To think those on wanted down under

[Thefishewife]

AIBU to think many on wanted down under have no intention of moving to Australia and just want a free jolly

Just occurred to me watching it today after a couple who would be 700 in oz would be worse off were still struggling weather it would be a good move

If you finish the episode without wanting to give her face a good slapping, you'll be a better person than me.

I've severely disliked her from the off. Awful

Meerkat

That's a bit harsh. Presumably the woman you know from school believes she is being the best parent she can be as well.

And although our mortgage payments and food costs are higher. We have hardly spent anything on activities since we arrivedd. Nursery is $6.60 a week which is a big chnage from £200 per week. The boys havent stopped, climbing, running, digging and swimming since we got here. All for free in the middle of winter and summer is yet tk arrjve. The living costs just are not comparable in te format of the program. It just adds an element of mild peril for entertainment value!

Trebla, is that a typo on the nursery cost?
$6.60 per week? and you have two young boys? (if you're who I assume you are and moved from a vibrant place on our south coast?)

It's a bug bear of mine that the bits they show when comparing budgets focus on mortgage or rent costs, which are often not a case of like-for-like and then quite silly comments the relative price of milk or how peanut butter is so expensive and they buy three jars a week - as though people are really going to decide their future based on such minor issues.
It'd be so much more informative to include childcare, commuting, healthcare and utility costs.

The programme is very formulaic.
We play the bingo game too. Don't forget 'how far away it is'

Actually healthcare isn't a good one since younger people spends very little on healthcare. It is only when you are elderly that it starts to bite. My mil is in NZ and I'm constantly amazed what she has to pay for. And she is completely reliant on give super without any private provision. Her medical bill is a huge chuck of her expenses.

It is only when you are elderly that it starts to bite

I'd beg to disagree, not everyone has the good fortune to be totally healthy when they're young and it needn't necessarily be physical.
Over and above that anyone can have an accident wherever they are and at any stage of their life.

The big point is that when people are used to a free healthcare system and a regulated prescription cost per item, then they should be aware of what, as you say OneLittle, could become a major expense.

There's also a dental care situation to compare which is relevant to everyone and if they are young and healthy, what's the system for care through pregnancy and childbirth? and the associated costs.

Having every financial expense detailed in the programme may be considered a bit dull when they can edit the show to make it look like one doesn't want to go and "it could rip the family apart"!
But I would find it interesting to see a more like for like comparison on finances.

I think NZ doesn't have free banking, for example (not sure about Oz). Would be nice to know how much it would 'really' cost to live there - school uniforms, school books, petrol, fuel bills, tax etc.

There is no dental care in NZ. GP, hospital visits and prescriptions all cost money even if you are on low income with a community service card. Even the ambulance costs money for legitimate use! MIL couldn't afford the bill when FIL was taken to hospital when he had a stroke and later passed away. Neither DH and I were aware it costs money. We didn't know hospital check ups is not free either. MIL has to go regularly to monitor her blood pressure as she's on warfarin. Also she has ongoing eczema problems. DH and I never had hospital visits when we were in NZ. We have always paid for our GP visits. Obviously MIL doesn't see a dentist as she can't afford one.

However she does get free taxis for a certain number of times a month. I don't think that is available in the UK!

horsetales we used to have to pay a few to run a standard current account and also any credit cards. Withdrawals are only free at your own banks ATM. Not sure if it's true anymore though as DH and I left 8 or 9 years ago. We know the medical costs because of MILs situation.

I mean a fee to have bank accounts in NZ.

That's not how I meant it to read lol. I'm not saying she isn't a great parent. It's the fundraising that got me. Just for her child not for autism in general. That would have been fair enough. She's a lovely person but just got my goat as other people just don't do it.

Where we were staying in NZ (on holiday) they had different companies running the refuse collection service (I assume it was no longer part of the council tax service).
Anyway, you had various options - pay a flat fee and get bin picked up weekly,fortnightly or monthly or only pay if you put the bin out. There may have other options. All run by different companies so you had bin lorries going up and down every street every day it seemed. It meant you only paid for what you wanted but seemed so wasteful overall.

Yes, I didn't mean do half an hour detailing every last thing, just that the edited bits they do show on finances seem so random and not important in the great scheme of things.

I always imagine that if the things you like and the things you're used too are extortionately expensive, then you'd look for cheaper local alternatives or change your diet to suit.

Certain things such as those mentioned above e.g. banking, council services, might have very essential differences from what we expect to be the norn and if you find yourself having to budget monthly for say health insurance, which you're not used to doing, then that would be quite an impact.

The salary differences though, working hours and particularly the nursery fees mentioned above, are also all interesting.

Meerkat
Would you feel the same way if her child had a physical disability? I have seen quite a few cases of fund raising for a particular child in that situation.

Another one that is not too clear is when they state how much the couple earn in UK. I'm not sure whether any benefits like tax credits are also included. And then whether there are any similar benefits in Oz. I assume they must be included in the calculations but maybe not detailed for us viewers.

I agree - the cost of peanut butter should not put you off a move to the other side of the world.

But then also a lot of the time in the UK they don't pay childcare as one is part time or they have family help, and obv they need to both work 60hr weeks to pay for their new family lifestyle, but they never seem to factor childcare costs in!

I try and count how many times Nicky can say "other side of the world" lol

Just watching today. I love the "well we both might get really well paying jobs-then we can afford this expensive house".
And I agree about the health care costs -my sister came over with an bag of her meds last year and we were gob smacked at the cost of them. And she is a pensioner. However, when she was diagnosed with cancer she had her treatment started within a week.

Just can't bear the revolving laminates bit....on the fence for the kids today though.

I used to love this show and this thread has ruined it for me as you're all right!

Today's is ridiculous - the parents trying to pressurise their kids to go. The 16yo said he's angry, upset and confused about why they want to do it but they're considering going and leaving him behind anyway. And this is a blended family so he's being asked to leave his dad behind. FFS!

If you want to emigrate to NZ, the medical is v strict. It included a specified max waist measurement when we were looking. I don't know whether that applies to OZ though.

Wel,l that's half of the UK population ruled out then! :)

For crying out loud I just read the FB update.
The family applied for visas, the son changed his mind and agreed to go with them and now the step/father has changed his mind and the plans are on hold.

It really plays with people's emotions. For us watching it's a bit of fun to criticize, but for these families it's real anguish in some cases.

I think you mean this guy. He weighs 130kg!
www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-24015123

Ok you guys got me watching it on demand now. It is the one with the stirks from Yorkshire. How could they put them in mission bay? They would never be able to afford it with a house in Yorkshire. It is ridiculous.