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I understand what your saying and I am not saying that the cheaper the cost of the living the better the destination. If that were the case we could all move to somalia, but you can't deny that it is much easier to survive down here than most places.
Actually, the cost of living overall was cheaper for us in the Kansas City Metro than it is here. We have higher registration fees on cars, license tags, and higher sewer fees, etc. The taxes are almost identical as far as on housing. But it is significantly different from the NE and taxes there. However, if you are renting, that would not affect you (taxes on a house). If you plan to buy a home eventually, you certainly will get more bang for your buck here as opposed to most areas of the NE. Groceries and eating out are going to be about the same as the NE, altho some people swear it is more expensive to buy groceries here.
I am just saying . . . for the time period you are drawing an ESC check . . . then perhaps you can cut cost b/c your heating bill will be less, but that is only a short term strategy. That ESC check will run out at some point. So you have to have a longterm strategy. If you are in a field such as healthcare . . . then you have a very good chance at landing a job. If you are in IT, you are competing w/ thousands of others who probably have similar backgrounds to yours.
In life, there are times it is easier to roll the dice and take a chance. If you are young, childless and have some savings . . . then rolling the dice might be a strategy that will work for you. At least, in the short term.
NCDreaming - I got offtrack w/ responding to those thinking of moving here while receiving unemployment checks - and hoping to get a job. I am glad you moved down here and found jobs and hope you enjoy living here and make this your permanent home.
Tired-Most of the heating up here is Gas so your gas bill is going up. Sorry if I didn't clarify. Example of bills during summertime last year (first summer up-moved in house in May) Power: $50 +/- Gas $29 Water $55 +/-. Pretty much the same from May-Oct Winter time (Nov-current): Power $60 Gas $220-228 Water $55 (except now I've left faucets running at night due to non frozen bursting pipes)
This is for a 3200 sq ft brand new house. In Miami when we were renting, our electric bill was about $150 a month for an 1100 sq ft house from Sept-March so it kinda averages out during normal months and then obviously less for the winter months. But you have to understand, it was 9 degrees the other morning!!!! DM if you have any other questions
Thank you! I'll DM you so I won't derail this thread.
Anifani, my wife and I are young and don't have kids and savings which makes the move much easier. However I hope someone wouldn't up and move without any money. I guess it comes down to common sense in alot of cases. The whole point of my original post was just for people to open there eyes as to what is going on in other areas of the country.
Anifani, my wife and I are young and don't have kids and savings which makes the move much easier. However I hope someone wouldn't up and move without any money. I guess it comes down to common sense in alot of cases. The whole point of my original post was just for people to open there eyes as to what is going on in other areas of the country.
Well, I got off track and probably sounded so harsh and none of it was directed at you. You guys needed to do something and you obviously made a great decision b/c it has worked out!
And you are also right - so many areas are in a big big mess and people are in rather hopeless situations. They are desperate to figure out something so they can move on with their lives.
I also didn't mention that even tho CLT has lost jobs w/ the financial lay-offs, we have a lot of international companies here and more will be moving in the future. That will mean more jobs.
Again, I am really glad that you all were able to find a good situation here, Dreaming and wish you much happiness and success.
Anifani, my wife and I are young and don't have kids and savings which makes the move much easier. However I hope someone wouldn't up and move without any money. I guess it comes down to common sense in alot of cases. The whole point of my original post was just for people to open there eyes as to what is going on in other areas of the country.
Actually, Dreaming, that is a very good point. Your situation was a lot more thought out than what might have appeared on the surface. We have posters all the time that just up and move here with little more than what they put into their car and a tank of gas. (maybe exaggerating a little, but, not by much) Then, when they don't land that dream job or the apartment for $100./mo, they are shocked and dismayed. Worse, some land in our homeless shelters. As Ani has stated, our unemployment figures are high. People should not (and cannot) assume that there are jobs here just because the heating bill is a bit cheaper. If you are young, have savings for at least 6 months stocked up, no kids to worry about uprooting (and you feel adventurous)....sure, the welcome mat is out. And, it's not that we don't welcome those that don't have those criteria, we just want people to be aware that this is NOT utopia and NOT the streets paved with gold...we are a community struggling just like so many across the country and we have the dubious distinction of having A LOT of white-collar folks out of work right now. (with many more on the way most likely) So, it your support system, friends and that which is familiar is somewhere else and you don't have a job before you come, this might not be the time to make that move. That's all.
That's why I left Westchester, I was paying close to a thousand some months to heat a 2500 sq house, not to mention the property taxes. It's a no brainer for me.
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