Is this a fair picture?

[R & H]

Hi

 

I note you have $100 per month dog grooming, we have two retrievers that we tend to wash / brush and trim their claws ourselves. Is this $100 per month for one dog?

 

We plan to arrive around June / July, so we're putting our 'budgets' together now.

 

Thanks R & H

[jim and adel]

I don't want to be insulting Diane,but was your answer a bit tougue in cheek. I'm just hoping I can afford to give my children a bit more than the chance of a pie once a week and a cheap sausage bun made with out of date bread,if you know what I mean.

 

I'm not trying to respond on Diane's account, but just a general observation about this: there are many people in Aus who (perhaps have to) show imagination when it comes to keeping costs down. It was one of the things that first struck me when we arrived - people were giving us loads of advice on how/where to find the cheapest things: visiting markets near closing time, doing the garage sales for cheap furniture at weekends, haggling in shops, explaining that you're 'on a budget', showing us the cheapest bbq foods, compiling lists of free activities (often involving walking along a beach/visiting a playground). I'm still not sure if this is simply a cultural thing or if lots of people are close to the bread-line here. Or perhaps it's a migrant thing and if we'd been new to the UK we'd have got similar advice. Still I find that sort of mentality really evident here.

 

I know many migrants 'do it tough' for a time when first arriving, and cloth has to be cut accordingly, but in our case we didn't move to the other end of the world to live that way long-term and I do wince a bit when I hear that sort of advice.

 

Jim

[al and meez]

Hi Misplaced, what do you anticipate the total mortgage being if you are paying $2500 dollars per month?

Trying to work out a few things like this myself and obviously the mortgage is the big hitter.

 

Cheers for any help, Alan

[Lazy Cow]

I don't want to be insulting Diane,but was your answer a bit tougue in cheek. I'm just hoping I can afford to give my children a bit more than the chance of a pie once a week and a cheap sausage bun made with out of date bread,if you know what I mean.

 

Lol Kev, when I read Diane's post I smiled! When my kids were at primary school they loved having a sausage sizzle at school or if their class popped to the playground. As they got older, the boys enjoyed the ease of taking a few snags, bit of bread and some sauce and using one of the many bbqs to make a quick, tasty lunch. It wasn't a question of money, it's more part of the lifestyle?

 

As for the $5 for the canteen, well, we coudn't afford to let the kids use the canteen for lunch every day but having the power to buy a pie or an icy pole gave them so much pleasure! I used to be a vollie in their canteen and I can tell you that was not a case of my kids being sad, it was more having the power to choose. It used to be so cute watching them write out their lunch bags ....but I'm reminicing haha.

 

I understand your concern regarding childcare etc but whilst it might sound startling to you, it seems to work. After all, how do you think people here cope otherwise?

 

I think Jim is right, in a way. Certainly the people we know are aware of ways to make their money go further but that just seems sensible to me. I understand you might not want to come over and have to penny-pinch, but surely migration is about more than just coming over and being wealthier than everyone else?

 

LC

[Guest teamV]

Lol Kev, when I read Diane's post I smiled! When my kids were at primary school they loved having a sausage sizzle at school or if their class popped to the playground. As they got older, the boys enjoyed the ease of taking a few snags, bit of bread and some sauce and using one of the many bbqs to make a quick, tasty lunch. It wasn't a question of money, it's more part of the lifestyle?

 

As for the $5 for the canteen, well, we coudn't afford to let the kids use the canteen for lunch every day but having the power to buy a pie or an icy pole gave them so much pleasure! I used to be a vollie in their canteen and I can tell you that was not a case of my kids being sad, it was more having the power to choose. It used to be so cute watching them write out their lunch bags ....but I'm reminicing haha.

 

I understand your concern regarding childcare etc but whilst it might sound startling to you, it seems to work. After all, how do you think people here cope otherwise?

 

I think Jim is right, in a way. Certainly the people we know are aware of ways to make their money go further but that just seems sensible to me. I understand you might not want to come over and have to penny-pinch, but surely migration is about more than just coming over and being wealthier than everyone else?

 

LC

 

 

Right lets break this up a bit ,firstly if I new how people over there coped ,I wouldn't need to come on here and ask questions about how they survive,Then it was Jim who said he didn't move half way round the world to live like that ,not me.

 

How any fulltime working family with children can find the time to hang around market stalls and supermarket's, waiting for out of date bargain's is beyond me.

 

I'm not trying to out do or be wealthier than anyone else ,far from it,I'm just trying to work out how long we would last out there ,with a short fall in our yearly earnings of atleast $25000 a year based on the calculations,which most have agreed seem to be what the living cost's are,

 

 

 

 

Kev.

[Diane]

Actually Kev I find the people here generally to be a lot less materialisic than those in the UK - I have friends who to be honest, I wouldn't know if they are millionaires or don't have two cents to rub together. It's really not an issue over here and you will find some of the richest people live in the smallest houses, and drive the tattiest cars, and vice versa. It is one of the nicest things about the place to be honest. We went from both working full time, to me just working part time (from choice), and if that means making a few economies here and there so that I can spend more time with my family, and be here when the kids get home from school, I don't see it as a sacrifice.

