We're aware that some users are experiencing technical issues which the team are working to resolve. See the Community Noticeboard for more info. Thank you for your patience.
📨 Have you signed up to the Forum's new Email Digest yet? Get a selection of trending threads sent straight to your inbox daily, weekly or monthly!

would it be a bad idea to relocate to London without a plan?

Options
12346»

Comments

  • Comstock
    Comstock Posts: 322 Forumite
    edited 17 September 2014 at 6:21PM
    BigAunty wrote: »
    The experience of someone visiting London and someone who lives there in a Low paid/high rent capacity are two different beasts.

    The crowds in the street that made it so exciting are less exciting when you are crammed into a tube train with them during rush hour that has one of the highest fares in Europe,

    Agreed. You *might* be able to cycle instead, depending how far the journey was, how fit you were etc. There are also buses, almost as crowded and much slower than either, but more affordable (indeed cheaper than rest of UK!)
    a high degree of competition for every job.

    Serious question- is the unemployed to vacancy ratio worse in London than elsewhere in the UK? Obviously the raw ratio is only part of the story- it's no use being a trained butcher when all the vacancies are for accountants (or vice versa)- but it is an important part.
    To go there, you need to find a job first OR someone you know who can put you up for free or next to nothing until you find a job and your own place.

    Or have at least 2 months worth of savings (at London prices) and be prepared to go home at the end of the 2 months if it isn't working out.
    Sightseeing doesn't have to stop when you find your expensive room on perhaps National Minimum Wage but paying for museums and exhibitions, frequent visits to bars and so on will become a very rare treat indeed - basic living costs even when in employment might swallow up virtually all your disposable income.

    You can get beer at rest of UK prices (ish) outside zone 1, and even at a few rare places in it.. Even so you won't have much cash for drinking/socialising. Most London museums are free.
  • If you're in london and want affordable booze in a nice pub, you go and find a Sam Smiths pub. They are all over the place hidden away and make all their own beers.

    http://www.telegraph.co.uk/men/thinking-man/10345637/In-praise-of-Samuel-Smith-pubs.html

    Try a ride on the northern/central line at peak hours to try the 'true' London experience
  • Try a ride on the northern/central line at peak hours to try the 'true' London experience

    Yes, good advice! And think to yourself- could I do this ten times a week for as long as I was in London? :D

    That said, there are alternatives- bus, cycle or taking a job on shifts maybe.

    Or try and find a job in zones 3 or 4 and live near work?

  • Try a ride on the northern/central line at peak hours to try the 'true' London experience

    Those are the 2 I use - Central to Bank and then Northern.

    From Bank going south Northern is actually ok - always get a seat wohoooooo

    But forget Central in rush hour in ANY direction, I get on quit far East but it is already packed absolutely full... no comments about this week's diabolical service..on Central AND other lines...

    But hey, it is almost Friday :)
  • Comstock wrote: »

    That said, there are alternatives- bus, cycle or taking a job on shifts maybe.

    Ermmmmm depends how far you have to travel. I travel from zone 4 East into 3 South-West so no option at all... :eek:
  • Comstock wrote: »
    Yes, good advice! And think to yourself- could I do this ten times a week for as long as I was in London? :D

    That said, there are alternatives- bus, cycle or taking a job on shifts maybe.

    Or try and find a job in zones 3 or 4 and live near work?
    I managed 2 years doing Northern line/Circle, then 5 years on the hell-hole Thameslink train line up to zone 6. Finally figure out there were jobs that didn't require a commute and moved just out the London zone. Yay!
  • Sncjw wrote: »
    Kings layer you don't seem to know what you want to do. From your previous posts you jump from very different sectors and your not sure. I think you really need to sit down and work out what you want to do before a big move to London. You need to realistically work out finances too ESP without a plan. Your better off securing employment before a move to ensure you have income. You really need to sit down and think, even if it takes a few days or weeks to work out what your path is, jumping ahead of yourself can cause future problems.

    That is the thing, i don't know. I enjoy lots of things, but making them a full time career is hard. All the better paid jobs seem to be in London, or at least you have a much better chance of moving up the ladder there.

    Because of my sh** C.V. and general work history, i worry that i may never get a good job due to other potential employees with degrees, better qualifications and vastly more experienced.

    Even here in my own area there seem to be only dead end jobs with no chance of moving up in the company. It would be great if I had a clear idea/path of what I wanted as a career, but i have not.

    I like to help people in life, but I can't really help myself, so as a career choice, a life coach may be out of reach for the time being :rotfl:
  • I think that you need to work out what you have to offer, what you can bring to the job. What are you good at?

    If the answer is "nothing", then it does not matter where you go or what you do, no-one will want to pay for you time, and you need to develop the skills that let you add value.
  • t0rt0ise
    t0rt0ise Posts: 4,475 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts Name Dropper
    I moved to London 4 years ago. I live in zone 1 with a WC1 postcode. I have no regrets and say that if someone wants to do it, just do so. Move, find a job and enjoy. Life's too short to waste it.
This discussion has been closed.
Meet your Ambassadors

🚀 Getting Started

Hi new member!

Our Getting Started Guide will help you get the most out of the Forum

Categories

  • All Categories
  • 350.9K Banking & Borrowing
  • 253.1K Reduce Debt & Boost Income
  • 453.5K Spending & Discounts
  • 243.9K Work, Benefits & Business
  • 598.7K Mortgages, Homes & Bills
  • 176.9K Life & Family
  • 257.2K Travel & Transport
  • 1.5M Hobbies & Leisure
  • 16.1K Discuss & Feedback
  • 37.6K Read-Only Boards

Is this how you want to be seen?

We see you are using a default avatar. It takes only a few seconds to pick a picture.