Can you survive on one wage?

[Guest SandyC]

Hi,

 

This is the very first time I've posted something on a forum. I guess there's a first for everything!? We're planning on moving at the beginning of 2014, so a while yet. My husband is doing his language test in a few weeks time in a hope to get 7's. We've sent off certificates to the assessment centre in Oz. Got the youngest 2 kids passports...will be applying for the visa sometime very soon hopefully! We're both teachers but with kids aged 3 months, 2 yrs and 4 yrs I will still be responsible for childcare for a while until the smallest one goes to school. I am wondering if we can realistically live somewhere nice in Adelaide and survive on just my husbands wage? I work part time here in Glasgow but we have grandparents who help with childcare. I wouldn't want to put my littlest one in childcare for full days, just a personal choice thing. Anyone in a similar situation? Cheers for any input!

[Guest Helchops]

Well, from our research it is possible, but it all depends on what pay scale, if he can get work and what your lifestyle expectations are I guess.

 

We've posted a similar question as teachers often start on temporary work, and I was asking how regular that work is. Theoretically, if you can land a contract you should be fine, but do a budget first!

 

There's a great budget on here but I'm on my phone and can't post it...I'll try tomorrow, unless someone else has the link?

[niknjas]

Hi

 

We are a one income family and have been for a long time. We survive a lot better here than we did in UK. Hubbie is a roofer and has always been self employed so work has always been volatile. We have good times and bad times. Work has been bad on and off for the last six months for us but we budget for those times. We run one car, youngest is just about to start school but I walk everywhere or bus. If we think it is expensive we don't buy it and if it is cheap we bulk buy. I cook almost everything from scratch (but I like cooking) and the only thing we ever have frozen is icecream, chips, peas and meat that we have bought fresh. One thing here is if you have less money, you still eat a better quality of food than UK. We only have a set top box, no Foxtel, are not smokers or big drinkers and we socialise around each others houses. We do still go out for dinner about once a month and I have coffee with mates every week. It is do-able, you just have to be a bit careful.

[Guest USA soon just SA]

The part that I find most encouraging about niknjas's response is that living within your means, and tiloring your lifestyle choices to your quality of life goals, is not seen as a mark of being "weird" as it too often can be here in the states. I am really looking forward to developing friendships with pepople who value each other for who the other people are, rather than what they have bought, or how big a house/pool/car/boat/diamond they have. Respecting other people's choices, rather than judging them by materiality standards - that will be new to us, and certainly welcome!!!!!!!!!!! BTW, got the SA SS approval yesterday ******WOO-HOO********

[nikkinoodlesuk]

Yes you can survive on one wage

obviously it depends on how much you earn, and how well you budget. We've lived more or less on one wage for last 3 yrs, my husband has a full time job, and I've worked the odd

casual job. We still manage to run two cars and a motorbike, and go out for meals/cinema etc with 3 kids.

 

We have no spare money at the end of every month, but bills are paid and we have a decent enough lifestyle, my husband does complain that we could do with more money, but he would only find

something to spend it on, we are trying to save for a deposit for a house, which is definately a struggle, but that's life..!

[lorluc]

Will depend on what your main wage is? Think this is a really difficult question to answer as peoples circumstances, commitments etc are all different. Are you on permanent visa's? If you are then you will be entitled to claim family assistance, and with 3 little ones, that should a nice amount. You will also get help with childcare costs as well.....

[Guest Peachie]

If you a perm resident check out centre link you may be suprised at the help you may get teachers wage ok but will need to avoid popular central suburbs if you arrive Half way though a tax year your wage looks low and will get more help

[Guest lippy]

the words of wisdom that we were given was - "you can survive on one wage but to live you need two"......

[minty]

the words of wisdom that we were given was - "you can survive on one wage but to live you need two"......

 

I think that is a very good point but also think it is easier to live on one wage in Oz then in the UK at the moment. Would still love the OH to get a job though

 

Chris.

[Guest teamV]

I'm coming to live not survive and if I can't do that then we will move on,To me $50,000 in real terms is about £20.000 ,in real money and thats about the lifestyle you would get from that wage ,I think you need atleast $70.000 to live life ,which is what as a family we will try to make so we will both need jobs.

