Where should I live? What would you do?

amother

Amethyst

Tue, Jul 05 2016, 10:55 pm

We have two options of where to live.

A) live in israel. Here we own our renovated home in full and a car. My husband works a dead end job earning 5,500 shekels ($1,200) a month with no opportunity for growth or earning potential. He may be able to find a job for 6,000 but options are slim and there are no prospects in sight. I can't go back to work right now because I'm at home with my baby and am pregnant. I wanted to go back to school so that's another 3-4 years of me learning and (possibly) working very part time if I can even find a job.

B) return to america for a few years. My husband has job options there with a lot more earning potential. We would be able to buy a house there eventually with a mortgage. I can finish school in 2 years because I have 2 years already from before I was married. After I give birth I will be next to my family and I will get help (which I won't get from my husband's family). We want to return to Israel before my oldest will be in citah aleph. While we are in America we would rent our home in Israel.

So my question is what would you do?? What sounds more financially savvy? We will have to start over in America but with potential for growth, while in Israel we are already settled, but with little growth potential.

grace413

Tue, Jul 05 2016, 11:07 pm

Just some points to think about:

You are talking about a short time frame if you want your now baby to start kita aleph here. Unless one or both of you are speaking Hebrew to the baby, s/he will be at a language disadvantage when you return.

In the states you'll need to pay rent/mortgage. Impossible to predict how the real estate market in the states will go.

Also consider the costs of health insurance and tuition in the states.

Will the job options your DH will have in the states be transferable to better jobs here when you return?

Hatzlacha in making your decision.

amother

Floralwhite

Tue, Jul 05 2016, 11:11 pm

I think we're missing a lot of information. If you own a house and car in Israel, that money came from somewhere.

It's unlikely that you can earn enough in the US in a few years to put together a down payment and qualify for a mortgage. It's also not likely that you will come back to Israel once you have bought a house. Anyway, you'd be coming back to a dead end job for dh.

If you are getting outside help, why not put it towards getting dh training for a better job in Israel?

amother

Amethyst

Tue, Jul 05 2016, 11:14 pm

grace413 wrote:

My husband already speaks hebrew to my child and I will start so hopefully he will be fluent even when we come back.

Yeah the tuition is not bad, but more than we would pay in Israel. And the health insurance will be higher too.

No, job wise he would probably be in the same position we are now but the only difference is I will have a degree and be able to work as well and ideally we'd have more money saved.

grace413

Tue, Jul 05 2016, 11:21 pm

amother wrote:

I have serious doubts that you'll be able to save up a substantial amount of money in less than 5 years, especially with a young and probably growing family. Your DH may be frustrated at leaving a better paying job in the states to return to a less rewarding job here.

Most people who go to the states for a few years do not return to Israel. Evidently your DH is Israeli so that does improve the coming back percentage. I also left and returned.

Have you checked into learning something here in Israel that would not take so many years?

amother

Amethyst

Tue, Jul 05 2016, 11:22 pm

amother wrote:

For the house we got help. The car we bought with our savings from america. We have enough savings for a down payment in america too (which I'm hesitant to use cause that would be the last of our savings). But we don't want to sell our house in Israel. We got help for a house but bills are on us to pay.

Thats a good idea and we definitely considered it but My husband is in his mid 30s so he feels it's late for him to go back to school. Maybe something short 1-2 years.. Any suggestions? Confused

amother

Amethyst

Tue, Jul 05 2016, 11:27 pm

lefty1 wrote:

What about looking into ways you and your husband can supplement your income? Work from home, freelance type of things

My husband works 8-5 and is exhausted when he comes home so he definitely can't. I would be open to that but I don't know where to find such opportunities and also I'm pretty tired from being home with a 1 yr old all day and being pregnant.

amother

Amethyst

Tue, Jul 05 2016, 11:32 pm

grace413 wrote:

Yeah I also have my concerns about how much we'd actually save either.. But at least he would be earning more?

I know but I thought if we kept our home at least we would feel like we have something to come back too. Also I really, really want my kids to go to school in Israel. How long did you leave for if you don't mind me asking.

Well, that would be a course miktzoi I suppose but I want a degree.

amother

Floralwhite

Tue, Jul 05 2016, 11:33 pm

amother wrote:

Without knowing his skills or interests, I have no idea. But if you could generate the same income you have now by going to work after the baby is born, he could go to school. (Assuming that one parent is working full time and the other is a full-time student, you should qualify for subsidized day care.)

amother

Amethyst

Tue, Jul 05 2016, 11:46 pm

amother wrote:

Well I wanted to go to school. Yeah we got a discount for maon it's cheaper than the tuition in america.

amother

Floralwhite

Tue, Jul 05 2016, 11:55 pm

amother wrote:

I just wanted to point out that tuition and health care are much much more expensive in the US than in Israel and will probably eat up any increased earnings. Yes you will be saving a year in getting a degree, but education in the US is also very expensive. As an olah, in Israel you will probably be entitled to free or low cost schooling towards your degree.

Having your family around is wonderful, but you asked about the financial considerations. I think you'd be better off staying in Israel than going back and forth.

amother

Floralwhite

Tue, Jul 05 2016, 11:57 pm

amother wrote:

Well I wanted to go to school. Yeah we got a discount for maon it's cheaper than the tuition in america.

When your husband finishes his degree, you can get yours. It's not all or nothing.

amother

Amethyst

Wed, Jul 06 2016, 12:30 am

amother wrote:

That's my primary concern that the tuition and insurance will eat up extra money when it's so cheap here in Israel. But in Israel we don't even have any extra money. Every single month we come out even and Aren't saving. And we already don't spend any money on luxuries or any extras.

Tuition for my child will be $650 a month and my tuition will be $7,000 a year. I don't think that's so bad? We aren't a family with five kids. And I will have free health insurance for one year through my mom's work and she said there's a cheap healthcare plan for kids in our state.

grace413

Wed, Jul 06 2016, 1:05 am

amother wrote:

Earning more doesn't help if it's all eaten up by expenses. Does he have an actual job promised there or are you assuming he'll find something? This is a major point.

Yes, keeping your home here does help with coming back. But things happen.

I had been living in Israel for 15 years when I married someone who lived in the states and could not come to Israel at that time. We made a 10 year plan to come back and B"H we did it. Our kids were 3 and 6 when we came.

Re wanting a degree, do you have something specific in mind? If not, think of what you like, what you do well, what will make it financially worthwhile as a mother of small kids. A miktzoi course may be more worthwhile in terms of earning power as opposed to a generic BA.

amother

Amethyst

Wed, Jul 06 2016, 4:17 am

DrMom wrote:

Why is your DH obligated to work in this low-end dead-end job? Why can't he look for another position? He is fluent in Hebrew -- that's a huge plus.

He can't seem to find a good job (or himself for that matter here). Everyone we know with a good job had it fixed for them by someone they know. But he was in america for so many years he doesn't have any kind of network here. He's really hard working, fast learner and really smart so I really don't know.

amother

Amethyst

Wed, Jul 06 2016, 4:22 am

grace413 wrote:

He won't just waltz into a great job but he has better options there with his skill set and just more earning potential. Most of his adult life he's worked in america and made good money so he has the experience and know-how of what to do.