Anyone enjoying the move on a fairly low wage?

[etch123]

Hi All, We are looking to move to Adelaide by mid next year, after speaking to friends and close relations in already in Oz (but not in Adelaide) Ive come up with the following monthly budget for the first year or so. Please have a look and see if it is realistic. Thanks

 

Monthly Basic Expences

 

Rent 350x4 3 bedroom apartment/ house 40 minutes away from the CBD 1400

Food 500

Electricity/Gas 100

Petrol 100

Mobile 120

Car insuarance 50

Extras 200

internet 50

health insuarance for me, my wife and 2 young kids 250

Metro Card for daily commute to work in the CBD - God willing 117

 

Total for a young family of 4 Au $2887

 

Obviously the above doesn't include the initial staring up costs etc. would like to what you think.

[scooterdan]

Yep.... Love it!!

[NicF]

Hi All, We are looking to move to Adelaide by mid next year, after speaking to friends and close relations in already in Oz (but not in Adelaide) Ive come up with the following monthly budget for the first year or so. Please have a look and see if it is realistic. Thanks

 

Monthly Basic Expences

 

Rent 350x4 3 bedroom apartment/ house 40 minutes away from the CBD 1400

Food 500

Electricity/Gas 100

Petrol 100

Mobile 120

Car insuarance 50

Extras 200

internet 50

health insuarance for me, my wife and 2 young kids 250

Metro Card for daily commute to work in the CBD - God willing 117

 

Total for a young family of 4 Au $2887

 

Obviously the above doesn't include the initial staring up costs etc. would like to what you think.

 

You would struggle to get food for all of you for $500 a month. We spend around $300 a week for the four of us, although I could spend less if I tried. Not $175 a week less though.

 

Gas and electric is likely to be more than $100 a month, especially if your rental has reverse cycle air conditioning and little insulation. It's more likely to be at least $100 a month just for electricity and then gas on top.

 

Rent would depend on the area but $350 a week is not completely unrealistic. Petrol will depend on how much you drive and if you use public transport this may be a bit less.

 

Mobile can be much cheaper depending on how much you use your phone. Internet is not far off, although will depend on what option you go for.

 

Health insurance is optional and can the cost vary a lot depending on which level of cover you want/need.

 

You have missed water costs. Most rentals you will have to pay water usage and some you have to pay the supply charge as well. This used to cost us about $180 a quarter in our rental. You might also want to get home contents insurance which would be about $50 a month and you will need to pay rego for the car each year. The cost depends on the size of the car but ours was something like $720 for the year this year.

[sidestep]

@ etch123 - $500 per month on food will definitely help you all keep nice and slim that's for sure and $100 per month for fuel will mean you won't travel far. I'd say $250 per week on foodstuffs and general household items and around $200 for fuel for one car would be more accurate. On the plus side you can get a couple of mobile phone plans for $80 the pair if you're not fussy about the latest and greatest handset and are not Apple sheep.

 

Also the $117 (28 days consecutive unlimited travel) metrocard - it's only the cheapest option if you travel to work for more than 17 days in one 28 day period. If you were to have three or mroe days off it would work out cheaper to use a regular Metrocard. It, and the Three Day Metrocard are really designed for visitors rather than regular commuters (unless of course you're a workaholic who never takes days off).

[etch123]

Thanks guys, certainly any eye opener... The budget I did was for the initial period before finding employment, but I have recalculated as per your suggestions. Could you also tell me about cable tv.... what are the costs per month.

 

Thanks

[Rammygirl]

Also do the math properly there are more than four weeks in a month.

 

350 per week rental is actually $1517 per month. 350x52 divided by 12. If you just times by four you are only covering 48 weeks not 52.

 

this is important as the total can be 100 s of dollars different.

[NicF]

Thanks guys, certainly any eye opener... The budget I did was for the initial period before finding employment, but I have recalculated as per your suggestions. Could you also tell me about cable tv.... what are the costs per month.

 

Thanks

 

Loads. We don't bother with Foxtel because it gives very little for quite a lot of money and the only channels we we would be keen to get are only available on the more expensive packages. We just have a set top box for free to air TV. And have other ways to watch the favourite TV series that aren't on free to air.

[scooterdan]

Foxtel complete package is $132 month!

[Diane]

There's car rego too, as well as insurance, and you have to pay for your driving license if you are getting an aussie one. And not sure how old your kids are, but if school age, there will be school costs too. Even State schools charge a small fee.

[etch123]

There's car rego too, as well as insurance, and you have to pay for your driving license if you are getting an aussie one. And not sure how old your kids are, but if school age, there will be school costs too. Even State schools charge a small fee.