Just to explain we live in cumbria ,you can still buy a 3 bed house for £120.00 to£150,000 and rent for around £500 to £600 a month,so thats just possable on the 20k ,but with house's being around $400,000 and rents being about $400 a week,its touch and go in Adelaide and would be easy to end up in dept .

I hope this makes sence.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Kev.

[mattyegg]

Hi,

 

This is the very first time I've posted something on a forum. I guess there's a first for everything!? We're planning on moving at the beginning of 2014, so a while yet. My husband is doing his language test in a few weeks time in a hope to get 7's. We've sent off certificates to the assessment centre in Oz. Got the youngest 2 kids passports...will be applying for the visa sometime very soon hopefully! We're both teachers but with kids aged 3 months, 2 yrs and 4 yrs I will still be responsible for childcare for a while until the smallest one goes to school. I am wondering if we can realistically live somewhere nice in Adelaide and survive on just my husbands wage? I work part time here in Glasgow but we have grandparents who help with childcare. I wouldn't want to put my littlest one in childcare for full days, just a personal choice thing. Anyone in a similar situation? Cheers for any input!

 

Hello SandyC

 

We're not there yst but lookingto live off one wage until young chap is olds enoungh for Kindie/Pre-school.

 

I see you are from Glasgow, what area are you from?

 

We're all booked up and leaving Glasgow on the 3rd July.

 

Cheers

Matt

[Guest Helchops]

I'm coming to live not survive and if I can't do that then we will move on,To me $50,000 in real terms is about £20.000 ,in real money and thats about the lifestyle you would get from that wage ,I think you need atleast $70.000 to live life ,which is what as a family we will try to make so we will both need jobs.

Just to explain we live in cumbria ,you can still buy a 3 bed house for £120.00 to£150,000 and rent for around £500 to £600 a month,so thats just possable on the 20k ,but with house's being around $400,000 and rents being about $400 a week,its touch and go in Adelaide and would be easy to end up in dept .

I hope this makes sence.

 

 

 

Kev.

 

I just don't think that comparing exchange rates makes any sense. We've budgeted on two minimum wage jobs as an absolute minimum - i.e. we can't find our normal, 'career' jobs straight away, so we work in a coffee shop!! That is just about survivable, but only just.

 

Again, it all depends on lifestyle, food, rental etc. We live in a lovely little house in the UK and have budgeted for a niceish family home ($400 pw) and don't really want to settle for anything less - but a young couple with no kid could live in a $250 unit and be happy.

 

The culture of comparing £/$ seems silly, as you'll be earning dollars. You can't say, 'Wow, petrol is nearly the same price' when as a percentage of your annual income, it's substantially less in Australia.

 

The other thing is location. Imagine if you will, an estate in the UK that was next to the beach (let's say 2 miles) and magically has the Adelaide Climate...I suspect that UK'ers would pay significantly more for that lifestyle. I guess if you look at Adelaide property that way, the prices are still very reasonable!!

[Guest Helchops]

I couldn't find the other budget on here, but here is one I created...I've edited it to exclude Childcare and Centrelink payments, and took it down to one car - but you get the idea:

 

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0At4lx7cLUVgcdGpvZnFPUUJrV2pIcjhyRVJJMEx4dnc

[Guest teamV]

I couldn't find the other budget on here, but here is one I created...I've edited it to exclude Childcare and Centrelink payments, and took it down to one car - but you get the idea:

 

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0At4lx7cLUVgcdGpvZnFPUUJrV2pIcjhyRVJJMEx4dnc

 

That shows after tax ,so thats means you need to add on the around $11.000 in tax you would pay so the 50k is really about 61k

 

Kev.

[snifter]

I couldn't find the other budget on here, but here is one I created...I've edited it to exclude Childcare and Centrelink payments, and took it down to one car - but you get the idea:

 

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0At4lx7cLUVgcdGpvZnFPUUJrV2pIcjhyRVJJMEx4dnc

 

I was looking for it also for you, but no luck. I'll keep digging and maybe it'll turn up. Thanks for the spreadsheet though. Handy thing to browse.

[Guest teamV]

I just don't think that comparing exchange rates makes any sense. We've budgeted on two minimum wage jobs as an absolute minimum - i.e. we can't find our normal, 'career' jobs straight away, so we work in a coffee shop!! That is just about survivable, but only just.

