[maranatha44]

I am a very analytical peson so I thoroughly examined every aspect of the move from CT. After several trips to Fl. we narrowed our area to central inland, ruling out hurricane prone and high priced sea coasts. Then I picked several towns and wrote to the chambers of commerce inquiring about their employers and their crime statistics. I subscribed to a couple of newspapers for several months to get an idea of town politics, crime and education, etc. (You can go online to Public Library and get many newspapers online for free) I kept talking to people in CT about moving to Florida. I always questioned the ones who said they used to live there but they hated it and moved back. The two most common answers I got were "we missed our family" and "there was nothing to do." One fella who complained about nothing to do sat in his tiny trailer all winter and never got out to meet anyone! So we prepared to miss our family and to get involved. We joined a church, make friends wherever we go, and plan annual trips to family in New England. We invite family and friends down and believe me, winters in N.E. have a way of sending folks to Florida!
I've seen questions about bugs! I hate bugs and would move if we had them. I went online to "DoYourOwnPestControl" and for about $100 I spray around the outside of our home for THREE years. No bugs! Gators are not predatory towards humans unless you live near northerners who feed them! Pay scale is very low here. I started making a list of things we would not need to buy in Florida: boots,winter coats, ice melt, snow tires, etc. We saved on state income taxes, property taxes, and insurance as well! Yes, it's hot here in the summer. So we adapted to the weather. You wouldn't go out at midnight in a January blizzard up north. You don't go out at noon in August in a heat wave! But I go out all summer at 7 am and work in my flower gardens until about 9 am. Then I work inside the house or go from A/C car to A/C store. Then I can go out in the gardens in the cool of the evening. Don't move into communities where you have to pay a monthly fee for the club house! The fees go up every year and then you can't sell the house. My only regret is bringing furniture down. The move was expensive ($5000) and the style didn't fit. I'd bring just personal belongings and then hit the yard sales, estate sales and Walmart. My annual elelctric bill averages $150 month & includes heat/cooling and cooking in my 3 bed/2 bath ranch.

[Retiredcoach]

Congratulations on your move... it sounds as if it was a good one for you. Are you retiring to Florida? I ask because your response suggests that you are not working (working in your gardens from 7:00 AM to 9:00 AM, then inside or to the store).

Florida is still a great place to live if you have enough money to afford the lifestyle. Florida is currently not the best place to make money for the majority of the populace. It is a place to spend your money... if you have it. Good luck!

[faithfulFrank]

Maranatha44,

First, welcome to the forum. You posted an insightful first post. I concur with much of what you stated, and came to the same conclusions. It is evident by your forum name, etc, that we have many things in common.

As to bugs, you get used to them. I find an occasional "palmetto bug", (read cockroach), but have learned to spray for them, and keep things sealed, etc.

At first, the gecko/lizard things kind of freaked me out, but I'm used to them now.....amazing creatures. The gators in my back yard pond has not been friendly, and that is ok with me...cool to watch from a distance. Actually, I'd like to train the gators to eat the neighborhood squirrels.....squirrels down in Florida seem to love to climb on roofs an EAT THE LEAD OFF THE VENT PIPES ! Who would have thought??

That is not good for my roof, and I suspect, not good for the squirrels. When I am down there full time, (I'm back in NY now) those squirrels will be relocated, I assure you.

No place this side of the grave is perfect, but for me, Florida is an upgrade from NY. Both places have good and bad points. I go between both places, and cannot live down there full time for another few years, but get down there as much as I can. I'm still amazed that even now, Florida seems more like home to me then my lifetime in NY.

It is good to have fresh blood here, and to read a new, positive post. Please keep us posted on your transition.

Respectfully, Frank D.

[Sunnydee]

Originally Posted by maranatha44

I am a very analytical peson so I thoroughly examined every aspect of the move from CT. After several trips to Fl. we narrowed our area to central inland, ruling out hurricane prone and high priced sea coasts. Then I picked several towns and wrote to the chambers of commerce inquiring about their employers and their crime statistics. I subscribed to a couple of newspapers for several months to get an idea of town politics, crime and education, etc. (You can go online to Public Library and get many newspapers online for free) I kept talking to people in CT about moving to Florida. I always questioned the ones who said they used to live there but they hated it and moved back. The two most common answers I got were "we missed our family" and "there was nothing to do." One fella who complained about nothing to do sat in his tiny trailer all winter and never got out to meet anyone! So we prepared to miss our family and to get involved. We joined a church, make friends wherever we go, and plan annual trips to family in New England. We invite family and friends down and believe me, winters in N.E. have a way of sending folks to Florida!

