[USYANKEE]

Originally Posted by Limbo

Ok, based on what I've written or based on your own experiences vote.

Would you go back to CT or stay in NC.

Thanks - any and all input is welcomed.

I lived in New England all my life...49 years...13 years in CT. I moved to NC less than 2 years ago. I am moving back to CT next month. I make $13,000 less here as a nurse, and I can you tell you my bills are NOT $13,000 less. And we pay tax on food like it is a luxury.

And if you buy an airplane ticket [or books online, etc]? Not only is your pay a lot less... it takes a lot more percentage of your pay to PAY for that ticket! They don't give you a 33% discount because your income is 33% less. And you pay for water and sewer whether you own or not....and garbage removal.

I rent a house and one day to my surprise I got a bill in the mail I was not expecting. A fee to rent my gas heating tank...I cannot get gas from anyone else. Or compare prices, so in actuality, I pay THEM to have a monopoly on my money.

Oh, and by the way, their labor law reads that 'an employer has the right to treat its employees AS THEY SEE FIT.' They can fire you for any reason OR NO REASON AT ALL. Keep in mind that is even if it is federally illegal. If you are lucky enough to call them on something illegal, all they can said is 'my bad.'

There are mant unfair practices...giving others your work hours ... enough so you cannot keep your insurance... less than the amount of hours you were hired for on your application... changing your shifts or days around to fit other new workers schedules... paying new hires more money an hour even though they have way less experience...and paying people with 16 years LESS experience than me a dollar more an hour. Try to fight it. The labor board will give you good advice...FIND ANOTHER JOB.

[USYANKEE]

Originally Posted by Back Home

Go Back To Ct.----tried This South Thing And Can't Wait To Get Back Up North. This Is Not Home---home Is Where You Are Comfortable And Puts A Smile On Your Face. Somehow You Always Work Things Out If It's Right For You. Move For The Right Reasons

same here...

[JayCT]

Originally Posted by USYANKEE

I rent a house and one day to my surprise I got a bill in the mail I was not expecting. A fee to rent my gas heating tank...I cannot get gas from anyone else. Or compare prices, so in actuality, I pay THEM to have a monopoly on my money.

To be fair, this could happen here in CT as well when renting. This is something you need to take up with your landlord. I would think it should be included in your rent. Same goes for water and sewer. Talk to your landlord about it.

I was surprised to read that food was taxed there. Is that true? Do they tax food you buy in the store? If so, that really stinks and should have been mentioned on this thread earlier. In CT, we do not tax food bought in a gracery store because it is a necessity. Thanks for the heads up. Jay

[Gregory P]

yes, the whole "cheap" cost of living down here is very deceptive. The pay down here is lower...it's a fact.

Yes, crazy taxes on groceries that add up fast.

Food costs are more and quality (like produce) is poor (everything imported from who-knows-where)

Don't get me started. I just want to sell our house and get back to CT.

Greg

Originally Posted by JayCT

To be fair, this could happen here in CT as well when renting. This is something you need to take up with your landlord. I would think it should be included in your rent. Same goes for water and sewer. Talk to your landlord about it.

I was surprised to read that food was taxed there. Is that true? Do they tax food you buy in the store? If so, that really stinks and should have been mentioned on this thread earlier. In CT, we do not tax food bought in a gracery store because it is a necessity. Thanks for the heads up. Jay

[Rich Lee]

Originally Posted by Gregory P

yes, the whole "cheap" cost of living down here is very deceptive. The pay down here is lower...it's a fact.

Yes, crazy taxes on groceries that add up fast.

Food costs are more and quality (like produce) is poor (everything imported from who-knows-where)

Don't get me started. I just want to sell our house and get back to CT.

Greg

North Carolina, Tennessee, California, and New York have some of the highest rates of sales tax because each jurisdiction can add onto the state base rate. In other words, there's a state minimum, county rate, town rate, and sometimes city/village/hamlet rate. All told, the aggregate can be near 9 percent or more.

[Rich Lee]

Originally Posted by Gregory P

yes, the whole "cheap" cost of living down here is very deceptive. The pay down here is lower...it's a fact.

As I've stated in other posts, I've known many people who have moved south. Those with college degrees tend to make a go of it. Those without usually came back anywhere from 18 months to 3 years after "the move."

As early as my 20s, I asked them, "What's cheaper?" Every single time, the answer was "everything." Even at that age, it seemed pretty obvious to me that it wasn't cheaper. How could it be?

From this forum, we know the following:

Cars - NO; but their repairs *might* be
Food - NO
Rents - MAYBE; don't look at state averages - look at specific markets
Real Estate - MAYBE; don't look at state averages - look at specific markets
Utilities:
Phone - NO
Electric - YES
Cable - NO
Heat - YES; you'll be using less
Air conditioning - NO; you'll be using more
Entertainment - mixed bag
Cigarettes - YES; but then again...
Gasoline - PROBABLY; except for the Gulf region after a hurricane


Where is the saving?

