Amazing opportunity or massive mistake???

[Nuggy2013]

I posted and had some wonderful help from wise mumsnetters on another thread www.mumsnet.com/Talk/living_overseas/2658059-DH-offered-job-in-Bermuda-Advice-desperately-welcome

However, still in need of more advice!! DH's company will pay for 140lbs of air freight, flights out there and $600. They will also find us a flat that we can either stay in or move from after either 3 or 6 months but we repay the deposit out of DH's wages.

My industry doesn't do relocation so I am completely lacking knowledge but this seems like a pretty shit package unless I'm massively mistaken?

We are getting no financial package to relocate, his wages are detailed in previous thread and health insurance comes out of his wages. No help for school/nursery fees either.

Am I expecting too much or being too selfish (highly likely!)??

Can anyone advise me of this is the norm in respect of relocating or actually should there be a slightly better offer on the table?

He has already had a conversation with his prospective employer and wages etc are non negotiable so we take what is offered or walk away. Will lifestyle and experience compensate for us being potentially skint??

We've moved blind every time. The last one was the worst as we moved on 'local' conditions so were dumped in a city we'd never been to and left to work it all out ourselves.

Apart from all the housing, relocation, healthcare, annual flights and schooling, you should be asking for a goods and services differential to account for the high cost of living in general compared to the UK.

DH and I did a fully funded trip to Asia to see where we'd be moving to and to sort accommodation and schools.

We did 9 blind moves (mostly with just air freight and pre kids but not all - we have chosen schools blind too - not for the faint hearted) and one where dh moved 6 months before us and the kids and I had a recce trip that involved buying a house, visiting schools etc.

That seems like an awful deal, as others have said Bermuda is very expensive. For a relocation within Europe, we had

• moving costs plus a cash sum for new furniture and expenses
• rent on a 3 bed house fully paid for the term of the secondment
• all bills covered, including phone and TV
• health insurance
• 3 flights home per year (could also be used to fly extended family out to visit us)
• car provided (insured).
• an allowance for living expenses that covered any exchange rate fluctuations while we were abroad.

It was great and we had sufficient funds to make the most of the time abroad without worrying about making ends meet. I would not consider a move based on the package you have stated, I believe it places far too much financial risk on you and your DP. I would hold out for something A LOT better, I can't imagine they have candidates lining up for what they're offering.

The company also paid for a 1 week recce trip to plan housing and admin.

do not go. Big mistake. I think the 'package' as it stands might be ok for a single person only but not for your situation and large family.
relocating is super difficult on many, many levels without having next to no money or security. What you seem to imagine is paradise is really, really not!

It seems to me all the key things, school and healthcare for starters, are not in place?

I'm sorry to say it doesn't sound like a package that would benefit your family at all. I know you want to go but it could seriously damage your relationship if you go somewhere and cash is tight.
3 years ago we were offered a package for Shanghai. It was amazing money and a great opportunity but we did a spread sheet - and we're not serious grown up people so that was serious!
It showed that although at first glance it looked good when in a spread sheet we would be boarder line. We walked away. It's a difficult thing to do when you've looked at pictures on the Internet, I'd even downloaded language apps on my phone!
Now we've been offered Singapore and the negotiations begin next week. I started another thread asking what a good package is so that we can see what is the norm.
When you live in an expat environment and have children at international school you will be socialising with families from medium to (sometimes) extraordinarily high salaries.
How would you feel if you can't join in with what's going on. And I don't mean yacht parties.
Soft play when I lived in Switzerland was three or more times what I paid in the UK. I had a lovely friend leave because she simply couldn't afford it, she wasn't happy because everything was a struggle.
Your DHs company really shouldn't be putting you in this position.
Good luck in making your decision.

Don't do it. We moved with what we thought was an adequate package. It wasn't and we worried about money for two years before I could find a job. We are still struggling but can't go back as H's role no longer exists in the UK. We are still very p'ed off with his employer for selling is something that they knew was shit. If it isn't going to mean that you are saving a good amount every month, it isn't worth it. I know from bitter experience.