Officially retired

[bunyip]

We visited Australia about 30 years ago with the idea of possibly moving there. Beautiful country, but the taxes convinced us to stay here.

I think when visiting you tend to see the cons and not the pro's, I was the same visiting other countries, some parts of Asia have little or no taxes and look appealing until you realise the towns are run by crime bosses.
A bonus here is free medical although some elect for private insurance, we get pensions and unemployment benefits, the same for everyone although I am a self funded retiree, I have a gold card which gives me the best specialists free should I need one, this is for all war vets.
Real estate varies depending upon where you are, Sydney $1m will get you a broom closet in a cheap area, move out of the city and you get more, some towns you can buy a 3br house for $150k.
Cigarettes are about $30+ for 20, I don't smoke, chicken breast $6 kg, sausages $5-10 kg, eye fillet $35 kg, lobster $180 kg, average income is claimed to be about $80k but bear in mind that is an average.
Bottle scotch cheap $40, my favourite $220, bourbon about $45 for JD or JB.
Fuel, up and down like a brides nightie, m$1.30-80 litre unleaded 91, add 10-15c for 97, diesel about $1.50, lpg 70c.
Solar power your house, just under $5k for 6.6kw, infeed rate is 12c per kw, buy at 30+c per kw.
F truck over $100k, toyota corolla around $30k.
A lot of Drs bulk bill which means you pay nothing and they claim directly from medicare which is another income tax component, specialists rarely do, dentists you pay as they have a new BMW to buy for themselves and their mistress.
Netflix I pay $14 month for 2 TV's, internet wwith phone and no charge for calls $80 month, 50mbs download unlimited, mobile phone $15 month with my own phone.
Insurance, our cars are about $55 per month, home and contents $85 per month, tractor and public liability $20m is $45 month.
Credit cards are mostly getting up to 20%, I pay mine off every fortnight and collect the rewards points which gives me a $100 gift card every 2 months, never paid interest yet but it is where a lot come unstuck.
Mortgages I think are around 3%.
Bear in mind these are Victorian figures and will vary from state to state, of course you can move into a remote area and buy a few hundred acres of nothing for bugger all, no neighbours, lots off dust, great for introverts but a lot of travel for supplies.

 

[Steppenwolfe]

I owe you an apology...been thinking you were the blue one.

I'm more purple...

 

[Steppenwolfe]

Also in Virginia... Two houses, workshop, tractor shed and 120 acres - all under the country farm exemption program - taxes about $2,000 a year. And I too live in God's Country - Virginia's Shenandoah Valley. I'd like to have more folks with more land - and tractors - here. These apartment buildings are spreading like an invasive plant.

Yeah. Ya'll are getting busy up there. Roanoke valley is also growing fast.

 

[Alien]

Pretty much the same in Qld bunyip. I pay $40 per week for my rates which covers emergency services and garbage etc.
No water rates as I have my own bore supply.
About $300 discount on my car rego per annum as a pensioner. We only get that allowance on one vehicle.
NSW pensioners pay no rego on any car they own.
No consistency between the States. Some good, some not so.

 

[bunyip]

I envy your transfer fees on a house purchase though, for the place we are looking at ($1.1m) it's 10k vs 56k here, not happy Jan, although with my pensioner concession card I get the first $660k exempted but that is only a one of purchase.
That varies fron state to state.
We get the rego and TAC fee on one car 50% off which is about $360, a healthcare card is only 50% off the rego fee which is about $75 I think, we are rural and full rego is $716.00 although my ute is cheaper at $581.00 so I'll use that for the sedan/SUV.
Even if we have tank water we still get water rates as they maintain urban parks and drains across the state, we just won't get the water usage fee, no matter what you do to be self sufficient there is always a way to shaft you.
REminds me of the Beverley Hillbillies with Phil Silvers selling a tunnel through the San Bernadino (sp) mountains to get rid of the smog, needed big fans and was happily into Jed for $1m, we get the fans and you get the shaft.

 

[drivesitfar]

Bunyip: thanks for the 411 on the costs of living in your part of Australia. just curious are the flies/bugs always an issue or just in some areas and just certain times of year? hopefully the flies were part of the billion of fatalities of wildlife in your country, but I know they probably weren't in that huge # i saw.

hope the air is getting a bit better with some rain.

also if you are drinking $220 a bottle scotch even though i hate scotch (good Vodka, a nice bottle or two of wine or some quality beer for this old guy) i'd say life is good and keep up the great work!!

