Starbucks, Trainers and Cottages - Ohhh My!

supersaver1000

Oh Veronica, blimey is that ncluding delivery. I hope so, but it is a long way.

I use my iPhone tuned into the archers to get me to sleep. I put the Iphne under my pillow so it can't fall down the bed at all, put my earphones in and away I go. Saves listening to the voices in my head (why,,, you shoulda.. Etc) ��

Sorry about the spelling, iphone is playing up (well ipad really) it just spelled iPhone as Irvine.

Maybe I've just invented the alternative. :rotfl:

We're planning on moving into town a bit and I'm worried about the noise then. So will need to be prepared. ��

VeronicaMars

Fret not - it is some serious bulk buying. I'm stocking up for winter

I can't listen to music when I sleep...Mr Mars listens to all sorts to go to sleep. Jazz and rock etc!

I am a shoulda, woulda, coulda kind of gal. These things TOTALLY play on my mind, hence the Kalms. The bulk buying of the Kalms...

VeronicaMars

Oops also forgot to mention that as of the 27th of November I am DEBT FREE!!!

I thought I would feel much more relieved than I do. I feel nothing. Been in debt since I was 18 and I feel nothing. I am dead inside. Ohh well. Maybe it will come when I close one of my credit cards?

Also got a job offer...well TWO actually...one was not the most ethical companies, it paid a lot more, but I couldn't do it. I already struggle sleeping at night.

Held off and got another job offer! Less pay but I didn't need to sell my soul Money is not everything. :A

HOWEVER, there is always a catch! I need to do two personality tests, a numerical and verbal test. :eek: Already had to do numerical and verbal tests for the other job so PRAYING they are similar and not harder.

The personality test terrifies me. To the core.

"Hi Veronica, we are afraid we need to rescind our Job offer as it would appear you are a psycho and dead inside. Go buy some chicken soup for the soul."

chevalier

Hi Veronica
Welcome to New Zealand. I guess from what you are saying you are in Christchurch? It surely is going to be a jumping city again, when it finally stops being half munted (knackered) and half rebuilt. I will be honest here and say I have not had the most postive experience of New Zealand ( Ihave a thread on here if you want to get really depressed), but perhaps if you do the opposite of what I did you will get a better result.

But here are some thoughts for you.
1) Don't expect people to become bosom buddies with you overnight. Many locals have seen people they have invested time into come and then go again. So they can be a bit wary of new people. Don't get me wrong they will be friendly enough, just don't expect lots of interaction.
2) You seem quite arty, at least until you get a job, find a local arts groups to join. At least you will be getting to know like minded people.
3) Local charities are always crying out for volunteers. Maybe find a op shop (charity shop) and offer to work a few shifts in there until you get sorted with paid employment.
4) Yes things are alot more expensive here. After alot of soul searching I have just had to shrug my environmental shoulders and buy things from overseas. Eg I couldn't justify paying 3x the price here for books I can get delivered free from the UK. Amazon.uk deliver here so I also get things like running shoes from there too.
5) You have to be aware about fresh food here. Quality control sucks. You will get good produce from somewhere one week, and the next week in the same store it will be pants. If you see a sign for something being export quality, then go and buy some as this is stuff that was destined for offshore (and therefore the best quality), but the order was cancelled so they have to get rid of it.
6) We bank with kiwibank. The benefit of this is that wherever there is a post office there is also a bank. Works for us.
7) I WOULDN'T put of buying a place if you can find something. Since we have been here (7 years), the house prices have not fallen, no not even during the global financial crisis. Christchurch like Auckland has a massive housing shortage, with fuels the upwards pressure on house prices. So houses in Auckland that were going for $500,000 7 years ago, no go for $7 - $900,000. We have been priced out of the market depsite my OH earning a top salary for here. Also you have to have 20% of the house price as a deposity currently (unless you buy a new build and then it is 10%). So as house prices rise, so does the deposit. We had enough money for a deposit when we arrived, and it got used, because we got stuck in a rental that was too expensive, and didn't have the energy to move. It didn't help that I had PND, but even so, we never recovered from that mistake.
You will see from my thread that I want to go home, so I am biased. If you are a joining sort of person I am sure you will be fine. And the advice to not go home for 2 years is probably a sound one. That way you have given it a good chance.

Best of luck with your stay here.
chev

VeronicaMars

Hey Chevalier! I will jump over to your diary and leave a post there as well!

I honeslty don't see me staying here long term. We'll see out our visa and then maybe a year or two after but I WILL be going back to UK, with or without my husband :rotfl:

Thanks for the tip re Kiwibank - as Mr Mars and I are struggling having EVERYTHING coming out of one bank account. We give ourselves "pocket money" and its really hard to manage when it is not a separate account. I also don't like having all my banking with the one account! Paranoid, me? Nooooo

I'm going to join some running groups, as I run marathons and 10ks etc so hoping to make friends that way!

