Relocation Packages: what type did you get?

[breeze]

Similar to your case of getting an offer while in overseas... I got $5k NZD for relocation. It covered my airfare, post office shipping (by sea and 'M' bag), my medical and work visa fees and first week accommodation; did not cover partner's airfare, medical nor visa fee. Nonetheless, it was a good start.

[DMS]

That is a good point about the salary versus relocation package. I am just really in a panic about the cost to relocate the pets. I am about 5K short of being comfortable in my move. SIGH.....

Unless you have a pending job offer, if this is the case it sounds like you aren't ready to make the move yet. I'm moving two cats and the quote I got made my eyes pop... $8k USD for my cats and that's not including the quarantine fee.

[kiwieagle]

Unless you have a pending job offer, if this is the case it sounds like you aren't ready to make the move yet.

While I don't exactly agree with this statement, there is a point to be made in the sentiment. Only you can know what kind of adventure and risk are suitable for your family but I'll share that we came over here with a bit of savings and it slowly dwindled away as we adjusted to life here. I'm a VERY frugal person but there are many things about NZ that make it difficult for people without a lot of spare cash. I found it frustrating that my normal frugal strategies were only allowing us to barely scrape by for a while. Now, after nearly 3 years, we are doing well (hard work, yes, but also, a HEAP of good luck) and can even afford to head back to the US for a visit but it's not been easy financially. All that aside, and not to mythologise or romanticise the past, but I kept reminding myself that my grandparents fled persecution and did it on less than I did. However, once you find yourself in that struggling mode, it is hard to break free.

Unfortunately, after getting half way through the cat process (and paying half the fees) we needed to leave the States because of some timing of various things. We intended to leave the cats temporarily with my sisters but when we finally started to even out financially, our old man cat died. It was quite devastating for my children (and me, had the cat for 15 years). They still cry about it but I'm not sure if it's any different for children who love a pet and never move anywhere. The other cat still lives with my sister because it was quite feral and never really adjusted after I had the children. She's better off with my sister and I wasn't sure what the move would do to her as she had such severe anxiety that she would develop all kinds of digestive issues. It was a difficult choice to make but we had to do what was best for our family and the pets.

Just some thoughts for you about challenges that the proletariat face.

[Norgal]

Unless you have a pending job offer, if this is the case it sounds like you aren't ready to make the move yet. I'm moving two cats and the quote I got made my eyes pop... $8k USD for my cats and that's not including the quarantine fee.

OHm you might want to get some more quotes, and I will get the 5K somehow, we are going. My quotes for the US to NZ are between 2800 and 3500 USD for two dogs. The quarantine for the two dogs is 2600 NZD so it is no where near your costs, not sure why your quote is so high. WE do not have a pending job offer yet, we are having many interviews. We wil have all the funds we need to go come Mid July, and if we get a job offer before then, we are unlikely to go before the end of July anyway. I am really looking to find information from other construction management persons on the packages they received. It is good to see what others are getting and if we get a job offer we are certainly going to ask for airfare at the least. It can;t hurt to discuss it.

[DMS]

OHm you might want to get some more quotes, and I will get the 5K somehow, we are going. My quotes for the US to NZ are between 2800 and 3500 USD for two dogs. The quarantine for the two dogs is 2600 NZD so it is no where near your costs, not sure why your quote is so high. WE do not have a pending job offer yet, we are having many interviews. We wil have all the funds we need to go come Mid July, and if we get a job offer before then, we are unlikely to go before the end of July anyway. I am really looking to find information from other construction management persons on the packages they received. It is good to see what others are getting and if we get a job offer we are certainly going to ask for airfare at the least. It can;t hurt to discuss it.

That's excellent that you are getting interviews and I wish you all the luck. I did get a number of quotes for my cats in that range from a couple of different places but because my old boy is 16 I decided to go with a pet courier who will be flying with him from Philadelphia to Auckland and then back to the US. As of right now it's merely an estimate and the actual price maybe higher or lower depending on when I come over.

[girlwithanewf]

That's excellent that you are getting interviews and I wish you all the luck. I did get a number of quotes for my cats in that range from a couple of different places but because my old boy is 16 I decided to go with a pet courier who will be flying with him from Philadelphia to Auckland and then back to the US. As of right now it's merely an estimate and the actual price maybe higher or lower depending on when I come over.

That reads to me as if you are paying someone to physically accompany your cat to New Zealand? Did I read that right? Pets go in the hold, so I am not sure why you would need to get someone to fly with your cat? The pet shippers deal with the paperwork etc and getting the cat to the right place on time.
We have flown geriatric pets twice the distance (2 dogs and 1 cat, UK - NZ). Personally I think that if you think your cat needs to be accompanied then it is not suitable for your cat to fly. (I don't mean to sound horrible about that, but that sounds like such an incredible waste of money!) Just get your cat checked out by a vet, if the vet says the cat is fit to fly, then just use a proper pet shipper and pick your cat up at the other end.

[kiwieagle]

My quotes for the US to NZ are between 2800 and 3500 USD for two dogs. The quarantine for the two dogs is 2600 NZD so it is no where near your costs, not sure why your quote is so high. WE do not have a pending job offer yet, we are having many interviews. We wil have all the funds we need to go come Mid July, and if we get a job offer before then, we are unlikely to go before the end of July anyway.

Have you started the process for your dogs yet? It takes a bit of time for trips to the vet (teeth cleaning etc..), titres sent to Kansas, and trips to your local USDA approval location.

[girlwithanewf]

Have you started the process for your dogs yet? It takes a bit of time for trips to the vet (teeth cleaning etc..), titres sent to Kansas, and trips to your local USDA approval location.

Teeth cleaning? That must be an American thing, because neither NZ nor the UK demanded that for our pets. But then Americans do have shinier teeth in general than the average Brit! Must be the same for dogs too.

[kiwieagle]

Teeth cleaning? That must be an American thing, because neither NZ nor the UK demanded that for our pets. But then Americans do have shinier teeth in general than the average Brit! Must be the same for dogs too.

Actually, the quarantine in NZ told me to do it. She said that when the vet comes around to check, if they decide it needs to be done, you don't have a choice but to pay to have it done at their prices.

[girlwithanewf]

Actually, the quarantine in NZ told me to do it. She said that when the vet comes around to check, if they decide it needs to be done, you don't have a choice but to pay to have it done at their prices.

In other words, they will definitely need their teeth cleaning. It's a bit like when you import a car and suddenly the brakes need replacing.