Job move after disappointing review

LSydneyBeachGuy on 31/08/2016 - 08:38
Last edited 03/09/2016 - 17:00

Hi OzBargainers,

Long time listener, first time caller.

Bit of a dilemma which I would like the collective input on.

My situation (take these with a pinch of salt. I don't want to be identified by friends/colleagues)
30s, Male
Anglo Saxon origin (I am going to say U.K for ease of writing)
1 baby (1 more on the way) + wife (Doesn't work)
$15k savings
$30k in super
Rent ($3200 month with 45min commute each way)
No debt or other assets

The above is low because I spent all my life savings on education (I have a BA, MSc & PhD) , and only recently moved to Australia (2 Years).

Work in financial sector (Derivatives Pricing)
Current salary $150k + Super (so about $165k inc super)
Contract says $15k bonus + bonus tied to performance of firm.
Been with them 2 years and never had raise/bonus before, and at current review got told another 12 months of no pay rise and 0 bonus.
Claims company wise they aren't doing great etc, when I know this is a lie.
This is a fairly large hedge fund, with offices in London and Sydney.

Contacted a few agents and they have proposed a couple of job options:
1) $160k-$170k inc super with a bonus of up to 100%
2) $140-190k inc super with a bonus of up to 50%

The second job has the opportunity of relocation to Houston (Texas), which is really interesting as I am getting quite tired of Australia.
Texas has a 0% Income tax, and housing is so cheap.
Plus it's an adventure.

We find Australian tax rates really high together with the cost of housing/cars/living in Sydney.
On current salary I don't manage to save anything each month.
We would love to buy but a decent unit is $1m, with a house around $1.5m in Sydney.

I actually enjoy my job, and if it wasn't for the financials, I would stay.

What are your thoughts.
Thank you!

UPDATE: 2 Sept 2016
Ended up taking option 2.
The job will be 2 years in Sydney then 2 years in Houston.
Salary quoted was actually in USD (250k AUD + bonus of $125k AUD) , plus managed to get a sign on bonus of $100k AUD.

Thank you to all the people who took the time to read and understand my actual dilemma, rather than villify me for having an expensive rent and not having saved up much so far.

I see no joy in saving $200 a week in rent and live somewhere undesirable to me, when I could fight harder at work and more than make up the difference.
This wasn't supposed to be a thread asking how I can save a few hundred dollars by living frugal.

I was asking about leaving an employer who didn't deliver on their promise and 2 jobs, one with a much higher bonus component, which as per my (now former) employer, is never guaranteed.

Whilst the other option had a higher base and lower bonus, it also has the opportunity to move to another country in a couple of years time, at their expense.

From my limited time on this forum, it appears that if you are not a property owner, make too much money in your job, are not saving every possible cent you earn by seriously compromising your lifestyle, you will be villified and called a moron.

I came here for advice, which from the small minority, I got.
The vast majority scalded me for spending so much on rent, and wondering where the rest of my salary went.

I never needed advice in that camp. I gave a transparent assessment of my situation for full disclosure.
I am more than capable to save.

I hope to remain an active member, and enjoy the passionate discussion, but this first experience has left a bitter taste in my mouth.

Best of luck to you all in your quest for bargains.

Education & Work

Comments

        • snook on 02/09/2016 - 13:37
          +2

          He only came for the better weather and the money, and the money isn't good enough

        • cameldownunder on 02/09/2016 - 16:20
          +2

          @zeggie: Shots fired !

        • virhlpool on 03/09/2016 - 13:17

          opportunity, is that not what Australia gave you?

          What do you think? Did it give you enough?

      • [Deactivated] on 02/09/2016 - 01:42
        +5

        If they are providing a very comprehensive medical insurance package, and I have $400k a year to play with, what more should I be considering before doing the move?

        Insurance isn't going to help, when some kid turns up to your children's school with a gun.

        American's love their guns, especially Texans.

        • ExtraSalt on 02/09/2016 - 14:50

          i agree. From what i know, Texas still has a law that allows concealed guns in public.

