TommyLuck

Now that is an erudite post that provides plenty of food for thought!!

A very interesting view.

BEVS

I'd go along with that.
The new New Zealand 'life' we investigated / reccied in 2003 & then migrated to in 2004 isn't the NZ of today or even the past couple of years. TBH if we were looking at an NZ migration today , we wouldn't make the move. It would be financially plain daft for us to do so.
Thing is we don't dislike it here at all. It has some very good points to it. Just the so-called 'lifestyle' myth isn't there for us. It is financially very restrictive . Mind you it's the same for Kiwis and migrants all around us these days.

I'm all for people moving around the globe if that is their earnest wish. Heck, I spend my time trying to help with NZ visa options. However, I do feel that it's more important than ever to keep it real financially when looking to NZ.

Genesis

Will your life in NZ be more 'comfortable' from a fiscal point though in comparison to the one you have in the UK? Back in 2005 we were way better off fiscally by moving to NZ in relation to our finances in the UK.

We still do okay here but we have done soooooooooooo much money since being here it is not funny. Our house is worth probably less than what we paid for it (wee bit of over zealous capitalisation going on there!!) we have lost a huge amount in a bad investment and the cost of living here has rocketed. Everything is silly money except petrol, flat screen TVs and car ins.

We have seemingly low over heads but manage to plough our way through a vast sum of cash each year. No champagne, no debt, no boats, no big hols, no private education, just 3 kids, 2 cats and a couple of old cars.

BEVS

Perhaps because it is another leap of faith but at an older age .

I ask myself the same when thinking of a move away from NZ, perhaps back to the UK.

Snap Shot

Plan B / Escape hatch

love30stm

We manage to have meals out and wine most nights, go to cinema regular, days out, and holidays going to raratonga later in the year! I buy clothes not so much but still buy some, and I only work randomly as a demonstrator, not worked since November! Have two teenage daughters at home, a cat, One car and a nice house with a mortgage, we do more here than the UK and save money


I'm happy here, just wanted to say its not all doom and gloom, I'm Living the dream thankyou

Sherlock Holmes

You are quite right, it isn't all doom and gloom, especially when you've been here for a while. After a few years all that matters is how many $$ you earn and how many you spend.

But when looking at moving out to NZ now, the exchange rate does make a difference a to how comfortable your first few months / years are going to be.

love30stm

Well all I can say Is I'm lucky we came here in 2007

Bo-Jangles

Once you step off the comfort zone into the unknown, the horizon can change very rapidly, life is unpredictable and obstacles that werent there suddenly appear, and promises made may disappear.

The very word emigration suggests to me a move of permanence, you go lock stock and barrel with no intention of returning. For us there was no Plan B, no escape hatch - we could just about to afford the move, we had no jobs when we arrived here and did not really know what was achievable in terms of pay.

Honestly, I think of all the innovators and pioneers of the world and if they hadn't any spirit of adventure to step out of the comfort zone and feel the fear anyway, then we'd all still be living in the dark ages.

At the end of the day, in any kind of project we're generally constrained by the funding available and you allocate or apply whatever resources you have to achieve the end result. Like any design or construction project, the finishing touches and bright ideas are always more expensive than you thought they would be.

It's not about being trapped at all, it's about survival; you can either sink or swim or flounder about somewhere in the middle. Some will get a life raft, some hit the wall and simply give up and some keep on treading water.

I'm still afloat, but sometimes my arms and legs are aching!.

BEVS

So true.

I agree. Those coming out certainly need to take it into account.
Mind you , we did just that back in 2003 and 2004. Even then the exchange rate took a sudden swing between us finishing the application and finally arriving to settle.

As for how one manages to live & what one can afford or not ,as the case may be . Well that's all down to what $$ you take home.

Synky

It depresses me a bit that a lot of you are saying we have chosen a bad time to try and move.

I like to think you can't put a price on the sense of adventure, taking control of your life and trying to change it for the better.

Charismatic

Thats the way this capitalism, we really should get round to inventing a better system as the need for money does rather detract from the pleasure of life.

Genesis

Just being honest about the terrible rate of exchange, it is in unchartered territory just now and how much money you have for your move does mean a lot for most people doing this.

If your sense of adventure and wish to improve your life dictates that you come inspite of the forex issues then that is great.

But you have to temper wonderful enthusiasm with reality and NZ is a very expensive, low wage place to be, it is a changing place and there have been changes in the 8 years I have been here and alas not for the better IMO.

NZ is unpopulous, it is a challenge to start a new life and it is a very beautiful and starkly different place to the UK in so many ways. If that is what you are after and you know you can afford to get by then try not to be put off by negative posts too much. They provide balance and two sides to a story. Good luck in your adventures!!

love30stm

Dont let negatives put you off, I think clothes and stuff is getting a bit cheaper in my opinion, some people Just live above there means, like having to have two cars and hot tubs and stuff, we always lived within our means so we do fine x

Our car is 13 years old, our house was $350,000 we didnt get in debt for a Huge mortgage so we could live our life

Woodlea

I don't think NZ is expensive, some things are, some things aren't. You can't keep comparing prices to the UK, things have moved on there as well in the last 8 years! We don't struggle to make ends meet and I don't know anyone that does, maybe it's my age group 40-50?