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Thread: Having Doubts! :-(

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jan 2011
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    Scotland to Rangiora, NZ
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    Default Having Doubts! :-(

    Hi There,

    I know there are several threads similar to mine but as everyone is in different situations i would love to hear your thoughts and advice. My family and I (myself, my husband and our 5 year old daughter) applied for our residency and have recently received our passports back with our visas inside, all ready to go!
    Obviously everyone has doubts and second thoughts so we thought by reading every website, book, forum threads we would be re-assured and well prepared. But...the majority of threads seem to be complaints on how expensive everything is and how low the wages are! We were in New Zealand for 4 months in 2008 and we did agree that food prices were slightly higher and clothes were more expensive than the uk but not to the extent that people are making out on the net. I am just trying to figure out if many of these people went to New Zealand not having a clue how much things were going to cost or have prices risen that much? It is obviously a worry. Especially with low wages, My husband is a Civil Engineer and i am a Beauty therapist/make-up artist and i understand that there is a demand for Engineers in Christchurch (where we will be moving) after the earthquake but still worry about getting jobs that will pay substantial wages.
    Also, i have read many many reviews on “best places to live” and my husband has made a spreadsheet of where to go and where not to go. We want a good school for our daughter but do not think we could afford somewhere such as Cashmere to live. Can anyone recommend somewhere a little less expensive but with good schools and easy access to the city centre?
    We are looking to rent for the first 6 months at least and hope to pay no more than $300 per week, can anyone share any experiences with housing – areas and costs?
    I look forward to hearing your views and advice on this, thank you!
    JC

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Nov 2010
    Location
    On my way to Christchurch
    Posts
    12

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Cherry View Post
    Hi There,

    I know there are several threads similar to mine but as everyone is in different situations i would love to hear your thoughts and advice. My family and I (myself, my husband and our 5 year old daughter) applied for our residency and have recently received our passports back with our visas inside, all ready to go!
    Obviously everyone has doubts and second thoughts so we thought by reading every website, book, forum threads we would be re-assured and well prepared. But...the majority of threads seem to be complaints on how expensive everything is and how low the wages are! We were in New Zealand for 4 months in 2008 and we did agree that food prices were slightly higher and clothes were more expensive than the uk but not to the extent that people are making out on the net. I am just trying to figure out if many of these people went to New Zealand not having a clue how much things were going to cost or have prices risen that much? It is obviously a worry. Especially with low wages, My husband is a Civil Engineer and i am a Beauty therapist/make-up artist and i understand that there is a demand for Engineers in Christchurch (where we will be moving) after the earthquake but still worry about getting jobs that will pay substantial wages.
    Also, i have read many many reviews on “best places to live” and my husband has made a spreadsheet of where to go and where not to go. We want a good school for our daughter but do not think we could afford somewhere such as Cashmere to live. Can anyone recommend somewhere a little less expensive but with good schools and easy access to the city centre?
    We are looking to rent for the first 6 months at least and hope to pay no more than $300 per week, can anyone share any experiences with housing – areas and costs?
    I look forward to hearing your views and advice on this, thank you!
    JC
    I think that's completely relative to the job you do, I've just been offered a job in Christchurch and to get similar money in the UK I'd need to work in London.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Jan 2011
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    Scotland to Rangiora, NZ
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    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by scotlandnzuae View Post
    I think that's completely relative to the job you do, I've just been offered a job in Christchurch and to get similar money in the UK I'd need to work in London.
    That's great to hear! Thank you, and congratulations!

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Nov 2010
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    On my way to Christchurch
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    12

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by Cherry View Post
    That's great to hear! Thank you, and congratulations!
    It really depends on an individuals skills and ability to negotiate.

    It also depends on what they are comparing to, it has to be like for like.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Jan 2011
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    Scotland to Rangiora, NZ
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    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by scotlandnzuae View Post
    It really depends on an individuals skills and ability to negotiate.

    It also depends on what they are comparing to, it has to be like for like.
    What do you think the chances are of securing a relocation deal with an engineering company? We had friends immigrate about 5 years ago and they had everything paid for them to come across including the first few months rent on a house! But as this was 5 years ago, my husband is unsure whether to ask for this when he has an interview, as he doesn't want to blow his chance of a job offer!

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Sep 2008
    Location
    Christchurch from Scotland
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    2,226

    Default

    From what I have heard it is rare to get a relocation package here these days, but you never can tell, particularly if there is a shortage of applicants. I found work within 2 months of arriving (have to admit that I didn't work too hard looking for the first month!) as an accountant.

