# moving to NZ what to bring



## mia5

Hi can any one give me advice on what to bring over to NZ with us when we emigrate . We have a container sorted but also can't decide if to store our things in England for a few months until we are sorted . What extras would you put in your suit case ?


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## topcat83

mia5 said:


> Hi can any one give me advice on what to bring over to NZ with us when we emigrate . We have a container sorted but also can't decide if to store our things in England for a few months until we are sorted . What extras would you put in your suit case ?


A bit of advice that was given to us and really works!

Go to B&Q and get some of those short multiplug extension leads - the ones where you put one plug in the socket and it gives you five to plug appliances into.

When you get here, change the plug to a NZ one and you can continue to use your UK appliances.


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## escapedtonz

mia5 said:


> Hi can any one give me advice on what to bring over to NZ with us when we emigrate . We have a container sorted but also can't decide if to store our things in England for a few months until we are sorted . What extras would you put in your suit case ?


Make sure you fill it with everything you could possibly want (apart from perishables and aerosols). 
New clothes, shoes etc
Bedding, cutlery and furnishings
Electronics, kitchenware etc
Furniture
Gardening stuff especially power stuff like a lawnmower
Tools and power tools.
Sports equipment and clothing.
Etc etc.

All these items are expensive in NZ so if you have the option to buy anything at a bargain price to put in the container it means in the long run you will be saving as you won't need to pay an arm and a leg for the same thing here.

Although, don't keep anything in its original packaging so it looks new. 
Everything that you ship must have been owned by you for 12 months to avoid GST of 15%.
If your shipment gets inspected by customs there is a chance that items that look new may be considered a new import and if you can't prove you've owned them for 12 months, customs could charge you 15% of their value in tax.

Cheers


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## mia5

topcat83 said:


> A bit of advice that was given to us and really works!
> 
> Go to B&Q and get some of those short multiplug extension leads - the ones where you put one plug in the socket and it gives you five to plug appliances into.
> 
> When you get here, change the plug to a NZ one and you can continue to use your UK appliances.


Thanks topcat we have loads of those so I will Defo put those in the container


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## mia5

escapedtonz said:


> Make sure you fill it with everything you could possibly want (apart from perishables and aerosols).
> New clothes, shoes etc
> Bedding, cutlery and furnishings
> Electronics, kitchenware etc
> Furniture
> Gardening stuff especially power stuff like a lawnmower
> Tools and power tools.
> Sports equipment and clothing.
> Etc etc.
> 
> All these items are expensive in NZ so if you have the option to buy anything at a bargain price to put in the container it means in the long run you will be saving as you won't need to pay an arm and a leg for the same thing here.
> 
> Although, don't keep anything in its original packaging so it looks new.
> Everything that you ship must have been owned by you for 12 months to avoid GST of 15%.
> If your shipment gets inspected by customs there is a chance that items that look new may be considered a new import and if you can't prove you've owned them for 12 months, customs could charge you 15% of their value in tax.
> 
> Cheers


Thanks , I did think about buy loads to bring with us . Is there anything you wishes you hadn't brought with you ?


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## topcat83

Defo bring a front loading washing machine. They are much more expensive over here! (most people have top loaders)

Oh - and rawlplugs.

And if you want a leather sofa that's an unusual colour - put that in too. We had a light grey one that wore out last year, and there was nowhere near the choice of colours to replace it. Ended up with dark grey. I can understand why - there is a much smaller customer base and it has to be shipped in - but it was very frustrating!


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## mia5

topcat83 said:


> Defo bring a front loading washing machine. They are much more expensive over here! (most people have top loaders)
> 
> Oh - and rawlplugs.
> 
> And if you want a leather sofa that's an unusual colour - put that in too. We had a light grey one that wore out last year, and there was nowhere near the choice of colours to replace it. Ended up with dark grey. I can understand why - there is a much smaller customer base and it has to be shipped in - but it was very frustrating!


Thanks , I need a new washing machine so I was wearing out the old one , so maybe I will have to buy one . Why rawplugs ??


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## Liam(at)Large

Don't bring your washing machine. UK washing machines are inefficient compared to either the top loaders or front loaders available here and are different sizes, so, if you buy/rent a place with a standard space for washer/dryer it won't fit... I just helped my BiL who does appliance repair dispose if a UK import set that didn't fit in the home the pair bought in Torbay. Also, warranties are tough to impossible to claim on and repairs can be stupid expensive. Just invest in a good Fisher & Paykel set when you get here.


