kate2000 Posted August 3, 2011 Share Posted August 3, 2011 Hi My husband and I are considering a move to melbourne (as that is where all my dad's family live):wacko::unsure: with our two young children (3 years and 8month), and we are looking at all our options. I am a nurse and he is a chemist so, from what i can see on the occupations in demand, we should both be able to find work ok. The question i want to ask, is how did everyone manage to afford a move down under? I may be assuming wrongly, but i am guessing not everyone who has moved to australia had thousands upon thousands saved, and no negative equity on their house! We have about 10k neg equity on our house - and limited savings. How do people afford the big move!!! Sorry if this is a daft question but we are racking our brains trying to work out how everyone manages to do it!! Thank you for reading! Kate Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
B1K3R Posted August 3, 2011 Share Posted August 3, 2011 I do not recommend anyone moving with very limited funds, especially if you are a family. It will be very difficult unless you have help (like free lodging etc) Most people sell their house and have savings which they bring some or all (doubt it with current exchange!) over here. Then there are those with a dream to move to OZ, but are poor like me. How I did it? I sold my car, my bike, saved like hell before coming (only managed to save 12K after all the expenses to move) and did lots and lots of planning....like securing a cheap rent, buying cheap or 2nd hand stuff until you are on your feet in OZ, sleep on mattresses on the floor, get a free stained sofa and furniture for free from gumtree, buy a cheap reliable car (and I got lucky here!) etc etc. If you get lucky, you'll stay, unlike me, as I have to pack everything and go back (thank GOD there is the European visa to pay the shipping back lol) since wife didn't stick and fell sick. It's is one of the worst feelings in life to move to a new country with little cash. So do your homework well. You can do, I did it and would have been on my feet by now (after 6 months) if life wasn't such a bitch with me. It can get very stressful, but if you plan very very well and look after the pennies in the beginning and get good jobs you'll be fine. Good luck Cheers B!K3R Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sibella Posted August 3, 2011 Share Posted August 3, 2011 Personally I wouldn't come without a job lined up if you have children. My husband's company paid for some of the relocation (we're still waiting to be reimbursed) and even though he started working just after we arrived it was touch and go until we got a credit card sorted. We are renting out our house in the UK as we couldn't sell it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest nashaey Posted August 14, 2011 Share Posted August 14, 2011 Im a 21 yr old moving to au and it looks like ill be moving alone.. I dont have tons of money saved up either.. As i have seen some ppl from overseas are doing interviews via skype and or telephones specially with your jobs in high demand. My job is not in high demand so itll he harder on me. I also suggest you find someone or ppl who is also moving that as well cut down cost on you guys. I just planned to stay in a hotel apt for three months so im saving for that and hopefully within less time ill have a job. I have my plan but im just hoping itll work. But the number 1 thing i suggest... Make sure you have enough money for you and your family to come back just in case it dont work and you dont want to be stuck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AaronS Posted August 14, 2011 Share Posted August 14, 2011 Save, save, save! Then save a little more. We were dreading the cost but with a year and a half on a SS to WA we had a plan. Then my wife's employer transferred her (just last week officially) and dropped a relocation package on us. Soooooo thankful for that! Additionally with the sale of our home we will land with zero debt and a nice sum of cash. If you are under water on your house you are in a tight spot! I'd higly recommend sorting that out before considering a move. I don't think we could deal with the move with any previous debt looming over us. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rikyuu Posted August 15, 2011 Share Posted August 15, 2011 As long as you don't spend extravagantly, you'll need about 25,000 GBP to get started with a rental house, furniture, a couple of cars and some money to last a couple of months until you get a job. You'll need about $70k+ pa between you to get by ok. (Based on my experience of doing the same thing with 2 young kids). At least you've got some family here to help out (logistically). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
melbournegirlinny Posted August 15, 2011 Share Posted August 15, 2011 Since you're a nurse and they are in great demand, you should be able to find a job with visa sponsorship before you even leave. That way, you have a guaranteed income before you get here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fashionably Late Posted August 15, 2011 Share Posted August 15, 2011 We didn't have a huge amount of cash when we came over but hubby did have a job immediately lined up and came out 2 months ahead of the kids and me. Though no relocation package. With the exchange rate, we left most of the money back in the UK. We do feel like we are hemorrhaging money though. The furnished rental cost a packet and then bonds for long term rental plus a hire car until we sorted one out. School uniforms are expensive but better quality than what we bought back in the UK. Plus we had school fees for our three kids. All worthwhile for us and we'd do it again in a heart beat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
