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This is exactly what is wrong with Florida. The state is overrun with people migrating south with no job skills, no resources and a dream of sun and beaches. What the end result is another family barely surviving, if surviving at all drawing public benefits and being forced to live in the worst areas of the state. If you think that you will be living in close proximity to the beach you are wrong. You will be no where near Port Orange due to price constraints, the areas of Daytona that are near the beach (Silver Beach exit north to Seabreeze) are an absolute drug infested, hooker laden crime areas that most locals avoid like the plague. You may be able to rent in far southeast Volusia like Oak Hill or north to Holly Hill but plan on spending $600 a month or more even in those areas.
As far as work... retail is difficult to get hired, the pay is minimum wage, no benefits and the hours will be dictated by season such as race week, bike week, etc. Construction pays just as poorly and the market is full of illegals that work twice as hard for cash under the table. There is a reason that people are leaving Florida in droves. There is very little work and what work there is pays nothing.
If you want to live in Florida I respect that. But my advice is that you better line up work before arrival or have a financial cushion because whatever you estimate you will spend getting there or earn after arriving assume 50% to the worst. This is a reality. The state has very little resources in the event that you need public assistance and there is no safety net.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Spring Hillian
I wonder if your post is based on your personal experience
Otherside is spot on and the Forbes article while not intended to reinforce that argument does so nicely. Many of the people "fleeing" other states wind up here experiencing a not so wonderful existence. The fact that there are positive migration numbers to Florida do nothing to address the issues many find, nor the outward migration numbers of those disenchanted.
Anyone who ponders a relocation based on your situation would be a fool. There is no room in your
budget for anything. A $200 electric bill in August would be awful. Jacks of all trades are a dime a dozen here. Even lawn care companies require experience because of the equipment used.
If your BF had a marketable skill, such as a trades person with experience, that would be a different situation. How would you get set up? Apartments require 3 months of rent paid at the time of the lease. First month, last month, security deposit. Utility companies require deposits for those who dont or cant get letters of good standing from their previous providers. Transportation is another issue.
A vehicle is a necessity in FL. Registration, gas, insurance, maintenance all require spending money.
We havent covered food. You may be happy with a TV antenna, if not you have a cable TV expense. An antenna may not cut it if you are too far away from a city. What happens if BF gets sick and cant work? Who pays his medical bills? Since his income will cease if he is out of work due to flu or other common illness that is going to be a problem.
Consider this carefully.
Quote:
Originally Posted by flowerchild002
I know, another "I want to move to Florida thread", but seriously, after living in west Michigan for the past 20+ years with 9 months of cold, unending cloudy days, lots of snow, rain, icy roads and sidewalks to slip on, my boyfriend and I have been talking about moving to someplace in Florida for the past 5 years. We're barely surviving here, so our attitude is we'd rather be barely surviving in someplace where we would at least have sun and warm weather to go out for walks and be able to open the windows. That's where the question comes in- has anyone just packed up their belongings and left with no real place to go; no job waiting for them. Situation now: I am on disability from two different low back disorders. I worked my whole life up until 2 years ago when my back disorders got so severe I ended up on disability. My boyfriend has done a little bit of everything, but was mainly in the construction, landscaping and printing business for 15 years making a decent living, but was laid off from that about 5 years ago; printing/bindery work practically obsolete. He has been working in retail for the past 3 years making $7.40 an hour and is extremely hard-working and his manager said he did the work of 3 or 4 people. We live in an apartment for $700/month. I get a little over $600/month on disability,$100 is taken out for medicare. So we know what it's like to struggle and be poor. We just need a new start somewhere where we have sun and warmth; the constant cold, clouds & snow make me hurt even more. I live in constant pain and don't ever want to go out in this weather. I know it sounds so unrealistic, but certainly we're not the first people to have ever done this. Would love to hear from people that actually have just packed up and left with less than ideal circumstances, like being very low income and not having a job waiting for them when they get there. We also have no relatives that live in Florida (or the south) to stay with until something possibly works out. We're not asking for a lot, just need a fresh start in a place with sun and warm weather.
Otherside is spot on and the Forbes article while not intended to reinforce that argument does so nicely. Many of the people "fleeing" other states wind up here experiencing a not so wonderful existence. The fact that there are positive migration numbers to Florida do nothing to address the issues many find, nor the outward migration numbers of those disenchanted.
And unfortunately a good percentage of those leaving are producers and contributors to the tax base.
Oh, wow, you're poverty level already and not even moved here yet? Here what happens when you move, you'll be homeless and it's not warm in the Daytona area in the winter. It gets cold. About $600 a month in disability and you pay for Medicare probably like $98, sounds like SSDI since you pay for Medicare. There is no cash assistance in Florida for adults. The only thing you'll get is Food Stamps. Daytona is one big slum. The last thing we need in Florida is more people who don't or cannot contribute. No retail in the Daytona area to speak of. We live north of Daytona about 50 miles. I'm retired and make about $50k in retirement, my wife is employed fulltime and we barely make it. Stay in Michigan. You cannot afford it here and there is no safety net here. Or, you can come down, get yourselves some beat up bikes, join the legions of homeless feeding off each other, stay at the Halifax shelter, stumble over the the DCF Office on S Palmetto and add to the eyesore that is already Daytona. I would be each and every one of the homeless there 5 days to leave the state. If they had not left, I would give them a bus ticket back to where they came from. That area is a nasty, violent mess that needs cleaned up.
