Frugal living for a family in California? (Los Angeles, San Diego: real estate market, foreclosures)

[jaynetarzana]

I think that people all over the world have their eye on California and as soon as the bottom is declared, it is going to be a feeding frenzy and the ones who will get the houses will be the ones with cash.

[the city]

move to Fresno, Bakersfield, or Visalia

[superstars22]

I don't think now is the best time to move unless you have a stable job and income and lots of SAVINGS. Times are tough.

[jaynetarzana]

Originally Posted by the city

move to Fresno, Bakersfield, or Visalia

I wouldn't compromise my family's health in order to live in a cheaper area with terrible air quality. In fact, air quality is top priority for us. If you don't have your health, what is the point?

[jaynetarzana]

Originally Posted by superstars22

I don't think now is the best time to move unless you have a stable job and income and lots of SAVINGS. Times are tough.

DH has a very stable job and we have savings. I just want to take measures to ensure that we can continue to grow that savings. We will not live on credit except in the case of a mortgage.

[jaynetarzana]

Originally Posted by rkb0305

frugal living for us included moving OUT of California to a lower cost of living area, Colorado. My husband made a budget, and we planned very carefully. We're doing ok. We bought a smaller house here than we had in CA. Also made sure it was newer and more energy efficient; and didn't need any immediate updating. Since we moved here in 2007 we have sold a car and bought another with cash, so no monthly payment. Like I said, we are doing ok, but every time I think we are going to get ahead, and add to our savings, something comes up - usually a car repair or a medical bill. Make sure you account for that kind of thing in your budget.

A friend of mine and her family are planning a move to Denver for the same reasons. They are going to rent out their house in California though in case they want to come back.

[FresnoFacts]

Originally Posted by jaynetarzana

I wouldn't compromise my family's health in order to live in a cheaper area with terrible air quality. In fact, air quality is top priority for us. If you don't have your health, what is the point?

Which is why I tell people they should take a long hard look at life in the Inland Empire vs. the Central Valley when considering less expensive areas in California.

The air quality in the Inland Empire in Southern California is much worse than the Central Valley.

2007 Unhealthy Air Days
Fresno County 19 days
Riverside County 31 days
San Bernardino County 44 days

And the trends really drive my thinking.

Fresno County has cut unhealthy air days by 2/3, it used to average over 60 days each year. Even the Lung Association has commented about that level of improvement. They said last year "Fresno, California, for example, experienced a remarkable decline in the number of high ozone days since its peak in 2001-2003."

But in the IE they are not seeing the same kind of improvement, air quality is not much different than it was 8 years ago. http://www.epa.gov/cgi-bin/broker?_s...ycounty=county

And the IE gets the even worse "very unhealthy" days, Fresno County now gets none.

[jaynetarzana]

According to the Money magazine stats, those areas have very poor air quality:

Air quality index (% days AQI ranked good)

Fresno, CA 42.7%
Bakersfield, CA 30.1%
Visalia, CA 47.4%
Riverside, CA 27.9%
San Bernardino, CA 42.5%

http://cgi.money.cnn.com/tools/bestp...665000,&view=d

Compare to Santa Cruz or Monterey:
Santa Cruz 99.2%
Monterey 98.9%

[FresnoFacts]

Every place has pros and cons. We have to find what works for each of us individually.

I was just pointing out that the first words people use about the Central Valley is poor air quality, but not when they talk about the IE. Yet the IE is much worse for air quality in spite of its affordability.

My sister and her family now live in the IE. I think it is a mistake to subject their kids to that air quality. But that is their choice based on jobs, lifestyle, etc.

I lived on the Central Coast for a while but the area created other career problems in my field. So I went elsewhere. And I've lived many other places before settling in Fresno.

I also knew someone who lived on the Central Coast who had respiratory problems aggravated by the pollen from the grasses in the hills. They moved there for clean air and liked the area but couldn't stay due to that. So smog free air may not always work for some people.

Again, to each their own choices and needs.

[sameoldsonganddance]

Originally Posted by FresnoFacts

Which is why I tell people they should take a long hard look at life in the Inland Empire vs. the Central Valley when considering less expensive areas in California.

The air quality in the Inland Empire in Southern California is much worse than the Central Valley.

2007 Unhealthy Air Days
Fresno County 19 days
Riverside County 31 days
San Bernardino County 44 days

And the trends really drive my thinking.

Fresno County has cut unhealthy air days by 2/3, it used to average over 60 days each year. Even the Lung Association has commented about that level of improvement. They said last year "Fresno, California, for example, experienced a remarkable decline in the number of high ozone days since its peak in 2001-2003."

But in the IE they are not seeing the same kind of improvement, air quality is not much different than it was 8 years ago. http://www.epa.gov/cgi-bin/broker?_s...ycounty=county

And the IE gets the even worse "very unhealthy" days, Fresno County now gets none.

Absolutely right! The air is horrible. My mom has developed a lung disease from breathing that nasty air. At least thats what her doc says. NEVER smoked in her life. And two of my grandchildren developed asthma there. One of my grandchildren moved to Oklahoma and her asthma attacks greatly improved. About one attack a year. In Fresno she was in and out of the E.R. Some schools won't allow the children outside for recess or football practice on "bad air" days.