 

[kenmac]

My property taxes are a hair under 20k a year. This is with 1 house on 15acres and another 10acre buildable lot. .we just sub divided the land now have 4 buildable lots and my home. My taxes next year will be near 40k..iIt痴 never getting better here. Mass is a democratic toilet ..all they want to do is tax you death. Then Tax you again.

Dang man ! how in the world can people afford this ?
As I have said. 40 acres here House valued at 500K, 40 x 80 garage /shop. 40 x 40 barn. another 13 acres of property on the river set up with power /water/ septic for a camper and my total tax bill is at the $1300.00 per yr range

 

[Alien]

My favourite is Drambuie at $63 for a large bottle. I mainly drink Woodstock Bourbon at $32 per 10 cans.
We have had no flies to speak of, nor mossies for a few years now since we got rid of the horses. No water in the dam to breed mossies.
No other bugs worry us.

 

[goeduck]

Dang man ! how in the world can people afford this ?
As I have said. 40 acres here House valued at 500K, 40 x 80 garage /shop. 40 x 40 barn. another 13 acres of property on the river set up with power /water/ septic for a camper and my total tax bill is at the $1300.00 per yr range

One of the problems that states with high property tax and large cities seem to have (at least here anyway), is that they have a high percentage of people living in apartments that do not directly pay property tax. They may pay higher rents as property taxes go up, but the association to higher property taxes is not there in my opinion. So there is no outrage. They vote in property tax increases left and right thinking someone else is paying. Also schools, most of my property tax goes to K12. Everyone seems to be afraid to expect schools to stay on a budget and put out a quality product so they vote in increases.

 

[kenmac]

One of the problems that states with high property tax and large cities seem to have (at least here anyway), is that they have a high percentage of people living in apartments that do not directly pay property tax. They may pay higher rents as property taxes go up, but the association to higher property taxes is not there in my opinion. So there is no outrage. They vote in property tax increases left and right thinking someone else is paying. Also schools, most of my property tax goes to K12. Everyone seems to be afraid to expect schools to stay on a budget and put out a quality product so they vote in increases.

Any county property taxes here must be approved by voters. If the voters vote down the taxes, then the only way they can increase taxes is to re appraise your property to a higher appraised value.
You can have your home appraised by an independent appraiser and appeal the county's appraised value. If the county is way off, they will adjust the appraised value

The state just passed a 10 cent per gallon tax on gasoline.
Those conservative Republicans are really at work here in my state !

 

[reb]

I think when visiting you tend to see the cons and not the pro's, I was the same visiting other countries, some parts of Asia have little or no taxes and look appealing until you realise the towns are run by crime bosses.
A bonus here is free medical although some elect for private insurance, we get pensions and unemployment benefits, the same for everyone although I am a self funded retiree, I have a gold card which gives me the best specialists free should I need one, this is for all war vets.
Real estate varies depending upon where you are, Sydney $1m will get you a broom closet in a cheap area, move out of the city and you get more, some towns you can buy a 3br house for $150k.
Cigarettes are about $30+ for 20, I don't smoke, chicken breast $6 kg, sausages $5-10 kg, eye fillet $35 kg, lobster $180 kg, average income is claimed to be about $80k but bear in mind that is an average.
Bottle scotch cheap $40, my favourite $220, bourbon about $45 for JD or JB.
Fuel, up and down like a brides nightie, m$1.30-80 litre unleaded 91, add 10-15c for 97, diesel about $1.50, lpg 70c.
Solar power your house, just under $5k for 6.6kw, infeed rate is 12c per kw, buy at 30+c per kw.
F truck over $100k, toyota corolla around $30k.
A lot of Drs bulk bill which means you pay nothing and they claim directly from medicare which is another income tax component, specialists rarely do, dentists you pay as they have a new BMW to buy for themselves and their mistress.
Netflix I pay $14 month for 2 TV's, internet wwith phone and no charge for calls $80 month, 50mbs download unlimited, mobile phone $15 month with my own phone.
Insurance, our cars are about $55 per month, home and contents $85 per month, tractor and public liability $20m is $45 month.
Credit cards are mostly getting up to 20%, I pay mine off every fortnight and collect the rewards points which gives me a $100 gift card every 2 months, never paid interest yet but it is where a lot come unstuck.
Mortgages I think are around 3%.
Bear in mind these are Victorian figures and will vary from state to state, of course you can move into a remote area and buy a few hundred acres of nothing for bugger all, no neighbours, lots off dust, great for introverts but a lot of travel for supplies.