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## topcat83

Liam(at)Large said:


> Don't bring your washing machine. UK washing machines are inefficient compared to either the top loaders or front loaders available here and are different sizes, so, if you buy/rent a place with a standard space for washer/dryer it won't fit... I just helped my BiL who does appliance repair dispose if a UK import set that didn't fit in the home the pair bought in Torbay. Also, warranties are tough to impossible to claim on and repairs can be stupid expensive. Just invest in a good Fisher & Paykel set when you get here.


Sorry - disagree with the efficiency point - we've found our UK bought AEG Electrolux just as effective than the top loaders we've used occasionally. Plus they are much more efficient on water usage. 

However, I've been doing some price comparisons Currys & Noel Leeming for Samsungs and it looks like the price differential has come down. (see SAMSUNG Washing machines - Cheap SAMSUNG Washing machines Deals | Currys and Samsung - Front Load Washing Machines - Noel Leeming - New Zealand?s leading appliance, computer, gaming and whiteware store)

You will not get the choice of models though - at Noel Leeming there are a total of 8 front-loaders (4 of which are Samsung), where in Currys there are 109.


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## mia5

topcat83 said:


> Sorry - disagree with the efficiency point - we've found our UK bought AEG Electrolux just as effective than the top loaders we've used occasionally. Plus they are much more efficient on water usage.
> 
> However, I've been doing some price comparisons Currys & Noel Leeming for Samsungs and it looks like the price differential has come down. (see SAMSUNG Washing machines - Cheap SAMSUNG Washing machines Deals | Currys and Samsung - Front Load Washing Machines - Noel Leeming - New Zealand?s leading appliance, computer, gaming and whiteware store)
> 
> You will not get the choice of models though - at Noel Leeming there are a total of 8 front-loaders (4 of which are Samsung), where in Currys there are 109.


Thanks i'll look into it , my friend is the manager of one of the currys stores i'll ask her and maybe get a deal . The Only thing is the warranty cover :/ it won't cover the other side of the world .


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## Liam(at)Large

topcat83 said:


> Sorry - disagree with the efficiency point - we've found our UK bought AEG Electrolux just as effective than the top loaders we've used occasionally. Plus they are much more efficient on water usage.


Sorry, I'll take the information provided by a certified professional with over 20 years experience over your casual observations.


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## topcat83

Liam(at)Large said:


> Sorry, I'll take the information provided by a certified professional with over 20 years experience over your casual observations.


This report will be a good one to read - hopefully it's independent and unbiased, and written by experts. 

Washing machines | EECA Energywise

Here's an overview:

*Top versus front loaders*

Top loaders are the traditional type of machine used in New Zealand, but the European style front loader washing machine is becoming more common here, and there might be some good reasons for you to consider switching over.
Top loaders:


Generally faster washing times (typically 30-45 minutes)
Generally uses more water, which means they use more energy on a warm wash
Tend to wear clothes faster, especially impeller/agitator types
Usually cheaper to purchase
Generally have a range of cold washing options
Generally have cold and hot water connection (this is cheaper to run for a warm wash if you have cheap, efficient water heating).

Front loaders:


Generally slower washing times (typically 60-90 minutes)
Generally use less water, which means they use less energy on a warm wash
Much more gentle on clothes and usually wash better, although all washers have to meet minimum wash performance standards
Can be more expensive to purchase
Many only have a cold water connection with internal water heating, and/or do not have a cold wash option.


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## escapedtonz

Ha Ha!!!
Are we being serious - arguing for and against the efficiency of a........washing machine ?

Maybe remiss of me or at a loss of political correctiveness, but does anyone actually care (with any real passion) how efficient an appliance is ?
Personally I've never had the responsibility to decide which appliance to buy, whether it be a washing machine, a fridge freezer, a vacuum cleaner etc.
That is the wife's domain, and efficiency definitely doesnt appear in her vocabulary. She just wants the one that she wants for the benefits it provides, not for it's efficiency.
The last washing machine we bought was in 2007 for the house we still have in the UK. The only reason she wanted it was because it was the quietest on the market when in full spin cycle! We also had to buy the maching dryer.
Its a Hotpoint Aquarius digital front loading thingy that cost a fortune. Extra cost also as it's a metallic grey/silver. 6 years old now and (touch wood) has never given us a day of trouble and is happily churning away a couple of times a week in New Zealand.


