Possible move to Virginia
#91
Re: Possible move to Virginia
lol im gunna see if i can put some in the shipping container (marmite, beans and cadbury chocolate) if not we plan to visit home a few times and they will come out to us a few times and bring us treats
#92
Re: Possible move to Virginia
I do end up buying PG Tips, usually when I can't find the better British Breakfast Tea Bags- I tried the Walmart cheap ones, Black Tea, it was vile. and I must have a cup of tea from time to time, I cannot shake it. To be fair on the Bourbon's, they are better value than a pack of Chips Ahoy for the kiddie. I have made the full transition to Vegetarian Baked Beans though.
#93
Re: Possible move to Virginia
Amazon is your friend!
#94
Re: Possible move to Virginia
Today the kids are both in school but require after school daycare and care on school holidays. Combined cost for that is $800 per month. It becomes $1,000 per month when they have their summer break from school.
Their first home was in a 'community' as you described. They owned an end townhouse with four bedrooms and 2 full bathrooms on the upper floor, kitchen, formal dining room, living room, 1/2 bath and breakfast room on the main floor and a completely finished basement (above ground) with had a family room, full bathroom, and a guest bedroom/office. It was lovely, safe and a desirable location. They drove into DC each day so a car would be available for emergencies with the kids.
#95
Re: Possible move to Virginia
As an expat, the best way to save, and keep to a food budget, is to not buy anything that you "hanker for" from the UK. I could buy Heinz beans, or Hobnobs, or Walker's shortbread, or PG tips, and a number of other British groceries, at my local supermarket but I don't, because they all start at $3+. Yes, $3 for a can of Heinz beans!
#96
Re: Possible move to Virginia
It depends. I can speak of my nephew and his wife who live outside of DC in Fairfax County, VA. They are both attorneys and work in DC proper. They had full time in home childcare when the kids were 1 and 3 years of age. Their nanny came highly recommended and was in high demand. Her salary was $56K per year, with healthcare and 2 weeks paid vacation and 5 sick/personal days. She worked Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. She cleaned up after the children but did not do cooking other than what the children needed for meals. She fed them breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Today the kids are both in school but require after school daycare and care on school holidays. Combined cost for that is $800 per month. It becomes $1,000 per month when they have their summer break from school.
Their first home was in a 'community' as you described. They owned an end townhouse with four bedrooms and 2 full bathrooms on the upper floor, kitchen, formal dining room, living room, 1/2 bath and breakfast room on the main floor and a completely finished basement (above ground) with had a family room, full bathroom, and a guest bedroom/office. It was lovely, safe and a desirable location. They drove into DC each day so a car would be available for emergencies with the kids.
Today the kids are both in school but require after school daycare and care on school holidays. Combined cost for that is $800 per month. It becomes $1,000 per month when they have their summer break from school.
Their first home was in a 'community' as you described. They owned an end townhouse with four bedrooms and 2 full bathrooms on the upper floor, kitchen, formal dining room, living room, 1/2 bath and breakfast room on the main floor and a completely finished basement (above ground) with had a family room, full bathroom, and a guest bedroom/office. It was lovely, safe and a desirable location. They drove into DC each day so a car would be available for emergencies with the kids.
I have been looking at homes in fairfax that are almost exactly as you described. Im just struggling with the very little garden space that comes with town houses, especially since from what i can see there wouldn't be much in walking distance
#98
Re: Possible move to Virginia
i gave up childcare when i had my daughter as i wanted to focus on her instead of other children, but maybe its something i could get back into (promote myself as a Mary Poppins, Americans love British nannies or so i've heard lol)
#100
Re: Possible move to Virginia
We might buy a product from the international aisle once every couple of months, which reminds me that we are nearly out of HP sauce (now made in the Netherlands so I hope it will not be affected by Brexit). I brought proper Heinz beans back from Australia last year! Walkers shortbread is available in a big tin at Costco each Christmas and once it is eaten we don't buy any more until it comes back in again. Yorkshire gold tea comes from Amazon in 1kg bags on a regular schedule (much better value than the packs in the supermarket). I have enjoyed finding new things to eat over here. An occasional treat from the UK won't break the bank, but regularly adding those expensive items will add up fast.
#101
Re: Possible move to Virginia
Marmite is available in my local grocery store. There is nothing to stop you bringing in some of those items in your checked baggage so long as you have the weight allowance.
#104
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Feb 2017
Location: Newnan, GA
Posts: 802
Re: Possible move to Virginia
https://www.britishcornershop.co.uk
These are my friends when a hankering does kick in - Pickled Onion Monster Munch are currently in the cupboard. That said, it's a treat, we've gone native for pretty much everything. Finding good quality free range produce is tough South of Atlanta, it seems not injecting with hormones is about as good as it gets in many locations around here.