Some of that sounds like life here. Some are higher than we pay, maybe more are less. The conversion rate (approx $1.46 of yours to $1 of ours) makes a difference.

 

[bunyip]

Some of that sounds like life here. Some are higher than we pay, maybe more are less. The conversion rate (approx $1.46 of yours to $1 of ours) makes a difference.

bUT STILL $ FOR $ when it comes to income and spending and apart from the conversion rate bear in mind that we use imperial gallons (or should I say did before we went decimal) which is more than a US gallon, our drums we call 44's and I tyhink you call them 55's but are essentially the same caPACITY.
As for my scotch, Glenmorangie Signet, at $220 a bottle I don't have it that often, a bottle will last a few months and is hidden if guests arrive

Flies, can be a nuisance but a lot don't bite, just make a nuisance of themselves but we do get March flies which are big and inflict a nasty bite, they hurt too and can penetrate denim jeans, they land on you undetected until you feel the fang go in, mossies (mosquitoes) are mainly coastal and anywhere there is water, bad in places and not a problem in others, most of the time we don't have a problem with either until you fire up the BBQ and the flies come in to see what is on the menu, you become the entree.
When I used to travel to the US I was amazed at how cheap eating out was compared to home, I remember bacon and egg breakfast in NY for a couple of dollars with unlimited coffee, doesn't happen here.

 

[reb]

...
As for my scotch, Glenmorangie Signet, at $220 a bottle I don't have it that often, a bottle will last a few months and is hidden if guests arrive
...

Just curiosity--what size is that bottle? A common size here is a fifth of a gallon. I think it used to be a quart, but was downsized. The price probably went up to compensate.

Another consideration in moving was outdoors activities. I have always been an outdoors type. It seems you have more lethal wildlife there than we do. Your March flies are only one example.

 

[grsthegreat]

I am retired to a point...i am only doing whole house air cooled generator service work anymore. I have kept my electrical contractors license in force...ill never let that go... but for the most part i only work a few hours every week now.

The wife and I have invested wisely over the years...everything is paid off..everything.

I only have to work to keep from getting too bored.

Our property taxes for 30 acres is aprox $2,800 per year.

 

[bunyip]

Just curiosity--what size is that bottle? A common size here is a fifth of a gallon. I think it used to be a quart, but was downsized. The price probably went up to .

700ml used to be 750ml.
Plenty of nasty wildlife but no bears or big cats,

 

[k0ua]

700ml used to be 750ml.
Plenty of nasty wildlife but no bears or big cats,

So you have anything down their to our invasive species of wild hog? They are becoming a problem here in most of our southern states and moving north. They put a strain on native species.

 

[bunyip]

So you have anything down their to our invasive species of wild hog? They are becoming a problem here in most of our southern states and moving north. They put a strain on native species.

I forgot about wild pigs and wild goat, deer, feral cats, wild dogs, cane toads, rabbits, hares, foxes, some rat species, mice all of which are introduced, March flies are painful and unpleasant but hardly lethal, no introduced snakes but we have enough to go around and a lot are only found in certain areas, we have tigers, browns, blacks and copperheads where we are, further afield you will find death adders and a few tree snakes and pythons, further north or west you go the nastier they seem to get, blacks are common ariound our way but fairly timid, browns will have a go at you and are very fast, tigers are a mixed bag, I have not found them aggressive at home and generally get out of your way.
The two deadliest introduced things I have found are McDonalds and KFC, I go out of my way to avoid both.

 

[ovrszd]

Yeah, man is way harder on himself than all the wildlifr combined.

 

[Kyle_in_Tex]

I'm more purple...

Did you go to the gun rally?

 

[Kyle_in_Tex]

Are you guys in Virginia and Idaho quoting property taxes that have an agriculture discount?

Stepp, your place has the lowest I've ever heard of in USA for what you have.