[kimandgareth]

Hi all

We're attempting a bit of financial planning for this year coming and early next, to get ready for the move. If its not too much of a personal question, can I ask for Forum how much money you brought with you and did you feel it was enough/too much and what was the biggest financial outlay you found as you got settled (I know most people will say buying a house, but if there are any other potential more unexpected costs you encountered, it would be great to hear about them)

Thanks everyone :D

[Anita & Marco]

Hi,
I can understand your question, but I do not think that the answers will really help you. Why do I say this? Because it will depend on what lifestyle you have, what kind of house you prefer, which area you live, what you think is basic or luxurious, what your salary is/will be, whether you have a family etc.etc. . It is all mixed with personal background, experience as well. So, someone with let's say NZ$ 500,000 could tell you it is not enough and struggle, while someone with NZ$200,000 could tell you to cope fine.

Sorry, not been of any help I'm afraid, but this is my opinion only.

Good luck with your upcoming trip!!

Cheers,
Anita

[Angelonthemove]

Hi Guy

Just looked up my spread sheet and we came over with around £7,000 cash as our house sale fell through at the last minute!!! We paid for this end for our container to be delivered out of that. So although we struggled we put a deposit down on a car of $3,500 got a loan from Toyota very good rates for rest within 2 weeks of being here (no residency but its over 1 year of our work permit length). We over spent on a hotel for one month as we could not find anywhere sooner to rent. Deposit for rented, plasma TV (OH choice not mine), DVD player, fridge, microwave, and mattress until our stuff arrived. We then had jobs within 2 weeks so we had salaries to survive on after 6 weeks of getting here. We have been here 6 months of which I have been off work for 3 months so it has hit us financially but I start work next week again and we will be back on a normal cash flow. In the meantime our bank gave us credit cards with $2500 limit to get us over a sticky patch ( no residency again)

We hope once we have resindency to get a 100% mortgage from our bank, they have already told us this is possible and buy a house, as we have rented out our own house back home.

Hope this helps

Angela

[speckythecky]

On a related question - how much money do you need to have in order that you can get a work permit visa? I keep being told that you need to show that you have evidence of regular income into an account in UK before you can go out.

I know that you need to have a ticket to leave at the end of the permit but is there any other minimum requirement

[KerryS]

On a related question - how much money do you need to have in order that you can get a work permit visa? I keep being told that you need to show that you have evidence of regular income into an account in UK before you can go out.

I know that you need to have a ticket to leave at the end of the permit but is there any other minimum requirement

No, they don't check any funds when you apply for a work permit. If you are arriving on a holiday visa then it is "possible" that immigration may ask how you are planning to fund your stay, especially if you look as though you are coming for a long one with lots of luggage.
I arrived with about $20 in cash and an almost maxed out credit card. Luckily I had no probs at immigration and I had a friend with a sofa to bunk on and then got a job almost instantly...

[katandbob]

Hi,
I can understand your question, but I do not think that the answers will really help you. Why do I say this? Because it will depend on what lifestyle you have, what kind of house you prefer, which area you live, what you think is basic or luxurious, what your salary is/will be, whether you have a family etc.etc. . It is all mixed with personal background, experience as well. So, someone with let's say NZ$ 500,000 could tell you it is not enough and struggle, while someone with NZ$200,000 could tell you to cope fine.

Sorry, not been of any help I'm afraid, but this is my opinion only.

Good luck with your upcoming trip!!

Cheers,
Anita

I agree with Anita - its horses for courses really - but the more you have the more you spend - and in the end you will be on NZ wages - so look at Job income verses cost of living - anything else you have will be a help - excellent if you can buy a house outright cash - but some people didnt have that luxury, and the mortgage rates here are higher than the UK.

Good luck

Kat

[gil]

Hi Kimandgareth,
It might help you if you set up a poll on here giving brackets of "starting cash" and another one for biggest outlay? That might give you an overview of it and means you won't be bogged down by the kind of subjectivity Anita&Marco mentioned. (And you might get people willing to give a ballpark anonymously. As you say, not everyone will want to put it up on a public forum!)

Gil

[sarahw]

Good idea Gil!

Anita & Marco are right its very subjective & most people don't want to disclose their financial info over the internet without it being anonymous...