I've seen questions about bugs! I hate bugs and would move if we had them. I went online to "DoYourOwnPestControl" and for about $100 I spray around the outside of our home for THREE years. No bugs! Gators are not predatory towards humans unless you live near northerners who feed them! Pay scale is very low here. I started making a list of things we would not need to buy in Florida: boots,winter coats, ice melt, snow tires, etc. We saved on state income taxes, property taxes, and insurance as well! Yes, it's hot here in the summer. So we adapted to the weather. You wouldn't go out at midnight in a January blizzard up north. You don't go out at noon in August in a heat wave! But I go out all summer at 7 am and work in my flower gardens until about 9 am. Then I work inside the house or go from A/C car to A/C store. Then I can go out in the gardens in the cool of the evening. Don't move into communities where you have to pay a monthly fee for the club house! The fees go up every year and then you can't sell the house. My only regret is bringing furniture down. The move was expensive ($5000) and the style didn't fit. I'd bring just personal belongings and then hit the yard sales, estate sales and Walmart. My annual elelctric bill averages $150 month & includes heat/cooling and cooking in my 3 bed/2 bath ranch.

Your post brought a smile to my face. I have thoroughly researched Florida communities in preparation for our big move. We've been debating bringing the furniture or buying new, so your post was very helpful to me - buy new except for sentimental pieces. Thanks and welcome to CD!

[daniellefort]

Originally Posted by Sunnydee

Your post brought a smile to my face. I have thoroughly researched Florida communities in preparation for our big move. We've been debating bringing the furniture or buying new, so your post was very helpful to me - buy new except for sentimental pieces. Thanks and welcome to CD!

That's a good point about redecorating. Yes, everything down here is summer colors, beach decorations etc. BEALLS is a great place to start shopping for home decorations. BEALLS is the Florida store. It's mainly a clothing store but they also have a large variety of gifts, home interior, dishware and other items for the home in ocean/beach scenery. I'm moving back to NH in a few weeks and sold all my stuff in a yard sale because dolphins, tropical fish, sea sponges and other sea ornaments just won't look right when i'm living in the middle of the forests with bears, moose and deer and a beach 6 hours away. I'm looking forward to redecorating for the wilderness and getting rid of the rest of my ocean/beach theme.

[faithfulFrank]

Daniellefort,
You are right. There also are Bealls outlets that have even more deals....

I've seen many consignment stores, some really nice, full of furniture from people who paid a lot to bring their "northern" furniture down to florida, only to realize it does not "fit" down there.

Many do not realize that it is VERY costly to move "stuff". Added to that, you no longer have basements or useable attics to store your "stuff". Bottom line is that the cost to move "stuff" many times exceeds the value of that "stuff".

I'm glad when we bought the house in Florida we furnished everything down there. We completely furnished and decorated our home in 3 weeks. It was nuts, buying everything from TV's, Bedding, vacuum cleaners, towels, lighting, tools, sofas, pots and pans, etc,etc......all in 3 weeks. It was hard work, but the payback will be when we move, only sentimental things, pictures, some tools, my laptop, etc, will make the final trip with us......

For us that day is still 3 years from now, but we have already started to clean house, giving stuff away and scaling down. I'm determined it will be an easy move. I already have people taking "dibs" on things like my snowblower, etc........

Frank D.

[Sunshine Chick]

Great post.
We will be doing the same thing. Everything goes except for personal items. It will be like starting all over again. Actually exciting now that the kids can pick their own stuff.
We have read that it is a nightmare for those who moved everything to Florida and decided it would be fun and exciting to just start all over and buy everything new.
Besides I want the cottage beachy wiht palms etc look in Florida and here we dont have anything much like that.
What ever we cannot give away will be donated to the Salvation Army.
We think that the way to go is to rent the largest Uhaul, once it is filled thats it, pull one vehicle and drive another and head to Florida!