      • virhlpool on 03/09/2016 - 13:18

        Aus unis are quite easier to get into though as compare to US, China or India. I am not sure of UK though.

        • emjones on 05/09/2016 - 17:47

          Yes same for UK, its easier to get into most of the universities in UK.

  • prankster on 01/09/2016 - 15:55
    +3

    wish i was earning 150k, i'm 33 and only earning 80k eeep - guess you have to have the brains or move up alot in a company

    • captobvious on 01/09/2016 - 20:22
      +4

      mate the more your make the more expensive shit you just end up buying, thats about all.
      but with a family more income can sometimes improve the overall quality of life

      • airzone on 01/09/2016 - 20:37
        +1

        Never a truer word has been spoken lol.

        • aerona on 01/09/2016 - 21:51
          +2

          true mo money mo problems

      • zealmax on 02/09/2016 - 14:25
        +2

        Like Chromecast 2 when you have a perfectly good Chromecast 1.

    • cameldownunder on 02/09/2016 - 16:22
      +1

      It's not about brains or Ph.D, It's about how good you're at licking. The longer your tongue, and the less self-respect you have, the quicker you shoot up the ranks.

      • SydneyBeachGuy on 02/09/2016 - 18:05
        +6

        Haha, I can guarantee you I am of the."non-licking" persuasion when it comes to office politics.

        I couldn't care less to brown nose the boss, I just let my work speak for itself, and not get involved in gossip etc.

        But you are right, so many people make a career out of it!

  • Donaldhump on 01/09/2016 - 16:34

    texas may not have income tax, but the usa as a country does….

    • SydneyBeachGuy on 01/09/2016 - 18:39

      Correct.
      Still far more advantageous for higher income earners than Australia.

      • [Deactivated] on 02/09/2016 - 01:45
        +1

        Still far more advantageous for higher income earners than Australia.

        I doubt it.

        A US state that doesn't have income tax, will typically raise revenues through property taxes or sales taxes. I'm not sure how Texas specifically collects taxes - they might have a oil mining tax or soemthing.

        There's no avoiding Uncle Sam.

        • Donaldhump on 03/09/2016 - 10:41
          +1

          on a plus side i lived in texas and drivers are really polite… they assume you have a pistol.

          texas has good sporting teams, and they love their booze and heavy metal… if these things work for you…. and good mexican cuisine

          i think texas will be its own country one day…

  • snook on 01/09/2016 - 16:42
    +9

    Comes on OZbargain to say

    I am getting quite tired of Australia

    Complaining about burning through an additional $1254 a week and not being able to save anything???
    (103,618 (after tax) - 38400 (rent) = 65,218 in cash)

    Greed and ignorance doesn't sit well with most aussies. I say go, the US is a remarkably stable environment.

    • ExtraSalt on 01/09/2016 - 17:35
      +2

      The incoming president will keep the sustainability of the great nation that is the US….lol

  • emjones on 01/09/2016 - 17:01
    +1

    Did you intend to work anywhere else in Australia? other than Sydney? Every city has a relatively different demographics and psycho-graphics. So you might be tired of Sydney but not Australia as a whole. It happens, when you go to a Country as an expat, you expect alot and as they say 'The grass is always greener on the other side of the fence'. When i went to Phoenix few years back to meet my aunt, i found it slow paced, though U.S as a whole isn't. So in my opinion you should go to a place where you grew, you will have a better life there no matter what. As not everyone can absorb the cultural shocks.

  • bongom on 01/09/2016 - 17:35
    +8

    OP joined OzBargain yesterday and this is his first troll post?

    • SydneyBeachGuy on 01/09/2016 - 18:37

      I did mention I was a long time listener, first time caller ;-)

  • KaTst3R on 01/09/2016 - 18:21

    In a hedge fund, after paying big managers bonuses and there are not enough left over profit to pay lower end executives = not a good year

    Im also a little surprise that you will think no one pays taxes in Texas (that was a tongue twister!), because it is common knowledge that USA has tax on a state and federal level. No one escapes the government !

