Hawaii... Here I come. (Honolulu, Kaaawa: apartment, for rent, credit)

[TexasCasey]

Hello everyone, I would love advice for a little bit of a different Hawaii relocation situation. I am afraid I am about to ramble on a bit, so please forgive me in advance.

I have decided I am going to move to Hawaii June 1 for better or worse, with many things going against me, according to all the advice I have read & common sense: I have no job, or even career plan, lined up; I currently have no place to live (although thru research, I believe this will be remedied soon); I haven't even decided which Island to call home yet (this is probably where I am looking for the most advice).

I do have a few things in my favor. Flexability (I am ready for some new direction & I am open to anything).. Time to make decisions (At least short-term financial means...a year or so). Peace of mind (I know these Islands, the good and the bad, were made for me).

I was a computer programmer many years ago... COBOL is pretty much a dinosaur & I have been out of it so long, that I no longer have marketable skills in this field. I would love to find a new career path or open a small business that would afford me the opportunity to get by & the time to do some volunteering to help & meet people; I would also like to have the time to hit the waves and the mountains.

I love anything having to do with the water; I love the outdoors; I do not like snakes (what a bonus); I love being around & meeting new people (I am also very comfotable with and need times of solitary); I do not care to live in a real congested area (I am done with the big cities and traffic); I also, truly believe that every kind soul & nice person is a beautiful person.

Wow, I had a feeling I was going to go overboard. All the standard questions apply... Please help... O'ahu (obviously outside of Honolulu), Hawai'i, Mau'i, Kaua'i??? For some reason I am being drawn towards Kaaawa on O'ahu... Anyone have pros or cons, or ideas??? Renting a small apartment or house for a year (I know that I will need something fully furnished)??? Industry or business looking for someone to work hard to learn something new & opportunities down the road??? Ship my vehicle (bought a new truck 3 months ago) or sell it & buy used when I get there??? Thousand of questions that I can't even formulate into words... Any Advice, Suggestions, Help would be enthusiastically accepted & greatly appreciated.

-Casey.
I try to live by 'The Golden Rule' at all times.

[KoaHawaii]

first have you ever been to hawaii? honestly if you haven't i don't think it wise to move there especially since you have no job lined up or housing. first make a visit and then you can see first hand what its like. no matter what any local here tells you only you yourself can decide by first hand experience which island would be best for you.
sorry but this is just not a wise choice to move somewhere if you've never been there and don't already have at least housing or something lined up.
though must tell you that Hawaii isn't necessarily going to be a fix it for you just because you want to leave the big city and traffic. we still have traffic here on each island, on the big island there is a two lane major 'highway' if you can even call it that and Kona especially is notorious for traffic. the infrastructure isn't like that on the mainland, even in rural areas. while we have small population and such we have tourists still visiting so that can add strain to certain areas and then you get more traffic.

if i were you i'd do some serious research online from books etc. and take at least one trip for a week or so to a couple of the islands you are thinking about before moving. sadly most people who don't do this are the ones who inturn have a miserable time and end up blaming the people or state/island itself for their troubles and why they couldn't adjust to the lifestyle, culture, food etc.

[hotzcatz]

Flexibility to an extreme and not burning any bridges is my recommendations. When you get a plane ticket get a round trip ticket with an open ended return date or a return date as far away as they allow. Leave the truck on the mainland or sell it, unless it is paid for. As an island newcomer without any specialized skills you won't be able to find a job which will pay for rent and food as well as also be able to afford new truck payments. Also, pack as lightly as possible. Bringing stuff with you on airplanes has become quite expensive, if you know where you are going to be five to eight weeks further down the line, then you can mail boxes to yourself General Delivery to a post office near where you will be. Otherwise, leave the things packed in boxes on the mainland with a friend or family member and just ask for the specific boxes to be mailed after you've moved and found a spot.

If you can arrange to take a sabbatical from your mainland job, then you may have it if you need it again later.

