Getting nervous for future (Cedar Rapids, Ames: sales, credit, how much)

[22crew]

As the title states, starting to feel the pressure. I have about one year before I will be retiring from the Air Force after 20 years, and hopefully returning back to the great state i grew up in. Right now my family and I are stationed in northern Texas and enjoy it. We do miss the four seasons of Iowa and being closer to family. Those are the two reasons we are wanting to move back to Iowa after I retire next year. The hard part will be walking away from a very very good job i can get on the flight line as a civilian where i am stationed at right now. We have missed sooo much not being around family. I DO NOT want a job in an office.....i can not stand that environment. I am a Fighter Aircraft Crew Chief by trade, so I love working with my hands, and being outdoors. What does the job outlook look like in the next few years in your area? We would prefer to be in the northwestern (Carroll, Spencer) area and stretching down to the Ames area. I will be a few credits short of my Bachelor's in Aeronautics but am actively working it. I have been looking into the lineman career field, so if anyone has any advice on that it would be greatly appreciated. I know the cost of living is cheaper for the most part, and at this point the above two reasons are outweighing the better pay of staying in Texas. Thoughts, opinions, i have thick skin.

Aaron

[Dewey59]

I would think aeronautical jobs in that area would be slim to none, but lineman might be good... Although I sure wouldn't want to be a lineman in Iowa during the winter! Long hours and brutal conditions responding to ice storms.

Are you sure that the cost of living is cheaper in Iowa? I guess maybe the rural areas. When I was looking at places in Texas as a place to retire, I was amazed at how much cheaper it was there than Cedar Rapids where I was living. Again, maybe the areas you are looking at in Iowa would be cheaper. Look closely at the taxes though.... pretty high in Iowa.

[ION1010]

Have you considered Omaha?

[Meemur]

The hard part will be walking away from a very very good job i can get on the flight line as a civilian where i am stationed at right now.

It is not wise to turn down "very very good" jobs in this economy. I can understand missing family, but you can always fly home for holidays or fly some of the family to Texas.

You should make as much money as you can, while you can. Iowa will still be here when the economy crashes.

[Turbogyrl]

Originally Posted by Meemur

It is not wise to turn down "very very good" jobs in this economy. I can understand missing family, but you can always fly home for holidays or fly some of the family to Texas.

You should make as much money as you can, while you can. Iowa will still be here when the economy crashes.

Suggest that you rethink an immediate exit and stay put in Texas for a few years. Get that "good job" working on the airplanes that you enjoy, and save ALOT. As much as possible.

You will be very unhappy if you can't find a job that you will enjoy in Iowa and be kicking yourself. Plus, it is difficult to get back into the entire defense thing when you are out of touch for a year or two. PLUS I'm sure you have a clearance.

Won't tell our entire story, by speaking from experience on this.

Stay put, get the good job. Iowa and your family will still be there. We don't know what the future of the economy is, and seriously... having a good job especially one that you enjoy, is critical to your future well being and that of your family.

When you say "WE are wanting to move back to Iowa" Who is the "We" your wife? your kids?

Trust me, when you have no job and no money your lifestyle will NOT be the same that you are enjoying in TX. AND I have a friend in Iowa. It's not as inexpensive as you seem to thing it is, compared to TX.

[unbeliever]

Originally Posted by Meemur

It is not wise to turn down "very very good" jobs in this economy.

This economy? It's not 2008. What's wrong with the economy?

[601halfdozen0theother]

I don't know why there's so much doom and gloom here, the economy is GREAT right now, coming off the excellent economic policies of the Obama administration, and Iowa is is excellent shape - for now, at least until t-Rump and his idiot allies in congress screw us all up.

Here is the Iowa workforce development job site for you to search for jobs in the region in which you want to live: https://www1.iowajobs.org/jobs/seeke...ch/search.seek

It is probably true, though, that the COLA is lower where you are in TX than it would be in Iowa. But it really won't be by that much. There are lots of salary calculator websites which will compare the wage you might earn in TX versus how much the equivalent would need to be in Iowa. Just enter "salary calculator" into your web browser and experiment with a variety of these salary comparison sites.

Also go to the main City-Data website and look at the COLA data for various towns/cities that interest you.

My best advice would be to look at the jobs sites for a variety of states and see what jobs are available that you qualify for. You might find the job of your dreams and also be able to get closer to family in Iowa than TX. Just enter a term like "workforce development (state)" into a search engine and you'll find the websites you want to view.

If you do your research you should be fine.

Good luck, don't be nervous, and don't give up just because of the words and ideas of a few posters on this forum.

[fezzador]

Originally Posted by 601halfdozen0theother

I don't know why there's so much doom and gloom here, the economy is GREAT right now, coming off the excellent economic policies of the Obama administration, and Iowa is is excellent shape - for now, at least until t-Rump and his idiot allies in congress screw us all up.

Here is the Iowa workforce development job site for you to search for jobs in the region in which you want to live: https://www1.iowajobs.org/jobs/seeke...ch/search.seek

It is probably true, though, that the COLA is lower where you are in TX than it would be in Iowa. But it really won't be by that much. There are lots of salary calculator websites which will compare the wage you might earn in TX versus how much the equivalent would need to be in Iowa. Just enter "salary calculator" into your web browser and experiment with a variety of these salary comparison sites.

Also go to the main City-Data website and look at the COLA data for various towns/cities that interest you.

My best advice would be to look at the jobs sites for a variety of states and see what jobs are available that you qualify for. You might find the job of your dreams and also be able to get closer to family in Iowa than TX. Just enter a term like "workforce development (state)" into a search engine and you'll find the websites you want to view.

If you do your research you should be fine.

Good luck, don't be nervous, and don't give up just because of the words and ideas of a few posters on this forum.

I don't have the numbers, but I do know that TX and IA are pretty similar, cost of living wise. You get better bang for your buck in Iowa than just about anywhere (even MS and AL), as utilities and housing are slightly cheaper, and jobs tend to pay a little more.

The one advantage TX has (other than maybe weather, which is debatable) is that it has no state income tax. Iowa has one, and it tends to be on the higher end. Same with property taxes. Though, the sales tax rate is fairly low.

[YNGRL]

Iowa will not state tax his retirement atleast.

Just take the job in Texas for up to a couple years and look for a job in Iowa that
You like... then move. Easy peasy.

[kapie9969]

Life sounds very tough for you. I would stay in warmer Texas.