[5kings]

Hi,

We are still in the planning stages at the minute, we really want to go, but our only concerns are financial.

We are used to having very little spare money once we pay everything, so being a clever supermarket shopper is no problem, also we very rarely go out for meals, buy clothes etc so we are not big spenders in any way. We are used to living on a tight budget, as we only have one income at the moment, until our youngest goes to school when I will hopefully find some work.

Going by the cost of living calculator, it would seem we probably wouldn't be able to manage on one income in NZ, and until our youngest (3) is at school, I don't know if I would be able to get a job which covered childcare, and bought extra money home.

I guess I am really confused. We really want to go, and would be taking a leap off the property ladder in the UK into renting in NZ, which is fine. Unfortuately we won't be bringing loads of equity with us, hopefully about £30,000, which is all the money we will have.

We have 3 children, so certainly don't want to make the move if we really can't afford it, but keep telling ourselves that New Zealanders manage so why can't we? When in Rome... and all that!

I think what I need is a bit of reassurance, from anyone who has moved without stacks of cash, with small children, and even better if you have managed on one income for a year or so! I have checked out all the goverment benefits sites, and think we would get some help, but need PR first, and as we can't do a reccy trip don't know what the chances of getting a job offer are? Slim probably.

Sorry for the waffle, and words of wisdom would help!

Helen

[ourquest]

Hi Helen,
It would probably help those with the wisdom if they knew what line of work you are both in (or would like to be in), and where you anticipate living in NZ. Obviously both could have a huge impact on your financial situation.
I think then those who might have gone through a similar move to what you would like to make could comment more beneficially. At least you are already used to simple and frugal choices in what you purchase, which has benefits well beyond the actual saving of money. It might also be relevant to know what your reasons for wanting to move are...being such a major decision it is always interesting to others even if it does not affect the financial side of things.
All the best.

[Belmont Babes]

Helen, I am with you on the worry side. Having spent 12 months looking into cost of living I feel not much wiser. I guess all we can do is research and try it out. With one of us working we hope to have an income of between 4000-5000 NZD after tax. ... manageable? Hamilton area, used to being thrifty but want to be able to enjoy days out and the occassional meal. Don't drink or smoke
Appreciate advice on this folks

[5kings]

Hi

Sorry, I didn't put in relevant info, too busy waffling on!

My husband is a Graphic Designer, and I am hoping to become an Early Years Teacher. I am in the process of finding out about doing a year long course to top my UK degree up to NZ Early Years Teacher status.

As for our reasons for wanting to move, well here are a few.... my husband is quite likely to be made redundant soon, and no design jobs around locally so chances are we'd end up moving somewhere else in UK. We don't like living where we live anymore, but can't afford to move up the housing ladder, so figured we may just leap off the ladder and rent in NZ!
Also the future for our kids too. There are no job prospects here (Suffolk) and feel the UK in general is on a moral decline.

I know NZ wont be perfect, but I do think it will be better, AND finally we just want a bit of adventure before we wuss out and regret not trying something different!

You only live once and I don't want to spend my life thinking 'what if..?'

Helen

[mikewalkerfrom]

We're in the same boat. 2 kids, one income. What it comes down to is our single biggest expense which will be our mortgage. We have to be in a city for me to get a decent job (we're moving to Christchurch). We'll only own 1 car (I'm happy on buses and my bike and we'll be living reasonably close to where ever I work). We shop carefully anyway.

In our case it can be done. If we need a 200k mortgage things'll be very tight on $5k a month - but we can do it. If we can find a place where we need a $150k mortgage we'll be ok (even better if its less:nice1 ). When my wife heads back to work in 2 or 3 years we'll be much better.

Its going to be a bit of a sacrifice initially as our overall cost of living isn't going to change. We will however have a bigger house with a decent back yard for the kids. There are a hell of a lot less people in chch than basingstoke and we'll be 15 minutes to a beach without every man and his dog being there too.

More space, less time in the car commuting, more time with my wife and kids.