 

Again, it all depends on lifestyle, food, rental etc. We live in a lovely little house in the UK and have budgeted for a niceish family home ($400 pw) and don't really want to settle for anything less - but a young couple with no kid could live in a $250 unit and be happy.

 

The culture of comparing £/$ seems silly, as you'll be earning dollars. You can't say, 'Wow, petrol is nearly the same price' when as a percentage of your annual income, it's substantially less in Australia.

 

The other thing is location. Imagine if you will, an estate in the UK that was next to the beach (let's say 2 miles) and magically has the Adelaide Climate...I suspect that UK'ers would pay significantly more for that lifestyle. I guess if you look at Adelaide property that way, the prices are still very reasonable!!

 

I haven't compared the exchange rate as its not the point I was making,I was coparing the % of an average wage that goes on rent or a morgage ,all I said was in Adelaide I would need $55.000 to get what I could get where I live for £20,000 ,but I'm not moving all that way, if I can't have what in my eye's is a decent life style,We are all different ,so if a single income is around 50k ,then we could not live off one wage,others may be able too.The biggest cost is housing ,after that its all about the same as far as I can see.

 

Housing in cumbria is just a lot cheaper than other parts of the uk,if we lived in say putney then the figures would be a lot different.

[Guest Helchops]

That shows after tax ,so thats means you need to add on the around $11.000 in tax you would pay so the 50k is really about 61k

 

Kev.

 

No, I know.

 

It's based on two people earning the minimum wage, which is $589.30 per week. I then deducted Annuation and Tax to come up with (hopefully) the take home income. I guess it's a worst case scenario for us, when we both find work, although obviously we're hoping to get reasonable employment within a short-ish timeframe.

 

You can also save a copy of the spreadsheet - just file, save as and then download a copy to your desktop if you wish!

[Rich & Chit]

It's possible but it's hard work!!

[niknjas]

I agree it is hard work if you are not used to it. We've been together twelve years and I have not worked in nearly nine. Don't get me wrong, we have had some really really bad times (in UK) but it never paid for me to go back to work as childcare would have taken my wages but when J had work, he had a lot of it, but we still did not go stupid with money.

 

We still consider ourselves to have a good standard of life (maybe our expectations are not that high?) and treat our kids.

 

We also don't have credit cards and have always said if we haven't got the cash we don't buy it.

 

One thing that I have to say though is that life is very different here from UK so spend money on different things and life is what you make it.

[Guest SandyC]

Thanks Helchops, that would be great if you could post the budget. My husband is a glass half full kind of guy but I like to do the sums and be realistic so doing a budget would maybe give me some peace of mind. :-)

[Guest SandyC]

Thanks for the reply, how exciting for you guys! We are the same in that I wouldn't really be able to work until our youngest would be at kindie/pre school. He's only 3 months now, will be 2 years at least by the time we get there so I reckon we'd have to survive a couple of years. I'm a teacher too so once the wee one was at school we'd be alright I think. My only other concern is getting my older two kids into a good school and not having to go private cos I think the extra £3K a year each would be stretching the purse a bit much! We're in North Glasgow btw, Bishopbriggs. Sandra

[Guest SandyC]

Thanks for posting nikkinoodlesuk, we don't have any money left over at the end of the month either! But we'll be debt free at least when we sell the house if we can sell it for a reasonable amount. So not the same need for the second income. Then we're going to move into rented accommodation for a year or so and save like stink to get some money at our backs before the move. Then back to square one with saving up for a deposit for a house! yes, that's life!

[Guest SandyC]

Hello Lorluc, what you posted is really interesting. I know nothing about the Australian benefits system. Although I would be hoping to work after a couple of years, if we would be entitled to some help for a while that would be great. Child benefits here equal to around £188 a month which is a huge help! We are applying for permanent visas (175)...not sure if this is the kind that would entitle us to benefits straight away? My husband will have been teaching for 10 years by then so I reckon he might be looking at a salary of around $60000. Can I also ask you, does Kindie cost? Cheers, Sandra

[Guest SandyC]

Will do, thanks.

[Guest RobJ1978]

Think this is the speadsheet link

 

http://www.pomsinadelaide.com/forum/money-finance/25074-budget-spreadsheet.html

 

♥ Nic