Guest symon Posted February 12, 2014 Report Share Posted February 12, 2014 Hi folks I have managed to find a job in perth as a mechanic and have received a contract from the employer, im still in the uk at the moment, I have received a offer of salary of 60k dollars per annum. So opinions on would this likely to be enough to support my wife a toddler and myself? we do not live lavish lifestyles but would this likely be enough to get by? My own calculations say not (as in not a prayer). Being realistic my wife would possibly not be able to work becouse we have a small child so i have not based my calculations on her financially contributing.We have been looking at 2 bed villas for rent but other living costs appear very high, i dont want to blow several years of savings and have to return to the uk in 6 months skint becouse we cannot afford to live. So opinions please Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
portlaunay Posted February 12, 2014 Report Share Posted February 12, 2014 Hi and welcome to PP. I would say it would be very, very tough on that single income but not impossible. That is below the average salary here so unless your in a more rural area, where rental costs are lower, you're going to struggle. Obviously if you do live further out and have lower rental rates you're going to be travelling more and your wife may feel lonely and isolated if she's not working. I'd be thinking long and hard before making the leap here for that salary and it is likely you'd need a lot of savings to establish yourselves. Others may have different opinions though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nicolac34 Posted February 13, 2014 Report Share Posted February 13, 2014 If your wife works and you can push your double income up to closer to $90-100k then I think it would be dooable. But no, I wouldn't like to be here as a couple on $60k a year never mind if we had another mouth to feed. If that includes super you're looking at $823 a week after taxes (if it doesn't then you'll have $923). Just our bills come to $60k a year for just the two of us and I wouldn't say we live a lavish lifestyle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bibbs Posted February 13, 2014 Report Share Posted February 13, 2014 Where is the job offer? If it's near the CBD you'll struggle to live anywhere near work on that. I'd struggle on $60k. The wife and I managed it for 6 weeks, with no rent or bills to pay, till I found a job. But, like Nic above, our annual outgoings (excluding food/entertainment & holidays) are now about $60k a year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Druid Posted February 13, 2014 Report Share Posted February 13, 2014 You all know my views on this subject, I did it on $70k a year for 6 months & that included renting a house, after 6 months I had had enough & blew £20k in savings getting established. You would end up renting in the less desirable suburbs to keep the rent down and commuting miles. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fifi69 Posted February 13, 2014 Report Share Posted February 13, 2014 I have to agree with the others, life would become a real struggle on that wage.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plimthing Posted February 13, 2014 Report Share Posted February 13, 2014 I would have to say that i would not make the huge move for that salary and thats not meant in a snobish way, just a realistic one. It is quite expensive to live here. Don't be fooled by the numbers of your salary, the exchange rate is not a true reflection of the cost of things. Your $60K might be £32K but after tax and insurance, rent, food, car, petrol, mobile, gas, electric, water, car rego, school fees (457 visa) your not gonna have much left to buy your nipper an ice cream at the beach. I'm not sure what visa your planning to be on but isn't there a minimum wage that your employer has to pay you if its a 457 visa? $80K springs to mind... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JMG79 Posted February 13, 2014 Report Share Posted February 13, 2014 Im Reading with Intrest as im in a similar situation, though I dont have a job yet, just got the Visa. I estimated our monthly outgoings after the first month and resetlment costs to be in the region of AUS$3400 per month, admitidly I looked at the cheaper, smaller rentals away from CBD (but we dont need to be in the city) and that included $500 per month on entertainment, but we want to spend as little as possible until we are estalished. I have also been unemployed in the UK for the last two months, as a family of four we have manager to survive of £24k pa. we have had to make some seriouse adjustments, but it is amazing what you actually spend money on that you dont need to!! It has also made me reconsider the amount of money I need to take to OZ! I think it would be possable but extreamly tight, There is a budget sheet I pulled off poms in oz its worth a look as you can change it to sort your situation/income, I think the thread was called cost of living have a read it may be useful IF anyone has a rough break down of their start up cost's they could post it would be really helpful, and what they spend per month (I have tralled through loads of other threads and there is a massive difference in people outgoings) It would be really intresting to see if $60K pa is a livable salery. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
travelchic Posted February 13, 2014 Report Share Posted February 13, 2014 I don't think I'll be getting much more than 60k in dollars. But were used to having no money. It doesn't really bother us. If you wanna make it work you will. Debs Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
taylors4 Posted February 13, 2014 Report Share Posted February 13, 2014 We have been here 9 months now, on a similar wage, we are 2 adults, kids 14 and 11. We run one car, are not at all lavish, and it's a struggle, big time, but teenagers are expensive, but they don't do half the stuff here they used to do in the UK. We are on a 489 so get no benefits of any kind. If you are on a PR You will be entitled to something, not sure what, check with centrelink, but it will help. We thought we would earn a lot more here. Jobs are hard to come by here at the moment, just be warned. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nikkiwd Posted February 13, 2014 Report Share Posted February 13, 2014 I can imagine it would be really tough for those on temp visas as you don't get any help from the government. That is one of the reasons we pushed through with a pr visa as our jobs are considered fairly low paid we rely on help for childcare etc here and we will there also. