bookemjano

Am I being a bit innocent here - it seems to me to be quite logical. NZ wages mean you're going to take home less than you the equivalent you would in the UK. NZ shopping is comparable in that some things will be dearer, others cheaper. Therefore the simple equation is less take home+comparable shopping=cut your cloth accordingly. For me personally, having to really cut down on the shopping and budget better, perhaps even work full time instead of part time as planned, is the lesser of two evils, the UK equivalent evil being the main reasons we all want to leave!

Everyone knows their personal reasons, perhaps the question shouldn't be "NZ - Can I live on ...", more "UK - Can I still live with ...."

In everything you want you sacrifice something to get it. If this means me having to become a gardener to grow my own veg and flowers, having to make my own bread, and the kids having to give up some of their hobbies then so be it. Hell, I may even make my own booze! All welcome to come along and sample it!

At the moment we're trying very hard to live on one wage to try to accommodate. It's difficult, but it's good practice and I've a huge map of NZ on the wall to motivate me.

sunshine_and_rain

Good Post. The old saying is true - you get nothing in life for free, nor without hard work. To come live here you have to make sacrifices - of the emotional and financial type, but as you said it really does depend what you want from life and for your children. I was on-line with my friend yesterday, and he had the news on at the same time - he tells me there has just been an 11 year old girl raped by teenagers in the UK and they videod the whole horrific crime. That alone convinced me I have done the right for my children. Whats going on - has the world gone mad?? For us my sacrifice has been more of the emotional type, in that I am very very close to my family and my best friends in the UK and it has been - and still is - a HUGE wrench to be away from them. I have chosen to be here for my children though and so that is the sacrifice I have made to give them a better and safer life I believe here in NZ. In GBP equivalent we may well even earn more if we went home, but, houses cost more, cars cost a little more and things like house insurance, life insurance etc costs a little more too, so for us its swings and roundabouts and as I said the children are our main reason for being here. I think we have done the right thing by them - of course who knows what will happen tomorrow, but today I am happy with my decision

uk+kiwi

Yep you are absolutely right. We have been living on one wage for a couple of years (young children) in the South-East and it is bloody hard so I can sympathise, for us we made pretty big sacrifices for what we believe is a better way to raise our children whilst they are young. I'm sure things will change as the children get older but we just do what's right for us for now - not sure if it is just the way I am or if it's because I'm too busy!

Your post made me smile - I lived in Saudi Arabia for 6 years as a child, and my parents made their own booze. Gin and wine by the barrel load! We had a downstairs WC and the room was filled with the stuff when it was brewing time!! Hadn't thought about that for a long time, but thanks for reminding me as those years were some of the best of my life! How fantastic it is to be a child

Hubbie's just filling the paddling pool and I must get on with my salad dressing and cocktails for the BBQ.................

I just love the sunshine.

davepoole

ive just been given 46160nzd per year basic, going up more with anti social pay, thats for a single bloke living in wellington. I think it will be more than sufficient, much better than the uk here i can barely survive on a nurses wage, cant save anything at the end of the month. Thats a major positive for leaving, here i can barely afford a mortgage for a box room let alone a house.

I think 36000 will be tight for a family of four but i wish you all the best for your move, i agree with earlier posts some things are cheaper in NZ and it is swings and roundabouts, its probably worth it to live in such an amazing country.

I cant believe that cost of living in NZ is the same as in the UK, the average wage in NZ is low compared to the UK so it just doesnt seem right. Everyone except a small percentage would be very poor.

Im going over with a positive outlook and look forward to experiencing all that NZ has to offer.

Don

Unfortunately, you'd better start believing it. :scared: :scared: :scared:

davepoole

bugger

but isnt the housing cheaper, i know prices have gone up but compared to the uk you get for for your money eh

ranbysue

Hello To All

Thanks you so much for taking your precious time to reply on this thread - it is most kind of you all. Thanks also for the shopping lists etc they were so useful.

My husband has to let the NZ corrections know tonight whether ot not he will take the job. He probably will sat yes as we have until March next year before starting. I am still very unsure about it all but like some of you have said on this forum - I will never know unless I take the plunge - and only I can make that decision. My husband is deperate to go and tells me not to keep looking on these forums as I would never go if I keep looking at all the downsides. However, it's only being realistic.

I love the UK but not what is happening to it. It's not the Country I grew up in. Short sentencing for crime do not justify the extent of what someone has done and people get off with things these days scott free. This is just the tip of the iceberg....but there are also lots of plusses too.

Anyway perhaps it's time to bring this thread to a close.

Thanks you so much to all of you - I will let you know our decision as soon as we have made it.

Suze x

davepoole

well goodluck and i hope everything works out, all the peeps i speak to say its a fantastic country so im sure everything will work out ok,

and hey if kiwi folk can live on the money we brits can, and hey its gotta be better than the uk

dave

Dave the Rave

I practically ;ive on peanut butter yet i heard you can't get it in NZ so im gonna realy miss that.

orange

The best peanut butter I ever had, was in New Zealand !!!

80s Chick

Best of luck from me too Suze. Armed with all this information I'm sure you'll make the right decision.

Phyl

bookemjano

Hi Suze - you have to look around as much as you can, better too much knowledge than not enough, and who best to ask than people who have actually done it? This forum is a terrific place to get a realistic picture of what life is about in NZ, the bad as well as the good.

We agonised ourselves for too long, we could have been well on our way if we'd have made the decision earlier, when we knew in our hearts it was what we wanted, but we spent so long chewing it over we wasted time. We've oly submitted our EOI today - and that took us a year! You're lucky, you've got time on your hands, use it wisely, and you're already one jump ahead with a job offer. Good luck, I'm sure you'll make the right choice, Jan

nivlem

Congrats on taking the plunge Jan!
Sent you some karma. Keep us posted on how things go!

bookemjano

Thank you fellow Mancunian! Yours seems to be going well, good luck with it, you should have a definite answer within the next month or so shouldn't you.

Can I ask, are you going over with a job offer?

nivlem

Nope! :scared: never even been to the place! Just decided to stop talking about it and get on with it!