[Vinny Lugo]

Let me begin by saying that I have had a mix of both bad luck and poor decision making. In June 2016 my father, brother, and I were all living together. We made ends meet fine but then Dad got married and moved out when the lease ran up.

After that, my brother and I were forced to find a new place, so what happened is that my brother and I kind lived in a kind of hood apartment complex. We thought, "What is the worst that could happen?" Soon thereafter, I walked outside of my apartment complex at 3pm in the afternoon and two thugs robbed me and gunpoint and it was a miracle they did not shoot me. I then left the apartment complex with my brother and we went to live with my mom for a bit but was never put on her lease. I could not live in that apartment complex because the thugs said if I called the police they would kill me and I called the police anyway. The place was dangerous to live in. I got legal aid to help me down the road but it was too late to stop the eviction from going on record. All they could do is keep them from suing me from breaking the lease.

After that, I tried to get my own place, but no one would accept me because of the eviction. So I moved to Chicago, Illinois in November 2016 and lived with a good friend of mine. His apartment accepted me because he had already lived here for two years and was not worried about getting payment. However, it is unGodly expensive to live in Chicago, and I am having to work 2 jobs 60 to 70 hours a week just to hold my head above water here and want to move back to Florida because it is a lot cheaper there? Any ideas on how to do this?

[kyle19125]

Sorry to hear of your unfortunate experiences. However I would lose the concept that it's a lot cheaper to live in Florida which is how the state winds up with so many who get stuck and live not much differently than what they were trying to escape elsewhere. It's not the place to move to "get your head above water". Rent isn't much less than it is in Chicago with the average one bedroom renting for $1175 in Orlando, $1025 in Tampa, $2025 in Miami, $1612 in Ft Lauderdale and overall within the state it's $1150. Salaries are lower too in Florida so factor what you make now and subtract about 20% most likely. I would recommend heading somewhere else in the Midwest where you can get yourself back on your feet with less savings needed to move, where you can find inexpensive housing and jobs that pay a decent wage to live and get ahead on in terms of savings. It doesn't have to be your forever place and once you get stable look to move on to where you find more appealing to live. Cities like Indianapolis, Cincinnati, Louisville and Grand Rapids offer decent one bedroom apartments around $600 a month and plenty of job options.

[gypsychic]

Originally Posted by kyle19125

Sorry to hear of your unfortunate experiences. However I would lose the concept that it's a lot cheaper to live in Florida which is how the state winds up with so many who get stuck and live not much differently than what they were trying to escape elsewhere. It's not the place to move to "get your head above water". Rent isn't much less than it is in Chicago with the average one bedroom renting for $1175 in Orlando, $1025 in Tampa, $2025 in Miami, $1612 in Ft Lauderdale and overall within the state it's $1150. Salaries are lower too in Florida so factor what you make now and subtract about 20% most likely. I would recommend heading somewhere else in the Midwest where you can get yourself back on your feet with less savings needed to move, where you can find inexpensive housing and jobs that pay a decent wage to live and get ahead on in terms of savings. It doesn't have to be your forever place and once you get stable look to move on to where you find more appealing to live. Cities like Indianapolis, Cincinnati, Louisville and Grand Rapids offer decent one bedroom apartments around $600 a month and plenty of job options.

This is great advice ^^^. I agree with it.

[logybogy]

You could try Gainesville. Lots of jobs in the service sector. Cost of living very cheap compared to big cities. Young crowd with lots to do.

Maybe you can take classes at Santa Fe Community College and work towards getting a degree or a certification in a field that will improve your job prospects. You will never break the cycle of low pay until you work towards improving yourself.

There's also increasing logistics and warehouse jobs in Ocala with a new Fed Ex Distrubution center and other companies moving into the huge office park off 27 and I75. These are good working class jobs that pay well for the area.

[Peter1948]

Originally Posted by Vinny Lugo

Let me begin by saying that I have had a mix of both bad luck and poor decision making. In June 2016 my father, brother, and I were all living together. We made ends meet fine but then Dad got married and moved out when the lease ran up.

After that, my brother and I were forced to find a new place, so what happened is that my brother and I kind lived in a kind of hood apartment complex. We thought, "What is the worst that could happen?" Soon thereafter, I walked outside of my apartment complex at 3pm in the afternoon and two thugs robbed me and gunpoint and it was a miracle they did not shoot me. I then left the apartment complex with my brother and we went to live with my mom for a bit but was never put on her lease. I could not live in that apartment complex because the thugs said if I called the police they would kill me and I called the police anyway. The place was dangerous to live in. I got legal aid to help me down the road but it was too late to stop the eviction from going on record. All they could do is keep them from suing me from breaking the lease.