 

If you want to move somewhere where you'll be better off, or have more disposable income than you do at the moment, then perhaps Australia isn't the place to come to - it isn't a third world country, things do cost a little more money, and we do have to pay taxes to ensure good schools, reasonable roads, and an adequate health service. There are not loads of "ready meals" in the supermarkets for those people that are too busy working to have time to cook, and "hanging around market stalls" is one of the nicer ways to get to chat to people who actually have the time and make the effort to ask you how your day has been, and really sound as if they care what you answer!

 

Yes, you need enough to survive on, but you are moving to a foreign country, and you have to adapt to different ways of life - sometimes being here is like living in the 70s, but imho, that's not such a bad thing...

[minty]

I think you need to break things down further between living costs (essentials & extras). Are you seriously going to spend $1200 a year getting the dog groomed ? You can easily do a food shop for a family of 4 for $200 per week aswell. From my experience so far a family of 4 can quite comfortably live on $1000 per week.

 

I honestly think you can make some savings here. Groceries could be done cheaper, broadband with internet phone from $50 a month, car insurance is cheaper, health care you dont nesecarily need lots just use medicare, morgage $2500, thats a huge morgage and depending on areas you can get a decent place for alot cheaper (we pay $400 a week on rental). I think you get the jist of what i mean. I dont think its any more expensive here then from where i lived in the UK (except food but meat/veg/fruit) are all cheaper in my opinion.

 

If you want it to work it can be done and i dont mean scrimping.

 

Chris.

[Guest teamV]

Actually Kev I find the people here generally to be a lot less materialisic than those in the UK - I have friends who to be honest, I wouldn't know if they are millionaires or don't have two cents to rub together. It's really not an issue over here and you will find some of the richest people live in the smallest houses, and drive the tattiest cars, and vice versa. It is one of the nicest things about the place to be honest. We went from both working full time, to me just working part time (from choice), and if that means making a few economies here and there so that I can spend more time with my family, and be here when the kids get home from school, I don't see it as a sacrifice.

 

If you want to move somewhere where you'll be better off, or have more disposable income than you do at the moment, then perhaps Australia isn't the place to come to - it isn't a third world country, things do cost a little more money, and we do have to pay taxes to ensure good schools, reasonable roads, and an adequate health service. There are not loads of "ready meals" in the supermarkets for those people that are too busy working to have time to cook, and "hanging around market stalls" is one of the nicer ways to get to chat to people who actually have the time and make the effort to ask you how your day has been, and really sound as if they care what you answer!

 

Yes, you need enough to survive on, but you are moving to a foreign country, and you have to adapt to different ways of life - sometimes being here is like living in the 70s, but imho, that's not such a bad thing...

 

 

I always like your answer's Diane,as I do feel you tell the truth,Infact I would make your reply a sticky on the front page of the site ,it really does give what I think is a true picture of moving to Australia. sometime's I feel a lot of other people have a vested in keeping the Australian migration machine going.Although you do need to polish your cristal ball abit, if you think my family live on junk food.

 

The best way to tell a millionaire is their the ones who get to keep their house when thing's go wrong.

 

I've just been to Asda and to be honest the near date stuff would have been slim picking's today and no one was very chatty

 

 

All joking aside, I just want to be able to make enough money to buy my own home and have a happy family,at the moment I'm not sure if that is posable in Adelaide ,but we are still going to give it a try ,but I will post on here wart's and all how its going ,hopefully it will be ok ,we will find out in may,

 

Kev.

[Guest teamV]

I think you need to break things down further between living costs (essentials & extras). Are you seriously going to spend $1200 a year getting the dog groomed ? You can easily do a food shop for a family of 4 for $200 per week aswell. From my experience so far a family of 4 can quite comfortably live on $1000 per week.

 

I honestly think you can make some savings here. Groceries could be done cheaper, broadband with internet phone from $50 a month, car insurance is cheaper, health care you dont nesecarily need lots just use medicare, morgage $2500, thats a huge morgage and depending on areas you can get a decent place for alot cheaper (we pay $400 a week on rental). I think you get the jist of what i mean. I dont think its any more expensive here then from where i lived in the UK (except food but meat/veg/fruit) are all cheaper in my opinion.

 

If you want it to work it can be done and i dont mean scrimping.

 

Chris.

 

I think every family will be different ,you to me are still in the early stages of settling in and I hope it all goes well, but you could still have a couple of bump's in the road to contend with and extra expenses ,I will rent for the first year or so, but my long term goal would be to buy and I would think depending on my deposit it would be more expensive than renting.

 

 

 

 

Kev.

[IrishStew]

Hi All, Mark Bishop posted a good spreadsheet on budhets see http://www.pomsinadelaide.com/forum/money-finance/25074-budget-spreadsheet.html

 

IrishStew (OH)

[Misplaced]

Hi Misplaced, what do you anticipate the total mortgage being if you are paying $2500 dollars per month?

Trying to work out a few things like this myself and obviously the mortgage is the big hitter.

 

Cheers for any help, Alan

 

If I remember rightly that was for a £310,000 over 20 years.