    • SydneyBeachGuy on 01/09/2016 - 18:36
      +1

      I am well aware of the US tax system, just saying that compared to other states, like Cali or NY, there is no income state tax in TX.
      There are higher property taxes though.
      Still advanagtagous for higher income earners though.

      You can also expense a whole bunch of things, further reducing your tax burden.

      And yes indeed, if management bleed the bonus pool dry, most analysts will be left with zilch.

      • KaTst3R on 01/09/2016 - 18:43

        Fair enough. Tough choice. It always look like the grass is greener on the other side, but the cows always come back home when the sun sets.

        • SydneyBeachGuy on 01/09/2016 - 18:46

          Absolutely.

          Luckily we live in a world where moving to another country is relatively easy. So if we don't like it, just find something else.

        • [Deactivated] on 02/09/2016 - 01:13
          +1

          @SydneyBeachGuy: Can I ask you what is tiring you about Australia? When you go overseas you realise that Australia is the lucky country with sunshine. space, beaches, relative security, it truly is one of the best places, but having said that there are heaps of things I love about other courtiers that we don't really have so much here, like the arts. Plus, and I think this forum demonstrates this, there is a particular variant of harshness and sh** giving in our culture that others don't seem to have. And I'll say this, family is a really big thing in life. You might be missing having loved ones around especially with a little one.
          PS. It really is OK to say a culture has good and bad parts to it, without the whole thing being bad.

      • [Deactivated] on 02/09/2016 - 01:48

        You can also expense a whole bunch of things, further reducing your tax burden.

        Like what?

        I can only think of deductions you get in your 1st year, after that the deductions aren't very different to Australia.

        • SydneyBeachGuy on 02/09/2016 - 07:30

          The big one is Home loan interest deductions:
          https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Home_mortgage_interest_deducti…

          I am not saying it's a tax haven, but certainly many avenues to reduce the burden.

        • [Deactivated] on 02/09/2016 - 07:40
          +1

          @SydneyBeachGuy:

          The big one is Home loan interest deductions

          Another reason why you're a moron.

          You have to pay capital gains tax when you sell and if you think that you can hold on to the property forever to avoid capital gains tax, you probably can't. There's annual property taxes, which can make it uneconomical to hold property. There's also inheritance taxes.

          Further, they don't have a 'tax-free-threshold' in America. Instead they have an 'automatic-deduction' amount - around 10k for individual filing. A house in Texas is only going to cost 250k and mortgage rates are around 2%. Even with 100% financing you'll only pay 5k/year in interest - you'll still need to find another 5k of deductions to get beyond the 10k automatic deduction limit. Needless to say, only a very small proportion of people claim the interest deduction.

        • SydneyBeachGuy on 02/09/2016 - 08:28
          +1

          @sp00ker:
          Thanks for clearing that up.
          No need to insult people over the Internet though.

          Regardless, I have made the move. The salary bump is vey welcome, and it will be a great opportunity to discover a new continent.

  • myfuturej on 01/09/2016 - 18:24
    +12

    My heart bleeds for OP.
    We are on less than half of that salary, we got 2 kids, and we still manage to save something. I'm unemployed right now making a career shift so studying full-time at uni (thanks to my useless PhD). My partner is the only one working, lots of overtime, no bonuses.
    Still I think Australia is better than most countries.

    • cameldownunder on 02/09/2016 - 16:25

      Software developer? My company is always hiring. :-) But don't expect OP salary.

    • virhlpool on 03/09/2016 - 13:26

      No jobs. No growth. Less salaries. But Australia is still better.

    • rottnest on 03/09/2016 - 23:47

      OP wasn't complaining he has very little savings though. That's not his concern.

  • outlander on 01/09/2016 - 18:51
    +1

    Can you move over there, by yourself, and then if it works out bring the wife and kid?

    • SydneyBeachGuy on 01/09/2016 - 19:02

      Oh wow. That would be a tough one.

      I am still in Sydney for the next 2 years, but I guess that would be an option. Get a feel for it, get them to come over for a bit, then decide.