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## mia5

escapedtonz said:


> Ha Ha!!!
> Are we being serious - arguing for and against the efficiency of a........washing machine ?
> 
> Maybe remiss of me or at a loss of political correctiveness, but does anyone actually care (with any real passion) how efficient an appliance is ?
> Personally I've never had the responsibility to decide which appliance to buy, whether it be a washing machine, a fridge freezer, a vacuum cleaner etc.
> That is the wife's domain, and efficiency definitely doesnt appear in her vocabulary. She just wants the one that she wants for the benefits it provides, not for it's efficiency.
> The last washing machine we bought was in 2007 for the house we still have in the UK. The only reason she wanted it was because it was the quietest on the market when in full spin cycle! We also had to buy the maching dryer.
> Its a Hotpoint Aquarius digital front loading thingy that cost a fortune. Extra cost also as it's a metallic grey/silver. 6 years old now and (touch wood) has never given us a day of trouble and is happily churning away a couple of times a week in New Zealand.


We always do research on anything we buy , but I always say you get what you pay for , and I think you bought the top of the range washing machine  . I'll get my husband to do the research as I find it boring lol .


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## escapedtonz

mia5 said:


> We always do research on anything we buy , but I always say you get what you pay for , and I think you bought the top of the range washing machine  . I'll get my husband to do the research as I find it boring lol .


Yes at the time it was the most expensive and best washing machine Hotpoint had for the load size and colour. That's about as much research as the wife did.
I'm sure its fairly efficient but no idea really how it compares. It didn't matter anyway as that was the one she wanted. Actually got it from Boots - Health and Beauty, Pharmacy and Prescriptions, UK Chemist - Boots via online order as they were way cheaper than the usual suspects for appliances.

Same when we arrived here for the rental house she wanted a French Door style double door fridge freezer.
There was the option of a few different styles and prices, but never once did we say we're not having that one as it isn't as efficient as the other!
In the end none of them would actually fit in the space so it didn't matter which one we liked. We had to consider other styles and in the end there was only one that we could have in the stainless steel we wanted so we bought that one.
It wasn't even the french door style.
They were too wide and wouldn't have given the required minimum 50mm either side for adequate ventilation.
We ended up with an LG American Style Double Door Fridge Freezer.

Maybe we consider efficiency in an ideal world, but I've never been in an ideal situation yet. There's always something that gets in the way and compromise is a must.


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## topcat83

escapedtonz said:


> Ha Ha!!!
> Are we being serious - arguing for and against the efficiency of a........washing machine ?
> 
> Maybe remiss of me or at a loss of political correctiveness, but does anyone actually care (with any real passion) how efficient an appliance is ?


Actually - yes I do! A number of reasons, including:

1. how much it will cost us to run once we retire and have a limited budget
2. how much water it will use from our water tanks (which are filled with rainwater)
3. how the small amount in the reduction of energy used by every washing machine (and any other appliance) if the purchaser takes into account the appliances efficiency will also reduce the amount of resources taken to produce that energy.



> Personally I've never had the responsibility to decide which appliance to buy, whether it be a washing machine, a fridge freezer, a vacuum cleaner etc.
> That is the wife's domain, and efficiency definitely doesn't appear in her vocabulary. She just wants the one that she wants for the benefits it provides, not for it's efficiency.
> The last washing machine we bought was in 2007 for the house we still have in the UK. The only reason she wanted it was because it was the quietest on the market when in full spin cycle! We also had to buy the maching dryer.
> Its a Hotpoint Aquarius digital front loading thingy that cost a fortune. Extra cost also as it's a metallic grey/silver. 6 years old now and (touch wood) has never given us a day of trouble and is happily churning away a couple of times a week in New Zealand.


We also have solar water heating & solar power, and have made sure that our property is fully insulated so that we need very little power to keep it warm in winter and cool in summer. Our electricity bills are around $1000 a year (a big portion of which is 'line charges') - and we run a heat pump for heating & air conditioning, and a swimming pool pump! 

It sounds like I need to work on your wife to promote the benefits of fuel efficiency!


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## escapedtonz

topcat83 said:


> It sounds like I need to work on your wife to promote the benefits of fuel efficiency!


Good luck with that.......


