Wanted Down Under

[jollyjester]

I'm stuck on the sofa under a sick child so binge watching Wanted Down Under.

Current couple have a budget of £950k for a house. His salary was going to stay about the same as was hers.

How do they know how much they can spend on a house when they don't have jobs in Australia, still have a house in the UK etc.

Am I just naive as to how much people have in savings etc?

The last couple had a budget of £350k and uk salaries of £30k ish each and their own house was valued at £50k less than they thought.

[PutYourBackIntoit]

Sparklingbrook, that's my beef with it too!

We can only go outside for 6 months of the year in the UK!! Sorry, what???

You don't need to move to the other side of the world, you need some backbone!!

[Barbarafromblackpool]

Aha! I love this show, it's so banal!
Agree with everything pp have said, people with an NVQ in typing from a three bed semi in nowheresville, expecting a beach front, open-plan four bed with a pool. And not a thought for their friends and family back home.

[JediJim]

A few people on here have commented on the families left behind. The thing is, if everyone worried about this then no one would ever move abroad. The whole world is built on immigration.!.. In fact if British people hadn't moved to Australia in the past, it would be a very different county today..
Many of the families left behind on WDU are retired and have already lived most of their lives, why should they not accept that their children want to make a go of things abroad?
The UK is no longer a particularly pleasant place to live, we are so divided with hatred, we have no idea what we’re doing with regards to Brexit, our political system is in turmoil, we have huge Government cuts to come and we have no industry here anymore.. I don’t see things improving any time soon.

[Sparklingbrook]

Many of the families left behind on WDU are retired and have already lived most of their lives

I don't think that's a good reason for leaving them, they are retired and have lots of time to enjoy time with family. Some are not in good health and want their family around them.

Obviously a lot of people don't worry about it and do go abroad. I couldn't do it.

[JediJim]

I understand that Sparkling. Many people couldn’t leave their families. But if everyone thought that, then nobody would ever move abroad. Obviously the grand parents/ other family members will miss them. But you shouldn’t stop your loved ones from fulfilling their dreams.
Some people are happy to live in the same town/ village all of their lives. For some people it’s not enough. Horses for courses.

[TheBreastmilksOnMe]

Hmmm are Beauty therapists in demand down under? 🤔 (no jokes please re. Brazilian waxes)

[Sparklingbrook]

I don't think anyone on WDU has ever been swayed by their relatives being upset. They cry along with the video then still want to go.

I moved away from where I grew up but didn't feel the need to go quite that far.

[MidniteScribbler]

In fact if British people hadn't moved to Australia in the past, it would be a very different county today..

Do you really want to open that debate? Seriously?

[AlexaAmbidextra]

I saw a stupendous one a few years ago, while laying in my sick bed. 😄. Mum, dad, daughter of about 14, two sons, one 11 and the other 18. All family very keen to go so all sorted. 18 year old son has a girlfriend who doesn’t want him to emigrate but it’s agreed and they’re going. Decision made, all ecstatic. Then comes the update at the end. Whadda ya know? Girlfriend suddenly finds out she’s pregnant. So 18 year old son decides he can’t leave his pregnant gf, mum won’t go without him so the whole thing is off and they’re staying in the UK. You could see that mum was absofuckinglutely furious. Update also includes the potential father trailing around Mothercare with his now jubilant gf and looking as sick as a pig.

[MidniteScribbler]

I'm going to put money on that relationship not being together anymore.

[alwayscrashinginthesamecar1]

I emigrated to Oz five years ago, and a friend of mine has been on WDU, and a couple of follow up programmes. She has just built a magnificent house with pool beside the beach, its absolutely stunning. We don't make quite so much money as her husband does, but our quality of life is much better than it was in the UK and Ireland. It does help if you like the heat though, personally I love it and my swimming pool. Its not quite the land of milk and honey it used to be before the UK/AUD exchange rate went south, but we have found the opportunities and pay here much better.

[Decormad38]

My older dd had a school friend whose family went on the programme. He was a builder and his wife looked after the boys. He couldn’t get work over here at the time so they actually ended up moving. I don’t think they looked back. I did always feel sorry for the gran the boys left behind as she doted on them.

[echt]

I watch this and , with only two exceptions am amazed at the unrealistic expectations the families have as to the "trade-in" on their drab semi when they want a beachside house with pool. And then the affordable house is in Sunbury or one of the bits of Point Cook that isn't really Point Cook at all.

The "outdoor life" is odd because there is a lot to do out-of-doors in the UK, too. The real difference I see is the generally better weather in Australia (Melbourne anyway) so you feel more inclined to go for a walk rather than drive to go for a walk as in the UK. I've never seen so many people out for a walk down suburban streets as in Australia. They just do it. And couples of all ages hold hands. Off the point I know but..

I think the families are carefully selected for pretty high fuck-up value. Remember hearing about someone who put in for Grand Designs and was turned down because their project and business plans were too sensible and worked out.

[lavenderbongo]

I’m in NZ and still love this programme. You do get a better life work balance here and much more of an outdoor lifestyle but it is quite tricky to move over here now without a job offer

[floribunda18]

I want them to go back a few years later and see how many people have had a messy divorce, because one partner really wanted to go to Oz and the other didn't. I think they did do a return show but only seem to focus on the positives.

[KioreWahine]

Linnet - In NZ (not sure about Oz) we pay VAT/GST on food so that adds 17.5% straight away. Plus the UK has EU subsidies.

[jollyjester]

alwayscrashing did you make the move with a job to go to or have to secure something when you arrive?

My new favourite website is realestate.com.au!

[evaperonspoodle]

My favourite was a man who really wanted to move to Aus because he envisaged being on the beach every afternoon with his dc. When he went to the place of work the manager was a British expat who immediately told him not to be hoping for weekdays on the beach as the working days + commute were the same as back home. He looked completely crushed.

[UndersAndOvers]

Very cheery family today. Even in the miserable Wellington weather.

[Daisywho]

I saw one where the guy was a Robbie Williams impersonator - he seemed lovely but how does that qualify for a visa?!

[LimeGreenShirt]

WDU visited my home town once. And the family was from where I am now in the UK.
It looked lovely - was a depressing place when I lived there though.

[UndersAndOvers]

Why do they not compare incomes based on the same number of hours? They based Amanda's income on full time hours in NZ - but she could up her hours here and be better off.

[alwayscrashinginthesamecar1]

Jollyjester we moved here in our 40s with no jobs or contacts, and I’d never set foot in Oz. My husband was born here but had left when he was a child. It was all a big gamble really, but it paid off massively for us!, we love it here!

[JediJim]

Midnitescribbler, no need to be rude. I just said Australia would be a different country without migration. Its not a debate, I really just made a point.
If people want to leave this wet, divided, high crime rate,country for a better life when who are you to judge?

[lolaflores]

Close family of DH have just relocates to Aus...because the weather is nice and she is sick of not being able to have a BBQ when she wants.
Truth.
They have left a close extended family to knowing no one.
Rural life for a big city.
A large, lovely house for a 2 bed flat by a noisy road
A busy social life and hobbies.
Cos of the weather!
No biggie if they co.e back but to go to such lengths for a bit of sunshi e to me is insane but I don't mind the winter so perhaps I don't get that.