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gazza18 Posted February 13, 2014 Report Share Posted February 13, 2014 well said travelchic Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteveJ Posted February 13, 2014 Report Share Posted February 13, 2014 This is an interesting thread. We are a family of four and live in uk on household income of £22-23K fairly comfortably. At first I think it will be my wife who will be working as main applicant on around $65K plus enhancements as a nurse so maybe $75K. We will be on PR visa and looking to take advantage of the salary packaging she could get which we calculate could be equivalent to extra 7K. Hopefully this will only be short term till I find work poss in the FIFO. Is there anyone else who gets by on a similar salary. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zebradeb Posted February 13, 2014 Report Share Posted February 13, 2014 We are on a PR with 3 kids, salary $90k, based on a $500 dollar rent we should just about break even (according to the forum spreadsheet) that's not lavish just existence, that's without school fees, child care costs or anything. I think to be honest we will really struggle. So we will both have to get a job doing what ever we can until we can get established. Coming out with no savings and money to be paid back to the UK too... I really worry about it, but it will work or it wont, lots will ride on how quickly we can secure jobs. Fingers crossed we will get something sorted, or at least one of us with a secure job before we leave. But hey seriously... when would we ever do anything if we waited until we could 'afford' it... never have kids that's for sure... they cost a fortune!!! (bless them) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nikkiwd Posted February 13, 2014 Report Share Posted February 13, 2014 (edited) We are on a PR with 3 kids, salary $90k, based on a $500 dollar rent we should just about break even (according to the forum spreadsheet) that's not lavish just existence, that's without school fees, child care costs or anything. I think to be honest we will really struggle. So we will both have to get a job doing what ever we can until we can get established. Coming out with no savings and money to be paid back to the UK too... I really worry about it, but it will work or it wont, lots will ride on how quickly we can secure jobs. Fingers crossed we will get something sorted, or at least one of us with a secure job before we leave. But hey seriously... when would we ever do anything if we waited until we could 'afford' it... never have kids that's for sure... they cost a fortune!!! (bless them) We are going out with £10-12k to start us off for the first 2 months and when working out starting up costs the other day I began to worry that wasn't enough. Luckily we have a backup amount we are leaving here for buying in the future but would prefer not to touch it. Hubby will start temping a couple weeks after we arrive just to bring some money in while hunting for a permanent job. Good luck Zebradeb, i hope it works for you, you are braver than me! Edited February 13, 2014 by nikkiwd Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
odies Posted February 13, 2014 Report Share Posted February 13, 2014 ask a few questions do you need a pool.do you need to live in the best area,how do you live now,etc etc on paper things always work out or worry us to death in real life we learn to cut our cloth to how we want to live Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
taylors4 Posted February 13, 2014 Report Share Posted February 13, 2014 I can imagine it would be really tough for those on temp visas as you don't get any help from the government. That is one of the reasons we pushed through with a pr visa as our jobs are considered fairly low paid we rely on help for childcare etc here and we will there also. In an ideal world, we would all push for a PR visas the first place, we were in last chance saloon, which is why we decided to go for the 489, which incidentally costs exactly the same amount as a PR visa. Think that is what has annoyed me really, we've paid £1,300 for a skills test and the full price as a PR visa, not to mention IELTS, and are governed by some very tight restrictions. Be warned anyone going for a 489. The only saving grace is that unlike a 457, we don't have to pay for state schooling. However in our area the state schooling is very poor ( for secondary schooling) and for us we cannot afford private, so are heading home. The only way we have survived here is to pull money in from the UK each month from our house rentals. I hate writing anything negative and usually don't, perhaps it's getting to me now. We didn't realise how good we had it in the UK. So apologies for the negativity, but take heed from people who have been there and done it, but everyone has a different experience. Just make sure you have an escape route if it doesn't pan out how you had imagined. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nikkiwd Posted February 13, 2014 Report Share Posted February 13, 2014 Sorry to hear you have struggled out there and have decided to come back, I gathered there must have been a reason you went out on a 489 as it isn't usually a first choice. Its a shame as things may have been different for you if you were able to move to/work in different areas. I hope you manage to get everything back on track when you get here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
taylors4 Posted February 13, 2014 Report Share Posted February 13, 2014 Sorry to hear you have struggled out there and have decided to come back, I gathered there must have been a reason you went out on a 489 as it isn't usually a first choice. Its a shame as things may have been different for you if you were able to move to/work in different areas. I hope you manage to get everything back on track when you get here. Thanks Nikki, only 3 weeks to go, so we are trying to cram in as much as possible. Good luck to all who tread our path, and hope all goes well for those coming over this way. We'll be back, but for a holiday next time lol! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest gold vision financial Posted February 14, 2014 Report Share Posted February 14, 2014 You should include the cost of education in your workings as the state government has the intention of charging those who are on 457 visa a charge of $ 4,000 per year for the first child and $ 2,000 for each additional child from 2015. see link http://www.mediastatements.wa.gov.au/pages/StatementDetails.aspx?listName=StatementsBarnett&StatId=7748 Hope this helps you out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ryu2000 Posted February 14, 2014 Report Share Posted February 14, 2014 I would not recommend moving to Australia on 65K. Cost of living out here is ridiculous out here and this wage would not supply a comfortable lifestyle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chardy Posted February 14, 2014 Report Share Posted February 14, 2014 As a family of five we survived on $70k ok thanks to Centrelink payments but you only get those on PR. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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