      Good suggestion. Thank you!

      • outlander on 03/09/2016 - 22:11

        You're welcome. It'll be tough, but it allows you to test the waters first.

  • ronnknee on 01/09/2016 - 19:06
    +1

    I'd be happy to getting paid what you get.

    • SydneyBeachGuy on 01/09/2016 - 19:12
      +1

      Plenty of opportunities out there.

      Remember they are buying your soul.

      • ronnknee on 01/09/2016 - 19:15
        +11

        I'm selling my soul either way. Might as well get more out of it.

      • Thenarrator on 03/09/2016 - 09:08

        please can i get an understanding of what you do or job title and how to get to where you are? i work 13hr days as a construction engineer with little respect from the labourers who only swears and puts you down. I need some advice.

        • SydneyBeachGuy on 03/09/2016 - 09:51
          +1

          I previously (currently?!) work in a hedge fund.
          I work in the futures market. Trying to take advantage of pricing anomalies through statistics. It's quite technical, but not rocket science.

          My new role is pricing catastrophe insurance derivatives.
          So a corporate who owns some property, wants to protect it against a tornado etc.

          I guess this is more technical, as it requires stochastic calculus, which is a new opportunity to learn.

          If you work construction, have you considered the Middle East?
          Plenty of very high paying jobs, with no tax, plus some of the benefits like school fees, accommodation paid etc, can be quite enticing.

          Depends if you want to live in such a place.

  • Havinagoodtime on 01/09/2016 - 20:23

    No mention of what do you and your family do in your spare time and are you going to be able to do that Texas? Can't all be about the money as your not going that bad.

  • serpserpserp on 01/09/2016 - 20:42

    I think the OP should get a new job and it already sounds like you want to give Houston a shot and if I was in your shoes I would do exactly that.

    I would say though, that $800 a week on rent is pretty steep for what I am assuming is a 2 bedder apartment. Last year I lived with a baby and wife next to the beach in Sydney's eastern suburbs and only paid $650 a week, i'm sure you could find something pretty nice to live in around the $600 mark which will free up cash.

    But it sounds more like you don't really enjoy the culture here in your two years which is understandable when you move to a new country. So perhaps seeing how green the grass is somewhere else is probably the wiser lifestyle choice.

    • SydneyBeachGuy on 02/09/2016 - 07:45
      +4

      I got the job that offered part Sydney part Houston living.

      Handed in my resignation.
      Got a nice bump in basic pay(165k -> 240k), and bonus looks quite generous and thankfully managed to negotiate a hiring bonus too(100k gross).
      Should stock up the savings nicely.

      No way near enough to buy, but hopefully in a few years.

      Don't want to move as it's very stressful, plus I like living near the beach.

      What was the point in moving to the other side of the world to live inland, when the opportunity is there to walk to the ocean.

      I love the culture. It's just the cost of living that gets to me. :-)

      • lousy on 03/09/2016 - 13:38
        +2

        Congrats on the new job offer !

  • CheapCoffee on 01/09/2016 - 21:03
    +4

    Not to be so judgemental over the internet, but I would hate to work with a person who you come across as in this post at a workplace.

    Or troll is a good troll.

    • SydneyBeachGuy on 02/09/2016 - 08:29

      Apologies if my comments come across that way.
      It seems all I have done is antagonize people, and I am forever defending my position.

  • greatlamp on 01/09/2016 - 23:29

    Texas is a growing state in the USA, a good place to go if you do want to emigrate.

    If Trump wins the election next year, and follows through with his tax cuts, you will have a much, better lifestyle in texas financially.

    You could probably afford to live much closer to work.

    You also need to balance if there is anything you give up, such as personal safety/crime rates, quality schools, friends and family in Australia…

    Either way it seems like they are not treating you very well at your current work, xompared to your options.

    if you do leave don't burn any bridges and leave a door open for your possible return

  • [Deactivated] on 02/09/2016 - 01:52

    The OP is a moron - he's posted at least a dozen messages about tax differentials. Saving on taxes is never going to make you rich. Just work harder and make more money, that's what'll make you rich. Pay whatever taxes you owe and move on.

