Move for a potential job in Anchorage. (Wasilla, Eagle: house, buying)

[AKStafford]

If it helps, the Alaska Railroad had a profitable year: Alaska Journal | Alaska Railroad returned to profitability in 2017
And the article has some good details on Alaska Railroad as a corporation.

[Cab4you26]

Thank you. That’s extremely helpful and a great thing. It’s going to cost me around $4k +/- to get up there. My initial thoughts are to find a room with someone in the Wasilla area (this will reduce rent to an amount similar to Roanoke) for atleast 6mo - 1yr till I get more settled in, then go from there. I’ve been looking at pictures and it looks awesome up there.

[Haolejohn]

Originally Posted by Cab4you26

Thank you. That’s extremely helpful and a great thing. It’s going to cost me around $4k +/- to get up there. My initial thoughts are to find a room with someone in the Wasilla area (this will reduce rent to an amount similar to Roanoke) for atleast 6mo - 1yr till I get more settled in, then go from there. I’ve been looking at pictures and it looks awesome up there.

I’m kind of following this thread. So I might ask a question already answered.
The job is in Anchorage? If so, IMO, and savings on rent would be eaten up on commute time as well as gas costs and wear and tear on the vehicle.

I saw a mention that 18% increase isn’t that high. I’ll disagree. Anchorage is expensive, but it isn’t unaffordable. It really depends on your lifestyle.

$4k to come? Sell everything and just bring your vehicle up. There are ways to save on moving costs.

Don’t be scared to come up. You say your young. Do it. You only live once. Just don’t do it without a job.

[Cab4you26]

I’ve figured up the $4k to move up from renting a 20’ U-Haul, hauling my Corolla behind it, and 5k miles in gas (I did 5000 miles/10mpg*$3.00 per gallon. The number I came up with is actually lower than $4k but there are always unexpected expenses so $4k to be conservative. If I just drove my Corolla I’d spend around $500 in just gas but I’d have nothing. The difference in those two is I’d have $3500 to spend on things I already have here - the largest being my bed/frame, dresser, gun safe, etc. I thought it might be cheaper in the long run to haul everything up since the cost of living is higher there, but maybe it’s not. I haven’t factored in the money I’d make from selling things I already have and repurchasing. In that case it probably would be cheaper.

Speaking of just bringing my car up, would it be wise of me to have a 4wd up there vs my FWD Corolla? I’ve read a lot of people make do just fine with studded tires on a FWD, but I also plan on exploring as much as I can.

The difference in rent in the Wasilla area for me to get my own place vs room with someone is about $1000+ (own place) compared to $500-$700 (room with someone).

[AlaskaErik]

Originally Posted by Cab4you26

I’ve figured up the $4k to move up from renting a 20’ U-Haul, hauling my Corolla behind it, and 5k miles in gas (I did 5000 miles/10mpg*$3.00 per gallon. The number I came up with is actually lower than $4k but there are always unexpected expenses so $4k to be conservative. If I just drove my Corolla I’d spend around $500 in just gas but I’d have nothing. The difference in those two is I’d have $3500 to spend on things I already have here - the largest being my bed/frame, dresser, gun safe, etc. I thought it might be cheaper in the long run to haul everything up since the cost of living is higher there, but maybe it’s not. I haven’t factored in the money I’d make from selling things I already have and repurchasing. In that case it probably would be cheaper.

Speaking of just bringing my car up, would it be wise of me to have a 4wd up there vs my FWD Corolla? I’ve read a lot of people make do just fine with studded tires on a FWD, but I also plan on exploring as much as I can.

The difference in rent in the Wasilla area for me to get my own place vs room with someone is about $1000+ (own place) compared to $500-$700 (room with someone).

If you don't lose the Corolla before you move up here you definitely will after one winter.

[Cab4you26]

Suitable cars for Alaska

This is where I was getting most of the info on cars and driving up there. I’m not unfamiliar with driving in the snow but I’ve also never been through an Alaskan winter.

[AlaskaErik]

Originally Posted by Cab4you26

Suitable cars for Alaska

This is where I was getting most of the info on cars and driving up there. I’m not unfamiliar with driving in the snow but I’ve also never been through an Alaskan winter.

You'll find that most of your new coworkers will be driving 4x4 pickups. If you commute from Wasilla to Anchorage, you'll probably want to keep the Corolla for that. A lot of Valley commuters have one economical car for commuting and a 4x4 for everything else. But you'll also see a lot of people commuting in their 4x4, which puts a lot of miles on an expensive vehicle in a hurry.

[Haolejohn]

Originally Posted by Cab4you26

I’ve figured up the $4k to move up from renting a 20’ U-Haul, hauling my Corolla behind it, and 5k miles in gas (I did 5000 miles/10mpg*$3.00 per gallon. The number I came up with is actually lower than $4k but there are always unexpected expenses so $4k to be conservative. If I just drove my Corolla I’d spend around $500 in just gas but I’d have nothing. The difference in those two is I’d have $3500 to spend on things I already have here - the largest being my bed/frame, dresser, gun safe, etc. I thought it might be cheaper in the long run to haul everything up since the cost of living is higher there, but maybe it’s not. I haven’t factored in the money I’d make from selling things I already have and repurchasing. In that case it probably would be cheaper.

Speaking of just bringing my car up, would it be wise of me to have a 4wd up there vs my FWD Corolla? I’ve read a lot of people make do just fine with studded tires on a FWD, but I also plan on exploring as much as I can.

The difference in rent in the Wasilla area for me to get my own place vs room with someone is about $1000+ (own place) compared to $500-$700 (room with someone).

This is just my two cents. Sell your stuff and buy again. Sure the cost of living is higher, but unless your furniture is heirloom stuff, sell it and put that towards new/used furniture up here. Something to think about is Canada has restrictive gun laws. Make sure you read up and know what can be brought into Canada. Same with ammo.

Don’t forget Uhaul also charges per mile and there will more
Than likely be a drop off fee.

Last time I drove a smaller uhaul I got 10 mpg empty. With a load we got about 7 if I was careful with accelerating.

The only way I’d commute to anchorage is if I had a $200k a year job. No way is the rent difference worth the hour plus commute if everything goes well. That’s a lot of wear and tear on your vehicle and your gas alone would eat up the cost difference.

Something to think about (this is what we did) is put your stuff in storage just in case. What will suck is you haul your stuff Across The country and then end up hating it. You got to haul it back across The country and you will never recoup those costs.

[Cab4you26]

Haolejohn, so you’re saying you’d live in Anchorage over somewhere like Wasilla? I already drive 45 minutes to work where I live now and my Corolla is pretty young.

[stiffnecked]

Originally Posted by Cab4you26

Haolejohn, so you’re saying you’d live in Anchorage over somewhere like Wasilla? I already drive 45 minutes to work where I live now and my Corolla is pretty young.

All it takes is one wreck on the inbound Glenn Highway from Wasilla to mess up your commute and make you late or really late to work. There's only one highway with no alternate routes to get into it out of Anchorage.