robtuck

We also have no idea of the supporting finances. I earn a little over the comfort mark Pulaski advises, but that is the total household income and there are four of us. We were only given $10k for moving costs, so loaded up a fair but of debt initially, however, selling our UK house means that is more than ample currently. Lets not forget there will be some less "desirable" spots in the area in question which could be a fraction of what is left behind. In the M4 corridor, a 3 bed new build would be setting me back in excess of $400k, maybe more in some locations, so maybe savings will be brought over? Even renting could be affordable in the right spot - I pay about $200 more a month for a 5 bed here vs. what an average 4 bed would cost in Swindon, UK.

scrubbedexpat099

The totality of the circumstances are of course important, the salary numbers mentioned here on BE are not after all that common.

civilservant

As Boiler points out - the numbers mentioned are VERY high compared to, for example, the federal poverty level, and plenty of people live at or even below that. Personally, here in GA, you can live very comfortably on $67k.

Now are you lording it up and going out every night? Of course not, but horses for courses and all that - not everyone wants or needs to live an extravagant lifestyle.

As an example, my wife and I (neither of us have any kids that live at home) have a home that, when utilities are included, costs us about $1k a month - and that is on the expensive side for the area. Banks County, GA is not exactly a 'poor' area either.

I realize that we have to speak in generalities to give someone any idea, but the regional variations are such that sometimes we overestimate.

Twinkle0927

I knew the "I hate living in England it's always cold" post would come at some point in this thread. So hurricanes and tropical storms are better? I know they don't happen every year but the possibility is very real.

And it surprises me that someone who has made good use of the NHS and the welfare safety net could "hate" living in England. The country has looked after you very well to the point where you have been able to raise 4 children. In countries with no such social provisions having 4 children (and ones that participate in sports such as figure skating) is very much a middle class pursuit and to maintain that lifestyle is not going up be easy on a modest income.

I do think it's prudent to give overestimates on costs. I'm guessing the OP thinks he wants to move here for a "better life". After all, doesn't everyone who wants to move to the Orlando area "love the lifestyle"? What's the point of uprooting for a "better life" if the life you want is unaffordable? Better to overestimate than underestimate.

robin1234

We are retired and live very comfortably on an income of about $40,000. This includes travelling back and forth to England, and maintaining a home in each country. The trick is, we eliminated all debt well before we retired.

robin1234

We moved here, to Boston, in 1991. I was lucky to get a job in my field almost immediately. They asked me what salary I expected - in my innocence, I said $18,000. They started me on $22,000!! Our rent was $800 for a very nice two bedroom apt. in a cheap part of town. Kids had to share a room, as they had in England. We did buy a car, but neither of us needed it to get to work. Also, my wife worked in an elementary school, so had pretty much the same schedule as the kids so no childcare needed. Right from the beginning, we were saving money...

MidAtlantic

Which just goes to show that the amount required to live on is totally dependent on personal circumstances. The OP does not give sufficient information to make an informed comment, which is why I have not contributed to this thread.

scrubbedexpat099

Well you have now...

tom169

People pursuing a move to the US for employment are probably also in pursuit of happiness and prosperity. It's a fact that money is the #1 cause of divorce in the USA and moving around the world to live in poverty is a ridiculous idea.

scrubbedexpat099

Is anybody suggesting this?

PS A lot of people do.

tom169

Yes, by playing down the need for a good $100k+ income to even attempt to support this size family with disabilities too.

PS. There are a lot of stupid people in the world too.

Pulaski

Er, moving from most of Asia, Africa, or Latin America to live in poverty in the US is a rather different proposition to moving from the UK, Western Europe, Japan, Korea, Australia, or New Zealand, and maybe a few other countries, where there are social safety nets and relatively easy and cheap access to healthcare, to live in poverty in the US.

robin1234

What absolute nonsense! As MidAtlantic quite rightly says a few posts up, the amount needed to live on is highly dependent on personal circumstances. Presumably, the OP (and others) can figure out how to draw up a budget, what's an essential expenditure and what's a luxury, etc.

Pulaski

Rather than a blanket "nonsense", would you care to comment on my suggested budget items?

Orlando isn't a cheap area, and you are unlikely to find anything habitable for a family of six for less than $1,000, and it might be dangerous in ways that someone in the UK might not expect, and it might be an apartment where Nelly's vision of dining outside isn't realistic.

The federal government sets cost of living (food)/per person/mth, and the barest minimum for one individual in the "frugal" column is $200, and the "low" scale is around $250. Therefore I stand by budget suggestion of $1,500/mth - is a lower number possible for a family of six? Sure, but not by much.

Obviously healthcare is a highly variable number but the scope for cutting it is very limited in any one family's case - "it is what it is", and Americans in poverty often succeed in cutting their health care expenditure by simply not using healthcare, and perhaps using occasional free Healthcare clinics for very basic dental care. For a family of six, who is used to NHS healthcare, I can't see how the budget could be less than $1,000/mth for a family of six even with relatively generous employer-funded coverage, and if one member of the family has had a heart attack, I would suggest that "going without" is unrealistic and foolish.

Vehicles - I only allowed $250/ vehicle/mth total cost (capital-loan, repairs, maintenance, and fuel), and honestly I am not sure how realistic such a low number would be given the cost of insurance - half the $250 could go to insurance for the first couple of years at least .... or are you suggesting that they go without insurance? I suppose they could repair and service their own vehicles too, but even with care and bargain basement insurance I could see $250/mth going on insurance, gas, and some spares and supplies, without assigning anything to loan cost or replacement savings. ... Maybe they could make do with one vehicle, but for six it would have to be a minivan or SUV, and I am not sure you could run much of a minivan on $250/mth.

Utilities? Well you could save most of my budget figure by going without AC, but again, I don't think that is what people expect when they move to Florida to enjoy the high life.

Per CS's and Exclomea's comments above, firstly I don't think they realize how expensive it is to feed and clothe children, not to mention healthcare costs, and secondly I agree with CS, you can save a lot by living in a rural area anywhere as far north on the East Coast as South Virginia, but Nelly has targeted the Orlando area. .... If Nelly just wanted somewhere cheap and hot, then moving to Butthole, Mississippi would likely be cheapest, but life would be very different to what they envision living in the shadow of Disney World if they had the income to fully enjoy the high life there.

Floridablues

I've lived in the Orlando area for the past 15 years. Two of us, small mortgage and outgoings, 'wine & dine' out a few times a week and normally visit the beach areas a couple of times per month. I'm close to collecting my State pension, my partner, a few years younger. She flies out of State to visit family/friends or concerts at least a couple of times per year (i'm ok at home!) Vehicle each and have an income of half whats being touted, but not suggesting it would work for everyone though!