scrubbedexpat099

If you are here on holiday it looks cheap.

A lot of that goes away if you live here.

Do your own research.

scrubbedexpat099

and half those had Insurance

TouristTrap

There be the Seminole Casino and Hard Rock Hotel or sumefink (haven't made it there yet). It is on Hillborough Avenue just as it goes into the I-4. (The Tampa dude from The Apprentice got arrested there this past weekend).

TouristTrap

And Florida sucks y'all.

The wages are very low and the cost of living high..Don't come here. The gators wander around loose everywhere you turn if you travel outside Orlando you'll see them. There are millions of tourists eaten every year! (They don't like to publish it because it is bad for tourism)

Taffyles

Well once things certain you will be ripped off in Florida over something or other..they see Brits and their equity coming...you'll be doing well if you realise that you have been scammed.

Yep, you get more for your money in Florida when you are earning and spending pounds...the exchange rate is exceptional right now...when you are earning dollars, it changes the perspective a little.

Yep, outlet malls are cheap (well actually there's a lot of 'ripping off' going on there too). You will pay less for your NIKE clobber etc but prepare to dig deep for the boring stuff like car insurance, house insurance, and the major one HEALTH insurance...actually even your good old bread and potatoes will cost you a fair bit more here. Oh and get your teeth fixed ( dentures might be a good investment) BEFORE you come.

I recently spent a month in UK and was really surprised how little I spent. Especially on petrol - cos the cars are fuel efficient and DISTANCES...gas here isn't so cheap when you're filling up every other bloody day and travelling more in a month than you probably would in a year in UK. Also how reasonable a trolley full of shopping from Sainsburys was! I couldn't believe it was only 70 pounds...would have been close to $200 easy in our local Publix. But we could argue about prices till domesday and wouldn't make any difference..couple of cheap meals and cheap clobber and you're happy, BUT where in hell did you get the idea that your kids will get a better education here??? Florida is renowned for a low standard of education (and that's by US standards!!!)- incidentally, the US as a whole does not rate as high as the UK in international education research tests.
As for your last comment...well GOOD LUCK. Most people come to Florida AFTER they've made their fortune...there aren't many fortunes made here, unless you're a relation of the Mouse. Florida is a "low wage" State..below the national averages in most professions.
Can't argue about the weather- although some love it, some hate it- hot humid Summers can be hard to take at first.
Best of luck if you do make it over, but sounds like you need to do a lot of research first.

LondonGal

ok, from that article ...

"The final way forward in the Senate was cleared last month when senators defeated an abortion-related amendment that had scuttled agreement on the measure in the previous Congress."

... errm WTF?!

1/5 of my degree covered US government & politics so its not that I dont understand the wheeling and dealing of DC to some extent, but seriously, does this issue pervade absolutely everything?

emmals

have to agree with everything you said there.....we are wanting to move to Florida....i'm under no illusions....my parents have lived there 9 years....we have looked into the cost of general day to day living.....ohh yes when you are on a fortnights holiday it's great eating breakfast...lunch and dinner in ponderosa(******* dire place)....buying shiny white trainers and seeing the mouse everyday it's great.....but life isn't a holiday.....we are moving there because we love some of the places.....and we want a change of life style for a while......plus it will be great to see more of my parents.....but then again i'm not expecting it to be a holiday.....we want to work hard and us have the rewards not someone else....and we don't necceserily want it forever .......

earwig999

Housing is MUCH cheaper in the USA compared to the UK.

Ok so you have higher insurance but it doesn't offset the actual value of UK property.

earwig999

Isn't that what this forum is all about.............research??

I am after opinions and seem to be getting a lot of bad ones back from you all. Now does this mean that if you all had the chance you would move back to the UK or does it mean you just don't want to have yet another Brit moving over?

I don't see many Americans moving to the UK, I wonder why this is?

elfman

That rather depends on where you live in the USA.

earwig999

I agree with you also. My parents have lived in Florida for over 13 years. I have looked into the general cost of day to day living. It is still cheaper than the UK. I am most definatley not a Disney person, too expensive!

I want the best for me and my family, for me I see no reason to stay in the UK. I have been to Florida 8 or 9 times and loved every minute of it. Yes to start with we did all the theme parks and ate out every night at all you can eats but this is in the Tourist areas. I can buy a home cheaper in the USA than the UK. I can feel proud that my Mum can say her Son and family live in America. I can make her feel good about me. It is difficult wherever you live to get the best but I think this will be a good place to start.

Ray

May be.. May be not.... depends on your comparison .. I am a bit out of touch with average UK prices.... but of course you have to compare earnings as well to pay off that mortgage...
So what do you intend doing for a living here?? and how would wages compare??? with what you get now ...

ladyofthelake

So you're one of these people who only want to hear the good stuff then??
House prices can vary within the state too. Which area are you interested in?

earwig999

I would hopefully be working within the Seal industry. Salary would be less than I get here. I can get a mortgage for 30yrs or more which helps.

I am going to go through my Dads monthly bills with him tomorrow and compare them to my UK ones. That way I will get a much clearer picture of how much I would need to have.

Like I said before I would am considering renting out our UK property while we are over there. So I would get a little each month in return for that.

I am not on here to argue the toss over what is cheaper here and there. I joined to get peoples advice who have been in the same situation I am in. Did these people get flamed when they asked similar questions or did someone say look here it is. You need to get blah blah blah.

The economy in every country goes up and down with the times that is part of life. We adapt and make the best of it.

earwig999

You have jumped into this thread and critisised me already. Thank you. Maybe a quick read of previous posts would help.

I am interested in moving to Florida.