    • garetz on 02/09/2016 - 06:18
      +4

      Thats a poor persons mentality, the harder you work, in effect the less you make, work smarter not harder is how you truly become rich.

      • CyberMurning on 02/09/2016 - 09:13

        but dont so work out about tax. you get more you need to pay more but if you dont want to pay tax then you wont earn anything. i am happy to pay millions in tax because it means i earn much much more than average people.
        never afraid to pay tax but think harder to earn more (and invest) and continue make your money work for you.
        you cant avoid paying tax. full stop. no need to find where you can pay less tax etc etc.
        find where you can earn more

    • Kapinny on 02/09/2016 - 22:27

      have you not read rich dad poor dad?

  • Mysterious on 02/09/2016 - 04:17
    +1

    Seriously how can you spend $103k per year after tax with a partner and one kid? Where do you live? You can get a very nice place for $500-600 per week rent. Why are you paying so much that also requires you to commute so far?

    You need to review your spending habits before you start looking for a new job or country.

    Won't say too much more because I have a feeling this could be a troll post.

    • [Deactivated] on 02/09/2016 - 07:15

      Where do you live? You can get a very nice place for $500-600 per week rent. Why are you paying so much that also requires you to commute so far?

      Just going by the name 'SydneyBeachGuy', I'm guessing he's in Manly or Bondi - both end up being a 1hr commute into the city.

      • SydneyBeachGuy on 02/09/2016 - 07:38

        Yup. One of those two.
        Probably closer to 45-50mins, depends on weather and day of week.

        • serpserpserp on 03/09/2016 - 20:25

          From that I'm guessing Manly.

          Bondi is about 40 minutes. Less if you drive to Double Bay Ferry.

    • cameldownunder on 02/09/2016 - 16:29
      +2

      "You can get a very nice place for $500-600 per week rent. "

      Where ?!?! Free-standing house, in green environment, with good schools nearby.
      Without neighbours that hold bull-terrier dogs, drive-by shooting, stabbing, meth-labs ?

      • Mysterious on 02/09/2016 - 19:53

        So all properties under $600 per month rent for a 2 bedroom house are dangerous? These threads never fail to surprise me.

  • fozzie on 02/09/2016 - 06:38
    +3

    TBH open to me it seems you are doing great, considering you live in Sydney. You could move to a different Australian city where life is cheaper so you could buy a house. It is quite frustrating not being able to buy because you don't have enough deposit. When I moved to Australia 18 months ago we rented for 15 months. I hated it as I had a very annoying agency and noisy. I couldn't wait to buy. Me and husband were lucky to have enough savings, but our combined salary is quite low ($120 k) as we had to restart careers over here. We can't save anything but I don't mind as now I am in my own house.

    • SydneyBeachGuy on 02/09/2016 - 07:40
      +3

      Congratulations. That must have been quite an achievement and sense of satisfaction to finally own.

      Renting is such hard work sometimes, and always feel like I am throwing money away.

      Sydney is lovely, it's just the cost of living that gets to me.

      Hopefully in a few years we will have enough for a deposit.

  • [Deactivated] on 02/09/2016 - 08:32

    OP has

    Current salary $150k + Super (so about $165k inc super)

    and also says that he has

    $30k in super

    Considering 9% compulsary super on 150k it should be 163,500 i.e he has 13500 super annually. So he has worked just over than 2 years in this job to collect 30k when he is 33 years of age ??? What did he do till he was 31 ?

    This doesn't add up.

    • SydneyBeachGuy on 02/09/2016 - 08:50
      +1

      Thank for checking the maths.

      These figures are approximate as I don't want to give too many specific details as I don't want to be identified by my peers which I know frequent this forum.

      I haven't always lived in Australia, and didn't work full time as I was doing my PhD in Australia.

      Worked in UK prior to coming here.

