Perry Groves

I thought it was Hastings

luvwelly

People always love to say they are x hours/minutes from Skiing but how many actually ever go....and you can only go when there is enough snow anyway.

Genesis

Nope. We are not poor by any stretch of imagination. We I are some of the fortunate ones who are way better off in NZ than we were in the Uk and that's with only one of us working a 40 hour week. In the Uk we needed to do 60 a week betwixt us to keep the books balanced.

Genesis

As I said ....if I ever get the time. And yes it is lovely to know that the ski fields are only 2 hours door to door. In the UK with 3 kids it was NEVER going to happen..money wise, logistic wise or time wise. Here it has and it will continue as they get older. Its so affordable, so easy and as you know only takes 2 hrs. Just another one of the awesome benefits of living in NZ and particularly Palmy.

Madmaxdeux

given that it was $350 for a cheap season pass this season and just $83 per day if you have not got one compared to the nearly $900 10 years ago to ski just one of the North Island ski areas I think we are pretty lucky to have something as affordable so close to hand even if it is not our thing.
As genesis sounds like you have found it is an easier and cheaper option to jump in a car an drive a couple of hours even the proximity of cheaper wilderness tramping experiances are so easy to find as well as empty beaches where you do not have to pay for parking.

Incidentally our low domicle schools in the middle of the North Island offer sking as part of the lessons even on a low or modest income having the children be given the opportunity to participate is something I doubt many of us would have been able to afford or offer in the UK so easily. Most of my work over winter is derived from taking school groups to the snow and I know how much those kids enjoy it and many of those kids are from what you may regard as a poor family.

The point is that it is there and available even if you dont want to use it and modestly priced.

Dewb09

Funny how when things are on your doorstep you always think "will do that another day"

Since having visitors from overseas I have actually got out and seen so much more of the place I live!!!!

And since deciding to emigrate have finally got around to not putting things off (well apart from finishing painting my doors). Think we are the same the world over, if its close you always think yeah some day I will do.........

Dewb

whitesand

Genesis, I'd disagree with you that apart from the accommodation issue life is easy here. The house issue is one of the main problems. Also, saying that is like saying that apart from having enough money life is easy here.

I don't think you are also comparing like with like when talking about the UK. Not everywhere in the UK is packed out. There are also beautiful, peaceful country areas there too - and inexpensive skiing areas. But, accommodation and a lack of sufficient money to enjoy life are major considerations for folks coming here and cannot be brushed aside.

There's also a great difference between those who are financially settled with a small mortgage and those who've recently arrived and don't!

Genesis

I am talking about life being easy here in Palmy, for me and my kin. And that is simply from my frame of reference coming from Northampton where neither of our careers were going well, we had wall to wall daily aggro from anti social cretins and to get anywhere was a trial. There was little to do for the kids (one toddler group a fortnight with a 3 month waiting list), here its been wall to wall activities. NZ is not for everyone. It won't be a bed of roses for everyone for many a reason. It just works well for us. We are all different and I don't want NZ to sound like its going to be nirvana for all. Its not and we all come from diffent angles.

And my house has not been without its problems. I have had to invest huge effort, time and money (and the latter has NOT always been there..cue Hanover) to get issues sorted. But they are done now. I chose to live in NZ thus as time went on I realised I had to accept that if I bought a house (not build one as many do which can iron out most issues..so long as your builder in competent!!) I was going to have to accept that to make it come up to euro standards us brits are used to I was going to have to do something about it.

Matewx

Then again you're from Northampton!!! Anything else is better than Northampton!

Lived there 2years and they burnt two cars... Hated the place!!

Genesis

I loved the 3-4 years I spent there..it was a welcome filip from London, however the shine had worn off come the 4th year and it was time to move or implode. And yes I guess that's why I can be soooooooooooooo positive about somewhere like Palmy. When you have spent 3 years in NN1 3PZ anything looks rosy!!!!

Kija

Today after a quick trip into the city (Cairo), I felt that to be temporary blind and deaf would actually be a blessing...PLEASE GET ME OUT OF HERE! I would seriously rather be skint in NZ than rich here not that we're rich, but seriously, quality of life doesn't always equate to how much money one has. Though I am very worried IF we ever get there, would we have enough to survive...

BEVS

We loved our visit to Cairo with all the buzz but I wouldn't want to live there. Too busy and too noisy.

FWIW we are surviving . Husband has been on short hours and so we have had a lot less income but we are surviving ...........just like loads of others.
Just look at your potential income & be brutal about what you think you might have as expenditure.

Mind you , we aint one of those that can afford to go skiing . If one wants to compare , which one shouldn't, we could afford a week or two skiing annually when living and working in the UK. Here a one day ski pass for both of us is an annual treat and one we couldn't afford this year at all.

As you say, it can be more about the non-financial lifestyle change on a day to day basis & many feel they gain by that here in NZ. A trade off.

However, the title of the thread and the OP was about the financial aspects of being here.

Kija

When were you here Bevs? Did you have a culture shock?? I remember picking up some American friends of my nephew (that was many years back, and things weren't as bad as they are now), and they were SHOCKED at the way we drive here

I can afford not to work here, I was working part time but the commute to and from work and the low salary made me feel it really wasn't worth it. All our money goes on the pets (3 dogs, 2 horses and 2 Senegal doves), we're not into clothes (I'm very happy in an old pair of jeans, t shirt and flip flops much to the chagrin of my rather well dressed family) , gadgets, fancy outings, obviously we don't ski and all we crave is some peace and quiet. I feel like I'm becoming agoraphobic here!

BEVS

Well, we were on holiday Kija , so it was a bit different for us. I just loved the history and I was wowed by Cairo. Even the traffic . I found it so exhilarating but I didn't have to live with it day in and day out like you do.
Just nipped downstairs to check the photo album. We were there in 2002. Even then , I was wearing a T Shirt with a Kiwi on it. The following year our trip was to Sri Lanka and the year after that we emigrated here.

You'll find it peaceful and quiet here Kija. You'll see when you arrive.

luvwelly

Have also holidayed in Egypt pre-kids and yes I agree with Bevs...NZ will seem very peaceful..also poverty is relative..to you NZ folk will look rich..no one living on waste tips yet in NZ.