[Georgebulldog]

I think as long as you do your sums before you come & your not looking at being worse off then you've got to give it a go, you do only live once (as far as we know) so why not if you can, too many people I know never did & have told me how they now regret it, better to say you tried.
I was hoping for a bigger house & bigger garden but for OH to be within a decent commuting time so he's home at a decent time then for us it means the same size house & don't even get me started on back gardens. Could be we just haven't done enough homework yet & jumped before we could walk.
Saying that Wellington so far is great & I love it & being near the sea & being able to find desserted beaches at a weekend is great, I do miss the shopping of Basingstoke though as I still haven't been able to get out & around enough to look properly at Wellington shops (little one hs chicken pox) so lookig forward to the next few weeks
Good Luck

[andrewandjane]

go for it! we came out here with just three thousand dollars to our name! just bought our own place for the first time. couldnt afford it in the UK.

i work for local government and jane does barnardoes childcare and is hoping to do the one year pgce equivalent to become an early yrs teacher. (just waiting till weve been here a bit longer to qualify for all the fees paid and training allowance etc...

[Red Devil]

go for it! we came out here with just three thousand dollars to our name! just bought our own place for the first time. couldnt afford it in the UK.

i work for local government and jane does barnardoes childcare and is hoping to do the one year pgce equivalent to become an early yrs teacher. (just waiting till weve been here a bit longer to qualify for all the fees paid and training allowance etc...

Wow, arriving with $3,000 to your name and you've just bought your first place... well done, sounds like you've worked hard for it :clap

Life certainly is too short... you've just got to go with your instincts and live life to the full.

We moved to France last year, however things didn't quite work out how we'd hoped, but we don't regret it... we had a fabulous time and the memories are all on tape for future watching when our little one is older. We were both gutted at having to return back to the UK, but as I said to my wife... "the story hasn't ended, it's just time for another chapter in our life".

[Belmont Babes]

Red Devil - what a fantastic attitude!

[5kings]

go for it! we came out here with just three thousand dollars to our name! just bought our own place for the first time. couldnt afford it in the UK.

i work for local government and jane does barnardoes childcare and is hoping to do the one year pgce equivalent to become an early yrs teacher. (just waiting till weve been here a bit longer to qualify for all the fees paid and training allowance etc...



This is a really inspiring post! I am also interested to hear how long you have to have PR to get help with the early years teacher training.
I will have a degree with honours in Childhood and Youth Studies, and should have to only do the year long course. I am interested to know how much it might cost me for the year studying.
Thanks in advance!

PS, We have decided to definitely GO FOR IT! now, just need to tidy the house up to sell, and we hope to be out of UK before 2009, house sale permitting!

Helen

[KelvinAng]

go for it! we came out here with just three thousand dollars to our name! just bought our own place for the first time. couldnt afford it in the UK.

I'm inspired by your post! Beautiful pictures on your blog, thanks for sharing.

[ellenmelon]

PS, We have decided to definitely GO FOR IT! now, just need to tidy the house up to sell, and we hope to be out of UK before 2009, house sale permitting!

Helen

Great! Good luck with everything..:nice1

[Alan]

5Kings, it obviously the time for it because we have been mucking around thinking of all the angles and have now decided just to go for it, so will probably be visitng in the next couple of months to job hunt with PR application following shortly after. Red Devils attitude is absolutely spot on for me.

[Red Devil]

PS, We have decided to definitely GO FOR IT! now, just need to tidy the house up to sell, and we hope to be out of UK before 2009, house sale permitting!

Seems to be common for all of us wishing to move on... we're hoping for a sale on our French property ASAP, but get the feeling it's going to take time... we'd be in NZ tomorrow if we had no property to sell, but very much looking forward to our 'recce' trip in April :)

Good luck :nice1

[JWR]

5Kings, it obviously the time for it because we have been mucking around thinking of all the angles and have now decided just to go for it, so will probably be visitng in the next couple of months to job hunt with PR application following shortly after. Red Devils attitude is absolutely spot on for me.

here a little youtubey to both inspire and torture Alan and those aspiring to move to NZ :D ......enjoy.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2GUmIBH3rj8