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## chc4me

mia5 said:


> The Only thing is the warranty cover :/ it won't cover the other side of the world .


I heard that some machines come with an International or Worldwide warranty. It's already been pointed out that NZ is a smaller marketplace and therefore not all brands in the UK are easily serviceable in NZ - best to stick to a well known international brand such as Bosch, Meile, Electrolux. Ask your friend at Currys about international warranties, but before buying make sure it is in writing.


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## Liam(at)Large

chc4me said:


> I heard that some machines come with an International or Worldwide warranty. It's already been pointed out that NZ is a smaller marketplace and therefore not all brands in the UK are easily serviceable in NZ - best to stick to a well known international brand such as Bosch, Meile, Electrolux. Ask your friend at Currys about international warranties, but before buying make sure it is in writing.


International or worldwide warranties are generally useless unless the exact same product is sold in the out of country market. Take my Dad, he bought a very expensive zoom lens for his camera in Hong Kong at less than half the price of what the "same" lens is sold for in Canada/USA. After about 3 months the lens developed a significant issue and he took it into a local service provider for warranty repair. Turns out there is a one character difference in product code between the HK and NA versions of the lens, hence his lens is not covered for warranty service in Canada. In order to get service he has to ship the $5000 lens back to HK.


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## shammy

We have a huge job sorting what to take - hubby is a collector of pretty much everything and will have a hard time letting anything go. For instance, his DVD collection - last night he decided to have a sort out and put aside some he wouldn't want to take. Out of the hundreds of DVDs, most of which have only ever been watched once, he put aside maybe 20! And there I was thinking it would be a good opportunity to cut down on the clutter :-S

Seriously, we have been wondering what / how much to take. The majority of our furniture has been given to us or bought very cheaply and isn't really what we want, and is pretty old and needs replacing. We were thinkig of getting rid and buying most things over there. Is it really too expensive for that to be viable? Should we take a trip to Ikea before we move instead?


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## Liam(at)Large

shammy said:


> We have a huge job sorting what to take - hubby is a collector of pretty much everything and will have a hard time letting anything go. For instance, his DVD collection - last night he decided to have a sort out and put aside some he wouldn't want to take. Out of the hundreds of DVDs, most of which have only ever been watched once, he put aside maybe 20! And there I was thinking it would be a good opportunity to cut down on the clutter :-S


Rip all the CDs and DVDs to a large multiple drive RAID1 external computer storage. You can build your own or buy an out of the box solution, eg WD My Book Studio II. Ditch all your cases and store the physical CD/DVDs in those sleeve books. It dramatically reduces your storage space, allows you to keep all of your original media as well as an immediately accessible digital copy. We have 1000+ CDs, back in 2007 I made the move to totally digital (it took nearly a year!), but we've gone from 2 IKEA Billy shelving units of media to 4 or 5 "books" that fit in a medium box.


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## escapedtonz

shammy said:


> We have a huge job sorting what to take - hubby is a collector of pretty much everything and will have a hard time letting anything go. For instance, his DVD collection - last night he decided to have a sort out and put aside some he wouldn't want to take. Out of the hundreds of DVDs, most of which have only ever been watched once, he put aside maybe 20! And there I was thinking it would be a good opportunity to cut down on the clutter :-S
> 
> Seriously, we have been wondering what / how much to take. The majority of our furniture has been given to us or bought very cheaply and isn't really what we want, and is pretty old and needs replacing. We were thinkig of getting rid and buying most things over there. Is it really too expensive for that to be viable? Should we take a trip to Ikea before we move instead?


I'd recommend you bring everything, then sort it out this end. 
Maybe have a car boot sale after a few months so you are sure of the things you don't want to keep.
We got rid of many things before the shipping company arrived. Sold a few items but generally gave lots of things away to family, friends, neighbors, and the local second hand shops.
With hindsight we wish we had kept it all and brought it all with us.
We were attempting to get everything into a 20ft container to save on the shipping costs but even though we offloaded a mountain of stuff we still had to use a 40ft container so a lot of wasted effort.

Yes it really is expensive to buy new here but is all relative to how much you have to spend.
A new 3 piece suite (in my opinion) isn't that expensive in comparison but you also lose out on quality. Other furniture items like dining tables, dining chairs, sideboards etc are high price.
Anything like bedding, sheets, curtains, beds, pillows, mattresses are all high price.
To make anything affordable you have to shop in the sales which are often.
If you want new then I'd advise a trip to ikea beforehand.

