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Talk to your family. Family is there for a reason. You should of prob mentioned that before. Chicago and Hawaii are a like in the respects of jobs. Its who you know and can lean on to get a job in both places. Does your fam know any one who needs some body to help, do they know a landlord who would be willing to take 3 months rent and let you move in with out a job.
Family is there for a reason but if your the type of mainland family that hates your fam than i guess its just there to be an annoyance.
And i've been riding scooter/moped(not the same thing :P) for a few years and have had 2 crashes. Neither of them i was hurt bad becuase of luck, some skill, and my size.
Lean on that fam haha and yeah Hawaii to OH ....... hell i wouldn't move from Chicago to OH
I live part time in three states, including Hawaii ... and I do it cheap in all three. I won't go into how. There's always more than one way to skin a cat. But the first is to not "need" the big house, fancy cars (if any), and the silly toys (tv, for starters) ... big world with lots to see and do outside the box (I did it with four kids)
You enjoy yourselves now,
nullego! (just realized your screen name is "null ego", lol) Please DO share your "doing it cheap" stories with 4 kids. I'm pretty minimized myself but I'm always cautious when it comes to kids having seen so much resentment from kids who grow up in what their parents call "freedom from materialism" and the kids call "deprivation" once they grow up. A topic I think about a lot, looking for balance.
To the OP: you talk about "living your dream". But what IS your dream? Just moving to Hawaii? THEN WHAT? How about a plan?
(Disclosure: I am one of the government workers mentioned above who had an effortless move over and still left, because I got tired of of the heat and lack of professional opportunities.)
Please give me your best shot to talk me out of this. Here are the answers to all the questions I anticipate. Hit me hard people because we're feeling invincible right now...
We found a good deal on airfare. We can fly the entire family out for under $1300.
It's me, my wife, a 4 month old, a 3yo, and a 2yo
I don't have a job lined up
If we really do this, we'll get a 2 or 3 br apt on the Big Island and I'll try to find a job ASAP
We're OK with not having a car for the family at first. Planning on buying a moped for me to get to work
Hey, just thought I'd comment because sounds exactly like what I am doing.
I am moving my family of 5 out there with about $12k as well. No job lined up, but my wife is a cosmetologist and I'll have a business degree by the time we move. We are moving to Oahu though, and I went to high school on the island, so its not foreign to me.
The way I look at it is I want to live in the place that has made me the happiest. I know its not smart to be unemployed when moving somewhere, but I also know its difficult to get hired unless you are on the island. I know that I might have to take a job that I might not like at first in order to plant the roots.
Make the leap, in my opinion, you don't want to regret NOT doing it later. Who knows, it could be the best thing that ever happened to you. Don't get in the mind-frame of "trying" it out, put your mind in the direction of making Hawaii your home and always remember you are not a tourist, so dont spend like one.
If you find a place for $1,000 a month you'll go through 1/4 of your nest egg on first and last and security deposit.
Please remember that the only deposit allowed by law in Hawaii is 1 month's worth of rent (minus the tax). No "last month's rent", cleaning deposit, pet deposit, rent in advance etc is permitted.
Just to clarify, we wouldn't be flying completely blind / alone. My wife attended and worked at the University of Nations YWAM campus in Kona for a few years (that is until I came out for an extended visit, proposed on Kealakekua Bay, and we moved back to OH to get married. We have regretted the moving back to OH part ever since ). And we still have family in Kona although we don't plan on leaning on them too heavily.
The point is that we have a deep understanding and appreciation for the lifestyle and we are willing to make some sacrifices to give our children that lifestyle. We will fit in pretty well when all is said and done. We cloth diaper, breastfeed (the baby that is LOL), plan on homeschooling anyway, and we haven't had a TV for the past 2 years. We are willing to go even more minimalistic to achieve this goal that we've profoundly desired for almost 7 years now.
So, hopefully I've proven myself worthy and can get some more precious feedback.
