Would you move to Texas for USD 5k more a month

[Constance17]

DH has been offered a job in U.S, we have children aged 6 & 8. What concerns you most?

Where I live now we also have mandatory testing starting in grade 3 which people do look at when choosing where to live but I definitely don’t get the sense it’s as intense as the US system and particularly Texas as cuts to the system get made.

I would for the weather alone.

Leaving the UK & Brexit, Johnson and the Tory’s behind for a few years maybe a good thing

Nope. Been there a few times and was supposed to move there with DH's work. I am SO happy it didn't happen.

Also, will they pay for school? As you need to be careful, as some of the public schools are not good. Private schools in the US are more expensive then the UK!!!!!

Texas? Fuck no.
Right wing, religious and love their guns.

The UK, fuck no.

Right wing, knife crime, dangerous tower blocks, IS bombings, football hooligans.

I have friends who live in California - they have regular gun drills at school! it's a reality they live with as much as the threat of earthquakes! I really don't like the ugliness I see coming out of Trump's America at the moment - I know it's not everywhere but it has put me off visiting and would certainly put me off living there.

I wouldn’t move to Texas for ANY amount of money, and I’m from the US. My husband will be making a significant career change in May of 2022 and Texas is the only state we will not move to. Too hot, too crazy, too religious, too many guns, terrible schools and they can’t drive worth shit down there. My parents live in Dallas and I love them dearly but I still wouldn’t live there if I was given a free house!!

The schools in Texas are not terrible, their university system is one of the best in the nation and that can’t happen without well prepared students.

Schools are not terrible!
My oldest went to primary school in central London, outstanding and oversubscribed school, 60 children in the year, two classes of 30. My youngest to elementary school in Dallas, rated 9/10, just shy of 60 in the year, four classes of 15 in each class. There was a greater mix of children from different races, religions and backgrounds in Texas. Far more integration in the Texas school too, my older had friends at school from different backgrounds in London but the mothers were much less likely to mix. In London the PTA was mostly white middle class mothers. In the Texas the PTA had white, black, Korean, Chinese, Indian and Arabic mothers. The Texas school had a greater diversity of teachers too. Texas was slower at pushing reading and writing on the children. Many don't even start kindergarten until they are 6, as parents choose to delay a year. They start slowly but by high school level the classes, especially the ones going for international baccalaureate, are more advanced and in depth than in the UK. Children didn't go to secondary school until 7th grade (Year 8) so gives them an extra year in elementary to prepare. This can be beneficial to many children, especially those on the autism spectrum. I liked both schools, Texas was certainly not a bad move. There are many things that you worry about true, but I've lived in enough places to know that the USA and Texas in particular is by far not the worst and truly the only place I would feel genuinely safe is a small Scottish village.

With the disclaimer that obviously the UK is not exactly excelling at the moment, there's no way I'd move to the US on principle at all at this point. The reason is a certain racist, misogynist, weird-haired fool who was elected as president. That he was elected at all screams all sorts of wrong. At least the UK didn't actually elect Johnson.

At least the UK didn't actually elect Johnson.

The people of Uxbridge elected him as their MP, and the Conservative MPs, who had the biggest share of the vote and who millions of people trusted to make the best decisions for the country, made him their most popular candidate for leadership. Then the membership of that party ratified their decision.

There's not a whole load of difference really.

The reason is a certain racist, misogynist, weird-haired fool who was elected as president.

The majority of US citizens who were able to vote voted against him.

At least the UK didn't actually elect Johnson. But still the shame of having him as PM...

Only you can answer that question - it coukd be the opportunity of a lifetime. Having just returned from a holiday in the states I would suggest you need to look carefully at health insurance and tax protocols. It varies from state to state but my friend who lives in Pennsylvania was telling me about how he receives 100% of his salary, but has to pay a company to do his tax or faces heavy fines. He has also had a child with a minor health issue and his health insurance didn't cover it so they get monthly bills that seem astronomical to me (very grateful for the NHS). Its a huge culture shock - we were only with our American friends for a few days but it was surprising how different our lives are. The pound is weak against the dollar too so things are more expensive out there which might mean the 5k payrise isnt as good as it seems. I paid £3.50 for a small bag of new potatos!

How interesting - what minor health issue costs astronomical amounts yet is not covered by insurance? I write about healthcare so this sounds like an interesting topic.

I'm also fascinated by this person who is fined if he does his taxes himself. I've done my taxes myself for 13 or 14 years now and never been fined. I use Turbotax, as do millions of other Americans.

I'm also fascinated by this person who is fined if he does his taxes himself. I've done my taxes myself for 13 or 14 years now and never been fined. I use Turbotax, as do millions of other Americans.
Probably the same person who can't do direct debits from their imaginary bank account.

DH has done his own taxes for 20 years. Shit, better tell him he's going to get fined.

No! For so many reasons. School shootings, Trump, healthcare, racism... wouldn't consider it.

@fernsfordays I wouldn't move to the UK! Knife crime, dangerous dogs, Brexit, Boris, bad weather, racism, shit schools!

@drsausage- the child has abdominal migraines. Relatively minor and treated with antihistamines, but a difficult diagnosis so the medical bills are from tests undertaken to reach the diagnosis. These weren't covered by insurance- hence my suggestion to look carefully into health care. We Brits are spoiled by the NHS, we never need to consider cost or insurance and it can come as a shock when a trip to the gp costs money.
Regarding the tax, I wasn't clear - my bad. I meant that you can face fines for not correctly submitting your tax payments, my friend pays someone as he finds it very complicated. Again, we Brits are spoiled - tax is calculated for us, deducted from our salary at source and we then get what is left over. Something to think about for someone planning a huge move, don't you think?

Im a bit at some of the American posters who seem to have taken offence to my first post - there was no criticism of America, the people or culture, it is just different. More different than I realised it was to be honest. Im sure an American moving to the UK would feel the same, and probably balk at the price of avocados in the same way as I did new potatoes!

@Whatsername7 lots of companies will deduct taxes the same way in the States.

@Whatsername7 sorry. Some of the posts on this thread have been really awful (a few have been deleted) and I think people are feeling a little sensitive!!

Cats - so that is something the op needs to look into then? And the amount of income tax varies from state to state doesn't it? So the op needs to look at the figure to see if the pay increase is as much as it seems. Like I said, its different. As a Brit, my concerns with moving would be affordability and access to healthcare.