niterider

Rush hour this morning, just off our local beach...

I was there around this time last year, to visit my sick dad and attend my sister's wedding. I won't be going back again for the foreseeable future, unless there's a family emergency. My wife and daughter are going to visit for 3 weeks this December though - it will be their first time back since we left at the end of 2013. We had my wife's folks here to visit last year though, and we'll probably fly my mom out to NZ for a visit some time next year.

I was awake but felt nothing. Disappointed Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Blaze, everyone's idea of what is an acceptable lifestyle is different so I'll give some thoughts on Wayne's budget using the experience of our first year here. Note our family is only 2 adults and one 5-year old child. Wayne's budget seems pretty realistic though. Rent - this is obviously the biggest chunk of your budget, so savings here are important. I don't know the North Shore terribly well, but the areas you're looking at are not the cheapest ones AFAIK (not that there's cheap anywhere in Auckland, but relatively speaking). Or staying in those same areas, consider living in a smaller house than you think you need. And on that point, get rid of all your bulky furniture before you come - with the exception of relatively new builds, most houses here are a lot smaller than in SA. Food - our family of 3 survived on $200/wk for the first year for total supermarket spend (food, groceries, cleaning stuff, etc). Even now we only spend $250 most weeks. Fuel for Mrs Blaze $ 280.00 - seems reasonable Cellphones - my wife and I are both on $20 vodafone prepaid packages. We rarely exceed the allotted 120 minutes. Cleaning consumable - included in food above Electricity $ 150.00 - seems about right. You often use more in a rental because the lights aren't always CFLs, insulation isn't necessarily the best, etc. Again a smaller house should lead to lower electricity bill. Water $ 35.00 Car insurance $ 85.00 - remember that cheaper car leads to cheaper insurance. But also don't buy any vehicle popular with thieves, eg Subaru Imprezas. My conclusion is the same as Wayne. It will be very tight, but yes it can work. In our first year here we operated off a similar income. We didn't go out for a meal for the first 14 months here. You'd have had to give me a very convincing reason to even spend $4 on a coffee. Basically we didn't spend money on anything unless it was absolutely necessary, and at the supermarket we literally added up the cost of items as we were shopping to make sure we didn't exceed the budget. To some that might not sound like too much fun, but once into a routine it was no big effort. There are loads of free things to do in Auckland so its not like we ever felt like we were missing out. I believe the median household income in Auckland is around $80k, so there are a lot of people getting by on less.

d1ckheads always reminds me of

Congrats, dude!! That's a big milestone!

No winter here. But for some reason my gutters are clogged up with cats and dogs. And don't go to Riverhead in winter unless you're a huge fan of deep clay mud. The WCRC tracks can be rideable if there's been 5 or so days without rain though. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Its so difficult to compare countries. Yes, the cost of living is way higher than SA. But its a small island in the middle of nowhere. Imported goods travel a long way to get here. A small population means fewer economies of scale, and fewer retailers, so less competition (and the law isn't particularly anti-monopoly either). On the other hand, the medical care is good enough that most people don't need to buy extra medical aid cover. Insurance is cheaper (much lower risk, although you're typically insuring for larger amounts because stuff costs more). Govt schooling is pretty decent, so the requirement to find the very best schools (eg. private) for your kids is less. Kids get free dental up to age 18. Interest rates are low (our homeloan is around 5%). Inflation is running at like 0.5%. Second hand cars are cheap and reliable (annual WOF tests raise the standard). The libraries are really good (free wifi, huge range of books, audio books, toys, and you can take out a book from one library and return it at another). But you can't put a price on the freedom and absence of fear that one has here (or in other comparable first-world countries). Of course there is crime (quite a lot of it in some areas) and bad things do happen, but its much lower than SA. Eg, deliveries will often get left at your front door, outside, in full view of the street. Many houses don't have fences around them. People have bbq's, bikes, etc, lying around in the front yard and they are still there the next day. Burglar bars or electric fences are all but unheard of. Small farms will leave fruit or veg on the side of the road, with an honesty box for you to put your money into. Women will go running or riding in the forest, alone, with no worries. Or walk around in the suburbs at night. I could go on. So we have less disposable income than we had in SA. But our quality of life improvement is immeasurable.

Here's a good summary of median incomes for various occupations - http://www.careers.govt.nz/jobs-database/whats-happening-in-the-job-market/who-earns-what/ I don't know how anyone can survive in Auckland on those lower salaries.

I don't watch him, thanks. Actually I don't watch any TV, its not good for my blood pressure. I do quite enjoy Jeremy Wells' "Like Mike" on Radio Hauraki though. Bradbury is a nutcase too. Has many valid points, but seems to want to pick a fight with everyone, including so-called allies. And then mixes in some completely ludicrous thoughts just in case one starts to like him.

Needless to say, my political views fall very much on the left

Its not his right-wingism that I have an issue with. Everyone is entitled to an opinion obviously. Its his racism and misogyny, and that he has a platform to present it as the voice of "middle New Zealand". And that no matter how much he gets out-argued during an interview, he always has the last word, where he often presents opinion as fact and with no chance for rebuttal from the interviewee.

I think I'd have to remove myself from the room if I saw him at the office, in case I accidentally started an argument with him.

Its Maori Language Week! This is the strongest Maori curse word. Very applicable to this gentleman, who is the most opinionated and up-his-own-backside broadcaster in NZ. Courtesy of the wonderful Kupu Hou twitter feed - https://twitter.com/KupuHou

Sorry, can't make it. Enjoy!!

Is that your plan to avoid Auckland traffic? Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Some photos of my neighbourhood, courtesy of one of the local photographers.

How's the temperature down in Chch this morning?

Boys and girls, we need to plan a Rotorua trip. How's July looking for y'all? Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Whitakers chocolate. Much better than cadburys. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Just realised I don't know any single people in NZ. Except for children, and you might get arrested for taking one of them Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

There are a few attachments that you can buy - https://www.webernz.co.nz/barbecues/weber-q/weber-q/weber-q-2200/ I don't do anything so fancy.

Weber Q200 is what I have. Hardly uses any gas, and quick to clean. Also relatively compact.

Party at Hayley's new place!!

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