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Location: Big Island- Hawaii, AK, WA where the whales are!
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OK I am one of the people giving negative really don't move unless you have massive $$ a great job something that will give you a break other than your attitude. Just because I wouldn't want to go through it on a budget hurting.
So here is a HI friends story of kid he had a part in raiseing in HI. They moved him out to Napa ID when he was a teen to get him out of Hawaii schools. He kept friends on BI.. conntact with person that raised him. Had kids at 18 is 28... Unemployeed in ID said you know what if I am gonna be unemployeed I rather be in Hawaii.
On his own moved back to BI to raise his two kids, shipped over 2 trucks, harley and two containers, with two dogs. Within one day she had an interview at mall on Sunday Halloween. They have a house to stay at and jobs for both they arrived on Thursday night.
Can it be done - they arent asking for help... yes it can but it takes someone with balls and connections to make it all happen. I still question the schools for the kids but the family life can literally out weigh that equation. I am happy for them I just wish so many people here do their homework as they have. Who knows how it will turn out but I think they have a great shot!~
Well, they've been here less than a week. Let us know how they are next year. Two containers, two trucks, two dogs and a Harley, eh? I doubt he would have been able to gather that quantity of stuff by living here instead of Idaho.
Will they be able to support themselves on one job she finds at a mall? At the moment they are still living on mainland money. But hey, you never know, since they still have friends here, they've got a much better start than many.
what the two above people said can you survive it the biggest question there..you can get a job but can you make the amount of money need to survive each month there ..
here it the biggest cost factor of them all ..your liveing expense with kids or without kids in the picture ..i know that sound mean but it truth of the matter for kids adds to the liveing expense of liveing on the island there ..remember without kids in the picture your basic eating habits change a lot without them for you have to spend money on milk for ceral and go through alot of bread in the areas of a family
Here's the deal.....I have personally lived in Hawaii for 15 years on 3 islands, spent years in NY, CA, TX and now Idaho. Cost of living is completely different for each person. Here in Idaho the cost of living is relatively low BUT so are the wages. Most management positions here only pay around 35-40K per year....mid-level or office type work pays like $7-$10 per hour. Gas is still around 2.95 a gallon and decent size homes are around $200K. Hawaii does cost more on some levels like home prices, utilities, etc but generally the pay is higher too. I would never advise someone to move out to Hawaii with an average paying job ($40K or so per year) as they would sink quickly BUT here in Idaho $40K per year does not get you very far either.
It really depends on the person and what they are looking for....we left the islands 3 times for issues that we thought would be better on the main land. For the most part they are better here but the economy stinks everywhere and a good majority of people are barely getting by these days anyway so where would you rather "get by" in life.....midwest America or Hawaii?
It sure isn't the 80's or early 90's anymore when everyone was making good money so you might as well live where you want to and have fun.
We moved here as a dual income family, 1 kid and we find it very expensive. We came from a very expensive place on the mainland (DC and before that San Francisco). Housing is outrageous here in Hawaii if you are looking for something comparable to the mainland, and I am not talking about anything fancy. A nice 3 bedroom house with a decent commute to downtown Honolulu can easily be over 1 million. We are able to manage, but we have a household income that is quite high (over 200K per year) and we are both educated professionals with stable jobs here in Hawaii. We are also forking out 15K per year for private school. It is worth it for us, but this is not a decision to take lightly and I do agree that you need a decent income to enjoy life here (as anywhere, but more so here).
Hmm, it sounds like the wages in Idaho are lower than comparable wages in Hawaii. For mid-level office work here, I think the wages are from $8-$12. Costs of living, though are a LOT higher so that meager difference in pay isn't enough to cover it. Probably or at least possibly, both adults will be able to get $12 - $14 an hour jobs, if they scramble but will that be enough?
Okay, let's be generous, they both get full time jobs. One gets $12 and one gets $14, figure taxes, FICO, Social Security, etc. at about 20% so their basic weekly after tax income is around $832 and approximately $3,600 per month. (Weekly pay times 52 weeks in a year divided by 12 months.) So, that's the income. What are the expenses?
Rent or mortgage = estimated $1,400 to $1,800
Electricity = estimated $200
Propane = estimated $80 (or that electric bill would be much higher)
Car/motorcycle payments (?) = estimated $200 to $400
Car insurance = estimated $140 per month (multiple cars, motorcycle & kids)
Car parts and repair = $80 (tires annually, oil, filters, etc. times two cars)
Fuel for cars = $300 estimated per month and that's not driving very far
Cell phone = $100 estimated - what's a family plan cost?
Internet = $60 estimated
Food = $600 estimated $150 per week which I think is low with two teenagers
Household supplies = $120 estimated - soaps, toilet paper, shampoo, toothpaste, etc.
Using the low estimates there is now $580 left. What other expenses aren't included?
Clothing?
Entertainment?
Eating out?
School expenses?
Vacations?
Airfare to visit family left on the mainland?
What else is there?
Is there any sort of retirement fund and are these kids going to have higher education? Both parents have to work full time, too, will any child care be required?
Oh, yeah. Hawaii taxes EVERYTHING at 4% so tack on 4% to all the number above.
Hmm, just take the 4% off the gross income since just about all of it will be spent one way or another and the taxes will be added on as the money is spent so figure their beginning monthly income is now 4% lower $3,600 - $144 = $3,456. The $580 left over for clothing, entertainment, etc., is now $436.
hotzcatz - in your scenario, figure on taxes around 12%. 8% SS/medicare and 4% for state. That income amount for a family of 4 will ensure no federal income taxes (thanks to the Bush tax cuts for the wealthy) and they will qualify for food stamps - SNAP, as the income limit is now about $50,000. I guess around $400 month for food stamps? The parents can both sign up for individual insurance coverage from their employer (which will be nearly free) and put the kids on the medicaid program for free health care. In this scenario, they will do fine.
(sarcasm intended)
Even the Idaho forum has a few folks who lurk around waiting to squash someone's dream of moving there with every negative idea they can think of.
mdand3boys.......unless I'm mistaken, weren't you on here about 1 year ago asking questions about moving to Hawaii and you yourself have only been in Hawaii for a very short time? Did you enjoy all of the downers constantly telling you to stay away and how you would never make it OR the folks that made you feel welcome?
hotzcatz.......Yes, Hawaii is pricey. But if you make $10 to $14 an hour ANYWHERE life pretty much sucks. Why not be somewhere that you want to live if you are only making average pay anyway? All of my local friends always tell me they would rather struggle in Hawaii than somewhere on the main land.
Even the Idaho forum has a few folks who lurk around waiting to squash someone's dream of moving there with every negative idea they can think of.
mdand3boys.......unless I'm mistaken, weren't you on here about 1 year ago asking questions about moving to Hawaii and you yourself have only been in Hawaii for a very short time? Did you enjoy all of the downers constantly telling you to stay away and how you would never make it OR the folks that made you feel welcome?
hotzcatz.......Yes, Hawaii is pricey. But if you make $10 to $14 an hour ANYWHERE life pretty much sucks. Why not be somewhere that you want to live if you are only making average pay anyway? All of my local friends always tell me they would rather struggle in Hawaii than somewhere on the main land.
Nice try, but I had a much different situation than just moving here and hoping to get a service job at a hotel. Plus, it has now been 1.5 years since we moved.
I am not going to lie to folks who think that everything will be just fine, go for it. The Big Island's economy is not just in the toilet, its' at the bottom of the toilet. Jobs paying even $10 an hour are very tough to come by and companies don't like to hire new mainland transplants.
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Halloween. They have a house to stay at and jobs for both they arrived on Thursday night. 
it's all relative
