Chandler

I have to be honest, as much as the USA is my home and the UK my birth place, my true love is Oz so I stop by their forum from time to time to keep my finger on the pulse.

I saw this poll there and thought I'd replicate but with the proviso that I've included a standard of living element.

My first poll, hope this works.........

AmerLisa

It didn't work, or already deleted?

Chandler

It worked, but I had a lot of options to type

Because of the number options I think a lot of people will need to vote before any conclusions can be drawn so let the voting commence.

Ben

I presume you want people to compare when they actually left the UK! Once you have been here a few years the comparison wouldn't be quite the same.

Also, what about the poll where you are earning/less and your standard of living hasn't changed? Not that I'm trying to get you to add anymore to the long list by the way

Chandler

Or indeed more but with no change in ones standard of living. Or perhaps less?

Sadly, the powers at be deem 15 to be the maximum number of options for any given poll.

I should also point out that I did not select the option that allows for a person to see how any given member of the forum votes.

Eskimo

thank god for that .....

Chandler

Fair point. Well made.

Perhaps I could do another poll predicting how this poll will turn out. Or maybe a poll predicting if the poll that predicts the results of the original poll will in itself prove accurate. Or perhaps......

Pimpbot

What a confusing looking poll. lol

I make less money per hour, if you take $1=£1, but my standard of living is much better. This is mainly due to the fact that I now live in a two income family, where as I lived on my own with all the mortgage and bills to pay by myself.

Bob

Thats' a good point...I ain't earning now, but when I am, I can expect to get a lower salary with the average exchange rate of £1:$1.50....at a 1:1 it would probably be about the same unless I had a job in London....either way, standard of living here is higher for the money, and certainly now as the missus is working...

Chandler

I'd agree with both of you,the FX Rate does scew an anwer for those earning say 0-20% (+ or -) of their UK wage. But perhaps less so at the extremes of the scale.

As for a partner now working etc. Would you have been better or worse off without reliance on that income?

Anyone out there care to admit to wining the lottery?

Chandler

Keep the votes coming, but here are some stats after a mere 12 hrs.

16 Votes cast.

1 "what's it to you". Of the 15 who have selected another option:

73% earn more
7% about the same
20% less

At a risk of getting all John Snow, early results are interesting because even given the strength of the $ people seem to be earning more. A weak $ would presumably push at least the 7% neutral category into the 'earn more' group. Of course, these are early results and as such are indicative only.

One more observation:

73% feel they have a higher standard of living
27% feel they have a lower standard of living

Anyone else find this as interesting as me….? :scared:

Dan725

I kinda find it interesting. I think a big factor affecting standard of living is location. Down here in Tampa (although prices are rapidly rising), you can get your massive gaff with pool for less than the price of a small apartment up by DC or New York or LA, but obviously the downside is you will earn less. Which is not a problem unless you travel to the UK a lot for example, whereby your lower wage does not go very far.

I think day to day life running costs are comparable with UK, vehicles, houses electronics and other major purchases are cheaper. I tend to use the 1:1.5 scale like Bob, as it seems to me to be an even comparator when comparing prices of things.

I think the other quality of life issue is the non financial side, such as warm weather which suits my hobbies like waterskiing and scuba diving etc. If I was up in North Dakota, for example, I don't expect I'd be doing a lot of that, so week to week life would be of lower quality. Then again in Colorado, I'd probably be happy too, could go skiing a lot. There are a couple of factors outside the financial, I reckon.

Dan725

Forgot to mention as well, family and friends are quite a big deal on your quality of life study. My wife is born and raised from the area where we now live, and as such, she has plenty of school friends and all of her family within an hour or twos drive. She's also got plenty of work friends who she's known for years, and we've always got something to do and people to see so it seems. I've also made my own friends through hobbies etc, so we're pretty lucky in so much that we've got some sort of roots here. If we didnt have, chances are we wouldn't be here, all your finacial side of quality of life wouldn't mean a lot if you couldnt enjoy it. As far as my friends and family go, sure you miss them a bit, but no doubt poeple'll be over to visit - better that way than go back to UK with the crappy exchange rate and lower wage at the minute

candy wy.

I thought the dollar was weak at the moment..

AdobePinon

But 'standard of living' tends to be of a material nature. Not the same as 'quality of life'. You can have a great standard of living and a shitty quality of life.