sir_eccles

Fair enough but don't misunderestimate how much it costs to live in the US.

stockhall

well that is all part of life, if it means a tighter budget for a few months whilst credit is built then a tighter budget it will be.

Michael

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stockhall

I will have at least 2 years to build up credit for work. Everyone must have the same issues, and no way is food more expensive than here.

petitefrancaise

Hi Stockhall, see you're coping well with the BE lot...

I don't suppose you'll have difficulty getting a bank account because Austin is chock full of new arrivals - most of them earning decent salaries that the banks would love to get hold of. However, if you do need a friendly face, then our bank down the road gets all the new arrivals from our old relocation agent and they are great - give me a shout if you want an intro. They are totally used to dealing with folks like us who don't have all the right bits of paper.

Unless you move somewhere like an apartment complex you will have to get electricity/water accounts. They asked us for $200 each approx as a deposit which was credited to our account after a year.

As others have said, having a credit history is important here. So, having a bank account, utility bills, cable all helps. Paying your rent too if you are in an apartment complex. Yu can get a secured credit card from your bank with a limit of just a few hundred dollars and this helps too. (I have one in my name that I use to pay just the mobile phone bill). If you think you will want a mortgage in a few years then you must build your credit history to get it and get a good rate.

If you are coming to Austin then these are the companies we used that didn't require a SSN straight away:
Pedernales Electric
Austin Utilities (water and rubbish collection)
T-mobile (good rates)
Time Warner Cable (internet and phone)

I think in terms of salary just about the biggest thing to make a difference when you have kids is the medical insurance coverage. There is always a debate here about it but I am happy to have low deductible with higher premiums. I can take the kids to the doctor for $20 co-pay. I never want to have to worry about taking them to the doctors and paying for it.

scrubbedexpat099

Actually the price of food do surprise me, bread is over £2 for the long life stuff a loaf.

Not sure how much it is in Tesco.

Bob

It takes a year to build up any history, 2 to build up decent history to realistically get the best rates for mortgages.

We're not saying this to put you off, but so that you have a more realistic expectation of things.

You'll have enough to deal with as it is, without getting caught out on a horrid surprise.

Bob

None of that builds up credit history. It's only reported in the negative, if you don't pay that it dings it, but being a good customer doesn't help.

Oh and groceries aren't cheap here. Far more regional variation and seasonal variation than in the UK, but quality is still not really cheap.

petitefrancaise

I beg to differ...
we got a mortgage 6 months after arrival when we had only a small credit card and a lease car.
The mortgage guy said that the fact that there is nothing bad on our credit history is a good thing. No late payments etc

stockhall

me and the kids can be added to hubby's insurance which is pretty comprehensive, he has had a lot of dental work done recently at minimal cost. I don't mind paying $200 per utility to get started not an issue at all.

I will most definitely get a bank account, one of the first things I look for after crime and schools is where the nearest supermarket and bank are and I look at the ratings.

Unfortunately my gaming 14 year old is dead against time warner for ethical reasons to what I remember (I have said if it is the only option then we have to).

We are going to try and buy asap, so will work on the credit rating as much as is feasibly possible. (did that here in 6 months and went from poor to excellent by following hints and tips), may be blonde and naive in some issues, but not that thick when trying to improve our lives.

stockhall

I have been told that colorado is the same as here if not more, so that doesn't surprise me. the first thing husband said when he visited the country was how cheap it is, and bearing in mind that he doesn't like to spend money that says a lot.

scrubbedexpat099

I was not aware Texas was cheaper? Not the impression I have had from Texans who come here in the summer.

No idea why it would be that much different.

You can get a false impression visiting, you do not see the day to day costs, cheap petrol but expensive TV/internet/mobiles etc

stockhall

I stand partially corrected an average food cost is 2.8% cheaper here, however, eating out and renting, not to mention driving running costs all appear lower, eating out dramatically so at an average of 38% higher (something my australian brother in law has said). entertainment is cheaper on the whole, clothing is cheaper, and your base salaries on average per month are higher.

scrubbedexpat099

They come here in summer to get away from the heat BTW.

stockhall

worked that one out.

a price comparison of austin and milton keynes (nearest city to me) actually interesting me.


Cost of Living Comparison Between Austin, TX, United States And Milton Keynes, United Kingdom