 

I think you need to break things down further between living costs (essentials & extras). Are you seriously going to spend $1200 a year getting the dog groomed ? You can easily do a food shop for a family of 4 for $200 per week aswell. From my experience so far a family of 4 can quite comfortably live on $1000 per week.

 

I honestly think you can make some savings here. Groceries could be done cheaper, broadband with internet phone from $50 a month, car insurance is cheaper, health care you dont nesecarily need lots just use medicare, morgage $2500, thats a huge morgage and depending on areas you can get a decent place for alot cheaper (we pay $400 a week on rental). I think you get the jist of what i mean. I dont think its any more expensive here then from where i lived in the UK (except food but meat/veg/fruit) are all cheaper in my opinion.

 

If you want it to work it can be done and i dont mean scrimping.

 

Chris.

 

 

Chris,

 

Great input as usual. Firstly, the dog grooming is a finger in the air (or should the be hair) but we have no idea how much it will cost to have the dog stripped every 8 weeks - as I have said previously it would be really helpful to know if there is a dog groomers that does stripping and the cost to do this.

 

The grocery figure is based on what we spend now for an average month but that includes luxuries. We know that when we get to Oz our shopping habits will have to change and that we will have to seek out the best places and best offers.

 

As for the broadband it is agin for a top range package as that is what we have now - I would have chosen a lower package but was not too sure about our usage as the kids do play World of Warcraft. Again, this is based on the most expensive and a comparable option to what we have now.

 

The mortgage was based on a $350,000 pound house with a deposit of $30,000 - again relatively comparable to our home comforts now.

 

I think, to sum up, I have tried to base the costs on as we live now to get a good idea with input from those resident in Oz on whether the costs are about right or just need tweaking here and there. I totally understand that it is a different country and our lifestyle will change over there but I am hoping that with information from you and the others we know where about we should be aiming on the earning front and if we get there or there a bouts we will be comfortable. If, we fall short we know that some of the luxuries will have to go - the kids are well aware of this.

 

One final thing please keep the views coming in - they are helpful to us and by the looks of it other people.

[Guest Guest5035]

depends on what you want, ie foxtel, mobile plans, expensive cars, lots of beer/wine/meals out, big house, it all costs or do the simple life and only one works and enjoy life...

 

stevo

[Diane]

depends on what you want, ie foxtel, mobile plans, expensive cars, lots of beer/wine/meals out, big house, it all costs or do the simple life and only one works and enjoy life...

 

stevo

 

So true - Sometimes I think you do have to sacrifice something on the standard of living to achieve quality of living (although we do still have Foxtel, mobiles, and wine - cheap wine, though - I'm easy to please!)

[Hutchy]

We don't have Foxtel, would be nice, but a luxury we can live without. We eat a lot better here, nowhere near as many takeaways as we used to have in the UK. Yes, we do look out for the reduced price bread and things, but used to do that in the UK too. We don't scrimp on food quality either, just buy fruit and veg in season, meat/poultry from butcher, and fish/seafood from fish market, not from supermarket. Our life is spent outdoors more now, and our boys, as well as us, enjoy a snag, or two, in bread. And, finally, still do enjoy a glass, or three of wine..

[Guest Tina P]

Also your budget is monthly, most people get paid weekly or fortnightly. I think it's rare to be paid monthly. We are both paid weekly and find it much easier, the mortgage comes out weekly.

[Guest Guest5035]

 

The best way to tell a millionaire is their the ones who get to keep their house when thing's go wrong.

 

 

 

i'll keep mine and i'm not a millionaire, do i need the fancy things in life, no, but i need my house

 

stevo

[Misplaced]

Also your budget is monthly, most people get paid weekly or fortnightly. I think it's rare to be paid monthly. We are both paid weekly and find it much easier, the mortgage comes out weekly.

 

Well I never new that! If this thread has brought anything to light maybe it's this.

[Guest matt n mel]

I always like your answer's Diane,as I do feel you tell the truth,Infact I would make your reply a sticky on the front page of the site ,it really does give what I think is a true picture of moving to Australia. sometime's I feel a lot of other people have a vested in keeping the Australian migration machine going.Although you do need to polish your cristal ball abit, if you think my family live on junk food.

 

The best way to tell a millionaire is their the ones who get to keep their house when thing's go wrong.

 

I've just been to Asda and to be honest the near date stuff would have been slim picking's today and no one was very chatty

 

 

All joking aside, I just want to be able to make enough money to buy my own home and have a happy family,at the moment I'm not sure if that is posable in Adelaide ,but we are still going to give it a try ,but I will post on here wart's and all how its going ,hopefully it will be ok ,we will find out in may,

 

Kev.

 

 

I realise this is a really old post, but this made me laugh my socks off!!!! Nothing better than scavenging over the 10p whoops in asda, and to be honest you are definitely more likely to get an elbow in your face, than a pleasant chat (or maybe that's just my local asda?)

 

Thanks for making me laugh on a cold, rainy morning

x

[Growler]

Hi, sorry to sound dumb but when were in australia i see youve put car registration...what is this for and does it have to be paid every month? Where can i find out more about this?

 

Many Thanks