After that, I tried to get my own place, but no one would accept me because of the eviction. So I moved to Chicago, Illinois in November 2016 and lived with a good friend of mine. His apartment accepted me because he had already lived here for two years and was not worried about getting payment. However, it is unGodly expensive to live in Chicago, and I am having to work 2 jobs 60 to 70 hours a week just to hold my head above water here and want to move back to Florida because it is a lot cheaper there? Any ideas on how to do this?

We lived in Chicago and Florida and several other cities and ended up in Louisville. It's a charming city and apartments can still be found for 600-700 in a halfway decent area.

It's also a happy medium between Midwest and South, and will have a small taste of what you love about Chicago without the hassle/traffic/price.

[MOforthewin]

Originally Posted by Peter1948

We lived in Chicago and Florida and several other cities and ended up in Louisville. It's a charming city and apartments can still be found for 600-700 in a halfway decent area.

It's also a happy medium between Midwest and South, and will have a small taste of what you love about Chicago without the hassle/traffic/price.

This. I'm from St. Louis which has similar cost of living and same weather as Louisville. It gets cold up there but the snow doesn't stick around for long periods and it is still tolerable to an extent and cheaper too there than here in FL. Traffic isn't terrible in Stl like Chicago as well and in St. Louis the south is just an hour to the south and you're in the south in Missouri.

[Peter1948]

Originally Posted by MOforthewin

This. I'm from St. Louis which has similar cost of living and same weather as Louisville. It gets cold up there but the snow doesn't stick around for long periods and it is still tolerable to an extent and cheaper too there than here in FL. Traffic isn't terrible in Stl like Chicago as well and in St. Louis the south is just an hour to the south and you're in the south in Missouri.

I love STL. It's pretty much like a Louisville with pro sports and more suburbs (thus twice the size in metro area). The crime rate is much higher, though, and traffic is worse.

Both are charming old river cities with substantially more charm and culture than you would expect. Great parks, great food, great architecture. A nice home base to travel from if you so desire.

[MOforthewin]

Originally Posted by Peter1948

I love STL. It's pretty much like a Louisville with pro sports and more suburbs (thus twice the size in metro area). The crime rate is much higher, though, and traffic is worse.

Both are charming old river cities with substantially more charm and culture than you would expect. Great parks, great food, great architecture. A nice home base to travel from if you so desire.

I live in SWFL and I think the traffic is worse down here especially during season. Sure 270 and i44 get backed up but overall the regular roads are not as crowded as here in FL where the infrastructure can't keep up with the growth.

One thing is for certain the drivers are FAR worse in FL than Missouri or Kentucky. Insurance rates are very high here in Florida. Overall the drivers are maniacs down here. They think I75 is a raceway and there is always accidents on there. So many more accidents down here. Then you have old people who can't park or back out as well.

The drivers are much more hot headed and in a hurry down here. I hate driving in FL and it doesn't feel safe.

St. Louis metro areas is very easy to navigate though and everything is pretty close by. I lived in South County and if I wanted to go to west county for the better malls or other stuff it was still only a 25 minute drive. Here you have to drive 45 miles to Sarasota or over 30 miles to Ft. Myers.

[Peter1948]

Originally Posted by MOforthewin

I live in SWFL and I think the traffic is worse down here especially during season. Sure 270 and i44 get backed up but overall the regular roads are not as crowded as here in FL where the infrastructure can't keep up with the growth.

One thing is for certain the drivers are FAR worse in FL than Missouri or Kentucky. Insurance rates are very high here in Florida. Overall the drivers are maniacs down here. They think I75 is a raceway and there is always accidents on there. So many more accidents down here. Then you have old people who can't park or back out as well.

The drivers are much more hot headed and in a hurry down here. I hate driving in FL and it doesn't feel safe.

St. Louis metro areas is very easy to navigate though and everything is pretty close by. I lived in South County and if I wanted to go to west county for the better malls or other stuff it was still only a 25 minute drive. Here you have to drive 45 miles to Sarasota or over 30 miles to Ft. Myers.

FL has old, crazy drivers!

[BucFan]

Originally Posted by Peter1948

FL has old, crazy drivers!

BTW, ever wonder why insurance rates decrease w/ age?

Young people are the crazy ones, weaving in and out, going 80 mph+ on the interstates, racing other cars.

I can predict and react to a slower, older driver.

But to dumbasss punks, nope.