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The advice I give people either moving here or away to the mainland is to sell whatever you can and buy it once you arrive. It costs way too much to ship most items and the money you save bringing your used stuff (cars, furniture, computers etc) will be eaten up by the shipping costs. This is of course my opinion. Items such as furniture etc can be bought for a good price at Costco. They are about as good for prices as anywhere you will find nationwide anyway, not the greatest selection, but they do sell quality stuff.
As for the questions about schools, it all depends. If you have the income, then HPA would probably be the best. But at about $20K per child, it is outrageously expensive. I think the bigger public schools are okay, Waiakea, Hilo or Keaau on the east side and Kealakehe or Konawaena on the west side. I still think most of a childs values and ability or willingness to learn is instilled at home anyway.
As for the question about beaches near the Pines in Kona. The Pines is right in the heart of Kailua-Kona town and beaches are all over. Depends on what you want to go to the beach for? If it is for surfing or bodyboarding, White Sands or Banyans is a few miles way, if you just want to relax you options are endless.
Thank you so much for your input, ssxa. I appreciate it! Can you offer some great things you love about the Kona area? Seems that there are a lot of the other and I am in need of some encouragement. I want to thoroughly enjoy the 3 mos. I will have there, as I do not know when I will ever have another opportunity like this one. I love the beach. I love hiking, boogie boarding, sunsets and cold drinks.....I like picnics and meeting ppl. I will be finishing a writing project while I am there....any suggestions for day long excursions to a peaceful spot for writing?
buy a laptop? I am selling my desktops and just bring the lap. If I move to Hawaii and spend all my time on my computer, then I def. moved for the wrong reason
Buying a laptop makes more than enuf sense..I just prefer a desktop. Thanks a bunch.
PS I'm def. not moving for the wrong reasons...just w/5 children still in school I would assume they will still need a computer.
Hello to all the islanders and the wannabes (that's me)!
It seems that even on The Big Island, where you can still get a deal on a home in Puna and Kau, life overall is still exorbitantly expensive. This is really beginning to concern me. Is the cost of living always going to be so prohibitive to living relaxed without worrying where you will get the money to pay for your next necessity? Everybody has their own lifestyles and spending needs, but is it possible to live there without paying all the usual high costs for everything? Some recommendations I have seen seem helpful such as shopping for bargains in Costco, Walmart, etc, BUT ... are there other tricks and tips that anybody has discovered that help to reduce the incredible costs? I know we can't do much about gas except conserve, but there must be some creative people living out there that have compiled all sorts of ways to save!!! What are some of them? If we share all of these; we all benefit. I will start by offering this tiny tip: wear your dirty socks into the shower and save water! OK, maybe that's not going to happen, but how does this sound: I make ice-pops with water, concentrated lime or lemon juice, some plain jello or gelatin and a little sugar. Nothing original I know, but I love them, and so do some other kids like me. It may seem really small, but when it cost you only a few cents each for a healthy treat vs a dollar a pop, it's a start. I didn't do it here in Florida to save money, it was just fun, but maybe on The Big Island there are lots of creative and generous people that could consider some community efforts to reduce the cost of living and help to keep that Aloha spirit I've been reading all about going strong.
Buy your produce from the local people selling at your friendly farmer's market. They're all over the place. Go to the same one all the time, buy from the same vendor. They get to know you and save the best stuff for you.
Last edited by Dreaming of Hawaii; 05-30-2007 at 09:01 PM..
Reason: correct a typo
Firecoach, for a day long relaxing day the beach is where it's at. Pine Trees is a nice spot if you want to go surfing, but will need a 4wheel drive vehicle. Hapuna is nice if you don't have 4wd and IMO one of the nicer beaches in the State, just be careful when the surf is up, I've been on way too many calls with inexperience bodysurfers and neck injuries there. I don't know all that much about what's happening in Hilo, but in Kona the nightlife seems to be in the area of Hard Rock Cafe, Huggos, Hooters etc. One word of advise, Lulu's and Ocean's are nice, but after hours when the big crowds start to feel good means trouble. Not badmouthing these places, but there have been many, many fights at these locations. I would stay away, especially after 10pm or so. For food I like the International Marketplace, below KMart. They have all kinds of food vendors from Hawaiian, Korean, Mexican, Japanese, Chinese, Filipino etc. And their prices are reasonable for the most part. Another option is the Kings Shops area, they have a few nightspots and during the day nice shopping places and food ranging from Subway and other various small places, all the way to expensive high class dining such as Roy's.
