Possible to get a credit card if no income?

GreatBigBookcase

Yes, lots of different property thoughts going through my mind...very good point about the service charges - I was looking at a flat online recently but the service charges put me off...around 120 p/m, but that does include heating and hot water so I'm not sure how much of that I would spend on heating bills anyway.

Trying very hard to figure out the best way to use the money I have, to make it last as long as possible and hopefully use it to create some income too. Still thinking...

GreatBigBookcase

Deleted...duplicate post.

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Best of luck to you. You come across as polite and intelligent and pretty brave. Some posters don't like what they hear on this forum and become defensive and cross when given advice so I would say :T to you.

Now... c'mon, we're all intrigued... what is was your job in Hong Kong to provide such a great nest egg!?

GreatBigBookcase

Haha! Nothing remotely exciting, I'm afraid. I'm a teacher in a government primary school over here. Most of my nest egg is a result of the crazy HK property market. I bought a teeny tiny flat (292sqft) three years ago, and I've just sold it for about 65% more than I bought it for. So, that'll buy me a two-up, two-down in need of a bit of attention in Sheffield. The savings that'll allow me to just be a mom for a couple of years are due to a slightly higher teaching wage than the UK, and lower taxes here (around 12-15%). HK has treated me very, very well and I feel incredibly lucky to be in the position I'm in now...which is why I'm not going to get defensive or cross when I don't hear the advice I want to hear...

Thank you for the luck and your lovely words.

The Chinese new year started yesterday so Kung Hei Fat Choi to you all.

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wow that's brilliant! you definitely have the right attitude too. Good luck (but I would say you probably won't need it!) We are on the cusp of moving to another country, it's a bit big and scary but there is a big wide world out there and you just gotta go for it I say.

Are you American? just with the way you spelt mum.

GreatBigBookcase

Ooh, where are you moving to? It is a scary step, but also really exciting. I've lived in 9 different countries (although one only lasted 6 weeks...) and they were all a great experience, even the ones that didn't work out. It's funny, but I'm now feeling the same excitement about moving back to the UK, despite expat friends here thinking I'm mental for going back. Like you say though, it's all about attitude...making a decision and committing to it...choosing to see the positive in everything...

Not American, British, but for some reason I call my mum mom. Must have picked it up from American books when I was younger...can't remember though...

All the best for your move.

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RayKay wrote: »

I've lived in 9 different countries (although one only lasted 6 weeks...) and they were all a great experience, even the ones that didn't work out. It's funny, but I'm now feeling the same excitement about moving back to the UK, despite expat friends here thinking I'm mental for going back. All the best for your move.

9 countries! that's my absolute dream.

RayKay wrote: »

Ooh, where are you moving to? It is a scary step, but also really exciting.

I've lived in only 4 and am heading to the land of my birth (Australasia) with British husband. It's funny, it's big and scary but it's the very place you grew up, so such a weird feeling that is it weird and scary! I've lived away for nearly 12 years and so why should it feel so odd to be moving back!? It's just something I think we should try, and if we have the option, which many people don't, then we should at least try it out. Only other travelled expats understand!

Just like the James song...."if I hadn't seen such riches, I could live being poor" the more you see of this world, the more you want and the word 'settled' becomes less and less in your vocab!

A child however, now that will settle most!:T

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BugsyBrowne wrote: »

The places I've worked ain't exactly exciting Northern Ireland,Kosovo,Germany.

forces then I take it? definitely a different world when you're moving/travelling/working in a country by choice than otherwise..

GreatBigBookcase

BugsyBrowne wrote: »

The places I've worked ain't exactly exciting Northern Ireland,Kosovo,Germany.

Hmm...are you in the forces Bugsy? Not the most pleasant of conditions to be seeing some countries in, I imagine...all sounds a bit too potentially scary... Still, you've been places, seen things...hopefully a good experience for you.

view, going 'home' is, in my opinion, harder than going somewhere new, so definitely scary. I find it much easier to meet people when I move to a foreign country. Other expats are always very open to meeting new people, and the locals often take you under their wing. The UK is harder because everyone is settled in their lives with their established circle of friends and don't see me as anything different from them and so assume I have the same...if that makes sense...

Yep, the baby is the driving force behind this move. It would break my mom's heart to be so far away from her first (and probably only ever) grandchild, and I was ready for a change of scene anyway. I have all these ideas like trailer-tenting around the UK, or inter-railing through Europe with BabyKay in a baby carrier... My mom just laughs at me and tells me I clearly haven't got a clue what an impact the baby's going to have on my life if I think I'll be doing those kind of things anytime soon.

Suarez

Regarding the posts about service charges.

Ours cover buildings insurance, window cleaning, lawn mowing, ground maintenance and the cost of fences, painting etc.

I would rather everyone pay there share from our flats rather than not having service charges and some people not maintaining their properties.

You may have a nice well kept house but if others on your street are leaving rubbish out, old vehicles, long grass etc it can put buyers off in the future.