Need advice on lifestyle choice - do we stay or do we go? (any Londoner's welcome to input!!)

[Beermat]

Originally Posted by Londoner from London

You know - maybe its a sign of the times, but I'm beyond caring really. They're all as bad as each other! Cameron is obviously going to win, and Brown needs to stop insulting old women from what I can see

Thanks for the advise by the way - its really appreciated. $800 a month in medical coverage seems like a fortune to me - maybe $300 isnt so bad

you shouldn't just take one item of cost when considering your decision but take into account the bunch of other high cost UK items that would offset the Health Care cost that concerns you eg

1.Sales Tax in UK (VAT) is 17.5% versus 7.75% in NC

2.Gas cost in UK is over $8 a gallon - of which $6 is petrolium excise duty and VAT ie tax on tax

3. Housing costs in London are unaffordable for most families and account of 30% + of gross income

4. many UK companies include Private Health Insurance to help employees get urgent medical treatment without waiting months on NHS waiting lists - the employee contribution for a familiy of 4 would be over $200 a month

5. after 13 years of Gordon Browns 'stealth taxes' like 5% Insurance tax on all Insurance policies, $50 departure taxes to leave the country, council tax increases at double the rate of inflation, etc. And after the general election all parties admit to substantial tax increases and cuts in services - maybe you will be better off here

I would discuss with your employer that you will embrace the challenge of being an employee on NC employment conditions but would appreciate some transitional support for say two years,considering that you are losing your ex pat benefits and that they avoid the cost of shipping you and your family back to England and don't have to recruit locally to backfill your position

[spacey1]

I pretty much agree with everything Raleighlass has to say.

Very well said. Now you do realize that people will brand you as being a racist bigot. You are "that type of Woman" as Gordon Brown said.

Sad huh!

[RaleighLass]

Originally Posted by spacey1

I pretty much agree with everything Raleighlass has to say.

Very well said. Now you do realize that people will brand you as being a racist bigot. You are "that type of Woman" as Gordon Brown said.

Sad huh!

Although that description is light years from who I am, yes indeed, according to Mr Brown's definition. But as history has shown us, an appeaser does none of us any good.

The good thing about aging is that you realize it's more important to speak the truth than to seek approval from others before doing so. Brown better watch out for us women over 50, he's gonna get his ear bent again

To the OP, you've gotten some wonderful info from ppl here, I wish you well with your decision, it's a tough one.

[boardjnky4]

Christopher Columbus sailed the ocean blue for good reason.

According to city-data themselves:

Estimated median household income in 2008: $53,825 (it was $46,612 in 2000)
Read more: https://www.city-data.com/city/Raleig...#ixzz0nA4yG9Bu