[JJG]

Due to the lack of movement in the housing market near us, we are looking at a back up plan incase my job offer becomes in jeopardy. Therefore we may decide to rent the house for 6months or so.
So the big question is how much money do you think we would need to comfortably get through the first 3 months in NZ. We would be looking at buying a couple of cars, sorting out a rental and either hiring or buying some furniture and other necessities.
So come on how much for a family of 4 going to Christchurch.

Cheers
Jonathan

[katandbob]

have you thought of checking the on-line stores to work out the cost of buying essentials when you get there? thats what I am doing to do to work out a starting figure.

but I await to see what replies you get....

Kat

[westies]

Hi There

There is a cost of living calculator under 'cost of living' on this web site home page, (www.emigratenz.org) we found it very useful
Hope it can help you to work out finances!!


Westies

[jubjub]

Depends on so many things, how many of you are there, where you are going to live etc. But as rough idea,

CArs, 8-10 yr old jap imports around 6-10000, unless you want something flash/or newer then you could be looking at around $20+ have search for Turner auctions.

Rentals, say around $350 per week, you will need three-four weeks rent in advance as a bond (should be returned at end of tenancy providing no damages)

Leccy if in rental you will need to pay a bond of around $150, and then monthly bill of aournd $100 (ours is with Genesis Energy)

Phone rental is about $50 a month but I think you have to pay an installation fee, and then you may need a bond for that as well, so factor in another $150, if you want internet then thats another 40-70 depending on package (check out telecom)

furnture check out DTR for rental prices there was a thread round here somewhere about furniture internet sites, that will be a good guide for you.

Once you have added all this up, I would add at least 10% to the total to cover things that you have not thought of, its shocking how fast the money goes, even if you think you have plenty!

[Billy]

Cars can be bought very cheaply; just drive around and you'll see them parked at the roadside with for sale signs on a big bit of cardboard. I got a decent 13 y/o Mitsubishi Diamante for $1200.

Equipping a house with the basics can be cheap. Just go to the Warehouse; we e.g. toaster $10, kettle $11, cutlery set, $6 pots $12 etc.

White goods can be pricey, check on Trademe.co.nz for secondhand deals. TVs are cheap, we got a 29" with free DVD player for just over $300 new - Warehouse again.

Furniture - got those folding canvas chair things from Countdown, $9 each, I'm sitting on one now.

Cheers
Billy

[Hannah]

If it helps, we have been here 2 1/2 months and have spent NZ$13,000 which has included purchase of a car ($1500) and school fees (about $1500). We are a family of four and we have had some unexpected costs (eg a large dentist bill) and have had to fork out quite a bit with immigration (student permits, work permits for each of us, etc). This has included rental at $400 a week (fully furnished), phone bills, fuel bills (car and heating) and food. Also some xmas spending.

Hope this helps!

[JJG]

Cheers for the replies.
So if I can lay my hands on(beg,steal or borrow) say upto £20000 we should be laughing?
Jonathan

[MB]

This doesn't answer the question you asked, but just as a side comment for anyone interested:

I reckon it's worth striking a balance between the perfectly reasonable business of gathering as much cash as you can before you leave, while also making sure that the main impetus of the whole venture stays intact as does any golden opportunity for you on NZ soil that might pop up. What I mean by that is that, for example, it might be better to forego a few hundred extra dollars if, by delaying the trip to NZ to earn them, you miss the chance to attend a priceless conference in NZ or, say, the opportunity to spend a couple of weeks being shown around NZ by pals that your instinct tells you would be really valuable. Or, of course, you might decide in the circumstances that the extra cash is likely to be most helpful.

One way this kind of thing might come up in practice is if, say, you are a teacher and have the choice between leaving for NZ in August, or working longer in your home country and leaving for NZ nearer the start of the NZ school year. Well, the latter might be best if you have a NZ job offer in place for the new NZ school year, but if you don't then you might decide it's better to sacrifice the extra home-earned savings for the chance to get to NZ soil in the August and settling/networking months before the new school year, so that you are up to speed and in place for job offers for February.

More broadly it might just be worth keeping aware of the (not necessarily irksome) 'tension' between, on the one hand, scraping together every penny and, on the other, moving to NZ while the family's motivation and excitement are at a really robust pitch.
Maybe ultimately, or at least in many cases, there is not such tension, but I hope that even if it's an artificial idea it makes a worthwhile point.

:cheers

[richard]

Cheers for the replies.
So if I can lay my hands on(beg,steal or borrow) say upto £20000 we should be laughing?
Jonathan


FWIW, we came to Christchurch in Nov 04 and spent just over $38,000 in the first three months and that included just under $17k for a car so based on the current exchange rate £20k should be fine.

[dawn]

To get an idea of rental prices, this site may help, they sell houses too.

http://www.harcourts.co.nz/

[Paul and Linda]

We've spent a bomb.

Far more than we anticipated or planned for. Cars cost a mint for anything comparable to a cheap car in the UK. By that I mean that our 95 rav 4 cost 10K and my 2003 maxima cost 22K.

All the little things add together very quickly, we have been trying to set ourselves up for a long term stay from day one and have bought new bikes and boards and wetsuits (beds, electric blankets, bbq's, lawnmower, the list goes on) etc and also spent 1800 on phonecalls alone!

since we arrived weve spent 75K (all dollars) and it doesn't seem to have gone anywhere but there are so many hidden costs and treats, and little breaks away etc that all add up.

Good job that I've been earning since the first month otherwise we would have been stuffed (granted it's obvious we wouldnt have been spending anywhere near as much naturally).

Routine bills also add up alot, our gas and electric bill combined has been 170 per month so far which I believe is typical and we haven't had any cold weather.

Sky is an expense but also a waste of time unless you want all the sports.

I'm working for Shell and getting more than I was in the UK but it's still very tight. Little things like child support used to add in and other tax things and also Linda is not working at the mo.

People are starting to come and see us, first one next month and were having to carefully plan what we are going to do to watch the budget.

Give yourself as much leeway as possible, only spend what you need for the start and then maybe afterwards commit to some more stuff. We did it the other way round to allow us to settle in better and be set for the future, but boy does it cost.

Hope this helps a little.

paul