[JayCT]

Originally Posted by Rich Lee

As I've stated in other posts, I've known many people who have moved south. Those with college degrees tend to make a go of it. Those without usually came back anywhere from 18 months to 3 years after "the move."

As early as my 20s, I asked them, "What's cheaper?" Every single time, the answer was "everything." Even at that age, it seemed pretty obvious to me that it wasn't cheaper. How could it be?

From this forum, we know the following:

Cars - NO; but their repairs *might* be
Food - NO
Rents - MAYBE; don't look at state averages - look at specific markets
Real Estate - MAYBE; don't look at state averages - look at specific markets
Utilities:
Phone - NO
Electric - YES
Cable - NO
Heat - YES; you'll be using less
Air conditioning - NO; you'll be using more
Entertainment - mixed bag
Cigarettes - YES; but then again...
Gasoline - PROBABLY; except for the Gulf region after a hurricane


Where is the saving?

You should probably add that local real estate taxes are lower, but that education costs are higher because more than likely private schools are required. We have friends in Georgia that have a beautiful home in an upscale suburb of Atlanta. The home costs a lot less that similar homes in Connecticut and the taxes are lower, but the conditions in the local schools require them to send their children to a private school. This is VERY expensive and more than offsets their savings in home costs and taxes.

Another interesting thing is that while the cost of public college education in NC is lower, it is very common for students to go to school longer that the traditional 4-years. Other friends that went to NC State schools found that it was necessary to go an extra year to complete their degree because it they were unable to get into certain classes. This was due to no fault of theirs, the classes just were not open and they had to stay that extra year. Their mother noted that when all the costs were added up, the final cost was comparable to UConn or othe Connecticut State Universities. Jay

[BigHouse9]

State income tax is higher in NC as well as getting slapped with a 2.75% county sales tax on top of the 6% state sales tax. The predominance of HOA communities here lends to a typical extra cost of $20-$50 per month.

[Highpointer]

Originally Posted by Gregory P

Even the last few years the snow has been showing up later in the winter and when it does, it's mixed w/ rain.

Makes you think...

Al Gore might be onto something.

How could you believe a lawyer and politician who claimed that he "invented" the Internet?

I live in Tempe, AZ so it is warm here most of the year. However, earlier this year in January, the morning temperatures in Phoenix dropped below freezing for two consecutive days for the first time in nearly 30 years. I worked as a volunteer for the P.F. Chang's Rock 'n' Roll Arizona Marathon on Jan. 14 and I recall being outside while the temperatures were in the 20's, so I had to wear my seldom-used winter clothing. I live close enough to my job that I can walk, so the following day, while walking to work, I noticed that water in puddles had turned to ice.

In April of this year, many major league baseball games in the Midwest and Northeast were postponed due to snow or cold weather. An entire four-game series between the Seattle Mariners and Cleveland Indians was snowed out in Cleveland, so the Indians had to play their next "home" series against the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim at Miller Park in Milwaukee, which has a retractable roof.

[Highpointer]

Originally Posted by USYANKEE

And we pay tax on food like it is a luxury.

Food is taxed in many of the jurisdictions of the Phoenix metropolitan area. For example, groceries are taxed in the Phoenix suburbs of Tempe, Scottsdale, Chandler, and Gilbert, but not in Phoenix or in the largest suburb of Phoenix, Mesa. However, Mesa and Phoenix have a higher percentage of lower-income people than the cities that do tax food, so perhaps people who can afford to do so prefer living in jurisdictions that tax groceries.

Originally Posted by USYANKEE

There are many unfair practices...giving others your work hours ... enough so you cannot keep your insurance... less than the amount of hours you were hired for on your application... changing your shifts or days around to fit other new workers schedules... paying new hires more money an hour even though they have way less experience...and paying people with 16 years LESS experience than me a dollar more an hour. Try to fight it. The labor board will give you good advice...FIND ANOTHER JOB.

Isn't that true in all states? That is called "Employment at Will" and it means that employers may legally fire you for just about any reason, no reason or even an unfair reason. I have been abruptly terminated by jobs in my current state of residence, Arizona, and in my previous state of residence, Colorado. Sometimes I felt the reasons for my termination were unfair but I accepted the fact that my employer had the right to fire me, so I had to look for another job.

Also, why should a worker be entitled to earn a higher wage or salary just because they have more experience? Employees should be paid on their merit, productivity and quality of their work. If a person with fewer years of experience does a better job and provides a higher value to his employer than the more experienced employee, then the person with less experience should earn a more money.