New Zealand - The Good, The Bad and The Ugly.

[Ramrod]

Unfortunately for the lower income families is a win to have a child. They get their full salary till $560pw plus $60 per child per week. So no loss for them.

 

Not getting a cent from government must be because your wife didn't work according to the rules to qualify for compensation. (I.e. had no job or didn't work at least 20hours a week for 6 or 12 months before having the children).

 

I don't know another woman that work that got any more than the government payments. Quite a few companies that's not supporting it. Unfortunately quite the opposite to what you are saying actually, because NZ when compared to other 1st works countries has done of the worst maternity rules and hence they have started to change it last year slowly but surely

It's interesting you say that. I have been looking at the USA as a Plan C should things not go well.  Most companies don't pay maternity leave. In fact, most people only get 7-10 days of annual leave. Anything over that is unpaid.  Also, their labour practice is such that should you go on maternity leave your job is not guaranteed when you decide to return. Also, leave not taken is not paid out. 

[patham]

It's interesting you say that. I have been looking at the USA as a Plan C should things not go well.  Most companies don't pay maternity leave. In fact, most people only get 7-10 days of annual leave. Anything over that is unpaid.  Also, their labour practice is such that should you go on maternity leave your job is not guaranteed when you decide to return. Also, leave not taken is not paid out. 

 

Yep, the US labour law has very little "workers rights". I also understand that if you are in an executive, managerial or financial type role, people get scared to take all their annual leave allocation as it might make them look like a slacker compared to their co-workers, and hence be the first person to be let go. Which can be done fairly arbitrarily.

[Ramrod]

Yep, the US labour law has very little "workers rights". I also understand that if you are in an executive, managerial or financial type role, people get scared to take all their annual leave allocation as it might make them look like a slacker compared to their co-workers, and hence be the first person to be let go. Which can be done fairly arbitrarily.

I have read similar from the forums i am on. Not sure how true. That being said it does differ from company to company but pretty scary all the same.

[intern]

Unfortunately for the lower income families is a win to have a child. They get their full salary till $560pw plus $60 per child per week. So no loss for them.

 

Not getting a cent from government must be because your wife didn't work according to the rules to qualify for compensation. (I.e. had no job or didn't work at least 20hours a week for 6 or 12 months before having the children).

 

I don't know another woman that work that got any more than the government payments. Quite a few companies that's not supporting it. Unfortunately quite the opposite to what you are saying actually, because NZ when compared to other 1st works countries has done of the worst maternity rules and hence they have started to change it last year slowly but surely

The Mrs worked full time for 2 years then was self employed full time at the point at which our first son was born. We don't believe in government handouts, so she worked right up to and then directly after the birth of both our boys (she had her laptop in the hospital/birthing centre), until the second was around 1, then she was full time mummy for about 3 years...now back to work thank heavens 

[hayleyearth]

The Mrs worked full time for 2 years then was self employed full time at the point at which our first son was born. We don't believe in government handouts, so she worked right up to and then directly after the birth of both our boys (she had her laptop in the hospital/birthing centre), until the second was around 1, then she was full time mummy for about 3 years...now back to work thank heavens 

 

Speak about not wanting 'hand outs', I didn't even spend any time at the hospital or birthing center, I went home a few hours after giving birth, didn't have time to even charge a phone, nevermind a laptop.

[hayleyearth]

It's interesting you say that. I have been looking at the USA as a Plan C should things not go well.  Most companies don't pay maternity leave. In fact, most people only get 7-10 days of annual leave. Anything over that is unpaid.  Also, their labour practice is such that should you go on maternity leave your job is not guaranteed when you decide to return. Also, leave not taken is not paid out.

 

Maybe look at better 1st world countries, not worse ones.

[Ramrod]

Maybe look at better 1st world countries, not worse ones.

i am looking at various options. Just thought it was interesting.

[davetapson]

I do enjoy this thread. However, no place is perfect. I see only “The Good” being posted. As far as SA is concerned “The Bad” (general statement).

 

So come on guys, where’s the Bad and the Ugly in New Zealand. Can’t be all roses.....

Could be a few degrees warmer. Just a bit too close to the south pole...

[intern]

Speak about not wanting 'hand outs', I didn't even spend any time at the hospital or birthing center, I went home a few hours after giving birth, didn't have time to even charge a phone, nevermind a laptop.