    It is scary. All the stories of prices being high and wages low worried me, but I am earning more than the recruitment agencies had lead me to expect. Food prices are different, somethings are more costly, others are cheaper. If you live on Tesco Value range you may find that it is expensive, but if you use branded products then you can find an equivalent here. The important thing is to adapt your diet to the prices. I never ate avocados in the UK as they were expensive, here they are cheaper. You also learn to shop in a different manner as the supermarkets are not necessarily the cheapest place to get stuff. There are also specialist fruit and veg shops and butchers. Also for one-off purchases the rule of thumb is never buy anything unless it is on "special" when prices are aroung UK equivalents. I got a compact camera for my birthday and when pricing on special here, v special in the UK on a £200 camera it cost about £7 more here compared with amazon UK price at the time.

    When looking at rentals also remember that as a renter there is no "Council tax" equivalent.

    I was worried by the same thing, for the same reasons but was pleasantly surprised when I got here.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Mar 2008
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    Cornwall-WLG NZ-Cornwall-Auckl
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    943

    Default

    Hi
    It does depend on your life style, being disaplined what you put in your basket which the same can be said for the UK this is the second time round for us and both times I have had relocation assistance I did not ask either time, I am an accountant, best to budget you are going to cover it and any extra given is a bonus. there are lots of things cheaper and free here the materlistic way of life is not so eveident as the UK as there is not so much choice although its getting better. I think the biggest thing that costs more is dairy products but having said that other things are cheaper farm shops are way cheaper than supermarkets like the UK childcare definatley is! hope this helps
    Jane

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Dec 2008
    Location
    Christchurch
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    1,417

    Default

    We did extensive research before we moved but being poorer sounded far more glamorous in my mind than it was in actuality.

    We are significantly less well off here in NZ but we are very happy. But it took a year or two to adjust to the new normal. And I still hate paying outrageous prices but have learned how to navigate the sales and where to get deals. It is a long and slow process to figure this out in a new country.

    I find that the prices seem much lower than when we first moved here. Maybe I am just getting used to it? But I think the strengthening Kiwi dollar is part of it.

    I don't know what kind of lifestyle you live (but since you said you like Cashmere...) but I would say that $300 a week for rent is not much and you will not likely get a very nice home or in a good school with that budget. I know because I tried VERY hard to be in that price range when we arrived and it was just not possible IMO. I think that $350 a week is probably the minimum though if you want a truly nice house then that may not be enough.

    And I understand that the rental market here in Chch is very competitive at the moment due to the quake. I have recently heard a story from one of OH's friends who sold his house (and is building another). He needed an interim rental for a couple of months--and ended up in a bidding war with another renter for a house originally priced $350 a week---he won the war and is now paying $500 per week

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Jun 2009
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    Manchester > Now Tauranga
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    Default

    I can't PM you yet as you need to make another post, but assuming your hubby has at least 5 years experience then he'll be fine over here in terms of salary. Possibly even relocation or partial relocation. Engineers are generally well paid, and depending on his speciality, expereince and of course his individual skills then he'll be in the top few % of the workforce in terms of salary. Contracted hours will probably be a bit longer than in the Uk, but in reality then you end up doing the same here as in the UK anyway. At $2 to £1 then you will find salaries here aren't far off UK salaries, indeed given the relative strengths of the economies and the number of CEs chasing UK jobs then perhaps better in NZ.
    Whilst not wishing to argue with the many people that are struggling over here, then personally speaking I'd suggest that on an CE salary and relocating from the UK then you'll be fine. Possibly not mega rich, but you will get a nice house, run a couple of typical kiwi cars, and over time be able to save for the flights home, kayaks, fishing boats and all the other things of kiwi family life. If you end up working, at least part time then you're into the bach owning, small swimming pool, very comfortable lifestyle.

    Very broad generalisations, but plan for the worst, hope for the best. I think sometimes it's possible to slightly overdo the focus on the negatives here, especially when some of those opinions are from people from areas of the world where shop prices of goods are low, and they get a shock, but don't always factor in the non expenses of NZ such as insurances, health, etc.

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Jun 2010
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    Ōtepoti, Aotearoa
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    Default

    I cannot compare NZ with UK as I was from Europe.
    But being an engineer too (civil & structural) I second Duncan in that the salary allows for a decent life.

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