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Does your $40k salary transfer over to LI? What line of work?
Forest Hills is not bad. One of the safer areas in Queens. You might not even need a car if you move there.
Apartments there are probably in the range of $1500 average.
Yes...It will be the same pay. I work as a ticket agent for the airlines. I could transfer back to LGA...and I remember NYC tax taken out of my paycheck. I think $1500 a month is above my mental comfort level. That would leave me with $500 for the month. I just looked at Great Neck and Douglaston condos/co-ops...I think it would be too much for me....So I think I'll google in Suffolk....but not too far. I saw some really nice cheap 2 bdrm homes in Ridge...I think its to far......
Homesickness is an emotional reaction of mind that corresponds to miserable feeling of longing for something or someone familiar. This phase may bring physical pain whenever you think of home, that nagging thought that perhaps you made a terrible mistake in leaving the comforts of your old life. Homesickness means you miss your family, your friends, your dog, your house, even your neighborhood - things in your life that are familiar.
Usually homesickness is a temporary or passing phase in our life; most people will have felt homesick at some time in their lives, perhaps when they were younger, and it is easy to forget, however sometimes feeling homesick can be rougher if you're dealing with other problems, may be your parents are getting divorced or someone you know recently died. These kinds of scary, sad and gloomy experiences may make you even more attached to everyone and everything around you, including the little things you don't even think about until they're not there.
Some people on theses boards say " I rather be miserable on L.I. than live good (fill in the blank). I disagree.... Happiness is a state of mind. It's even better if you share your journey with that someone special.
Having hobbies and interests are very important to being happy. Do you have any now ?
Another important factor to being happy is having friendships. After 20 years you should have some friends there.
Sorry for the loss of your wife, but to me it doesn't sound like you picked up or continued with your life. I know the feelings tend to be stronger around the holidays and we're filled with all kinds of emotions but don't make major decisions on emotions.
Take your time, figure out what's going to work best for yourself. I would definitely get a contract on the house before you move, if you decide to. The less headaches to deal with that better off you'll be. Hope it all works for the best for you.
Last edited by BigMike50; 12-30-2011 at 09:16 AM..
Working at LGA and trying to live in Suffolk would be at least a 45-60 minute commute each morning and then again every evening, which probably wouldn't do anything to add happiness to your life. Apartments are quite expensive here (talking $1000 minimum for a 1 bedroom in most areas).
I would say that if you could transfer anywhere you wanted with your job, make a list of places that you would be willing to live and price out each of those areas as far as renting or purchasing a small 1-2 bedroom house. There would be many cheaper areas to live than trying to make it work back on Long Island. There is a reason that a good number of the youth in this area look to leave to other parts of the country rather than try to make it here.
Could you transfer instead to MacArthur in Ronkonkoma? Then you could rent someplace farther out in Suffolk which would be cheaper. Since you are only one person, you might be able to rent a lower level apartment (basement if you don't mind) in somebody's house. I have known widows who did this just for extra income. How handy are you? One woman I used to know was specifically looking for a male renter who could also double as a handyman in exchange for a lower rent.
A lot of this is involves "networking", just like a job. Before my younger daughter married 2 years ago, she was renting a basement apartment in Astoria for $700 a month. My older daughter rents a basement apartment (all included) in Copaigue for $500 a month. Both rentals were from word of mouth by owners with totally paid off houses just looking for extra money, not to pay off their mortgages.
Homesickness is an emotional reaction of mind that corresponds to miserable feeling of longing for something or someone familiar. This phase may bring physical pain whenever you think of home, that nagging thought that perhaps you made a terrible mistake in leaving the comforts of your old life. Homesickness means you miss your family, your friends, your dog, your house, even your neighborhood - things in your life that are familiar.
Usually homesickness is a temporary or passing phase in our life; most people will have felt homesick at some time in their lives, perhaps when they were younger, and it is easy to forget, however sometimes feeling homesick can be rougher if you're dealing with other problems, may be your parents are getting divorced or someone you know recently died. These kinds of scary, sad and gloomy experiences may make you even more attached to everyone and everything around you, including the little things you don't even think about until they're not there.
Some people on theses boards say " I rather be miserable on L.I. than live good (fill in the blank). I disagree.... Happiness is a state of mind. It's even better if you share your journey with that someone special.
Having hobbies and interests are very important to being happy. Do you have any now ?
Another important factor to being happy is having friendships. After 20 years you should have some friends there.
Sorry for the loss of your wife, but to me it doesn't sound like you picked up or continued with your life. I know the feelings tend to be stronger around the holidays and we're filled with all kinds of emotions but don't make major decisions on emotions.
Take your time, figure out what's going to work best for yourself. I would definitely get a contract on the house before you move, if you decide to. The less headaches to deal with that better off you'll be. Hope it all works for the best for you.
Since you quoted me/my daughter "I would rather be miserable on LI", let me reply. First of all, friends can never replace FAMILY, especially when you reach a certain age. I have seen so many people who moved to "paradise" only to find after their spouse had passed away and were left alone in their 70s or 80s, with only their friends, who couldn't wait to leave because they did not want to die thousands of miles away from their families. They wanted to spend their remaining days on this earth near the people they loved, and with their memories of their younger days. I most certainly feel that way at 63 year old. No hobby or "state of mind" is going to change that.
People move to Florida mostly for the WEATHER. Many of them come from places where they have medical conditions that are made worse with cold weather. Why can't they find happiness then where they originally were? I am the opposite. I cannot take HOT weather. Oh, not just mentally, but physically as well. I am tired of playing pick a boo with the sun and heat and trying to stay cool enough to not be covered in hives looking like a leper. I had trouble with this on LI in Summer, but I never knew how BAD it would be living in year round heat of Florida. Find a hobby? Well, it would have to be INDOORS, where in Florida, everything is geared to the wonderful weather (sic).
I hate to break this to you, but "Happiness is a state of mind" isn't that simple. It's no fun being a prisioner in your house 1,000 miles away from the family you love.
Of all the replies here, I am going to expand on the one that made the most sense, and that is, find out first what the ticket agent salary is like in NY because I would imagine it having to be at least 50% more than what you are currently getting in Atlanta. If it does, and you can line up a job before the move, maybe it's worth exploring. Otherwise, 40K a year in New York and its close suburbs is literally peanuts. Close to 2/3 of your take-home pay will be eaten by rent and utilities.
How can anyone listen to you when you do nothing about your own situation. Four years later and still constantly complaining How do you go on living life like you're a prisoner is beyond me.
Anyway..... Telling a 50 yo man to leave his beautiful 3 bedroom home to live in a studio or someone's basement is ridiculous. At this age you should be moving ahead not backwards.
How can anyone listen to you when you do nothing about your own situation. Four years later and still constantly complaining How do you go on living life like you're a prisoner is beyond me.
Anyway..... Telling a 50 yo man to leave his beautiful 3 bedroom home to live in a studio or someone's basement is ridiculous. At this age you should be moving ahead not backwards.
I have been applying for jobs for the past 6 months to no avail. I will keep on doing this. I am willing to leave my beautiful Florida house on a lake on a golf course because it means "crap" to me at 63 years old. Remember, I am OLDER than the OP. I have lived in basement apartments before and could again. It is just a MATERIAL THING. My children mean more to me than a stupid house. If you cannot understand that, I am sorry. There are some things that money cannot buy. I do not know how old you are but when you reach a certain you will see this.
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How do you go on living life like you're a prisoner is beyond me.