Looking back at that budget, you can probably balance the things you should increase with those you need not cater for. I'd recommend you get a scouting trip arranged in the negotiations. Come over for a week to just check out the local areas you are looking at. I did that without my wife, so she still went blind, but I was able to quickly discount a couple of areas as a result, then we took some time off for the first two weeks after moving to give us the opportunity to find a place and settle all the initial challenges, like getting social security numbers, a bank account etc. It also helped being able to work from home - my wife decided to not bother applying for the EAD (spookily, she was also a live in nanny in the past) and instead has been able to be around for the kids and avoid any childcare costs, but as time has progressed she has taken on Volunteer work and is now a Board member for a local Humane Society. She is probably far more satisfied than she was working in the UK has the flexibility to work around our youngest (now 9) and is doing more challenging work as well. She managed to go off and visit places she would never have had the opportunity to if we were still in the UK, so it's all been well worth it thus far.
These are my friends when a hankering does kick in - Pickled Onion Monster Munch are currently in the cupboard. That said, it's a treat, we've gone native for pretty much everything. Finding good quality free range produce is tough South of Atlanta, it seems not injecting with hormones is about as good as it gets in many locations around here.
Looking back at that budget, you can probably balance the things you should increase with those you need not cater for. I'd recommend you get a scouting trip arranged in the negotiations. Come over for a week to just check out the local areas you are looking at. I did that without my wife, so she still went blind, but I was able to quickly discount a couple of areas as a result, then we took some time off for the first two weeks after moving to give us the opportunity to find a place and settle all the initial challenges, like getting social security numbers, a bank account etc. It also helped being able to work from home - my wife decided to not bother applying for the EAD (spookily, she was also a live in nanny in the past) and instead has been able to be around for the kids and avoid any childcare costs, but as time has progressed she has taken on Volunteer work and is now a Board member for a local Humane Society. She is probably far more satisfied than she was working in the UK has the flexibility to work around our youngest (now 9) and is doing more challenging work as well. She managed to go off and visit places she would never have had the opportunity to if we were still in the UK, so it's all been well worth it thus far.
#105
Re: Possible move to Virginia
https://www.britishcornershop.co.uk
These are my friends when a hankering does kick in - Pickled Onion Monster Munch are currently in the cupboard. That said, it's a treat, we've gone native for pretty much everything. Finding good quality free range produce is tough South of Atlanta, it seems not injecting with hormones is about as good as it gets in many locations around here.
Looking back at that budget, you can probably balance the things you should increase with those you need not cater for. I'd recommend you get a scouting trip arranged in the negotiations. Come over for a week to just check out the local areas you are looking at. I did that without my wife, so she still went blind, but I was able to quickly discount a couple of areas as a result, then we took some time off for the first two weeks after moving to give us the opportunity to find a place and settle all the initial challenges, like getting social security numbers, a bank account etc. It also helped being able to work from home - my wife decided to not bother applying for the EAD (spookily, she was also a live in nanny in the past) and instead has been able to be around for the kids and avoid any childcare costs, but as time has progressed she has taken on Volunteer work and is now a Board member for a local Humane Society. She is probably far more satisfied than she was working in the UK has the flexibility to work around our youngest (now 9) and is doing more challenging work as well. She managed to go off and visit places she would never have had the opportunity to if we were still in the UK, so it's all been well worth it thus far.
These are my friends when a hankering does kick in - Pickled Onion Monster Munch are currently in the cupboard. That said, it's a treat, we've gone native for pretty much everything. Finding good quality free range produce is tough South of Atlanta, it seems not injecting with hormones is about as good as it gets in many locations around here.
Looking back at that budget, you can probably balance the things you should increase with those you need not cater for. I'd recommend you get a scouting trip arranged in the negotiations. Come over for a week to just check out the local areas you are looking at. I did that without my wife, so she still went blind, but I was able to quickly discount a couple of areas as a result, then we took some time off for the first two weeks after moving to give us the opportunity to find a place and settle all the initial challenges, like getting social security numbers, a bank account etc. It also helped being able to work from home - my wife decided to not bother applying for the EAD (spookily, she was also a live in nanny in the past) and instead has been able to be around for the kids and avoid any childcare costs, but as time has progressed she has taken on Volunteer work and is now a Board member for a local Humane Society. She is probably far more satisfied than she was working in the UK has the flexibility to work around our youngest (now 9) and is doing more challenging work as well. She managed to go off and visit places she would never have had the opportunity to if we were still in the UK, so it's all been well worth it thus far.
Volunteering sounds like a good idea, wouldn't need a green card i suppose? and it would give some purpose to me. Thank you its making me feel like we should definitely go