Wages compared to living costs, help???
#31
Forum Regular
Joined: Sep 2009
Location: Whakatane, Bay of Plenty - pinch me I'm dreaming!!
Posts: 134
Re: Wages compared to living costs, help???
Hi guys
Am getting worried now. i am due to arrive in 2 weeks. My starting wage will be $50,400. I am coming alone with 2 pets. Headed for BoP. Am aware i will have a shortfall to start with, but my money should increase as I pass NZ training courses. Rent does appear to be an issue. i had only budgeted $280 per week and only a few of the properties I have seen include some form of heating. Have I bitten off more than I can chew - wouldn't have been such an issue had UK house sold, but it hasn't and I had to make a choice of lose employment and not come, or risk it. Evidently I have risked it. Done now. Just gettin last minute panics!!
Cheers HH
Am getting worried now. i am due to arrive in 2 weeks. My starting wage will be $50,400. I am coming alone with 2 pets. Headed for BoP. Am aware i will have a shortfall to start with, but my money should increase as I pass NZ training courses. Rent does appear to be an issue. i had only budgeted $280 per week and only a few of the properties I have seen include some form of heating. Have I bitten off more than I can chew - wouldn't have been such an issue had UK house sold, but it hasn't and I had to make a choice of lose employment and not come, or risk it. Evidently I have risked it. Done now. Just gettin last minute panics!!
Cheers HH
#32
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Feb 2005
Location: Back in NZ & loving it - living in Orewa
Posts: 1,183
Re: Wages compared to living costs, help???
Hi guys
Am getting worried now. i am due to arrive in 2 weeks. My starting wage will be $50,400. I am coming alone with 2 pets. Headed for BoP. Am aware i will have a shortfall to start with, but my money should increase as I pass NZ training courses. Rent does appear to be an issue. i had only budgeted $280 per week and only a few of the properties I have seen include some form of heating. Have I bitten off more than I can chew - wouldn't have been such an issue had UK house sold, but it hasn't and I had to make a choice of lose employment and not come, or risk it. Evidently I have risked it. Done now. Just gettin last minute panics!!
Cheers HH
Am getting worried now. i am due to arrive in 2 weeks. My starting wage will be $50,400. I am coming alone with 2 pets. Headed for BoP. Am aware i will have a shortfall to start with, but my money should increase as I pass NZ training courses. Rent does appear to be an issue. i had only budgeted $280 per week and only a few of the properties I have seen include some form of heating. Have I bitten off more than I can chew - wouldn't have been such an issue had UK house sold, but it hasn't and I had to make a choice of lose employment and not come, or risk it. Evidently I have risked it. Done now. Just gettin last minute panics!!
Cheers HH
The average NZ household income is around $75k, so as a single person on $50k, you're not too badly placed especially if you have realistic prospects of improving on this
#33
Re: Wages compared to living costs, help???
Don't get too hung up on heating. Most of the houses we looked at in Auckland area had no form of heating and the winter climate is a lot milder here than in UK. If you're buying, then investing in decent heating is worthwhile, but if you're renting, heating necessary rooms with portable heaters is a realistic option, especially as a sole occupant. You're only going to get a nasty bill surprise if you think it's a good idea to heat every room in your house to 22C 24/7.
The average NZ household income is around $75k, so as a single person on $50k, you're not too badly placed especially if you have realistic prospects of improving on this
The average NZ household income is around $75k, so as a single person on $50k, you're not too badly placed especially if you have realistic prospects of improving on this
#34
Re: Wages compared to living costs, help???
HHBoP,
I wouldn't worry too much about your renting budget if you are still heading to Whakatane. It is significantly cheaper there than elsewhere in the BoP to rent. Have you looked on Trade Me for rentals in your preferred area?
I strongly advise against using portable calor gas heaters as they give off quite a "damp" heat and may well introduce more condensation problems. I agree with Genesis, get a dehumidifer and maybe some oil fired/electric fin heater to take the edge off the cold in selected rooms. People also swear by electric blankets, but I can't stand them!
I wouldn't worry too much about your renting budget if you are still heading to Whakatane. It is significantly cheaper there than elsewhere in the BoP to rent. Have you looked on Trade Me for rentals in your preferred area?
I strongly advise against using portable calor gas heaters as they give off quite a "damp" heat and may well introduce more condensation problems. I agree with Genesis, get a dehumidifer and maybe some oil fired/electric fin heater to take the edge off the cold in selected rooms. People also swear by electric blankets, but I can't stand them!
#35
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Jun 2005
Location: In a large village called Auckland
Posts: 5,249
Re: Wages compared to living costs, help???