[IbeDavid]

Originally Posted by maranatha44

I am a very analytical peson so I thoroughly examined every aspect of the move from CT. After several trips to Fl. we narrowed our area to central inland, ruling out hurricane prone and high priced sea coasts. Then I picked several towns and wrote to the chambers of commerce inquiring about their employers and their crime statistics. I subscribed to a couple of newspapers for several months to get an idea of town politics, crime and education, etc. (You can go online to Public Library and get many newspapers online for free) I kept talking to people in CT about moving to Florida. I always questioned the ones who said they used to live there but they hated it and moved back. The two most common answers I got were "we missed our family" and "there was nothing to do." One fella who complained about nothing to do sat in his tiny trailer all winter and never got out to meet anyone! So we prepared to miss our family and to get involved. We joined a church, make friends wherever we go, and plan annual trips to family in New England. We invite family and friends down and believe me, winters in N.E. have a way of sending folks to Florida!
I've seen questions about bugs! I hate bugs and would move if we had them. I went online to "DoYourOwnPestControl" and for about $100 I spray around the outside of our home for THREE years. No bugs! Gators are not predatory towards humans unless you live near northerners who feed them! Pay scale is very low here. I started making a list of things we would not need to buy in Florida: boots,winter coats, ice melt, snow tires, etc. We saved on state income taxes, property taxes, and insurance as well! Yes, it's hot here in the summer. So we adapted to the weather. You wouldn't go out at midnight in a January blizzard up north. You don't go out at noon in August in a heat wave! But I go out all summer at 7 am and work in my flower gardens until about 9 am. Then I work inside the house or go from A/C car to A/C store. Then I can go out in the gardens in the cool of the evening. Don't move into communities where you have to pay a monthly fee for the club house! The fees go up every year and then you can't sell the house. My only regret is bringing furniture down. The move was expensive ($5000) and the style didn't fit. I'd bring just personal belongings and then hit the yard sales, estate sales and Walmart. My annual elelctric bill averages $150 month & includes heat/cooling and cooking in my 3 bed/2 bath ranch.

REPLY: Well, it appears you saved money by making the move to florida and are able to get out year round. Im in northern illinois and would rather put up with intense heat for 3 months than intense/prolonged cold, damp, snowy weather for 6 months. Im moving to the Panhandle area about 15 miles inland . I hope it will be this coming Fall. How about as far as making new friends go ; do you find native-floridians welcoming to outsiders that move there ? Much road rage ? Does your cars finish fade ? And, whats the average sunny days in your locale ? Thanks.

[daniellefort]

Originally Posted by Sunshine Chick

Great post.
We will be doing the same thing. Everything goes except for personal items. It will be like starting all over again. Actually exciting now that the kids can pick their own stuff.
We have read that it is a nightmare for those who moved everything to Florida and decided it would be fun and exciting to just start all over and buy everything new.
Besides I want the cottage beachy wiht palms etc look in Florida and here we dont have anything much like that.
What ever we cannot give away will be donated to the Salvation Army.
We think that the way to go is to rent the largest Uhaul, once it is filled thats it, pull one vehicle and drive another and head to Florida!

We bought a 24' enclosed trailer and whatever fits in it goes, whatever doesn't stays behind. At least we can get some money back by selling the trailer when we are done with it verses just giving our money away to a UHAUL company. Of course if you don't have a truck big enough to tow it, you really have to resort to a UHAUL company i guess.

[faithfulFrank]

I plan on researching the different methods of moving....there is a forum on this topic here at C-D.....it's called General Moving issues.

Contingent on how much we have to move, i'll look at u-hauls, shipping boxes UPS, PODS, etc......

I started a thread on this "stuff" subject awhile back and was surprised it did not get more traffic. I thought it was a very interesting subject.

Here it is;
http://www.city-data.com/forum/flori...ml#post2640053

On the store BEALL's......I thought it was pronounces "Beels", and people laughed....I guess the "A" is a bell Oh well. I'll remember that store because I had my FIRST TIME there.......... My first time I was ever told I could have my "Senior citizen discount.

I asked the young pretty girl, "Just how old do I need to be to get the Senior discount you assume i'm entitled to?" She told me 50. I said, "Well, you can still give it to me, but i'm "only" 49, but since my wife is with me, we are still entitled to it....

Saved $1.50 BTW, we are now BOTH 50.

Frank D.