Sent from my iPad using ExpatForum


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## tamarisk

I'd agree with escapedto nz - bring everything! If you have kids, buy lots of shoes and clothes for them, and all the on-sizes - good quality stuff seems very expensive here and cheaper stuff falls to pieces really fast. the choice and price of almost everything seems worse to me than in the UK. good quality on anything costs a lot. also, no ikea here - a whole country without an IKEA! although we have saved a load of money by not buying anything because there is really nothing much to buy - a good place to cure consumerism. agree with the plug boards comment. I wish i'd filled up the empty spaces in our container with cheap stylish stuff - could have sold it and made $$!


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## tamarisk

mia5 said:


> Hi can any one give me advice on what to bring over to NZ with us when we emigrate . We have a container sorted but also can't decide if to store our things in England for a few months until we are sorted . What extras would you put in your suit case ?


also - it depends when you are coming, but we found the rental houses very cold, so if arriving in winter, would recommend putting plenty of thermals, slippers, woolly jumpers etc in your suitcases!


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## mia5

tamarisk said:


> also - it depends when you are coming, but we found the rental houses very cold, so if arriving in winter, would recommend putting plenty of thermals, slippers, woolly jumpers etc in your suitcases!


Thanks , yes it would be winter . Did you arrive last year ? What do you think of the big move , is it what you expected ?


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## topcat83

tamarisk said:


> also - it depends when you are coming, but we found the rental houses very cold, so if arriving in winter, would recommend putting plenty of thermals, slippers, woolly jumpers etc in your suitcases!


...and invest in electric blankets when you get here. Sheer luxury!


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## mia5

topcat83 said:


> ...and invest in electric blankets when you get here. Sheer luxury!


 I don't like being cold . It's ment to be summer here in the UK and we are back in coats .


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## tamarisk

mia5 said:


> I don't like being cold . It's ment to be summer here in the UK and we are back in coats .


the weather is better here, outside the house anyway. inside, unless you have a modern house or build your own, prepare to be cold - think of Uk houses back in the 70s.....


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## topcat83

mia5 said:


> I don't like being cold . It's ment to be summer here in the UK and we are back in coats .


Don't worry - in the majority of places it's definitely better than in the UK.
Let's put it this way - it's mid-Winter (nearly the shortest day), 4:00 am and the temperature outside is over 12 degrees. It is also raining heavily, but the rain forecast is predicting it will stop by about 8 am. Yesterday (which was not the sunniest by any means) it got up to 15 degrees, and a mid-winter temperature of 20 degrees is not unheard of. We very rarely get anything resembling frost. Busy lizzies grow wild in the garden over winter, and many UK 'spring' flowers are winter growers here. 

In Auckland it's generally warmer than London, but wetter and sunnier. Head south and it will be even sunnier with less rain, but getting cooler due to the latitude. Head for the centre (especially in South Island around Alexandra) and it will be a continental weather pattern - very hot in the summer and very cold in the winter.

Don't expect it to be sunny all the time though - there's a reason why NZ is green and a reason why it's called 'The Land of the Long White Cloud'. 

Look at New Zealand's official weather forecasts & warnings - Meteorological Service of New Zealand (MetService)


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## MrsRose

We are definitely stocking up on items we use often before we move to NZ. Its a bummer we cant bring many electronics with us since US electronics are incompatible. So we'll have to set aside some funds for buying things like a washer and dryer, blender, juicer, etc...


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## jsharbuck

Check your US electronics, we are able to use ours. Your tv if newer could have ability to just change the power plug for use here. We have a Sharp aquas and it's something about the voltage. (I'll ask my husband) that allows us to use it here. Also we use a transformer, voltage step down box, to use our stereo and DVD player. US DVDs will not play on NZ units. We paid less than 300$ to make our electronics compatible


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## tamarisk

mia5 said:


> Thanks , yes it would be winter . Did you arrive last year ? What do you think of the big move , is it what you expected ?


The move went well - once we had the visas, it was all very straightforward, getting the kids into school, renting a house, buying a car off the side of the road, applying for an IRD number. It all would have been even easier if we'd had laptops / tablets with internet, until we got a place and got a phoneline etc. It was more expensive than we'd anticipated - there were more costs with the shipping crate and other random stuff (accommodation while we got a rental sorted, renting a car until we bought one, new mobiles, ...), and it took a while for my husband to start getting paid too, so that side wasn't easy. However, the work-life balance is good here - we get well-paid for working less than would be expected in similar jobs in the UK, and life is definitely more chilled out.