You are absolutely right. And with a family to provide for, I don't take this lightly. But no matter how you slice it, if you want to achieve your dreams, you're going to have to take a gamble at some point. My motive for being on this board and chatting with the pleasant locals is to try to minimize the risk as much as possible. And hopefully head into this thing ready for the realities that await.
I guess I was thinking we'd be able to have something lined up before we arrive. I see a lot of rentals on CL and the local paper. Theres probably a landlord willing to let me pay him 2-3 months rent up front even though it's a gamble on whether or not I'd make it long term or not. I'll keep you all posted on how that works out if we go for it.
Definitely a good point. And I like how you worded it.
Ahh yes. This is the serious part. This is the thing that could scare me out of this. If I'm working 2 or 3 different jobs in paradise and don't get to spend any time with my wife and kids, what good is it? So here is where I'm on the fence, wait until I have a job in hand (and in writing) to make the leap, or JUST GO FOR IT?
Are you both employed now? What is your rent now? What is your take home pay now? Do you have insurance? How did you manage to save up $12,000......in how long a time period?
(by the way, cloth diapers are fine if you have a washer/dryer in your dwelling. If you have to end up renting a small 1 bedroom condo or whatever, you may or may NOT have easy access for laundry. Think of lugging 3 dozen wet diapers to the Laundromat 2 or 3 times a week. I had 4 kids and adopted 3 and used cloth diapers almost exclusively until baby #7 came along......and I had a washer and dryer and clothesline in the 3 bedroom house I owned!)
What are your plans for medical & dental care for 3 children if you end up with 2 part time jobs and no insurance. (yes, there is medicaid here but that's not a mature long term alternative).
You've got to think of some of these mundane everyday situations. If it were just you and your wife, no big deal if you fell on hard times for a few weeks. But with 3 tiny dependents, it's a whole 'nother think.
Please remember that the only deposit allowed by law in Hawaii is 1 month's worth of rent (minus the tax). No "last month's rent", cleaning deposit, pet deposit, rent in advance etc is permitted.
Very good info. Thank you.
Quote:
Originally Posted by WiscHaole
Make the leap, in my opinion, you don't want to regret NOT doing it later. Who knows, it could be the best thing that ever happened to you. Don't get in the mind-frame of "trying" it out, put your mind in the direction of making Hawaii your home and always remember you are not a tourist, so dont spend like one.
This is definitely our line of thinking as well. At some point you have to hold your breath and jump in (just watch out for vana). We wish you and your family the very best of luck.
Are you both employed now? What is your rent now? What is your take home pay now? Do you have insurance? How did you manage to save up $12,000......in how long a time period?
It's just me working now and it will be the same in HI. Right now I take home just under $2400/mo with an HSA(high deductible health insurance). Our current rent is only $600 (we got really lucky on this place). We kind of just came into this money because I just totaled my car and for some reason got about $3000 more than I paid for it.
Quote:
Originally Posted by KonaKat
You've got to think of some of these mundane everyday situations. If it were just you and your wife, no big deal if you fell on hard times for a few weeks. But with 3 tiny dependents, it's a whole 'nother think.
Believe me, I am a careful and logical person (one of the reasons I'm on this board soaking up all the feedback I can). But my wife and I also firmly believe that Hawai'i is where our family belongs. The lifestyle fits us perfectly and the climate doesn't hurt. The point is, I'm not going to be reckless but there's just no way to do this without being open to some potential risks. My goal right now is to minimize the risk enough to where I feel comfortable enough to make the leap.
Remember to figure in about 20% wage deduction for the "paradise tax". Jobs here pay less than they do on the mainland and food, gas, electric, etc. all cost more too.
Remember to figure in about 20% wage deduction for the "paradise tax". Jobs here pay less than they do on the mainland and food, gas, electric, etc. all cost more too.
This I knew. My question is: Are there any weird monthly or one-time expenses that may catch me by surprise?
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(I did it with four kids)
). And we still have family in Kona although we don't plan on leaning on them too heavily. 
