we got the keys!!

Hi all, been up here in Tauranga for a week now and we are really loving it - its a great city with a good feeling about it - so much to see and do - beautiful scenery and coastline and with all the facilities we like - ie shops, child-friendly restaurants, parks, beach etc. The weather has been superb (hovering around the 15 - 17 degree mark in the daytime - if you speak to the locals though its cold cold cold!! - we get some very funny looks as we are walking round in short sleeved t-shirts as everyone else is in thermals and winter coats!!)

We picked up the keys to our rental house today and hope to be moving in later in the week after the furniture and electrical bits and pieces are delivered - most shops are able to deliver within a day or so which is very good for us, and if you are buying a few bits from the same store they give you some really good discounts. Yesterday we bought a really top quality sofa bed for $900 and all the pots/pans, crockery cutlery etc for the kitchen, then today we hit the shops with a vengeance and bought cotbed (with free mattress), changing unit, 2 highchairs, stairgates, sunshades, little table and chairs for Frankie (all from Baby Factory for around $1000 - similar stuff in UK would have probably been well over ?500)

Then we went to Noel Leeming......for 2.5 hours!!!!! ok deep breath...Fisher & Paykel fridge/freezer, washing machine, tumble dryer, kettle & toaster package, cordless phones, microwave, dyson (definitely with Claire on that one, Stevey) BIG LCD TV thingie, DVD player, DVD recorder/video player, little tv for me to watch with kids, mini hi-fi system, steamer.....am too skint now to tell you how much it came to but it was lot less than we had budgeted so well pleased plus they gave us free delivery, extended warranties as well as 10% discount and I got a hairdryer free too!!

We also went to Briscoes and would definitely recommend them for everything like bedding, towels etc - am sure you can get cheaper elsewhere but it all seemed really good quality and they had some fantastic sale offers (most household/electrical stores seem to be having sales just now, so maybe we chose a good time to be replacing all our stuff!!) - got a SuperKing size duvet cover/pillowcases for $24.

Only problem we are having now is sorting our content insurance - not sure if its an issue we will have with all the NZ insurance companies but they seem to require that we have our antiques, jewellery and artworks re-valued here before we can have them covered under insurance policies - the max value for unspecified items seems to be around the $1000-$1200 mark and we have quite a few painting and antiques which would have replacement value at over ?500 according to UK valuations but whether that would be the same here who knows?! Anyone here been in a similar situation and have you got any recommendation for valuers?

Ah well I'm off to bed to fret about how much money we have spent!!

The Moos !

Goodness, that's one hell of a spending spree...I hope yiou've left stuff for us to buy when we get out there !! tee hee

I think they may have re-plenished the stocks by tomorrow so you should be OK :icon_biggrin: I just love the fact that you can see a fridge today and get it delivered tomorrow - never had that sort of service from the big electrical places in UK.

Tomorrow its a bed for us and some storage boxes for the kids toys!! Dining table and chairs is probably going to be a picnic set!!

I must remember to divide the amount we are spending by 3 to get the pound equivalent so I don't panic when we spend $300 on loads of sheets, towels, bedding, pillows, superking size duvet!! :icon_rolleyes:

We're doing all our spending now while we have the pounds before we start earning the dollars!!

Did I read that you are heading this way too? WHen are you coming out - we should arrange a big meet up for all the Bay of Plenty folk.

Maggie

We are indeed heading off to BOP. We're going to stay in Opotiki for a week or so with friends then try to get a place to stay and work in Whakatane for a wee whiley.

TGA is lovely, my friends just moved from there to Opotiki 2 yrs ago.

A wee doo in BOP would be a good idea, celebrate the start of summer as I think theres a few of us going over that way over the next 2-3 months.

You need to get out to the Markets, great deals there and so many hand made things. Theres a market in Ohope most weekends that we went too and they had loads of wooden tables etc all v v cheap.

?Wow, Maggie, shop 'til you drop. ?Hope it's not giving you nightmares. ?Great fun though. ?We had a session of totally restocking a couple of years ago and thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. ?Just got to lug it round the world with us now when we move each time. ?Not clever thinking. ?

Good news that Tauranga fits the bill nicely. ?

Wow Maggie, Im gonna be call on you for some tips when we arrive, we're heading your way and yes me, Moose and the girls are up for a get together sometime.

great post keep 'em coming!!!!!!!!!

cheers

Anna

Good luck in your new home, (and newly furnished!!!).... sounds very exciting! :D

Yikes!!!!! Thats a spree, good on yer!!!

Only problem we are having now is sorting our content insurance - not sure if its an issue we will have with all the NZ insurance companies but they seem to require that we have our antiques, jewellery and artworks re-valued here before we can have them covered under insurance policies - the max value for unspecified items seems to be around the $1000-$1200 mark and we have quite a few painting and antiques which would have replacement value at over ?500 according to UK valuations but whether that would be the same here who knows?! Anyone here been in a similar situation and have you got any recommendation for valuers?

Hi Maggie,

Just read this ... you've probably sorted out now.

We had a lot of antiques when we moved here (most have now been sent back to the the UK to my insignificant other who enjoys them more) and the more common insurance companies would not insure over a certain figure. They pointed us in the direction of a company local to Northland (Ahlers) who were happy to accept the valuations we had given the antiques for our shipping insurance. This was just as well as hubby collected a form of ceramic which our local antique restorer had never seen before and, apart from a chunk of pottery in Russell museum, they seem not to exist in New Zealand.

It may be you can find an equally accommodating insurance company about, otherwise you may need a NZ valuer who can look at your receipts/estimated values and concur with them.

Glad you hear you are settling down well and enjoying the spending! Definitely one of the perks of emigrating. :D

Wow Maggie, slow down!! You'll be pushing the inflation rate up all by yourself girl :o

;D Have fun!!! ;D