Was it all we expected? No. It's too cold, too far away and too empty! I know that might be exactly its charms for a lot of people. We've lived and worked in other non-uk countries and found it easier to settle / make friends / really enjoy the lifestyle, but not so much here. I like the feeling of being permanently half on holiday that you get with many countries, but I don't have that here. It all feels too much like the UK. Again, I know this is why a lot of people like it, and am very aware that I am probably in a minority, but I guess its good to get a range of opinion!

We are still glad we came, and some of the holidays and travelling around the country have been great, as was the travelling we did on the way here. So it's all good. But I will be quite ready to leave and go somewhere else soon!


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## topcat83

tamarisk said:


> The move went well - once we had the visas, it was all very straightforward, getting the kids into school, renting a house, buying a car off the side of the road, applying for an IRD number. It all would have been even easier if we'd had laptops / tablets with internet, until we got a place and got a phoneline etc. It was more expensive than we'd anticipated - there were more costs with the shipping crate and other random stuff (accommodation while we got a rental sorted, renting a car until we bought one, new mobiles, ...), and it took a while for my husband to start getting paid too, so that side wasn't easy. However, the work-life balance is good here - we get well-paid for working less than would be expected in similar jobs in the UK, and life is definitely more chilled out.
> 
> Was it all we expected? No. It's too cold, too far away and too empty! I know that might be exactly its charms for a lot of people. We've lived and worked in other non-uk countries and found it easier to settle / make friends / really enjoy the lifestyle, but not so much here. I like the feeling of being permanently half on holiday that you get with many countries, but I don't have that here. It all feels too much like the UK. Again, I know this is why a lot of people like it, and am very aware that I am probably in a minority, but I guess its good to get a range of opinion!
> 
> We are still glad we came, and some of the holidays and travelling around the country have been great, as was the travelling we did on the way here. So it's all good. But I will be quite ready to leave and go somewhere else soon!


Good post, Tamarisk. And I can see exactly where you're coming from. 

I think a lot of people expect the weather to be like most of Australia's - hot and dry - and of course it isn't. It is more similar to UK weather - although generally there's more sun and more rain. And as you say - it does feel like the UK. NZers and Brits have very similar cultures and values. 

It suits us, but I knew what we were coming to. It can be a shock though if people arrive expecting something totally different to what they've left and instead find something eerily familiar...


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## mia5

tamarisk said:


> The move went well - once we had the visas, it was all very straightforward, getting the kids into school, renting a house, buying a car off the side of the road, applying for an IRD number. It all would have been even easier if we'd had laptops / tablets with internet, until we got a place and got a phoneline etc. It was more expensive than we'd anticipated - there were more costs with the shipping crate and other random stuff (accommodation while we got a rental sorted, renting a car until we bought one, new mobiles, ...), and it took a while for my husband to start getting paid too, so that side wasn't easy. However, the work-life balance is good here - we get well-paid for working less than would be expected in similar jobs in the UK, and life is definitely more chilled out.
> 
> Was it all we expected? No. It's too cold, too far away and too empty! I know that might be exactly its charms for a lot of people. We've lived and worked in other non-uk countries and found it easier to settle / make friends / really enjoy the lifestyle, but not so much here. I like the feeling of being permanently half on holiday that you get with many countries, but I don't have that here. It all feels too much like the UK. Again, I know this is why a lot of people like it, and am very aware that I am probably in a minority, but I guess its good to get a range of opinion!
> 
> We are still glad we came, and some of the holidays and travelling around the country have been great, as was the travelling we did on the way here. So it's all good. But I will be quite ready to leave and go somewhere else soon!


Nice to hear what other people think , Maybe I might be disappointed about the weather as I'm so fed up with the weather here in the UK , I need the sun . We came out in Aug /sept 2011 and the weather was nice, better than our winter . I thought it was better to see NZ in winter rather than summer , as a home and not a holiday . I can imagine the hidden costs we thought we would need at least 15,000.00 /20,000.00 pounds to see us ok for a few months including travel, container, rental car and home etc . Hopefully that would give us time to find our feet . We are frantically trying to sell things and sort things out here so we can come to Nz


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