piglet1 Posted August 15, 2011 Share Posted August 15, 2011 Truthfully, I came here with only less than 3k with me. All in all, we only had 6k in cash? We struggled, and for the first month, my partner's sister hosted us for free but we still pay for our own food, groceries, etc. Found a job after just 3 weeks (both of us, lucky or what!), and by the fourth week we moved out and rented a REALLY small apartment with our limited funds. Being paid weekly is awesome, and slowly we saved some money, and rented a car (partner's work place is not accessible by public transport)... budget's tight but we're happy. 6 days into renting, got evicted as owner sold apartment! We were on month-to-month rental cos it was the cheapest we can afford! So 60 days to move out, but we made it. Getting own car this week, and things are falling into place for us. Got an increment at work (just a small one, but feel blessed nonetheless). But if you have kids, that's a bit harder ... Lodgement is the most expensive, unless if you have someone that is able to host you while you secure a job, I think it's doable Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alanlisa Posted August 15, 2011 Share Posted August 15, 2011 We are also in negative equity with our house to about £10k, our plan is to save for the visas and do them bit by bit, vetassess first etc, hubby has just started a new job today so that pays extra so every bit of spare cash we have from that will be going into our savings pot. We will hopefully be starting the process in January and then we are using it as a 5 year plan. If our visas are granted we will go out on a reccie and then move over officially when the housing market in the UK bounces back and we are out of negative and (hopefully) into positive equity which will then give us some money to go over with. Plus all of our debts will be paid off within the next 3-4 years (exc mortgage) then we can go over with a clean slate. For us it has to be a work in progress :-( Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tea4two Posted March 3, 2012 Share Posted March 3, 2012 I second all of this...we have spent the last 5 weeks watching our savings dwindle trying to find work and will be clawing back what we brought over with us for the next 12-18 months if we are lucky. Some get sponsored so they get relocation costs and then they know that they are going to have an income not long after they arrive, but i'd say the ones that do it alone like us do have money, you have to. But if you got sponsored, one of you could head over, start work and get everything sorted for the rest of the family? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Guest66881 Posted March 3, 2012 Share Posted March 3, 2012 We sold our house at a loss, we paid the moving people £3600 to ship our stuff here door to door, we landed having made prior arrangements i.e. holdiay let first x2 then while in holiday accommodation we managed to find and get rental property, with four kids in tow. While then in rental we started searching and applying for work, my wife got a hospital post after three months i worked at coles doing trolleys and looked after the kids in the day, i have since done my HR license and passed it now i am actively looking for driving work. Our savings helped us pay for some things in an emergency, we try really hard not to touch savings, but life being what it is we have to sometimes, the lessons and test cost us in total $1200 money well spent if i get the job, but to live here as a foreigner you have to gamble to fit in, unless you land here with a lottery win. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boganbear Posted March 4, 2012 Share Posted March 4, 2012 You also have to plan and economise for a good while once you get here. We only had one mobile instead of one each, didn't have a car for the first 2 years, cut down on living expenses drastically and not going out much. In 2 years we had saved enough to get back all of the money we spent on getting here and setting up a home again and bought a new car with cash. I do laugh at people who spend money like crazy on things they do not really need for the "dream life' like Foxtel, 4 bed houses with pools, 2 cars, then wonder where all their money is going or moan about Australia being so expensive! You have to work for the dream lifestyle or whatever we all want in life and quite a few people come here expecting to have it all from the day they land. I want an outdoor spa or lap-pool but I am not going to have one until I have saved for it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 4, 2012 Share Posted March 4, 2012 Since you're a nurse and they are in great demand, you should be able to find a job with visa sponsorship before you even leave. That way, you have a guaranteed income before you get here. ^^^ this. There is a good chance you could secure work before you leave which would help a lot for you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jamjar Posted March 4, 2012 Share Posted March 4, 2012 As long as you don't spend extravagantly, you'll need about 25,000 GBP to get started with a rental house, furniture, a couple of cars and some money to last a couple of months until you get a job. You'll need about $70k+ pa between you to get by ok. (Based on my experience of doing the same thing with 2 young kids). At least you've got some family here to help out (logistically). Hi Rikyuu Could you please give a little more detail on the £25k number = AUD 37k ish. Is that including the flights and vise costs or just once you land??? Just seems rather a lot, any info would be greatly appreciated. I suppose it must be the car costs thats pushing it. Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brightonbee Posted March 4, 2012 Share Posted March 4, 2012 One way forward is to find an employer who will sponsor you and go on a 457 temporary visa. Look at the SOL list of skills needed. I'm sure nurses are on it. Could you rent your UK home out? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoandJon Posted March 4, 2012 Share Posted March 4, 2012 We came over without a lot of money behind us - but I had a job to come to, and we had family to stay with - and I got $2k towards our relocation costs (not a lot, but better than a kick in the teeth!) I think getting at least one job sorted before coming over will be the key - maybe with that person coming over earlier so you don't have to pay for a big holiday let for too long - you can get away with a small room instead Yes it'll be hard, but I've found that with Jon and I majorly tightening our belts over the last few months we've really become a lot closer Oh and we've now got a bump on the way, so if that's not part of your plan like it was ours - make sure to remember birth control! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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