[TexasCasey]

Thank you very much for the advice. Yes, I know I should visit first & I am trying to do that the 3rd week of April, I'm just not sure it is going to work out on this end. Either way, I am still going forward with super-extensive researching.
hotzcatz...Great tip... leaving things boxed with friends & send for them later. I had planned on just selling absolutely everything except my truck (which, yes, is paid for) & the clothes & toothbrush. I like the idea of kepping out somethings that I may or may not want later & setting them aside.
Sweetbeet... Thank you so much for the many great ideas... Kuau'i was at first the Island that I felt I would fall in love with... However houseing & cost of living vs. me starting something new, I felt like there would be fewer opportunities for me there. Hopefully if I get there in April I can take a few days to really learn more about Kuau'i.
Thanks again all... -Casey

[KonaKat]

Do you have about 6 months worth of living expenses saved up? (or will by June 1?) You may not need it but chances are, you will. If not, then no harm no foul. Ditto everything Hotcatz said.

My favorite tip for newcomers: Do you know that we have no banks here that you have "there"? Bring plenty of cash until you have time to open up a bank account and have funds transfered.

Tip #2, nothing happens "over night" or "next day" in Hawaii.


Best wishes.

[Sweetbeet]

Yeah, and the banks here pay bupkiss for interest. My FHB checking account earns 0.02% (not 2%, not even 0.2%!). I mean, why bother? I think even the CD rates are below 2%. So if you have cash, consider keeping most of it in a savings account on the mainland (my credit union account in NY earns much more than any of my accounts here), or in an online bank (ING Direct savings is still paying 2.4%). Just make sure you have a way to transfer funds over here and keep a small account here for when you need it.

Even the credit unions here don't pay as well as mainland banks.

[Tomsjem]

You could open a federal credit union account. Then you could bank at any federal credit union nationwide.

[tjax1000]

Not speaking for everyone, but banking isn't a big deal for me. I have a Bank of America account and my ATM/check card works everywhere in the islands, and I can do bank by phone and bank by mail and Internet banking/bill pay.

If you're the type of person who is in a brick and mortar bank every week cashing your check, then it would be different. But, with direct deposit and a check card, I've got no interest in standing in line at a bank, even if there was a Bank of America somewhere on Kauai.

[TexasCasey]

Thanks again... & Wow!! Best Forum Responders ever, anywhere!!! Nice tip on the banks, KonaKat & Toms (something I hadn't been thinking about yet). Thanks to Marie for the info about Oahu & a Huge thanks to SweetBeet for not telling me to shut up yet... She has been an endless wealth of information about Kaua'i.

I have myself in a fortunate position, in that I do have finances in place for at least 6 months of housing & living... This at lesat allows me to try one place for a month or two & then maybe try another, before I have to make any firm decisions. Or even before I decide that I cant be that far from my friends & family.

I do believe that I have decided that Kaua'i is the Island for me, at least to start off. Anyone with tidbits about the island would be greatly appreciated.

Earlier someone had asked about my vehicle... It is paid for & proctically new, so I assume bringing it with me is probably the right decision... Is it pretty much the same procedure for shipping to Kauai as it would be to Oahu? Thanks again to you all... -Casey

[KonaKat]

Originally Posted by tjax1000

Not speaking for everyone, but banking isn't a big deal for me. I have a Bank of America account and my ATM/check card works everywhere in the islands, and I can do bank by phone and bank by mail and Internet banking/bill pay.

If you're the type of person who is in a brick and mortar bank every week cashing your check, then it would be different. But, with direct deposit and a check card, I've got no interest in standing in line at a bank, even if there was a Bank of America somewhere on Kauai.

The problem is though, if you want to write a check for your rent or have the cash for deposit. Lot's of landlords don't want to take an out of state check for rent, they take awhile to clear. Not always but it can be an issue sometimes. There are times when a local bank account is necessary.