We too are moving to the the BI possibly by October from Denver, Colorado and all of your information is wonderful & very helpful. A couple of questions regarding moving, pets, and employment. Anyone have any information regarding the treatment of pets if they have to do the whole 120 day stay? I have cats and I'm worried how they will do with separation. Also I hear employment in certain areas like State Government & utilities is next to impossible to get a job in unless you are a native. Is this true? I currently have a job waiting for me working in the medical field, but my husband has been in the telephone field for 20 years. He has gone on the website at Hawaii Telecom, but no response so far. Anyone know someone in the HR department at Hawaii Telecom he could talk too?...Also any leads on relocation specialists? Are they helpful or a scam?...Oh, thanks to all of you for the info on shipping furniture & electronics. Will plan on buying there off of Craig's list. Alot of stuff on there.
Hello to all the islanders and the wannabes (that's me)!
It seems that even on The Big Island, where you can still get a deal on a home in Puna and Kau, life overall is still exorbitantly expensive. This is really beginning to concern me. Is the cost of living always going to be so prohibitive to living relaxed without worrying where you will get the money to pay for your next necessity? Everybody has their own lifestyles and spending needs, but is it possible to live there without paying all the usual high costs for everything? Some recommendations I have seen seem helpful such as shopping for bargains in Costco, Walmart, etc, BUT ... are there other tricks and tips that anybody has discovered that help to reduce the incredible costs? I know we can't do much about gas except conserve, but there must be some creative people living out there that have compiled all sorts of ways to save!!! What are some of them? If we share all of these; we all benefit. I will start by offering this tiny tip: wear your dirty socks into the shower and save water! OK, maybe that's not going to happen, but how does this sound: I make ice-pops with water, concentrated lime or lemon juice, some plain jello or gelatin and a little sugar. Nothing original I know, but I love them, and so do some other kids like me. It may seem really small, but when it cost you only a few cents each for a healthy treat vs a dollar a pop, it's a start. I didn't do it here in Florida to save money, it was just fun, but maybe on The Big Island there are lots of creative and generous people that could consider some community efforts to reduce the cost of living and help to keep that Aloha spirit I've been reading all about going strong.
Please, share some thoughts!
I know some people who make 24k a year and feel like kings because they are able to live here. I know some people who make 100k and feel broke. It really is a matter of what you are able to live with and without.
If you can answer the thought "I will do whatever it takes to live in Hawaii...give up luxury items, work two jobs, work holidays, not get off the island in years, not see family in years, live in a small 500 sq foot studio, hitchhike, etc." honestly with a "yes" then you can afford to live here. If you put restrictions on yourself such as "I need to be able to travel to the mainland once a year, or I need a two bedroom house, or I need to have time to enjoy the beach" you will be broke. Honestly, the key to living here is being open to do whatever it takes to live here.
For people who are concerned about work...walk into the Human Resources Dept of any resort on the Kona Coast here and say "I want to work any and all hours I can in any department" and you will be hired. If you say "I want an 8-4 M-F job, they will laugh at you and say "good luck." In time you may get that, but not at first.
If you can truly feel that it is a gift just to live in this place, put others first, have genuine respect for the culture and people, and not feel "entitled" to anything, you will be just fine here. That is not an easy feat though.