    • cameldownunder on 02/09/2016 - 16:34
      -8

      OP was working on his ph.D, in England. Not that hard to work it out.
      Considering this, I could assume you have found your job through friends or parents. It was a high prestige job.
      You underperformed, and got the "indirect" sack. Now, because of your "splendid career" and your slick background and smooth talking, you got another "high prestige" position. You will fail again, and maybe people realize that what you profile yourself is only a façade.

      I recommend to put as much money away as you can during this "Fat" period, to save for when your masquerade blows up.

      • SydneyBeachGuy on 03/09/2016 - 10:04
        +2

        Wow.
        You are quite upset about something.
        I am sorry my post has made you feel this way. I clearly wasn't my intention.

        Everyone in the team hasn't been paid a bonus/raise, so it wasn't a direct reflection on my performance.
        I can also assure you that my parents are working class people, with no links to "prestige" positions, even less so on the other side of the globe.

        What would you do in my position?
        After having spent so much time,energy and money on education?

        Dismiss all my previous work experience and go for a lesser role?

      • SydneyBeachGuy on 03/09/2016 - 14:32
        +2

        Also, are you bipolar?

        You asked me to find you a job as a Java developer, and now you are calling me a fraud.

        Don't think that is the way to make friends and influence people!

        • rottnest on 03/09/2016 - 23:54
          +2

          That's properly why he is looking for a job.

        • cameldownunder on 04/09/2016 - 22:13

          @rottnest: Am in looking for a job ? Just because I ask?

  • nobro25 on 02/09/2016 - 11:20
    +3

    Man! I thought I was doing alright earning 70k a year,but after reading all these posts, I guess the average Joe is well above the 100k salary mark. Thought still there's problems to be had. I guess I'm considered well below the average line. How do I get in par with the rest of you Oz bargainers?

    • [Deactivated] on 02/09/2016 - 11:28
      +2

      buy more eneloops

      • SydneyBeachGuy on 02/09/2016 - 11:40
        +1

        That is always the right answer.

      • fozzie on 02/09/2016 - 14:07

        😂

    • SydneyBeachGuy on 02/09/2016 - 11:40
      +7

      Are you doing anything about it?
      I used to earn minimum wage in the U.K. whilst I was studying, and my first job was distinctly average paying (about $50k)

      I decided to sacrifice my evenings and weekends for 2 years to get a masters. That helped somewhat. It gave me freedom to move to a much better job. (About $100k)

      I then sacrificed my free time again for 3 years, to study for my PhD.

      I found that making sacrifices in terms of leaving my family and friends behind has helped me financially. Of course I miss them, but then I would still be in a similar, average paying job.

      What industry do you work in?

      • cameldownunder on 02/09/2016 - 16:35
        +2

        Watch out not to sacrifice your family.

  • yjun355 on 02/09/2016 - 13:36
    +6

    Thumbs up on your final update and summary! Good luck and its great things working out the way you want!

    • SydneyBeachGuy on 03/09/2016 - 09:43

      Cheers mate.
      I hope it works out too.

  • Gaz1 on 02/09/2016 - 15:24
    +2

    My main concern with any new place offering a massive salary is the clear expectation that you will make substantially more for them.
    This will make the job very volatile & I suspect the USA finance sector is already extremely volatile so the position could become somewhat disposable & potentially temporary. They would certainly have plenty of others to choose from at that level.
    This is more of an issue if you uproot & move to Texas based on the promises of this job.
    We found this in WA. Many people gave up good jobs with the offer of huge salaries up North in mining only to be the first to go when there is a downturn & no job to come back to.

    • SydneyBeachGuy on 02/09/2016 - 17:55
      +2

      There is always that risk, but what am I supposed to do, not take on that risk?

      You are absolutely right, there will be a high expectation of me, but it's a sacrifice I am willing to make in order to set myself and my family up for the future.

      There is a lot of other countries I could move to after, if I get laid off.
      If there is a downturn, I am hoping that qualifications and experience will allow me to regain employment fairly easily. Might not be the same rock star salary, but enough to have a decent enough living until things pick up.

