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-   -   Need some help moving to Florida (https://britishexpats.com/forum/usa-57/need-some-help-moving-florida-317269/)

Barney Rubble Jul 31st 2005 9:14 pm

Need some help moving to Florida
 
So me and the missus were watching ‘Holiday home in the sun’ the other night, and got to thinking about how easy or hard it would be to move to Florida. I’ve always loved the sun, and the three nippers love Disney, we have been 3 times! I have done some basic research and think it should be really easy, as I am a builder, specialising in brickwork, and I have got my City & Guilds foundation in brick laying. I also do the odd but of leccy work on the side, I’m not registered or nothin, but I haven’t blown anything up yet! I heard from a mate that there is lots of building work going on in Florida, so I should be OK.
The missus is a registered childminder, and she is thinking about becoming a nurse, which is handy as I hear that you are pretty much guaranteed a job if you’re a nurse. Does anybody know how much a childminder can make in the US? She is a little reluctant to move to the US as she will miss eastenders and corrie, but I have a sparky mate who I met in the pub and he told me that if I get at least a 3M dish and point it towards England then we should be able to pick up Sky, so I will bring my skybox with me anyway. I am near enough 55, and I was hoping to retire in the US, I have searched a number of different ways on this site, but I haven’t see my specific questions asked, so I thought you lot on here would be able to help make our dreams come true by answering a few questions I have:-
1. Retirment. How much would we be able to get from the DHSS (or whatever they are called in the US). I hope they pay OK as I haven’t got much saved. I hear that when you retire, you get free healthcare, so we will try to do that as soon as possible.
2. Buying a home. We have a 2 bed council flat in Wandsworth which I am told is worth around £150K – a lot more than we paid for it, thank Maggie! This is about $280K, right? So what kind of place can we get for say $200K, I want to keep some back for cars, and holidays and a new sofa and maybe one of those big screen TV’s. I think this should be enough for a 4 bed with a pool, Miami, but I haven’t looked into it too much.
3. Healthcare. I have heard that this can be expensive, so I am figuring on around $500 per month for the five of us, this seems about right as it is more than we would pay for Bupa here. Also if we need anything serious done, or we have an accident, we could fly back and go see our own doctor, or go to the accident clinic. Is there anything free that we can get, I searched for this but it seems kind of scarce in the US?
4. Tax. I have always belived that cash is best. I guess that is OK in the US, I figure that I should be able to pay most things in cash and get paid cash in hand, keeps the taxman out of my business right?. Do any of you know how much cash in hand work there is around, and how I go about finding it?
5. Visa. I do not know if I will qualify for a visa, so I think the best bet would be to turf up at the airport and pretend I am coming on holiday. I’ll get me mates to post on suitcases with the rest of our stuff once we are settled. I plan to bring quite a lot with me so I wondered if anyone had ever had any problems with like 20 suitcases for a 2 week holiday? I was also think that investor visa might work, or the religious one, I go to church every week, and I might get one of me mates to knock up an official looking letter saying I was a lay preacher or something. I like to play things by ear, so I think it will be best to turn up at the airport and see how things go. I was also going to take a charter flight with one of the travel agents as this would be less suspicious.
6. Green card/residency. I guess once I have stayed for so long, they will forget about any visa issues I might have, I heard they do this quite often. Does anybody know how long I can live here before I get forgiven? I was also going to see if once I am here I can get my citizenship. I am not sure what the steps are, but it can’t be that difficult right, I see it all the time on the box?
7. Dirivng licence, I can continue to drive on my British licence, right? I am not sure if insurance is necessary, I heard that other drivers pay extra to insure against uninsured drives, so they should cover this right? If I prang the car then that’s my problem, anyway cars are cheap over there right?
8. Electrical things. I saw the thread on re-wiring the electric cooker socket, and I thought it might be easier to switch everything over to 220V,and have 220V in all the sockets. Seems a lot simpler. I could then get most of my gear over from England and just plug it straight in. I’ll have to remember not to plug any American stuff into the sockets, but I think most things are universal these days.
9. TV. I wasn’t impressed with the TV last time we was on holiday. I told about my mate who thinks I can pick up sky. Do you know if I can get any of those ‘fixed’ viewing cards in Florida like I get from Dave down the pub, that allows me to watch all the channels for free? I know they stop working after a while, so I need to get a source in Florida. The missus will go ape if she can’t watch corrie and Eastenders!
10. Is there anything else I might need to think of? I kind f rush into things sometimes and forget something, so I am looking to advice for those of you who have done this before.

