How much money will i bring to Oz

chatterbox

I'm planning to head to Oz in a few months for around a year. I was wondering how much money I should bring. I plan to work for approx 6 months and then travel around on the cheap for a few months.

Anyone have any experience similar to this, any idea how much I should bring????

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I'm going in August, and I'm bringing €4000 with me.

I also hope to work for about 6 months, and travel for the rest.

Looking into accommodation, I think we are going to be paying circa €80-100 per week in Sydney.

So if you get a decent job, you should be able to save some too.

chatterbox

4000 sounds pretty good, i have a place to stay when i get over so hopefully with a good job ill be able to save enough to do a good bit of travelling.

Did you look into hiring/buying a campervan or anything over there for when ur traveling, any idea on second hand prices??

fjon

Don't want to sound negative, but I would take into consideration the fact that getting work in Australia at the moment is quite hard, and you may be looking for quite some time. It could take a few weeks to get something decent. I would look for work the second you get there, and worry about the accomodation later - you can always stay in hostels in the meantime! €4000 sounds good if you are sensible with money - but after a few benders, having to pay a large deposit on accommocation and possibly having to work a back-month will certainly eat into it. Best of luck with it, and I hope you both end up with better jobs than I did over there (and I had quite a few!).

empirix

Lads, i would take more than 4k, i am currently here now(7 months) and it took me about 3 months to get a decent IT job, if you have no qualifications or experience your up s**t creek.
Basically backpackers get ripped here, averaging anything from $12 - $20 an hour(unless qualified in Accountancy, legal, IT(Specific: programming,testing etc support/netrworking jobs are low paid and non existent for the backpacker)

Accomodation, hostels in August about $25 a night for a dorm bed in Sydney/Brisbane/Melbourne. If your going to rent you will more than likely have to take a 6 month lease especially around August(coming into summer) - which will entail a Bond(4 weeks rent).

I arrived in December from SE Asia, which i probably still regret but i am heading back soon so no worries. I have had a geat time but i must of spent about 5000 euro (3 1/2 months) while waiting to get a job, maybe thats a bit extreme, cause i went out a fair bit but who doesn't, trouble is if you don't have a job and you have seen all the sights, you will end up going out a lot more mainly due to being bored and pissed off about not getting a job etc so you wanna live it up. I should also mention i have rarely paid my rent and have been lucky enough to get two aprts and do a legger from each one after 2 months at each without paying rent and basically giving sob stories to the management company - shameful i know, but when the money is running out thats the way it is.

I don't mean to worry you lads, but i am just saying a little more money may be wise(or get a credit card - just in case), otherwise be careful with the dosh, the money can fly out of one's pockets here.

Anyway, enjoy,
on the other hand, if you really want some good advice, skip Oz and go to SE asia instead

chatterbox

I do plan to bring a bit more that 4K alright, i was looking for a ball park figure of what other people had brought on their travels.


Where in SE Asia do you recommend as i intend travelling and working for as long as possible.

empirix

Where in SE Asia do you recommend as i intend travelling and working for as long as possible.[/QUOTE]

Everywhere - its just a damn cool place overall, although for a newbie - ya have to hit Thailand, try and leave 3 months for SEAsia and travel all over, change your outlook on this world of ours - tis true freedom boy!

DoraDelite

I brought 7k and had that spent in 3.5 months but it did include the rugby world cup and a month up the east coast. If you are careful with your money, don't go out much and don't travel then you might make 4k last 4 or 5 months but you'll have no life! As regards jobs particularly I.T. if you have no experience forget it, if you have 2+ years you'll pick up a couple of contracts but can be hard to find, the best time to look for work in Sydney is usually April to Sept when most backpackers leave Sydney.

bbop

just back from oz, its really hard to find work at the moment, i ended up doing 3 weeks telesales (the job from hell) met loads of people tough, we shared an apartment in the world tower with 3 asians for 120 dollers aweek about 70 euro which aint bad, we got it from ringing numbers from lampposts.
friends of ours ended up in bondi payin 150 dollers each 6 of them in 1 bed place, so ya can get lucky. sydney isnt that dear compared to here, but be prepared to move on if ya aint got no work