Good job! Can't do that with a C-section, though - you just have to charge your phone and laptop before they let you buggar off home    haha

[davetapson]

Couple more negatives:

 

In SA we employed a maid, a nanny and an au pair - we've got 9 yo twins. Holidays, kids being sick, whatever, no problem.

Here, kids need to go to some kind of holiday club during the holidays, and if one is sick, we either need to take leave or work from home. Holiday club is expensive, esp for 2x everything.

 

We put them in to afterschool for two days a week, not too expensive, but a cost one might choose to spend on something else.

 

School is cheap. Uniforms are sensible.

 

Booze is a shocker. R400 for a bottle of Gordon's gin, a beer out is going to cost R100+ for sure. Quaffable wine about R140 a bottle, you can get cheaper. Really good wine probably R400.

 

Kid friendly restaurants are not a thing here. There is a Spur in Auckland. It is seriously k4k. And expensive.

 

They use fancy high heat steak cookers here. They're very proud of them. They make the steak taste of burned fat to me.

 

Motorcycles are made from dehydrated single malt going by the price of even a pile of junk.

 

Driving any distance is a pain in the butt unless you are seriously zen.

 

But it's lovely. Wouldn't change it for the world.

 

No mini bus taxis. No violence unless you go find it. Left my phone in a public restroom on the beach, used 'find me' to locate it, went to the house it was at and they said yep, we've got it, didn't want to leave it there in case it got stolen, just reported it found to the local police station.

 

More often than not don't lock the door, and although probably not wise, have woken to find the tv still there.

 

Air is clean, son's asthma has gone.

 

North shore Dr is $50, but script is std $5.

 

Probably worst thing is property price. Sold 4 bed/3000 sqm in Benoni for R2.5M, that would make a deposit here, just, had the house been paid off.

 

Some other weirdnesses:

Can't get proper Advil CS, or Transact patches.

 

Fuel expensive. Cars cheap.

[intern]

i am looking at various options. Just thought it was interesting.

The states is a pretty awesome place. Been there many times, SF, LA, DC, Nawlins pre-Katrina, Orlando, Las Vegas (of course!) and of course Phoenix AZ (or more precisely, Scottsdale, one of my brothers lives there), and quite a few other places. In fact, I think I have probably been to the USA more than any other country, including Aussie.

Now don't get me wrong, the USA isn't for everyone - not sure I could get used to it - but it is an absolute banger to visit. A lot of very cool people, from the homeless ones I spent a night with in Las Vegas, to the richin faymiss, to the regular Joes and Jills you'll meet in a bar (had a very memorable evening with a group of young people who 'adopted' my old a$$ in a bar in Orlando - such warmth and enthusiasm for a stranger), or the weird dude with whom I smoked a J on the AMtrak from New Orleans to Washington DC - I got paranoid and every time the train slowed, I thought I was gonna get hustled off by the cops hahah). TBH I don't like richin faymis much, those sorts of people are invariably a-holes.

Like any other country, the USA isn't better or worse than another place, it is different. That different might not be for you. Or it might.

In favour - cheap houses, cheap food and drink, NO LABOUR LAWS which I love, that's why houses, drink and food is so cheap. And if you are a hotshot in your job, employers are gonna love you. And if you're a real hotshot, hey go ahead and become the employer, not some drone taking a salary. This is the land of opportunity, my man.

Against? They drive on the right. Stuff that man! 

[intern]

Couple more negatives:

 

In SA we employed a maid, a nanny and an au pair - we've got 9 yo twins. Holidays, kids being sick, whatever, no problem.

Here, kids need to go to some kind of holiday club during the holidays, and if one is sick, we either need to take leave or work from home. Holiday club is expensive, esp for 2x everything.

 

We put them in to afterschool for two days a week, not too expensive, but a cost one might choose to spend on something else.

 

School is cheap. Uniforms are sensible.

 

Booze is a shocker. R400 for a bottle of Gordon's gin, a beer out is going to cost R100+ for sure. Quaffable wine about R140 a bottle, you can get cheaper. Really good wine probably R400.

 

Kid friendly restaurants are not a thing here. There is a Spur in Auckland. It is seriously k4k. And expensive.

 

They use fancy high heat steak cookers here. They're very proud of them. They make the steak taste of burned fat to me.

 

Motorcycles are made from dehydrated single malt going by the price of even a pile of junk.

 

Driving any distance is a pain in the butt unless you are seriously zen.

 

But it's lovely. Wouldn't change it for the world.