      I guess I am a vagabond at heart, so who knows where I will be in 10 years.

      • [Deactivated] on 02/09/2016 - 21:33

        My main concern with any new place offering a massive salary is the clear expectation that you will make substantially more for them.

        The salary might sound quite high, by Australian standards, but have a look on efinancialcareers.com - it's quite typical of finance salaries in the US.

        Even average people without phds - just 4 year undergrad degrees from 2nd/3rd tier universities can command those sorts of salaries on wall street. I guess the insurance company has to compete for talent from wall street.

        This will make the job very volatile & I suspect the USA finance sector is already extremely volatile so the position could become somewhat disposable & potentially temporary.

        Insurance companies are surprisingly stable. When was the last time you heard of mass layoffs from an insurance company? I can only thing of HIH or AIG.

  • [Deactivated] on 02/09/2016 - 15:52

    Dudes, $3200/month isn't even high brah!!!!!!

    A house is worth >$1 mil and it would be > $1000 a week easy. It is what it is and yes, we don't get what our money's worth with this government

  • T1OOO on 02/09/2016 - 17:40

    Nice dude. If u only had 2 years exp it's an excellent salary. I would prefer to move from Aust but I don't have the education you have and work in IT so it's hard to pickup and leave.

    • SydneyBeachGuy on 02/09/2016 - 17:59

      I have about 8 years of exp.

      Leaving is both exciting and terrifying, as you are leaving behind the known in exchange of the unknown.

      Mainly is the social group that you have to start to work on again, but as kids come into he picture, hanging out with mates has become less of a priority.

      Could you not qualify and look for work abroad. Maybe Middle East?!

      • T1OOO on 02/09/2016 - 18:08

        ahhaha middle east, yeah right! passss….

        i ear about $150k in SA as a contractor, i have no mortgage, and only a comp sci degree,.. i think programmers would be a dime a dozzen in the states and any ohter place esp europe i guess, im not competing with thos eastern Europeans that have mad skills and will code for a tenth of what i get!

        • SydneyBeachGuy on 02/09/2016 - 18:11

          Oh well, it's about life choices.
          You could stop coding, find a more manegerial role, probably add 50k to your salary, and pay 0 tax.

          The cost comes in living somewhere that to you is undesirable.

          You never know until you try btw. Don't sell yourself so short.
          You probably speak better English than most Europeans, and that's a huge plus.

          Contact some agents and see what happens. :-)

          Best of luck in your quest.

        • T1OOO on 02/09/2016 - 18:13

          @SydneyBeachGuy:

          end of the day if i want more i have to get more education, perhaps a masters, phd, or management/business degree. Ive tried management, its not really for me i dont think, tech leads is something ive done in the past, but managing devs is probably the worst experience ive had! They and me included (though not as bad) lack the social skills of most normal people. The other option is to do my own start up i guess.

        • SydneyBeachGuy on 02/09/2016 - 19:36

          @T1OOO:
          Boom there you go!
          Be your own boss!
          MAKE THE NEXT GOOGLE!
          :-)

        • virhlpool on 03/09/2016 - 14:29

          I have heard programmers get paid much higher in the US. More than that, there are plenty more jobs in almost every state there. Just check their job posting websites and compare them with ours one and only.

  • poppit88 on 02/09/2016 - 21:38

    WTF……. You can go to Texas, USA and pay no tax!!!! It's a no brainer….. have you been to the USA! It's as cheap as chips. (Except for the masses that live there earning minimum wage……) Seriously, hearing this - Australia is in serious trouble. Why on earth would you stay when you have qualifications and can earn a 6 figure salary and not pay tax…..

    Does this actually require discussion?

    • mskeggs on 02/09/2016 - 21:40
      +2

      I wish all the people wanting to leave would hurry up about it. The traffic is getting dreadful every time I come to the city.

      • niner on 02/09/2016 - 22:27

        The Chinese and their luxury cars aren't complaining. They're here to stay and they make up most of Sydney city imo.