 

Hi Thanks, Our kids are 7 and 9 so looking at a state primary school for starters.

[xzibit]

We live in a 3 bed house with a split system and gas hot water. Last quarter which was winter we spent $220 on electric and $140 on gas. We spend $120 a week on groceries. I drive 20km to the city to work everyday and spend $120 a month on fuel.

[Rammygirl]

Mm my bills seem to be too big for the three of us. Who is your supplier? And what deal are you on.

 

Mind you this rental is a two storey, open plan and to heat downstairs we had to heat upstairs first!

[Guest Guest75]

Mm my bills seem to be too big for the three of us. Who is your supplier? And what deal are you on.

 

Mind you this rental is a two storey, open plan and to heat downstairs we had to heat upstairs first!

 

Might be a simple answer but what about a curtain across the stairway?? It can look OK. We do this on the colder nights. We have a decent curtain pole up and everything. It does not look "daggy" or anything. When we go to be we open the curtains and the lovely heat follows us up.

[guspjmh]

We live in a 3 bed house with a split system and gas hot water. Last quarter which was winter we spent $220 on electric and $140 on gas. We spend $120 a week on groceries. I drive 20km to the city to work everyday and spend $120 a month on fuel.

 

 

We've got ducted heating/cooling and my winter bill was $1200 because Kate was constantly cold. She can put a jumper on next year!

[xzibit]

We've got ducted heating/cooling and my winter bill was $1200 because Kate was constantly cold. She can put a jumper on next year!

 

Lol wut?? Some jumpers would be cheaper. $1200 for a quarter? That's insane!

 

We are with agl on a standard deal. And not careful with usage. Everything left on stand by.

 

In our last place we had ducted but no gas and our quarterly electric bills were about $280.

[Diane]

Hi Thanks, Our kids are 7 and 9 so looking at a state primary school for starters.

 

I reckon that age you probably also need to factor in things like club memberships (sports, scouts, whatever they are into, and definitely swimming lessons if they can't swim already)

[Guest Spitfire]

Lol wut?? Some jumpers would be cheaper. $1200 for a quarter?

 

We had $800 for a winter quarter last year. Only happened once.

[guspjmh]

Lol wut?? Some jumpers would be cheaper. $1200 for a quarter? That's insane!

 

We are with agl on a standard deal. And not careful with usage. Everything left on stand by.

 

In our last place we had ducted but no gas and our quarterly electric bills were about $280.

 

Our usage was about 12-13kw per day before winter. Then they went up to an average of 34kw per day for the winter bill. Next year, heating is only allowed for an hour a day and pool heater is strictly only to be used if we have guests - our kids can suffer the cold!

[scooterdan]

Never had an electric bill over $210 and gas over $160 here!

[Rammygirl]

No idea why ours are so big, maybe we are paying for next door too!

 

it is a rental so not a lot we can do about insulation. Our home that we rent out in the hills has double glazing and extra insulation everywhere above regs. Tenants love it!

 

nice idea about the curtain Tyke but we can't do it. The staircase is open so no small space to block! Beloved of architects who don't have to pay the bills!

 

we have main lounge upstairs in open space at top of stairs, but kitchen dining and small seating area downstairs. Only one telly upstairs built in with all the sound etc, part of the house.

 

Now it is getting warmer we may have to get a telly for downstairs as it stays nice and cool.

[adelaidenow]

We've got ducted heating/cooling and my winter bill was $1200 because Kate was constantly cold. She can put a jumper on next year!

 

Double-brick house will do that. We had the same problem......

[guspjmh]

Double-brick house will do that. We had the same problem......

 

 

I don't understand this, as surely it means more insulation? Houses in the UK are double brick. Most of the coldness did seem to be coming from our drafty singleglazed windows though!

 

This year, there is a 2 hour limit on heating/cooling per day!

[xzibit]

I don't understand this, as surely it means more insulation? Houses in the UK are double brick. Most of the coldness did seem to be coming from our drafty singleglazed windows though!

 

This year, there is a 2 hour limit on heating/cooling per day!

 

Most houses in the UK are brick, 50mm air space, 100mm insulation, and then thermally rated blockwork.

 

Double brick house here are just that. Brick, 50mm cavity, brick.

[Guest Claire-n-tel]

Most houses in the UK are brick, 50mm air space, 100mm insulation, and then thermally rated blockwork.

 

I wonder if anyone builds them that way here??

[etch123]

Can someone shed any light on this? I have been looking at many rental properties on line and some have stated **NRAS ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA APPLIES** So does that mean these homes are not available to new migrants before fining employment?