Thanks

Tom

Eskimo Jul 31st 2005 9:21 pm

Re: Need some help moving to Florida
 

Originally Posted by Barney Rubble
So me and the missus were watching ‘Holiday home in the sun’ the other night, and got to thinking about how easy or hard it would be to move to Florida. I’ve always loved the sun, and the three nippers love Disney, we have been 3 times! I have done some basic research and think it should be really easy, as I am a builder, specialising in brickwork, and I have got my City & Guilds foundation in brick laying. I also do the odd but of leccy work on the side, I’m not registered or nothin, but I haven’t blown anything up yet! I heard from a mate that there is lots of building work going on in Florida, so I should be OK.
The missus is a registered childminder, and she is thinking about becoming a nurse, which is handy as I hear that you are pretty much guaranteed a job if you’re a nurse. Does anybody know how much a childminder can make in the US? She is a little reluctant to move to the US as she will miss eastenders and corrie, but I have a sparky mate who I met in the pub and he told me that if I get at least a 3M dish and point it towards England then we should be able to pick up Sky, so I will bring my skybox with me anyway. I am near enough 55, and I was hoping to retire in the US, I have searched a number of different ways on this site, but I haven’t see my specific questions asked, so I thought you lot on here would be able to help make our dreams come true by answering a few questions I have:-
1. Retirment. How much would we be able to get from the DHSS (or whatever they are called in the US). I hope they pay OK as I haven’t got much saved. I hear that when you retire, you get free healthcare, so we will try to do that as soon as possible.
2. Buying a home. We have a 2 bed council flat in Wandsworth which I am told is worth around £150K – a lot more than we paid for it, thank Maggie! This is about $280K, right? So what kind of place can we get for say $200K, I want to keep some back for cars, and holidays and a new sofa and maybe one of those big screen TV’s. I think this should be enough for a 4 bed with a pool, Miami, but I haven’t looked into it too much.
3. Healthcare. I have heard that this can be expensive, so I am figuring on around $500 per month for the five of us, this seems about right as it is more than we would pay for Bupa here. Also if we need anything serious done, or we have an accident, we could fly back and go see our own doctor, or go to the accident clinic. Is there anything free that we can get, I searched for this but it seems kind of scarce in the US?
4. Tax. I have always belived that cash is best. I guess that is OK in the US, I figure that I should be able to pay most things in cash and get paid cash in hand, keeps the taxman out of my business right?. Do any of you know how much cash in hand work there is around, and how I go about finding it?
5. Visa. I do not know if I will qualify for a visa, so I think the best bet would be to turf up at the airport and pretend I am coming on holiday. I’ll get me mates to post on suitcases with the rest of our stuff once we are settled. I plan to bring quite a lot with me so I wondered if anyone had ever had any problems with like 20 suitcases for a 2 week holiday? I was also think that investor visa might work, or the religious one, I go to church every week, and I might get one of me mates to knock up an official looking letter saying I was a lay preacher or something. I like to play things by ear, so I think it will be best to turn up at the airport and see how things go. I was also going to take a charter flight with one of the travel agents as this would be less suspicious.
6. Green card/residency. I guess once I have stayed for so long, they will forget about any visa issues I might have, I heard they do this quite often. Does anybody know how long I can live here before I get forgiven? I was also going to see if once I am here I can get my citizenship. I am not sure what the steps are, but it can’t be that difficult right, I see it all the time on the box?
7. Dirivng licence, I can continue to drive on my British licence, right? I am not sure if insurance is necessary, I heard that other drivers pay extra to insure against uninsured drives, so they should cover this right? If I prang the car then that’s my problem, anyway cars are cheap over there right?
8. Electrical things. I saw the thread on re-wiring the electric cooker socket, and I thought it might be easier to switch everything over to 220V,and have 220V in all the sockets. Seems a lot simpler. I could then get most of my gear over from England and just plug it straight in. I’ll have to remember not to plug any American stuff into the sockets, but I think most things are universal these days.
9. TV. I wasn’t impressed with the TV last time we was on holiday. I told about my mate who thinks I can pick up sky. Do you know if I can get any of those ‘fixed’ viewing cards in Florida like I get from Dave down the pub, that allows me to watch all the channels for free? I know they stop working after a while, so I need to get a source in Florida. The missus will go ape if she can’t watch corrie and Eastenders!
10. Is there anything else I might need to think of? I kind f rush into things sometimes and forget something, so I am looking to advice for those of you who have done this before.

Thanks

Tom

PMSL - Priceless ..... best troll and /or post of the day award - I think this is actually the poster formally known as I'm Here, if so very funny mate , made my afternoon :D

anotherlimey Jul 31st 2005 9:21 pm

Re: Need some help moving to Florida
 
Before anyone answers... please don't be too harsh people! ;)

TimFountain Jul 31st 2005 9:23 pm

Re: Need some help moving to Florida
 

Originally Posted by Eskimo
PMSL - Priceless ..... best troll and /or post of the day award - I think this is actually the poster formally known as I'm Here, if so very funny mate , made my afternoon :D

Do you think it is a send up, seems like the guy has some good tips for making it work. Wish I had thought of this before I went to all the trouble of getting lawyers, visas and green cards. I didn't look at my car insurance, but he's right, there is something for uninsured drivers. Damn!

- Tim

Eskimo Jul 31st 2005 9:23 pm

Re: Need some help moving to Florida
 

Originally Posted by anotherlimey
Before anyone answers... please don't be too harsh people! ;)

whoops :o I think its a regular taking the piss surely ??? :confused:

Eskimo Jul 31st 2005 9:24 pm

Re: Need some help moving to Florida
 

Originally Posted by TimFountain
Do you think it is a send up, seems like the guy has some good tips for making it work. Wish I had thought of this before I went to all the trouble of getting lawyers, visas and green cards. I didn't look at my car insurance, but he's right, there is something for uninsured drivers. Damn!

- Tim


Karma sent :D

anotherlimey Jul 31st 2005 9:26 pm

Re: Need some help moving to Florida
 

Originally Posted by Eskimo
whoops :o I think its a regular taking the piss surely ??? :confused:

I only read the first line before replying.

Now that I've read it all, it's just too bad to be real.

Ray Jul 31st 2005 9:35 pm

Re: Need some help moving to Florida
 
Seems to be a combination of troll remarks over the years ....
Its one of us I am sure ..

elfman Jul 31st 2005 9:39 pm

Re: Need some help moving to Florida
 
Very entertaining - pretty much covers all bases, but for completeness I would have added the bit about "you're all living there so it can't be too hard to get in", or similar.

k sent.


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