Our first 6 months in NZ

[Glenda]

Hi Cal,

Oh dear! We're going to have four kids in three different schools. :icon_eek: icon_exclaim.gif I knew about the donations but not the price of school uniforms or looking around for books. :icon_neutral:

Isn't the Hibiscus Coast lovely? We stayed a week in Waiwera right next to the beach and it was heaven! I actually lived with my parents in Warkworth 20 years ago and then there was no motorway from Auckland, and Orewa was just a small village with a dairy, takeaway and shed-like baches. I don't think there was much on the peninsular either between villages with baches. It is amazing how the area has changed, it looks so 'up and coming' now.

Do please keep us informed.

Glenda.
::):

[fisheress]

Thanks for the fab info. I will have 2 at school.Thank godness! With the price of things might have to persuade the 16 year old to get a job to pay for his brother. Keep us informed with any other useful info!!!!
Fisheress

[cal]

Hi Glenda,

So I'm not the only one who needed more TV's in the house then :icon_wink: How old are your four? You have probably mentioned in a previous post but I have been offline for a while :icon_confused:

The peninsular has definately changed from the few baches and dairies spotted around the coast that you remember... it would have been nice to get in on the property scene back then - beach front properties are in the million dollar bracket now; I can only dream!

Are your parents still in New Zealand? Can't imagine what could have possibly made you consider moving from here... in the short time we have been here it feels so much like home :icon_cool:

I won't ramble on this time... is that a sigh of relief I hear??? :icon_wink:


C ya l8r Cal :icon_cool:

[cal]

Hi Fisheress,

Good luck with persuading your 16 year old... if anything like my 15 year old, work is nothing but a four letter word :icon_confused:

Since you asked: we had to buy a fridge freezer very quickly today as the owners of our rental want theirs back tomorrow. We sold our american fridgefreezer along with the house before we left England thinking we would just get one out here. In comparison, I wish we had brought it out with us... they are soooo expensive out here when you consider you could pick up a cheap currys one for around ?150 ish. The cheapest here is around the ?350 ish price range... $800 NZD. We ended up getting one at $1300 but knocked them down to $1199 inc. delivery :icon_biggrin:

The reason could be that there is an import duty due to the problems with disposal of old/used fridgefreezers.... alternatively it could be that fisher and pykel have a manopoly going on :icon_wink:

Anyway - that's all for now... just be sure to do some research before you decide to sell or give away your stuff rather than ship it out to NZ!

C ya L8R
:icon_cool: Cal

[nessie]

:icon_biggrin: :icon_biggrin: :icon_razz: :icon_lol: :026: I am so happy I could scream. We are just doing the documents to go back with our ITA, have had house valued, looked into shipping famiy dog etc. but I have no idea what to bring with us. Is there any way of finding out the average cost of furniture etc. in NZ? We had new kitchen 2 years ago so it's probably worth bringing new fridge, dishwasher etc. but what about beds, 2 piece suite??? aaaargh.

It's so great to hear how other s have got on after their move. Great site, thanks for the info.

Excitedly,
Vanessa

[Glenda]

[quote:fc0059e6c3="cal"]Hi Glenda,

So I'm not the only one who needed more TV's in the house then :icon_wink: How old are your four? You have probably mentioned in a previous post but I have been offline for a while :icon_confused:

The peninsular has definately changed from the few baches and dairies spotted around the coast that you remember... it would have been nice to get in on the property scene back then - beach front properties are in the million dollar bracket now; I can only dream!

Are your parents still in New Zealand? Can't imagine what could have possibly made you consider moving from here... in the short time we have been here it feels so much like home :icon_cool:

I won't ramble on this time... is that a sigh of relief I hear??? :icon_wink:


C ya l8r Cal :icon_cool:[/quote:fc0059e6c3]

Hi Cal,

Yes ... we are a 5 TV household. :icon_eek: icon_exclaim.gif Two 14" ones will go with us (one for the Playstation, the other for UK videos/dvds). We'll start afresh with Kiwi TVs, I think, rather than have the hassle of trying to convert.

My boys are 5, 8 and 13. Daughter is 11. They are all looking forward to emigrating, even the little one who remembers Tip Top. ::): What ages are yours?

I made a mistake going to the UK/Europe for a working holiday at 20. My parents then made a bigger mistake moving back to the UK (they even gave away my cat :icon_sad: ). We hardly spoke to each other for years afterwards.

I really feel I am going home and just hope the hubby and kids will settle OK. Now I'm rambling on ...
:icon_lol:

[Glenda]

[quote:6972102a99="nessie"]:icon_biggrin: :icon_biggrin: :icon_razz: :icon_lol: :026: I am so happy I could scream. We are just doing the documents to go back with our ITA, have had house valued, looked into shipping famiy dog etc. but I have no idea what to bring with us. Is there any way of finding out the average cost of furniture etc. in NZ? We had new kitchen 2 years ago so it's probably worth bringing new fridge, dishwasher etc. but what about beds, 2 piece suite??? aaaargh.

It's so great to hear how other s have got on after their move. Great site, thanks for the info.

Excitedly,
Vanessa[/quote:6972102a99]

Hi Vanessa,

Know that 'screaming' feeling. :icon_lol: :icon_lol: :icon_lol:

Folks say take anything that is of any good. If it is not falling apart, then take it. I went around the house and made a list of what we were definitely taking with us and a second list of 'maybes'. When the chaps came round to quote for shipping they were able to advise us that if we left behind some of the 'maybes' then the whole lot would fit in a 20ft container. There is a good secondhand market in NZ and if you bring over something you find you do not need (for example if you have bought a house with appliances or built-in wardrobes) then you can sell your surplus pretty easily.

:icon_biggrin:

[fisheress]

Hi Cal

Thanks for the advice on the fridge freezer.I presume ones bought in england work over there! What about other elctricla goods? the boys have ps1 and 2 consoles. We were going to sell the but if it's worth bringing them then we will. What about other things like microwave, pc which is only 12 months old, stereo?? I was going to get shut of everything but am slowly changing my mind.

Thanks
Fisheress