Tell me about Aberdeen...

[starry23]

I'm on the hunt for a better job and have seen one in Aberdeen but I want to find out a few things before I apply as I need to know the move is feasible for me!

I know Aberdeen is more expensive in general but by how much?! How much is rent for a one bed unfurnished flat? Petrol prices? Is food more expensive in general too? I have been up to visit a friend a couple of times but not noticed a huge difference except for the price of drinks on a night out!

How are the livery costs? My horse is retired so I'd really just be looking for grass livery which is what she is on at the moment or DIY if I really couldn't find a field! Are there places that offer this? I know just grass livery isn't all that common in Glasgow.

(I don't know Aberdeen too well so not sure on areas but the job is near Robert Gordon Uni)

 

[Overgrown Pony]

I live in Aberdeen. There's plenty work here in the oil & gas sector so you shouldn't struggle to find a job.

My livery (DIY grass with use of all-weather arena, good hacking and stable to tack up etc in) which is about 15 mins from town is £140 pcm.

I live AB21 0QU (just outside Whiterashes) and have a couple of acres of fantastic grazing next to my house I may be willing to rent out.

My tip would be to look for somewhere to stay out of town to keep the costs down. You'll pay through the nose for a crappy little 1 bedroom flat in town!

If I were you i'd sort out your horses livery space asap as 3 of the big equestrian centres have just shut down and people are fighting for spaces!

Good luck x

 

[starry23]

Thanks for replying!

Hmmm I'm not sure it would really be a great move for me then. My current grass livery with facilities is only £15/week so about half what you have said (and my horse is quite happy, I'd feel so bad taking her away from the current yard after everything). I'm going to have a look online tonight at flat etc to sus out various areas (as, like I said, I have no idea what is where in Aberdeen!).

I have a biology degree unfortunately (isn't so useful when it comes to oil and gas). The job I have seen is a permanent position and is a fair bit more that I'm currently getting but I worry that by the time you take into account the cost of living I'd end up either worse off or breaking even like I am just now. I'm looking for a better job as I'm totally stuck in a rut financially and personally. I'd love a bit more money so I could afford a 2nd horse I could ride but right now I can't afford it or much else fun after vet bills and everything else! There is nowhere I can go in current job and I'm bored so I want something that is a bit more engaging with better career prospects really, again I'm not sure there are great prospects with the Aberdeen job however the job sounds a bit more up my street and the money is tempting. I'm just trying to weigh up my options! Thanks again

 

[spookypony]

For a decent 1-bedroom flat in Aberdeen itself, you'd need to budget 500--700 depending on the area. The cheapest you'll get grass livery very close to Aberdeen is in the range of 85--90/month. At the yard I'm thinking of, that includes hay, storage/good facilities, a sand school, and access to excellent hacking. So not bad!

 

[starry23]

Thanks spookypony!

That livery price isn't much more than I am paying just now for the same so sounds very reasonable. I just can't believe how much the rent is. I spoke to a friend who shares a 2-bed flat with someone and pays nearly £500 per month excluding bills (also had a google and the unfurnished 1 bed flats that came up were all between £700-1000/month but that could have just been because I typed "Aberdeen" rather than a specific area/postcode). I can pay my rent, gas, electric, phone/broadband, council tax and mobile with that currently and I might still have a little left over. I think the price jump in rent alone makes the move a bit pointless for me as I know I'm very lucky with my cheap little flat just now.

Ah well, it looks like I'm back to the drawing board for the moment! Thanks for the info

 

[khalswitz]

Thanks spookypony!

That livery price isn't much more than I am paying just now for the same so sounds very reasonable. I just can't believe how much the rent is. I spoke to a friend who shares a 2-bed flat with someone and pays nearly £500 per month excluding bills (also had a google and the unfurnished 1 bed flats that came up were all between £700-1000/month but that could have just been because I typed "Aberdeen" rather than a specific area/postcode). I can pay my rent, gas, electric, phone/broadband, council tax and mobile with that currently and I might still have a little left over. I think the price jump in rent alone makes the move a bit pointless for me as I know I'm very lucky with my cheap little flat just now.

Ah well, it looks like I'm back to the drawing board for the moment! Thanks for the info

However you can rent for MUCH cheaper in area like Stonehaven, Inverurie or Royal Deeside, all of which have transport links to Aberdeen, and offer cheaper livery. Would then have travel costs, but most people I know do it this way as much cheaper!!!

 

[MagicMelon]

Look on the ASPC website, its where the vast majority of places are listed for rent or sale so you can get an idea of prices. Definately if you can move outwith Aberdeen then you can get more for your money, but then of course you have the petrol costs Aberdeen has nice and dodgy areas as anywhere so perhaps ask on here before you decide on a flat

I wouldn't say that Inverurie is much cheaper than Aberdeen as someone has said - Inverurie's actually massively increasing in size and is getting very popular nowadays so is pretty pricey too. If you go even further out then it gets much cheaper but depends how far you want to commute. I used to commute and hour / hour and a half to work in Aberdeen as do many people. I keep my horses privately but as a rough idea out where I am (50 mins from Aberdeen) its £28 DIY livery with a stable and £20 p/w grass livery at the one near me.

 

[khalswitz]

Look on the ASPC website, its where the vast majority of places are listed for rent or sale so you can get an idea of prices. Definately if you can move outwith Aberdeen then you can get more for your money, but then of course you have the petrol costs Aberdeen has nice and dodgy areas as anywhere so perhaps ask on here before you decide on a flat

I wouldn't say that Inverurie is much cheaper than Aberdeen as someone has said - Inverurie's actually massively increasing in size and is getting very popular nowadays so is pretty pricey too. If you go even further out then it gets much cheaper but depends how far you want to commute. I used to commute and hour / hour and a half to work in Aberdeen as do many people. I keep my horses privately but as a rough idea out where I am (50 mins from Aberdeen) its £28 DIY livery with a stable and £20 p/w grass livery at the one near me.

Inverurie is definitely cheaper. Not as much as further out, but definitely cheaper than town. I have several friends renting in Inverurie as couldn't afford town, and one friend just gave in and bought a flat in Inverurie because town flats have all been going for 15-20% above asking price over the last six months...

Somewhere like Huntly obviously going to be WAY cheaper but Inverurie is still significantly cheaper than town. You're right that the train connections make it popular, though, compared to car-only access areas.