[hiknapster]

Originally Posted by AJ1972

You have some great information from posters. Thumbs up.
I just wanted to chime inhere on the high sales tax. Isn't our sales tax 6% all over the state. I live in SE Florida, so I don't know about Orlando. But 6% doesn't seem high to me.

Add another one to the pro column for the northeast.

The OP is from Mass., where the sales tax is five percent, and clothing under $175 is not taxed.

Oh, and Florida's sales tax is 7 percent, with most counties adding a surtax on top of that.

[momma123]

Florida is so much better than NE. Florida has 6% sales tax. Hiknapster lives in Tenn. where tax on food is 9%!!!!!!!!!!! Believe me I know I live in the crap state they call tennessee!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[hiknapster]

Originally Posted by momma123

Florida is so much better than NE. Florida has 6% sales tax. Hiknapster lives in Tenn. where tax on food is 9%!!!!!!!!!!! Believe me I know I live in the crap state they call tennessee!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I stand corrected. Florida tax is 6 percent. However, you pay that on clothing, which I didn't like.

Also, Tennessee food tax is 5.5 percent. All other taxes are 7 percent. However, your county can add a tax on top of that.

I hate paying high taxes on food in Tennessee. That's why I wish I was back in Mass.

[CJFlorida]

Originally Posted by novanative75

Florida-terrible education systems
Northeast-Your kids will have a chance at a decent education

Yet medical doctors have come from schools in the ghettos, and unemployed bums have come from the best schools in the country.

Hmmm, what could be the x-factor here? Perhaps involved parents who supplement their kid's education with reviews and study sessions every school night??

[Margel]

Originally Posted by momma123

Florida is so much better than NE. Florida has 6% sales tax. Hiknapster lives in Tenn. where tax on food is 9%!!!!!!!!!!! Believe me I know I live in the crap state they call tennessee!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hi momma. Just curious why you don't like Tennessee. Many leave Florida for that state and I always wondered why. I know the money thing, but that would never make me want to move an area that is land-locked and doesn't have really clean air.

Now back to op. I moved from Philadelphia to Florida. The winter in Philly is not as bad as the more northern states, but I still hate it. It is way too cold, gloomy and gray. When we do get snow it is pretty for 10 minutes and either freezes or stays around and turns dirty black for weeks.
So far in my experience I have found Philly to be overall more expensive to live. No matter what the cons are in Florida, the cons in Philly outweigh them. But Philly is a large city and with that comes large city problems. I was smart enough to move to a suburb of Tampa...family friendly and safe so far. Good luck with whatever you decide.

[Magnulus]

Originally Posted by Tarastomsgirl

NE- Minimum 2 sets of everything in the winter, 2 coats, 2 pairs of boots, 2 pairs of socks, gloves, hats scarves etc. Clothing becomes expensive and dirty fast = more laundry= higher bills
You have kids, forget it, new winter coats, boots, ski outfits etc every year

Fl. 1 type of clothing year round with a couple sweaters and pants thrown in for the "cooler" days. Its cheaper to buy 2 pairs of flip flops than it is to buy 2 pairs of boots, and tank tops are cheapr than coats. Not to mention what you're saving on not having scarves, gloves, etc.

You wear flipflops in Florida and you deserve to get fire ants, which are everywhere. More practical summer wear would be shoes, socks (wicking socks or light wool works well), and long pants. You'll stay more comfortable. As many poisonous snakes as Florida has, why run around barefoot?

I guess it depends on where you live in Florida but I'd definitely recommend having some lightweight gloves and maybe a windbreaker in any place besides South Florida, especially if you spend any time outside at all.

We also do have deer down here on the roads occasionally. The good news is we really don't have much Lyme disease.

Fl- Cheaper to run A/C than heat with gas. Electric bill for a BIGGER place than I am now with 12 ceilings unlike here cost me under $100 a month to keep cool, year round. NO GAS BILLS IN FLA!!!!

My parents have a 3000 square foot house and they are on a distributed payment plan. The electric costs come out to about 330 per month. Before the plan we would pay 500-550 dollars a month in the summer to cool the house. And we keep the air conditioner at 74-75 in the summer. You will also often need air conditioning in the winter in Florida, as well as possibly a dehumidifier.

[Rachael84]

Originally Posted by momix5

Just moved to Fla, came from Long Island, the schools in my area are much better than where I was on Long Island. My electric bill for December was 170.00 and I had the pool filter on for 24 hours straight to straighten it out. My last oil delivery on LI was 800.00 and it lasted two months, then my electric bill was 320.00 and water bill for two months was 125.00 compared to 40 in Fla for two months. Is Fla paradise maybe not but my property taxes are 2500.00 a year here, for 1 acre of property and they were 8,400 in LI for less than 1/2 and acre. My friend lives IN Port Saint Lucie and has had a similar experience since she moved, we were both from the same schools on Long Island. I am trying to say to pay those king of taxes on LOng Island for a horrible school district just is not worth it to me.

Wow, to say a FL school is "much" better than a LI school....you must have gone to a school district like Brentwood or Roosevelt or something to say that.

[momix5]

No it was Patchogue Medford. I am not saying the schools in Fla are better than all Long Island schools, just mine and my friends experience.

[AJ1972]

Add another one to the pro column for the northeast.

The OP is from Mass., where the sales tax is five percent, and clothing under $175 is not taxed.

Oh, and Florida's sales tax is 7 percent, with most counties adding a surtax on top of that.

Oh, 5% where OP comes from. That would make sense then.

[AJ1972]

Also, Tennessee food tax is 5.5 percent

We don't pay a food tax.
I think we pay tax on stuff like nuts and such at the supermarket, but that's it in FLorida.
I went grocery shopping the other day, bought my weeks worth of food and paper goods, and my tax was 4 cents.