nurses you'll be in the $55-65k region. not much above average
and you may have to start at the bottom for a short time till you've got some
"kiwi experiance" under your belt
When you do start work here dont tell them that you think their standards are
crap and their practice sometimes borders on ridiculous, in some cases its true
but they dont like to hear it.

Jobry01

cheers colandros

we will hopefully sort something out re our nhs pension (will have 25 and 30 years) so hopefully not need to work till too old and senile

scenery not the big draw (live in scotland which is pretty nice in some places)

we have little lifestyle here, we live in "nice" area of airdrie yet have drug dealer parked in main entrance to estate daughter will not come into estate on her own, woods with paths for walking dog that are no access after 6pm, daughter bullied at school since primary3 now in second year at high school cause she excells at sport (only her and one other girl in her year play netball) and in class (most other kids are fat lazy and will be aiming to go on socail once left school)
my sons sat 8 o levels, the school now only allow 7 because they were having too many failures, most now take hairdressing and car manitenance instead of a language
cannot walk the mile from town centre at night for fear of being mugged
cannot see a gp within two to three weeks of phoning
a&e at our hospital is full of drunks, junkies with a 3 to 4 hour wait to be seen you need to sit with your kids while they swear, fight, vomit
every third admission is due to alcohol and its usually turns into a battle
i read the NZ newspapers Local as well as national and compared to here south island does not even come near to our crime levels
it takes 10/15 minutes to drive through airdrie 1.5 miles, up to 1.5 hours to get to glasgow 9 miles (i can run quicker)(my mum could run quicker)
there are only charity shops in the town centre, you cannot sit any where for a coffee my elderly in laws will only go shopping early morning before the neds and dossers are awake

i sound like a grumpy old man
ps and airdrie is not the worst

Pointer

hibs fans in airdrie you dont get many of them to the pound fortunately especially after last weeks result

look on the bright side, sorry no bright side to living in Airdrie

Mon the well

Jobry01

probably could count fans of other teams in spl on one hand its all the old firm
saturday was a good day
what has got gannons nose out of joint

i know i sound as though i hate airdrie but never wanted to live here in first place only did to keep oh happy (always a good thing) and it is only in last couple of years beginning to annoy me and when that happens the bad is all you seem to see the good goes out window

Justcol

you sound exactly like me before we left the uk. You start to see the
negative in everything around you, even things that have no effect on your life.
I think its a way of justifying the decision to emigrate.
The odd thing is i now miss the hustle and bustle of manchester, the crowds
the noise, the different cultures, the history thats all around you.
I have always said i didnt choose to leave the UK i was forced out and it
sounds like your in the same boat.
I like NZ but its too dull and bland for me to consider staying long term. I think
in the future we will give OZ another go. Its far more cultured and there are
far more opportunities there.

alanmacc

"we have little lifestyle here, we live in "nice" area of airdrie yet have drug dealer parked in main entrance to estate daughter will not come into estate on her own, woods with paths for walking dog that are no access after 6pm, daughter bullied at school since primary3 now in second year at high school cause she excells at sport (only her and one other girl in her year play netball) and in class (most other kids are fat lazy and will be aiming to go on socail once left school)"

I lived in Airdrie for a few years, trying to remember the Nice Areas though, but I do think there is no comparison

"cannot walk the mile from town centre at night for fear of being mugged
cannot see a gp within two to three weeks of phoning"

My pet hate was not being able to get a docs appointment


"it takes 10/15 minutes to drive through airdrie 1.5 miles, up to 1.5 hours to get to glasgow 9 miles (i can run quicker)(my mum could run quicker)"

As long as you run during the day, at night wayyyy too dodgy

"there are only charity shops in the town centre, you cannot sit any where for a coffee my elderly in laws will only go shopping early morning before the neds and dossers are awake"

And I take it the use of town centre is an artistic one, but you forgot greggs

Pointer

Meal for two at a local Italian in Airdrie £41.40 and thats with no starter

1 pint of Peroni £4.25
1 carafe red wine £7.95 (for one person)
2 main courses £12.95 and £9.45
1 side portion of chips (its lanarkshire after all) £2.55
1 sweet £4.25

and a quick walk with the dogs in the rain (again)

you would expect these prices in Glasgow town centre not in Coatdyke, Airdrie.

drove didnt walk as its dark, just coz its raining doesnt mean that the eejits arent out lurking in the shadows.

strangely enough Coatdyke doesnt have a Greggs but both Coatbridge and AIrdrie have - steak bake for breakfast anyone