 

No mini bus taxis. No violence unless you go find it. Left my phone in a public restroom on the beach, used 'find me' to locate it, went to the house it was at and they said yep, we've got it, didn't want to leave it there in case it got stolen, just reported it found to the local police station.

 

More often than not don't lock the door, and although probably not wise, have woken to find the tv still there.

 

Air is clean, son's asthma has gone.

 

North shore Dr is $50, but script is std $5.

 

Probably worst thing is property price. Sold 4 bed/3000 sqm in Benoni for R2.5M, that would make a deposit here, just, had the house been paid off.

 

Some other weirdnesses:

Can't get proper Advil CS, or Transact patches.

 

Fuel expensive. Cars cheap.

Heheh, those are definite minuses Dave; raising 2 kids from birth with zero outside support is definitely special, too - but special in the way that you will probably appreciate it when you are old, and you will never forget it just like you have a massive laugh at the worst holiday you ever took.

Here's some wine pro tips, esp if you are like me and a Shiraz/Merlot/Cab Sav oke like me. Get Koonunga Hill from Countdown on special at $14 a bottle, it is mother's milk. Then there's Picture Perfect Meatballs Shiraz for $10 a pop. Does the job.

Consider Cat Among the Pigeons, too, bit more dear, but nice esp on special.

And the Wolf Blass ones aren't bad, even the budget one...think it is a yellow, or red, but whatever, it ain't bad.

I can't stand pinotage or pinot noir and most NZ reds are of the pinot noir variety. So I generally favour Aussie or Safa wines...

Avoid Obikwa is is trash.

[davetapson]

It's interesting you say that. I have been looking at the USA as a Plan C should things not go well. Most companies don't pay maternity leave. In fact, most people only get 7-10 days of annual leave. Anything over that is unpaid. Also, their labour practice is such that should you go on maternity leave your job is not guaranteed when you decide to return. Also, leave not taken is not paid out.

US was in my sights. Last time I was there a buddy said yep, it's cool, but you really have to be set up for retirement, esp regards medical, as medical issues are the number one cause of family bankruptcies.

 

We're a bit too close to that age and stage.

[davetapson]

 

 

Here's some wine pro tips, esp if you are like me and a Shiraz/Merlot/Cab Sav oke like me. Get Koonunga Hill from Countdown on special at $14 a bottle, it is mother's milk. Then there's Picture Perfect Meatballs Shiraz for $10 a pop. Does the job.

Consider Cat Among the Pigeons, too, bit more dear, but nice esp on special.

And the Wolf Blass ones aren't bad, even the budget one...think it is a yellow, or red, but whatever, it ain't bad.

I can't stand pinotage or pinot noir and most NZ reds are of the pinot noir variety. So I generally favour Aussie or Safa wines...

Avoid Obikwa is is trash.

That's exactly the sort of thing one needs to know, thanks man. Have just been down in Napier drinking Pinot Noir and thinking it wasn't all it could be!

 

Yep, the raising the kids thing is different, but we are much more involved than we would be in SA, and that is a good thing.

[intern]

US was in my sights. Last time I was there a buddy said yep, it's cool, but you really have to be set up for retirement, esp regards medical, as medical issues are the number one cause of family bankruptcies.

 

We're a bit too close to that age and stage.

I read something on Reddit, I think, that people get divorced on paper because it makes medical care cheaper somehow. Yep, you gotta look out for yourself there...let's all remember what the Gipper said, though, the most terrifying words in the English language are 'I'm from the government...and I'm here to help'. Self reliance is important... and also probably something Safas probably have a tendency to do anyway. Imagine relying on Uncle Jacob or Uncle Cyril...jussus, makes Uncle Sam look like a freakin legend.

[intern]

That's exactly the sort of thing one needs to know, thanks man. Have just been down in Napier drinking Pinot Noir and thinking it wasn't all it could be!

 

Yep, the raising the kids thing is different, but we are much more involved than we would be in SA, and that is a good thing.

Ugh pinot noir, no body, horrible taste. My ideal red is inky, dark, with strong wood and smoky flavours, it must stain my mouth and teeth and almost look like port.

Koon, as we refer to it, is a Penfolds wine (cheapest of all the Penfolds) and it is really good, esp at the price. Haven't bothered going more expensive on the Penfolds range (which ramps up steeply from the Koon, next up is a Bin 413 I think, at around $43) because I am cheap and it is not...