We too are moving to the the BI possibly by October from Denver, Colorado and all of your information is wonderful & very helpful. A couple of questions regarding moving, pets, and employment. Anyone have any information regarding the treatment of pets if they have to do the whole 120 day stay? I have cats and I'm worried how they will do with separation. Also I hear employment in certain areas like State Government & utilities is next to impossible to get a job in unless you are a native. Is this true? I currently have a job waiting for me working in the medical field, but my husband has been in the telephone field for 20 years. He has gone on the website at Hawaii Telecom, but no response so far. Anyone know someone in the HR department at Hawaii Telecom he could talk too?...Also any leads on relocation specialists? Are they helpful or a scam?...Oh, thanks to all of you for the info on shipping furniture & electronics. Will plan on buying there off of Craig's list. Alot of stuff on there.
On the Hawaii Telecom situation: Hawaii Telecom took over from Verizon Hawaii in the last couple of years. They tried to bring all the work that was being done on the mainland to Hawaii, and really had problems. Here are the first paragraphs from some articles in the Honolulu Advertiser over the last couple of years. I don't know if this will make it easier or harder for your husband to get a job, but it sure will have an effect!
Hank
May 1, 2007 •• 1242 words •• ID: hon48494131
Hawaiian Telcom turns two years old this month, marking the end of a painful phase for the phone company and its customers. The company was created following the $1.6 billion sale of Verizon Hawaii to The Carlyle Group in May 2005 in a deal that was supposed to improve service, produce new products and bring new jobs to the state. However, the transition from Verizon to Hawaiian Telcom has been fraught with difficulty with thousands of
December 24, 2006 •• 1057 words •• ID: hon43605181
When Hawaiian Telcom switched its customer billing system from one operated by previous owner Verizon Communications Inc. to one it ran itself, it did so knowing that it would save millions of dollars. After the switch on April 1, Hawaiian Telcom's customer service developed so many problems that its chief executive officer issued a public apology the following month and said in November the problems will not be resolved until sometime next year. In a recent company filing,
November 8, 2006 •• 584 words •• ID: hon41642264
Hawaiian Telcom is not happy with the company it hired to handle its customer billing and is considering a change. Hawaiian Telcom hired McLean, Va.-based BearingPoint Inc., a management consultant, last year to help as it took over Hawai'i's largest telephone network from Verizon Communications. The April takeover was far from smooth, with some customers getting billed double and many complaining about difficulty getting through to service representatives to get
March 30, 2006 •• 775 words •• ID: hon2006033012510786
Ring..ring..`Who's there?' `Hawaiian Telcom' BY SEAN HAO, Advertiser Staff Writer Two years after the sale was announced, Hawaiian Telcom will break all ties with its former parent, New York-based Verizon Communications Inc., on Saturday and begin a new chapter as a Hawai`i-run phone company. All human resource, finance, marketing, information technology and other so called "back office" jobs that previously were on the
January 15, 2007 •• 572 words •• ID: hon44241113
Customer service at Hawaiian Telcom is improving, although the state's major phone company has yet to return to the form consumers and regulators expect. The company answered 70 percent of residential customer calls with a live voice within 20 seconds in December, according to a report released by the state Public Utilities Commission last week. The state requires Hawaiian Telcom to answer 85 percent of customer calls with a live voice within 20 seconds. While not up to the
May 12, 2006 •• 650 words •• ID: hon34426373
It's been a frustrating six weeks for some Hawaiian Telcom customers. Hawai'i's major telephone company took over all customer service responsibilities on April 1 as part of its sale from Verizon Communications Inc. to the Carlyle Group. The company says 90 percent of its approximately 650,000 customers did not notice the transition, but it left some of the remaining 10 percent fuming. Initially, Internet users were bothered by the switch of e-mail
March 29, 2007 •• 257 words •• ID: hon47025451
Hawaiian Telcom said yesterday it has received $52 million in cash as part of a previously announced settlement with McLean, Va.-based contractor BearingPoint Inc. The total value of the agreement to Hawaiian Telcom is more than $90 million, including waivers of outstanding invoices with BearingPoint. Hawaiian Telcom hired BearingPoint in August of 2004 to help as it took over Hawai'i's largest telephone network from Verizon Communications. But the transition, which
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Affording Hawaii