        • mskeggs on 03/09/2016 - 00:23

          No need for opinions when we have stats! Asian background people make up at most, 1/3 in any suburb:
          https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Asian_Australians

          But most Asian background people look pretty noticeable, I guess.
          When we go out to regional NSW my daughter always whispers in my ear as we walk down the main street "Look, no asians!"
          But she goes to a school with majority of students from sub-continental and east asian backgrounds, and I work near Chinatown, so it is a little jarring to see a purely Anglo street.

          What really surprises me is how swiftly our culture has embraced Asia in general. I remember Paul Keating talking about Australia's future in asia and there being a significant voice that doubted that would come to pass and that it was at all desirable, probably a majority. But a generation on and certainly the contemporary links are all toward Asia.
          We have a history of links to Britain that isn't going away, and to a lesser extent the US, which itself stays current via media/entertainment, but the way we eat, house ourselves and, I think, adopt things like cultural fashions is becoming more like Asia than our historical approach.

          Personally, I'm a fan of the food, and the vibrancy of dense neighbourhoods (even if I live in a big outer suburban block!) and think we will manage the downsides. But I can appreciate people who find the pace of change unwelcome. My mum can't use chopsticks, and Chinese food for her is sweet & sour or chicken with cashews. She doesn't like coming to yum cha in case she accidentally gets some offal or other dish she didn't intend. She would say she isn't racist, but she clearly has a preference for the culture she knows.

          I think the reason we have people like Pauline Hanson around is because of this vague unease. The fear of looking a bit silly with chop sticks, or the crowded roads with drivers who are clearly from an Asian background, or the large numbers of blocks of flats being built that would have looked like poverty housing a few generations ago. This vague unease can find an outlet with a Pauline Hanson who will dramatically and hyperbolically say things that oppose that unease.

          I don't think my mum is truly a hateful racist. She is what I think of as a True Blue Aussie Racist. She will say the Vietnamese or the Lebs are behind drug trafficking, but warmly welcome a Viet or Leb neighbour. And I think the majority of Aussie society is the same. We can be lazy racists, if you want to consider us by our most flippant remarks, but there are very, very few Aussies that wouldn't stand up for a new Australian workmate or neighbour if somebody disparaged them as individuals.

          It makes me feel pretty optimistic for the future.

  • StewBalls on 02/09/2016 - 21:39

    F''kn trolls…

    • poppit88 on 02/09/2016 - 21:44
      +1

      I'm not trolling….. I'm being serious!Seriously, I've done a few trips to the USA and Europe.

      Unfortunately, I'm in the opposite position to the OP. I'm earning great money here that I wouldn't have a hope in hell of earning OS.

      Someone with qualifications though - the world is your oyster!

    • SydneyBeachGuy on 03/09/2016 - 09:42
      +1

      Sorry you feel that way.

      I can assure you I wasn't trolling.

      There has been some great advice on here, which I have heeded.

  • [Deactivated] on 02/09/2016 - 22:15
    +1

    -makes 150k a year
    -cant save money

    Lol..

    • StewBalls on 03/09/2016 - 08:36

      All these brag-whinge post trolls are basically liars…normally I'd say I'm surprised so many people get fooled by them, but there's some dumbasses on OzB that will fall for any line of bullshit apparently.

      It's like a freakin soap opera…glossing over the obvious stupidity of the fictions some of these guys are posting, I simply cannot fathom how clueless a person would have to be to seek life coaching advice from OzBargain!!!

      • SydneyBeachGuy on 03/09/2016 - 09:41

        Sorry I made you feel that way about my post.

        I can hardly discuss it with my colleagues.

        I would provide more concrete evidence of my truthfulness but I don't want to be identified by colleagues who I know request these forums.

        • [Deactivated] on 03/09/2016 - 11:51

          How many 32 YO PhD derivatives pricers for Sydney / Houston officed employer are there. Kinda narrows it down. It's weird to me that a healthy salary doesn't require you to be decisive or astute enough to realise you are easily identifiable by anyone with experience playing Guess Who and upwards.

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