That may be true where you live, however the same tariffs do not apply across the country. I've been making investigations about changing our meter and the day part of the the variable day/night rate (with Genesis) will be slightly cheaper than the single anytime rate we are currently on.
#36
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Sep 2009
Location: thatcham berkshire england
Posts: 432
Re: Wages compared to living costs, help???
Hi guys
Am getting worried now. i am due to arrive in 2 weeks. My starting wage will be $50,400. I am coming alone with 2 pets. Headed for BoP. Am aware i will have a shortfall to start with, but my money should increase as I pass NZ training courses. Rent does appear to be an issue. i had only budgeted $280 per week and only a few of the properties I have seen include some form of heating. Have I bitten off more than I can chew - wouldn't have been such an issue had UK house sold, but it hasn't and I had to make a choice of lose employment and not come, or risk it. Evidently I have risked it. Done now. Just gettin last minute panics!!
Cheers HH
Am getting worried now. i am due to arrive in 2 weeks. My starting wage will be $50,400. I am coming alone with 2 pets. Headed for BoP. Am aware i will have a shortfall to start with, but my money should increase as I pass NZ training courses. Rent does appear to be an issue. i had only budgeted $280 per week and only a few of the properties I have seen include some form of heating. Have I bitten off more than I can chew - wouldn't have been such an issue had UK house sold, but it hasn't and I had to make a choice of lose employment and not come, or risk it. Evidently I have risked it. Done now. Just gettin last minute panics!!
Cheers HH
#37
Re: Wages compared to living costs, help???
i will be earning 60k before tax, does anyone know if this is good enough for a family of 3 to survive, until hubby gets work? we will be renting to start with, hope this is enough!!!!!
#38
Forum Regular
Joined: Nov 2009
Location: on the way
Posts: 69
Re: Wages compared to living costs, help???
60k is 2.5 times minimal wage so I would say you will be ok. Congratulatiions!
#40
Re: Wages compared to living costs, help???
60K you'll need to be careful and keep your rent/mortgage costs low. Will you be bringing any equity? It's quite doable without but you won't feel like you're on 2.5x the national average, lol!
#41
Re: Wages compared to living costs, help???
"Minimum wage" and "national average" should be different things surely, which do you mean?
#42
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Jun 2005
Location: In a large village called Auckland
Posts: 5,249
Re: Wages compared to living costs, help???
Whatever!! National average, smaverage, who wants to emigrate to live on the national average or minimum wage? Some people can manage quite well on dole money as well. I doubt many people on this forum would find that prospect an appealing lifestyle choice though.
$50k is fine for a single person and $60k is fine for a family of three short term, furthermore it's not bad at all if you are living outside of Auckland in terms of housing costs. If you have the opportunity to increase this with partners expecting to find work then living on $55 to 60k is absolutely no hardship for a short while. We managed on $46k and some backup savings for a good few months (a good while ago) whilst one was looking for work, however I would not recommend it to others and it would never have been sustainable for the longer term.
Rest assured there's a considerable difference between $45k and $55k in terms of disposable income and I would still say to anyone thinking of coming here absolutely NOT to do it for a sole income of $45k
$50k is fine for a single person and $60k is fine for a family of three short term, furthermore it's not bad at all if you are living outside of Auckland in terms of housing costs. If you have the opportunity to increase this with partners expecting to find work then living on $55 to 60k is absolutely no hardship for a short while. We managed on $46k and some backup savings for a good few months (a good while ago) whilst one was looking for work, however I would not recommend it to others and it would never have been sustainable for the longer term.
Rest assured there's a considerable difference between $45k and $55k in terms of disposable income and I would still say to anyone thinking of coming here absolutely NOT to do it for a sole income of $45k
#44
Re: Wages compared to living costs, help???
No-one is saying they do, I'm just trying to clarify whether 60k is 2.5x the minimum wage or national average as there should be a big difference - 2.5x average should put that income somewhere between "comfortable" and "affluent" I guess....but as it has been clarified as 2.5x minimum it clearly isn't.
#45
Just Joined
Joined: Mar 2010
Location: West Yorkshire
Posts: 13
Re: Wages compared to living costs, help???
I found that by searching Google for a cost of living calculator there are various available, one worked out what you need for your individual standard of living on each of many categories and then added income tax to this to work out your required salary. (I did put a link the last time I posted this but my post was removed so I am assuming that was not allowed). I am just starting the process so have no idea how accurate this calculator is but it suggested that $61k would just suffice for a family of 4.
I hope this helps
I hope this helps