I weep for you all

[Sioned]

Originally Posted by hiding57

Their taxes are a LOT more than 30%.

I've lived a long time in both countries. The cost of living is cheaper in the USA. The current exchange rate makes Britain unbelievably expensive for Americans. Basic rate of tax in the UK was 22% for last year, 20% for this tax year for the first $70,000. The allowances are quite generous - about $10,000 for an individual. You do get child benefit of about $36 a week for first child and $24 a week for second and subsequent children. There are good things about both countries. They are very different systems, I still cannot decide which is cheaper overall. If you have good health insurance, USA probably is. I am glad that we were living in Britain when my eldest child had to be hospitalized with asthma. I don't know how people cope without health insurance as if being sick or having a sick relative isn't stressful enough without worrying about how you will pay for the treatment.

[hiding57]

Originally Posted by Sioned

I've lived a long time in both countries. The cost of living is cheaper in the USA. The current exchange rate makes Britain unbelievably expensive for Americans. Basic rate of tax in the UK was 22% for last year, 20% for this tax year for the first $70,000. The allowances are quite generous - about $10,000 for an individual. You do get child benefit of about $36 a week for first child and $24 a week for second and subsequent children. There are good things about both countries. They are very different systems, I still cannot decide which is cheaper overall. If you have good health insurance, USA probably is. I am glad that we were living in Britain when my eldest child had to be hospitalized with asthma. I don't know how people cope without health insurance as if being sick or having a sick relative isn't stressful enough without worrying about how you will pay for the treatment.

They go to the emergency room and get free care. Or to one of the nurmerous clinics such as the ones in my town that pay people 50K a year totrack people down and give them medicine and health care.

[hisredhead]

I've been living in England for almost 3 years now (with the USAF) and it is an eternal struggle. I don't really know how to explain it, but I guess if you don't make the conversion from pounds to dollars you will notice that the numbers are about the same. For example a shirt that sells for $20 in the states usually costs 20 pounds here. If you earn pounds and do not have to make the conversion to dollars things don't seem so expensive in your head. Just a bit of insight.

[frithar]

Tell me, then, someone-- how do people LIVE over there?? How on earth can you afford one or more children?! Is there really such a big division between classes that some people can live like that and not complain?

I read the papers from over there, and people look HAPPY. HOW??? Are we just spoiled rotten over here, and they've learned to muddle through with a smile or what? How can anyone afford University?

So many questions...so little time...

Laura

[CTCMC]

Originally Posted by hiding57

Their taxes are a LOT more than 30%.

So are ours! I'm in the highest-taxed state in the country and I "guestimate" our tax-free date (the day when we've worked enough to satisfy all our local, state, and federal taxes, and begin to work for ourselves) somewhere in mid or late July.
Nationally, it's in May sometime. Heck of alot more that 30%.

[billig]

Originally Posted by dalkambo

With free healthcare I would think they could afford to pay more for groceries!

The high price of groceries is the reason they have government provided healthcare. And it ain't "free". Rationed healthcare is NEVER as good as ours. I'm not saying it's not clean, everything in europe is just as professional as it is here, but there's waiting lists for certain surgeries. They wouldn't call it waiting lists..it would be "the next available" appointment for that type of surgery would be further out in the future than here.
I'd rather take our stupid defunct system than have to wait for a surgery that's 'free'.

[MrsPinecone]

My ex-FIL died because of the wonderful "free" healthcare in the UK. Don't think it's a benefit.

[nikarphar]

the 'Free" healthcare is just a myth...Canada now charges $ /month for this and the wait for a routine MRI is about 8mths :(
I am canadian but the taxes and lack of sales made me move here :) I can't afford living there sorry to say..
I know Candians get deeply offended if everyone says this,they believe the one year paid maternity leave is the most wonderful thing on earth but if they calculate the taxes they could afford staying at home without pay for a year if they were living here !

[ShoppingCartDiva]

There are flaws in both private and government insurance. Which is worse depends on who you are and what kind of insurance you have. :)

I can't stand insurance companies, though. But that's a rant for another thread. ;)

[chantal12002]

I'm also a Canadian living in the US and it is true that so much tax is taken off your paycheck back home. It is good and bad.
School is government funded there so when I went to university I paid very little and had no debt when I graduated as I worked part-time and paid for the fees I had. I can tell you I am GLAD I do not have to repay student loans that my fellow teachers have to pay now. There is no way I could afford it. My best friend has a masters and because she did her teaching degree as a stay at home mom she racked up about $40,000 of student loans. She has to repay this on a teacher's salary!!! That is when I decided that it was not so bad back in Canada!
About the one year maternity leave, yes in the end you pay for it with your taxes but really I would rather be able to spend a year with my child at home than having to go back to work so quickly in the States. One thing that struck me when I moved down here was the quality of the work place. It is awful compared to what I was used to! Sometimes one has to decide if quality of life is worth more than $$. I love it here though and really you can't beat the weather in NC (instead of the Canadian winters ).

Originally Posted by nikarphar

the 'Free" healthcare is just a myth...Canada now charges $ /month for this and the wait for a routine MRI is about 8mths :(
I am canadian but the taxes and lack of sales made me move here :) I can't afford living there sorry to say..
I know Candians get deeply offended if everyone says this,they believe the one year paid maternity leave is the most wonderful thing on earth but if they calculate the taxes they could afford staying at home without pay for a year if they were living here !