Want Out Of Minnesnowta Help!!! (Yuma, Flagstaff: lawyer, house, neighborhood)

[Yorkie_Mom]

Hello everyone,
If you wanted to get away from the extreme cold in Minnesota, what state would you live in and why? We also need to find a town with around 20,000 people that doesn't have the high cost of living.
Here in Minnesota the cost of living is low, and we don't have to much saved up, we also would sell our house for $70,000 to $80,000, and we would be on a fixed income.
We also have a daughter who is 12, so we would like a nice neighborhood with a good school. She is used to being around a mostly white population, so I don't want to put her in to much of a shock.
We don't mind the heat as long as it is a dry heat, as far as cold, we don't want the extream, as long as it dosen't stick around for to long.
We are a very friendly little family, easy to get along with, and have to little Yorkies who are very spoiled, one is named Angel, she is the mom and the other is Tinker Bell, she is three months old, the mom is almost 2 years old.
My husbands name is Randy, mine Dorene and our daughter is named Tiffany, we would love to be some ones new neighbors, our neighbors here don't want us to move.
We have been searching Arizona, New Mexcio, Colorado, Wyoming,and Nevada. We can't seem to figure out what would be best, we have to go by our income, and it has to be at least around the Rockies or west of it, do to health problems. My husband is in his 50's and I in my 40's, luck didn't go our way when it came to our health, we have worked so hard in our life that the body fell apart at to early of an age, not by our choice by any means, so if anyone can help us we would be very grateful. Thanks!!!!

[CodyW]

I think it'll be very hard to find something in AZ that meets your requirements.

Arizona is not extremely diverse - But, it will be hard to find a 'mostly white school'

The nicer small towns/cities can be pretty pricey, and the ones that ARE affordable are old mining towns and things, which tend to be a little run down.

[Yorkie_Mom]

Thanks, hopefully some one else has some ideas out there, we really need to move, it don't need to be an all white school, but where most of the population is, we do have mexican and very few blacks here, mostley white though.
I can't take another winter up here, I have fibromyalgia, it effects the muscles and bones to where you hurt real bad all over, I also have the begainning of rheumatoid arthritis amongst other health problems, I start receiving SSD at the end of this month, with just my own income it would be with my daughter included around $520 a month, not enough if you ask me, but what can you do if your doctors tell you that you are disabled, that of course dosen't include what my husband gets, I think all together it would be about 2500 a moth for all of us. So if anyone can help please do, we sure need advice, and your help. Thanks again.

[Kimbercuddles]

I'm not sure how you feel about the South, but you might want to check out the San Antonio forum...great information. That's where I headed after finishing high school near Fergus Falls and as of today, it's still my favorite city for many reasons. By the way, it was a little bit of a culture shock for me, but in a good way. There are just a lot of people in San Antonio with really great tans!

[zonababe]

Originally Posted by Yorkie_Mom

Thanks, hopefully some one else has some ideas out there, we really need to move, it don't need to be an all white school, but where most of the population is, we do have mexican and very few blacks here, mostley white though.
I can't take another winter up here, I have fibromyalgia, it effects the muscles and bones to where you hurt real bad all over, I also have the begainning of rheumatoid arthritis amongst other health problems, I start receiving SSD at the end of this month, with just my own income it would be with my daughter included around $520 a month, not enough if you ask me, but what can you do if your doctors tell you that you are disabled, that of course dosen't include what my husband gets, I think all together it would be about 2500 a moth for all of us. So if anyone can help please do, we sure need advice, and your help. Thanks again.

What type of skills does your husband have or is his money coming from disablity too? AZ is a "right to work state" so the pay is often lower than other parts of the country. Of all the states you've named, I think NM would have the lowest housing costs. Sorry to read about your fibromyalgia, a close friend of mine suffers from it too. Best of luck to you.

[Yorkie_Mom]

My husband was in a forklift accident, he will also be disabled, right now he is on work comp, he worked at a factory job for 32 years not missing a days worth of work and now they are trying to ***** him over. He has had 3 surgeries and sill needs his lower back done and the right rotater cuff operated on. His doctors have also listed him as being disabled and he is waiting to get SSD but he applied a year later then I did.
His lawyer is trying to keep the money flowing in for right now until he can get a settlement or disabilty. We just keep saying our prayers that everything will work out in the end. Like I said this wasn't our choice, I would much rather be working where I can make more money, instead of having to deal with pain everyday. We have just had the worst luck that anyone would never want to have, and I am very thankful at the end of everyday where I can say. ok I made it through another day, YEAH!!!! Thanks for the help and I hope it keeps coming.

[TughillTina]

Google Pueblo Colorado, not the prettiest town but very close to the front range and about thirty minutes from Colorado Springs. Winters are not close to Minnesota. Housing is reasonable too. Good luck!!!!!!

[Imissthefall]

Yorkie Mom,
I'll be honest!! DON'T MOVE!!!! Ok that being said I'm a little biased becasue I was born/rasied in Minnesota..I grew up west of the Twin Cities in the Orono/Wayzata area. My whole life growing up there I swore when I was old enough I was soo outta there!! I now live in Yuma, Arizona (anyone have a gun?)..anyway...I've lived in several states since I gradiated HS, my husband is in the Navy so we move every 3 years..Arizona has been the worst by far..now gratned some places like Flagstaff are real pretty and don't get this hot. It is SOOOOOOOO hot in the summer...sooooo hot. I can't stress that enough. Yes, there is dry heat but when it's 110 who can tell anyway. It's sad to see my kids have to play inside over the summer because in MN in the summer the streets are filled with children laughing and playing, here the only only sound is everyone's air conditioners. Also keep in mind that the air conditiong bills are so high as well.

Look, I don't not want you to move here because you need to do what is right for your family but I'm just telling you the extreme heat is really hard on me and I miss MN so much. We can't wait to move back. Also, with the school thing, it's going to be very hard to find mostly white kids. it's just not going to happen. And the shcools are not good here. The list of the smartest states came out and AZ was number 50..yep dead last.
Good luck with your decision.

[Imissthefall]

"I have fibromyalgia, it effects the muscles and bones to where you hurt real bad all over, I also have the begainning of rheumatoid arthritis amongst other health problems"

I have heard of people being more comfortble with this condition in the heat.. Do you have a plan B? Like what if you move and really hate it, would you be able to move back?

[RBH Automotive]

My wife and I are leaving the military after 10 years of service there. I too am disabled now(although I plan on working until I die) and we are buying in NE Oklahoma. Near Grand Lake, but on a smaller lake just south of there. We are tired of cities and illegals. This is a very small area, but there are larger towns and cities near by.
Taxes are low as are home prices. They have 4 seasons with an annual snow fall of about 5". People are great there with an indian reservation near by. Growing up in Az. I am more than comfortable with that. I rarely meet anyone of an indian decent that is any more unfavorable than the rest of the population. There will always be good and bad no matter who or where.

This is the realtor we are using, you may want to check out the area.

www.sellinggrandlake.com/