I woke up this morning and decided to give it my BEST shot. Make these years count. So plan is to get and stay organised and do well at my job and get right into my running and save a large deposit (we also have zero at the minute). I also really want to take up paddle boarding

Wouldn't want to buy here, not at moment anyway. I know property market is going up but I just have zero desire to own a home here...also the small issue of zero savings. Cleared all savings out on travels and getting set up, rent deposit, having to buy two cars, insurance, freeview boxes etc! :eek: :eek: I have a job offer at the other side of town (pending a personality, numerical and verbal testing - no joke :eek:) so we need 2 cars, especially as public transport is v.limited to ONE route and ONE bus that comes twice an hour and it would take me over 2 hours ONE WAY for the commute that doesn't even take me close to work (I will never complain about UK public transport again, we had it GOOD). :mad: will be nice to live out of a car again though instead of carting my belongs in bags. I was the bag lady. Now I have a large car boot.

BUT now that Mr Mars and I are set up and DEBT FREE. Everything will be going to savings. :money:

We are both earning less but we should be able to save more as our rent is cheaper than in UK (£195 a month cheaper, but also 1/4 of the size) and we don't pay council tax (£190 saving) and hoping that our power bill will be a lot less too as we have not had heating on since we arrived or even the cooler so hoping that will save us a lot!! Our previous house was OLD and we were £140 direct debt each month and only ended up £83 in credit at the end of the year!

We have also halved our pocket money compared to the UK (£500 to £250) and as I will be working out in the middle of nowwhere there will be no lunchtime shopping or just nipping out to buy lunch - a van selling coffee comes once a day :rotfl: if I only had that in the UK when I was a coffee addict!!! I would be RICH, RICH I TELL YA :rotfl:

Anyway that is my brain dump. Once I am in the routine of a job, I am hoping that everything will start to fall into place. Friends, running, MONEY.

xoxo

supersaver1000

Hi Veronica

You sound like you've had so much going on and now it's all coming together its a bit flat? I feel a bit like that too, I've been living on adrenaline, so it's a bit like feeling nothing, or waiting for the next rush that doesn't come. I also want to feel that comfortable feeling I had before, but I guess that takes time. hopefully well both be able to report back differently in 6 months time.

Don't worry about the personality test. Just relax and be yourself. I've just done a whole heap of tests and I just concentrated on the tests as if they were exams. I know at interview if I'll like working with someone, so you're through the hard part.

Great advice from Chevalier too.

Have a good weekend SS1K

chevalier

hi good luck with powering through it all. One other thing make sure you are set up for being in the shaky isles. This means that you need to have three days worth of supplies. is bottlesof water, dried goods, so that iIDF you have another big quake you can look after yourself for three days.Learn to dig long drops!!!!
chev

VeronicaMars

Thanks SS1k I still feel like I am living on my nerves. I am a worrier - WHERE ARE MY KALMS?!?!

Worry about the test, then my references. I've never had an issue with references so why would they start now? Sure thing last job for 4 years came in all clear. I have already been advised that as I worked for very large companies they won't give personal references (incase they get sued) so they only give standard worked here for this time, x amount of sick days, and had zero verbal/written warnings etc.

Also sat the tests, man they were harder than the last time or maybe I had practiced more the last time, just felt my brain wasn't working. Weird. I called the girl and she said they will send the employer the results in 2 days and I get a copy. I asked if you could at least tell me if I passed and she said she needs to tell employer first but... I have nothing to worry about, I did fine, in fact I did very well. So SURELY that is a good sign that I have passed?

Think I SHOULD be okay with the personality tests, from what I could see they were mainly trying to establish if I was a loner, who breaks the law, who resents authority and the government/society, who takes risk, who likes to party and has anger management and control issues.

I answered honest yes even though I know what they were trying to get at. Do you like loud organised events? Yes. I like weddings, concerts, gigs, balls. They tend to be organised and loud. So yes. Yes I like then. Do I enjoy time alone? Yes I do in fact, I also have many friends but I do enjoy alone time watching a good tv show or reading a book whilst drinking some good red wine with some chocolate. Have I EVER told a deliberate lie. Yes, to say no would be another deliberate lie. Have I ever broke the law? Yes, speeding is breaking the law and I have at some point sped.

Chevalier, this is something I am going to work on. We had a power cut for a full day the other week. Everyone bailed us out. They whipped out their BBQs to cook dinner and the neighbour and sis and law whipped out big old school candles and power light things.

I was thinking how are they all so prepared and both explained that once you have lived through the earthquakes you will be prepared!!!

xoxo

VeronicaMars

<======== Can you see my debt free and proud badge?

I think I am going to need to act like I am in AA or well SA (spendaholic anonymous which is a real thing) and monument each month that passes as another debt free as I am terrified that the minute I relax I will slip into my old ways again :eek:.

supersaver1000

Congrats Veronica. Can't wait to get my mine. Hopefully 6 months or so. You are so lucky. Does it feel like teetering on the edge and could go either way?

good luck with the test results.