britontour

It sounds like it depends on where you live and may be how you live I'm definitely better off.

Since you moved to the USA do drive a bigger car and live in a bigger house than you owned in the UK?

Rent wise I'm living in a two bedroomed apartment and paying less than I was paying to share the same sized apartment back home.

I drive a car that is small in terms of USA style but averaged sized for back home and it cost alot less than it would have back home, yes insurance was a little dearer but then in a few years that would come down once I've got some credit.

My medical is covered by the Company as it is back home so I guess that helps.

They serve $2 pitchers during happy hour at the bar I drink at.

Food wise I shop around not going out of my way but generally its cheap but good quality.

I guess you could say that I've been brought up the old fashioned way and was taught the value of money, don't get me wrong I live better than average but I make my money go further than most.

Bob

Your rather lucky then

Place is smaller here, costs about the same because utilities are a lot more expensive, as it heating, no property tax because we rent, but that's well expensive here.

Don't have to drive to much for the missus to go to work, but we have to drive lots for everything else, and running a car is far more expensive here, and it's about the same as what I would have in the UK, actually, it's a lot older than what I drove in the UK.

Medical insurance is crippling us, and that is paid on top of social, medicare/medicaid taxes, which we can't claim.

Small beer goes for around $3.50...happy hour in some bars and you can get a bottle of bud for $1.50, but who wants to drink that pish?

As for groceries, we have to shop around in 3 or so stores to get the quality and healthy food, nothing extravagant either..costs far more than what I'd have spent in Sainsbury's for the same sort of stuff....does help that a lot of food items aren't taxed in maine though.

frrussre

Jersey, I was in Costco today. They have blocks of cheese bigger then my apartment.
Reg. Frank R.

Jerseygirl

LOL . You could always store stuff in your gas guzzeling, unsafe roll over SUV

frrussre

Wow, good idea. Never thought of that. Whoops, forgot, we have beach chairs, umbrellas, water shoes, rain slickers & the kitchen sink in there already. The truck is our storage depot already.
Reg. Frank R.

Bob

don't have one of those stupid looking boxes on ya roof then?

frrussre

No, have not gone that far YET.
Reg. Frank R.

Bob

hehe

Lynne

The only things I find more expensive here than the UK are land line telephone charges and electricity.

I think a lot depends where you move from and where you move to. If you move from somewhere like Lancashire to California then prices will be cheaper in the UK. I moved from Newport Pagnell, Bucks to Harvest, Alabama and the general cost of living is probably around 50% less than it was in the UK, but I am earning twice as much.

Angry White Pyjamas

And live 200% further away from any signs of civilisation.

I just read all about Harvest, Alabama on the t'internet...wow does it look exciting there.

woodsey

today I found shopping heaven, Henry's Market, don't think its a California only place as much of there stuff comes from Colorado but apples, 67c a pound, organic milk $2.00 for 4 pints and bread, oh my god the bread, $1.59 a massive loaf and almost as good as Warburtons.. Most things were at least half of the price of my local Vons/Safeway.

Partystar

Cool, thanx Woodsey. We have a Henry's here too, never thought to bother going there, but will now you say they have fantastic bread, haven't been able to find a decent loaf yet, but now I'm hopeful! Wooohooo!!!

Lynne

That is a typical response from someone who has no clue what they are talking about. LOLOLOL Harvest is dead nothing but farms but if you look at surrounding areas there is plenty of things to do and be involved in, but we try to keep it a secret. Maybe you should check out Huntsville too. It's probably one of the very few Cities in the US where when someone asks "what are you, a rocket scientist", 75% of the working population will reply "actually I am".

AmerLisa

lol

Manc

Since when has the Oxford area encompassed the whole of the UK?