RobClubley

You need to talk to more IT geeks - we talk total nonsense all of the time.
Kiwis included

Ash1

I 100% agree. Very well put

whitesand

Genesis, I don't know what parallel universe you live in, but to say that a house cost 'only' 160 grand is crazy! That sum is probably more than most folks can save in a lifetime.

If your example was to show how 'cheap' everything is in NZ then that's simply not true. Also, the things mentioned above by others are not personal moans - they are realistic facts about life in NZ! The truth is that the salaries and the cost of living do not make it easy to enjoy the lifesstyle for many here.

And, I have said this again and again, you cannot be laid back and enjoy all this scenery and so-called lifestyle if you are not able to pay your bills. You might have it easy - others most certainly do not! Many are struggling here and its certainly not 'personal' as you put it.

cathyc

Our situation isn't that different to many other peoples. We didn't arrive in New Zealand with loads of money, we're a young family and don't have those sorts of reserves of cash. We found it terribly expensive there so even if there's plenty of food (much of it with far too much sugar and fat) in the supermarkets it's no pleasure if you can't afford it. New Zealand doesn't have the cheap food shops like you get back home. Even though it looks cheap from over there once you're earning Kiwi wages it becomes really, really hard to make the money stretch out and cover everything. Just something like a dentist's visit could wipe us out for the rest of the month

We weren't able to get out and see much of the country because of the cost of petrol and flying for the four of us was out of the question so we made the most of what was on our doorstep, much the same as back home, little kids don't need much. but goodness knows why we travelled to the otherside of the world to do it! our lives were better in Britain.

Genesis I don't think you really appreciate how hard it is for some people, you're probably older than most of us and at that stage in life when you're feeling a burnt out, you've made your money and want to slow down and sit back and let things wash over you. Many of us aren't at that stage yet and may not even get there so please try to understand how it is for many people who are so very different to you.

I'm not sure why you took me off ignore either, perhaps you never put me on it in the first place? it's quite horrible that you've gone out of your way again to have a go at me. I'm sorry we don't fit into your version of what New Zealand is supposed to be like but take a look at the stay or go poll to see how 40% of us feel about staying.

mickey_d

[QUOTE=Genesis;6412026]We manage way better here on way less wages than we did in the UK[QUOTE]

But thats without a mortgage isn't it.
Most people don't come over here with 780k in their back pocket

julesnye

What rate did you get that from then?
I make it that the exchange rate must have been just under $NZ4.9/GBP???:confused
when was that as I've never heard of it being that high....:

j19fmm

Ray

At last some intelligent comment
No place is Utopia

I live in Florida ..Utopia to some ..But in reality its just a plastic
tourist trap in some area... Redneck in others..and busy cities elsewhere

And there are plenty of problems here health cost ..violent crime
gas prices rocketing...virtually the same or similar problem as you
all complain about

Would I leave ...never .....

I was prepared ......You adapt. You overcome. You improvise

Genesis

£160k for a six bedroom, quality home with large gardens and a large pool, with mountain views? In 2005? Is cheap..BY UK STANDARDS> I paid nigh on £40k for a tiny hovel in the east end of London in 1985, by 1989 it was sold for £90k. So if you go by that 20 years later £160k for what I have now is 'cheap' (IMO)...almost anywhere in the 1st world.

Genesis

Re the above comment 'burnt out'

I have 3 kids under 8, I am the main carer....I have just started a new career as a full time dad...don't talk about taking it easy!!!!!!


Look, I struggled in the UK..for a shed load of reasons. I came to NZ cos I had visited eons ago and thought (by comparison to my life in the UK) life would be better in NZ.

I was right in virtually every aspect. I came here to be better off not worse off.

I did my maths and worked it all out. Mainland europe was out because the money we had would have dried up, Kate could not have worked as a nurse where she could not speak the lingo.

I do not doubt that many struggle in NZ. I guess I am amazed that people come and are prepared to do just that. I would not have come here if in anyway i thought I would have been in penury.

For me emigration is such a big thing I could not have coped with money problems. We are not rich, I was only a copper for 10 years or so, I have only ever had averagely paid jobs. The only money I ever made was on the four very modest homes I owned (one after the other) in the UK over a 20 year period.

I guess these last few threads are a warning to anyone coming to NZ re finances.

To make this move was for us VERY expensive. Just to get here! Then all the set up costs, we have lost loads of money along the way, poor calls, bad decisions, crap exchange rates etc, etc.

I personally would not advise anyone to do the move, especially at the current rate of exchange unless they haave a reasonable amount of money behind them.

Okay that may not be a very 'he who dares wins' attitude but the writing is on the wall isn't it??

The biggest gripe about NZ is the cost of living..thats why so many go to Oz, apparently you can do way better there.

Work out your monies, your budgets and how much money you will pull in after tax, budgeting and knowing you have enough to live on is soooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo important.

paulst30

Yes my boss and i, just talk anchorman speak all the time and we sometimes slag (make fun of) teachers with Yoda speak hahahha its really funny. Yes IT guys get thier kicks from things that normal people dont understand

scrubbedexpat094

Rather like medics then

Bellasmum

So that's what Brit OH reverts to when he's being drinking too much.

He blames the cigar he smokes with his port.

Why is it that port glasses are so small ? Our lot can polish of a couple of bottles after a good night out.

mickey_d

http://britishexpats.com/forum/showt...29#post3977929

Enjoy

The_Pom_From_Aus

well i suppose all the people who are winging about N/Z then you can always piss of back to the UK, its as simple as that, now thats put the cat among the pigeons has it not.?????