petitefrancaise

How long did you use T-mobile for?

I've had it for 2.5 years and it's absolutely fine. In fact, the kids are thrilled with it because they can stream netflix/pandora without it incurring data charges. When I mentioned that the service within my house could be a bit patchy, they sent me a modem type thing for free and now it's great. Although my phone logs onto the wifi at home.
Most people who moan about T-mobile haven't used it in my experience. Although for the OP, I think Google Fi is a good option.

Bob

It's really iffy up on the north east though. Might not be a concern to the OP, but it's pretty poor in chunks of MA/ME/NH, even if it looks okay on the coverage map, just more for other people who might see it. Definitely ask around who folks use where you plan to live/work

Pulaski

We never had a policy that generous. It was when we realised at the end of the year that we had paid several hundred dollars out of pocket towards a $1,000 annual deductible that we hadn't reached, and rarely ever would, that we moved immediately (next open enrollment) to an HD policy.

Now we have the same out of pocket (HSA) costs but we save on the tax (pay expenses from before-tax funds), and accumulate an average of about $8,000/yr (for the two of us) in tax-exempt HSAs. We would have to have somewhere around five or six consecutive years of maxium medical expenses and pay full deductibles to exhaust our HSAs.

Owen778

Banks, and now mobile phones. You need to stop assuming that your local experience in Chicago is somehow representative of the US as a whole.

We've been on T-Mobile for several years now, and their data coverage in Houston is not perfect, but it's certainly no worse than any of the alternatives. When I've visited Austin, their coverage has been good.

charlas

Thanks, I'm in IT, so I tend to research the heck out of things, always better to know what your getting yourself into first

As for the Fiance, she works in Tesco, but not checkout girl, she is a pharmacy person (just happens to work in Tesco). Not a trained pharmacist, but has the UK Qualifications for dispensary etc. Pharmacy technician I believe they are called.

She will want to get a job, if for nothing else than meeting people, as I imagine that's the most difficult part of a big move, and her and her sister are very close so that might be the worst part of it for her (I have 3 brothers and like all brothers we don't see each other for 6 months, but then just click into place when we do). I'm sure her sister may be out or her visiting her sister fairly regular at the beginning at least. Probably using the wedding as an 'excuse', but that's fine, whatever helps her acclimatise. I suppose she might take a part time job, might have a look if Tesco have an Ex Pat thing for the USA, they do elsewhere I know.

petitefrancaise

I'm bumping this up in case someone can answer Charlas' question about his UK business.

Pulaski

Tesco pulled out of the US - it was a perfect case study in how not to start and grow a grocery business in the US. An utter, embarrassing shambles it was, though it failed as the parent company stumbled and wasn't willing or able to commit additional capital just when the US subsidiary needed the most support.

Pulaski

If it is dormant then it's no biggie either way, if it has income and active accounts it might make your taxes more complicated. If you plan to return to the UK, or it is possible, I'd keep it, otherwise just wind it up while you're still in the UK, so it has no impact for US taxes.

charlas

As for phones, I've been an T-Mobile then EE Business customer ever since I set my LTD company up, and never changed it when I stopped doing that and became an FTE, but get a good deal because of the business account.

If they will set me up with T-Mobile USA (who my device roams on when out there and never had big issues and always get a decent 4G/LTE connection), and when I decide to change and move to Fi, they roam on Sprint/T-Mobile/WiFi so shouldn't be a big thing (Use Nexus 6P phones for both of us).

Sounds like most things can be sorted with a little brute force and patience. The biggest issue will probably turn out to be the Wife to be being homesick/missing sister and niece. And there's not really a lot I can do about that in the short term. Although as she will probably be in and out of the USA/UK for the first few months, it should help a little.

charlas

Yeah at the moment pretty much nothing goes through it, tax return is always 0/0 every year, so I don't think it will impact anything on the tax front at least.

That's what I thought, I'll keep it for now, can always roll it down if/when we decide to green card up/perm residence etc.

Contracting certainly is not in my short term future at least, as I don't even know what the contracting market is like in the UK, and there's no way I want to pay for the business in country Visa's etc.

petitefrancaise

I couldn't find an FAQ regarding foreign qualifications. Don't be surprised if she has to completely re-train here to do the pharmacy tech job.
Technician Trainee Registration

She has to be licensed in Texas and licenses are not transferrable between states so I doubt that they will accept out of country one.

charlas

Yeah I thought that was the case, didn't know if they still had anything going in the USA though, or sister companies (as they own a few!)

Seems strange that they messed it up so bad though, as they have done a decent job of a lot of places they have moved into, but I suppose the whole Tax mess they had probably didn't help as that was about the same time they were trying in the US. They should have done like Wallmart did over here, buy someone established (Asda over here, and even now only the very large stores are branded Asda Wallmart, it's kind of there 'mega store' indication) and they have done really well over here after buying them.

charlas

Yeah I thought as much, although as we are planning to start a family next year it might be a little bit of a moot point. I'm just worried about her meeting people, I will at work etc, but without a job/child socialising wont be easy, have to add that to the conditions for finding a place to live, be a start if the neighbourhood/complex is 'friendly' I suppose.

Anyone got any ideas around that? I suppose there's interest/hobby groups that she could get involved in.

My biggest worry is not myself/technical stuff, but rather how she will take to it, initially it will be an adventure, but sure that will wear off fairly quickly.

Bob

It's a separate entity over here.

Without a US credit history, expect to put a deposit down on a contract, anything from $50-600. This goes for every utility. Might not have to pay one and it'll be a nice bonus, but best to budget that you will.

petitefrancaise

Meetup.com has loads and loads of groups.
I go along to the local Brit expat one when my liver can take it.....
A hiking group and a biking one.

Any sport she does, apart from skiing is probably catered for.