I can tell you you Won't be opening the windows down here for 9 months a year. Have you ever even experienced a Florida summer? Triple digits with 90+ % humidity? A/c on Christmas Day. Sometimes year round... Warm isn't the correct term for Fla weather. Hot to scorching might be better.
As far as moving without jobs, not wise. Florida is a seasonal state and seasonal jobs pay base pay...$ 8-12 and hour ( the higher being if you're lucky) and during the summer you'll probably be laid off and on unemployment .
Where in Fla? I live in SWFL and I can tell you for rent expect to be paying close to $950-$1,000 for a 2 bed apartment. Utilities not included. Houses to rent anywhere near the beach will be upwards of $2,000 for something not in a bad neighborhood but will be smaller. Otherwise you're out near the Everglades for something $900 or less a month, 20+ min drive to the beach. Most places expect first last and security here so you're probably gonna be paying 3 grand just to get you in a place.
Look for jobs first , everyone and their mother are jobless or on assistance or working 2-3 jobs to support themselves. Believe me you won't be sitting on the beach with a piña colada everyday. Seasonal jobs are 14-16 hour days , every holiday , every weekend.. I worked in it when I was younger and it was no fun at all.
This is a big exaggeration. Triple digits with 90% humidity would result in dew points that don't happen. It's more like 90 degrees with 60% humidity.
1. Florida is full of people with burnt out dreams. They go to Florida with dreams of renting beach chairs from a tiki bar and making millions!......It rarely happens. Some cute girls end up as strippers/escorts while their friends/family think she is "modeling!"
2. Most people bring their problems with them. Do drugs/drink too much, end up in abusive relationships? Well a zip code change isn't going to change that, most of the time it exacerbates the problem because your support network of friends/family/coworkers isn't there looking over your shoulder! Distance from your support network usually promotes bad behavior!
3. Low wages/high costs= misery in the sunshine!
4. I love the video posted earlier, it hits on several points but most people think Florida is like the postcards or "that vacation we took to Disney World 2 years ago!" Reality is there is tons of money in Florida but for every rich guy in a Bentley pulling into his mansion to get ready for a day on the yacht there are 10 people scraping by, 5 people committing crimes and 4 homeless living under a bridge! They don't put poor people, drug dealers/purse snatchers and homeless people on postcards!
Flowerchild, I don't have the answers to your specific questions, but here are a few thoughts.
I can identify with you for two reasons. The first is the situation with a bad back and the second is the despair over the cold and gloom of living in a northern state.
First, could your spinal problems improve with surgery? Have you had back surgery? It can work wonders and could possibly put you back into the world of employment!
My second thought is that your b/f enroll in a technical school and learn a trade. I know you're dreading winter now since it's quite near, but most of the trades can be learned in two years. You could do research about what specific skills would be in the highest demand. There may even be a CD member from Fla. who could help with that answer. That way you'd be better prepared for your move to the warmth and sunshine!
HVAC is one of the first things that come to mind. Plumbing would be something else to consider. I'm sure there are other specialties in demand that I'm forgetting.
Something else you may consider checking in to is a type of voc rehab for yourself. There are often funds for the disabled to go back to school and choose a career for something that can be done with their specific disability. Just thinking about getting an associates in accounting or something along those lines. Or aren't you able to sit for long periods of time?
No matter how things end up for you, I wish you luck!
I see the usual, predictable Daytona haters are perched in this thread.
I live in Daytona, so I can tell you realistic viewpoints. Beachside is fine everywhere. Now I wouldn't live anywhere on the mainland near Mason Ave. in Daytona Beach proper, but there are plenty of other nice areas. Ormond is fine, Daytona Beach Shores (where I live) is nice, South Daytona is nice, Port Orange is really nice, and Ponce Inlet is pretty fantastic. Take a drive along Peninsula Dr. on beachside and you'll see how much of a "slum" Daytona is NOT. Just stay away from the northern part of it on the mainland. Anything south is fine. Good luck!
I see the usual, predictable Daytona haters are perched in this thread.
I live in Daytona, so I can tell you realistic viewpoints. Beachside is fine everywhere. Now I wouldn't live anywhere on the mainland near Mason Ave. in Daytona Beach proper, but there are plenty of other nice areas. Ormond is fine, Daytona Beach Shores (where I live) is nice, South Daytona is nice, Port Orange is really nice, and Ponce Inlet is pretty fantastic. Take a drive along Peninsula Dr. on beachside and you'll see how much of a "slum" Daytona is NOT. Just stay away from the northern part of it on the mainland. Anything south is fine. Good luck!
This is coming from someone that moved into his parents condo in the Shores. Factor that in your budget. Also, so nice that now he is moving to St.Pete. LOL.
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