Bad times in Texas
May 26th 2009, 3:07 pm
#1
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Thread Starter
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 52
Bad times in Texas
I want to warn people who are considering moving to Texas, before you go, please do your homework.
I have spent the last 5 years there and have finally admitted defeat and returned to UK.
Make sure you have plenty of available funds and be prepared in case of job losses, because Texas has "hire n fire at will" I worked for Home Depot and Wal-Mart and the salary was quite poor ($10 per hour). I didn't have a college degree and this is the route most Americans take to avoid these jobs.
Food prices are roughly twice what they are in UK, and believe me, they are.
$4.99 for a pineapple and $25 for a few steaks is quite expensive.
Getting adequate healthcare is a nightmare, you cannot afford to be sick here at all. Medical costs can bankrupt you here very quickly, my fiancee was in hospital 4 days with breathing difficulties with asthma and the bill came to $6000. There is no way anyone can afford to pay that.
You have to work a FULL year before getting ONE day off, compared with 5 weeks holiday time in UK. Not easy to work through Easter and Christmas without a break.
Jobs, if you are lucky to find one, are not around the corner, I had to do 100 miles trip a day to work and that cuts into anyones budget.
Remember, Immigrants cannot claim welfare or Medicare for 5 years, and if you become homeless and jobless like we did, its "tough luck, buddy"
and if you think of retiring on a decent income here, you haven't a cat in hells chance, because the Americans have been paying in the Social Security from 16, and if you are 40 something, you will be working well into your late 70's and 80's just like my friends at Wal-Mart, where the greeters were all over 75.
America? No, thank you. I made the right decision and came home to UK.
I have spent the last 5 years there and have finally admitted defeat and returned to UK.
Make sure you have plenty of available funds and be prepared in case of job losses, because Texas has "hire n fire at will" I worked for Home Depot and Wal-Mart and the salary was quite poor ($10 per hour). I didn't have a college degree and this is the route most Americans take to avoid these jobs.
Food prices are roughly twice what they are in UK, and believe me, they are.
$4.99 for a pineapple and $25 for a few steaks is quite expensive.
Getting adequate healthcare is a nightmare, you cannot afford to be sick here at all. Medical costs can bankrupt you here very quickly, my fiancee was in hospital 4 days with breathing difficulties with asthma and the bill came to $6000. There is no way anyone can afford to pay that.
You have to work a FULL year before getting ONE day off, compared with 5 weeks holiday time in UK. Not easy to work through Easter and Christmas without a break.
Jobs, if you are lucky to find one, are not around the corner, I had to do 100 miles trip a day to work and that cuts into anyones budget.
Remember, Immigrants cannot claim welfare or Medicare for 5 years, and if you become homeless and jobless like we did, its "tough luck, buddy"
and if you think of retiring on a decent income here, you haven't a cat in hells chance, because the Americans have been paying in the Social Security from 16, and if you are 40 something, you will be working well into your late 70's and 80's just like my friends at Wal-Mart, where the greeters were all over 75.
America? No, thank you. I made the right decision and came home to UK.
May 26th 2009, 3:10 pm
#2
Unmitigated Gall
Joined: Dec 2006
Location: it's still too dark to tell
Posts: 16,162
Re: Bad times in Texas
Were you in Houston?
May 26th 2009, 3:11 pm
#4
Unmitigated Gall
Joined: Dec 2006
Location: it's still too dark to tell
Posts: 16,162
May 26th 2009, 3:13 pm
#6
@matthewb76
Joined: Jul 2003
Location: Missouri
Posts: 21,886
Re: Bad times in Texas
Sorry it didn't work out for you.
Although the home truths you say are needed on these boards to prove that life is harsh over here.
Although the home truths you say are needed on these boards to prove that life is harsh over here.
May 26th 2009, 3:15 pm
#8
Account Closed
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Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 52
Re: Bad times in Texas
May 26th 2009, 3:15 pm
#10
Unmitigated Gall
Joined: Dec 2006
Location: it's still too dark to tell
Posts: 16,162
May 26th 2009, 3:16 pm
#11
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Jan 2009
Location: DFW, TX
Posts: 508
Re: Bad times in Texas
Loaf of bread: 98 cents, a dozen eggs: 85 cents to a $1. Gas $2.20 a gallon, as opposed to $8 a gallon in Britain or Germany. THOSE are staples one needs much more than a freaking pineapple. And if you can't afford steaks, well, what's wrong with bratwurst?
May 26th 2009, 3:16 pm
#12
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Apr 2007
Location: Charleston, SC
Posts: 1,455
Re: Bad times in Texas
How did you get to US in first place? What visa did you have?
Sorry it didn't work out. Did you not consider maybe moving to another part of Texas or another State?
Sorry it didn't work out. Did you not consider maybe moving to another part of Texas or another State?
May 26th 2009, 3:20 pm
#13
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Thread Starter
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 52
Re: Bad times in Texas
How many times does one need a pineapple, and really, how many times does one need $25 worth of steaks?
Loaf of bread: 98 cents, a dozen eggs: 85 cents to a $1. Gas $2.20 a gallon, as opposed to $8 a gallon in Britain or Germany. THOSE are staples one needs much more than a freaking pineapple. And if you can't afford steaks, well, what's wrong with bratwurst?
Loaf of bread: 98 cents, a dozen eggs: 85 cents to a $1. Gas $2.20 a gallon, as opposed to $8 a gallon in Britain or Germany. THOSE are staples one needs much more than a freaking pineapple. And if you can't afford steaks, well, what's wrong with bratwurst?
Food is very expensive in USA, even ground beef is $5 a tube, and gas @ 2.40 a gallon doing 400 miles a week isnt cheap.
Here I hop on a bus, 15 quid a week, sorted.
May 26th 2009, 3:21 pm
#14
SUPER MODERATOR
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 88,022
Re: Bad times in Texas
How many times does one need a pineapple, and really, how many times does one need $25 worth of steaks?
Loaf of bread: 98 cents, a dozen eggs: 85 cents to a $1. Gas $2.20 a gallon, as opposed to $8 a gallon in Britain or Germany. THOSE are staples one needs much more than a freaking pineapple. And if you can't afford steaks, well, what's wrong with bratwurst?
Loaf of bread: 98 cents, a dozen eggs: 85 cents to a $1. Gas $2.20 a gallon, as opposed to $8 a gallon in Britain or Germany. THOSE are staples one needs much more than a freaking pineapple. And if you can't afford steaks, well, what's wrong with bratwurst?
You also seem to have forgotten about the NHS and SS benefits the UK provide. Most of us would much rather be out of work/money/good health in the UK than here.
May 26th 2009, 3:23 pm
#15
@matthewb76
Joined: Jul 2003
Location: Missouri
Posts: 21,886
Re: Bad times in Texas
Don't forget generally you drive many more miles here to get around than you do in the UK...so cost per week/month for petrol is usually around the same.
You also seem to have forgotten about the NHS and SS benefits the UK provide. Most of us would much rather be out of work/money/good health in the UK than here.
You also seem to have forgotten about the NHS and SS benefits the UK provide. Most of us would much rather be out of work/money/good health in the UK than here.