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Original poster

People who have moved to the country from London

490 replies

CountessDracula · 13/01/2006 14:37

What exactly is so much cheaper about living in the country to justify the massive salary cut you have to take when you move?

Food, clothes, schools etc the same price surely. Plus masses of petrol so that is more. If you are moving to an area where the house prices are not dissimilar to London, I can't see where you make the saving.

OP posts:
Enid · 13/01/2006 14:54

I live in dorset

I would say childcare is probably slightly cheaper, private schools - some the same, some cheaper, all with less competition to get in.

Better local state schools though remember. Food and clothes the same (although spend slightly less as all the clothes are shite)

but all you tend to do is go to london for the w/e and SPLURGE - reminds me I must be away x

Original poster
CountessDracula · 13/01/2006 14:55

Thanks pph

Jools we do live in a very communityish area, we know all our neighbours and are often at each others' houses.

I guess we would have a bigger garden (but then gardening costs would go up of course)

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Enid · 13/01/2006 14:57

entertaining kids is cheaper

going for walks and going to the sea cost an ice cream and a warm coat!

JoolsToo · 13/01/2006 14:57

get out there weeding yerself CD! get the kids to join in - learn the real names for plants - it's what the cooontry is all about

Original poster
CountessDracula · 13/01/2006 14:57

pph the school she would prob go to is £2k per term when little and £4k when big so no savings there

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Original poster
CountessDracula · 13/01/2006 14:57

We live next to Richmond Park and the River so lots of free walks already

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Beetrootfultoyourself · 13/01/2006 14:58

nothing that i can think off.

cleaner 5 - 7 quid
gardenre 9 quid

Original poster
CountessDracula · 13/01/2006 14:58

I don't like earth
or worms

Gardening is worse than cleaning in my book apart from the planting which I enjoy

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Original poster
CountessDracula · 13/01/2006 14:59

I could go fishing and clay shooting more I guess

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PrincessPeaHead · 13/01/2006 14:59

CD I know you are very anti, but I think you would really enjoy living in the country, I really do!

Anyway I think you have been discussing it for SOOOOOOO LOOOOOOOOONG that it is about time you gave it a go. Rent out the London house, rent in the country for a bit, if you hate it after a year go back to London. Honestly it wouldn't be that difficult to do.

More tricky when dd is settled into a school (aged 6 or so)

Beetrootfultoyourself · 13/01/2006 14:59

not sureof schools. other things pph says ring tru butnot hugely differnt.

JoolsToo · 13/01/2006 14:59

if local rural schools have low numbers and tend to be better than town schools (I'm out of touch with this) you may find you don't need to privately educate them?

just a thought

Original poster
CountessDracula · 13/01/2006 15:00

yes pph that may be the answer

We wouldn't sell the house in london in any event we would continue to rent on a buy to let and buy down there after a year

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Original poster
CountessDracula · 13/01/2006 15:00

The primary schools there are nowhere near as good as the 3 we live in the middle of

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Beetrootfultoyourself · 13/01/2006 15:01

CD, i gave it two years. kept house in LOndon. but sold oafter two years and wouldn't move back...[said through gritted teeth] I love London when I cometo it but I do find that wee have more freedom down here.

PrincessPeaHead · 13/01/2006 15:01

do it before the summer.
pointless moving down there in eg Nov just as it is all turning cold and muddy

Original poster
CountessDracula · 13/01/2006 15:01

(a little aside, dd is in her bedroom lecturing her bear about how "weetabix comes from sheeps, they do you know, isn't that funny!")

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JoolsToo · 13/01/2006 15:01

where I live now, it's 6- 8 miles to the nearest small town but it's such a pleasure to drive along good, free flowing highways and the scenery is fantabulous

Original poster
CountessDracula · 13/01/2006 15:01

Beety I mean I would keep forever as an investment

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Beetrootfultoyourself · 13/01/2006 15:02

state primary schools are ood but do not have the 'edge' that the ones inLOnond do. also lots of mums dn't work so are boring (note..not all but lots)

Original poster
CountessDracula · 13/01/2006 15:03

You know what Jools, I once stayed at my PILs for 2 weeks housesitting and was virtually insane by the end of it mainly due to the fact that I had to drive 6 miles to the nearest bloody shop that sold a pint of milk, you won't persuade me on that count! AND we had to drive 25 MILES to find a decent cheese shop

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PrincessPeaHead · 13/01/2006 15:03

oh dear.
she needs a good dose of country air.
I'll never forget my urban 2 yo daughter down in somerset at MIL's house, sitting on the lawn beside MIL. She patted the grass between them and said to her "now this is VERY nice, isn't it?" like it was a particularly good bit of carpet.

MIL was horrified!

puff · 13/01/2006 15:03

PPH's idea of renting out your London house is a good one. We did this, came back to London in the end (didn't move that far out tbh) but it might be worth the leap to see if you like it.

What about your job?

Original poster
CountessDracula · 13/01/2006 15:05

That was always the plan (to rent for a year so we could experience the whole year down there)

PPH if we move it will probably be april

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PrincessPeaHead · 13/01/2006 15:05

oh CD don't be ridiculous, just because you didn't know where to buy cheese in a 25mile radius of winchester doesn't mean it isn't THERE!!!

And milk gets delivered by Sainsburys. Twice a week. And you make sure yuo always have 6 pts or so in your enormous chest freezer which you now have masses of room to have. You just set up these things so they work!