Moving away from Long Island? Where are you going?

[gmagg]

Originally Posted by dogcrazy

When i was in Maine it was amazing.Seeing the mountains in the distance.SOOOO many trees!!It was so peaceful.SO scenic.They call it the swiss cheese state because theres so many bodies of water.People were so friendly up there,they act like theyve known you their whole life when theyve just met you.Traffic?What traffic?!Granted in areas like Freeport,Maine there was some.But otherwise there was maybe one or two cars behind us.One day we went to an auction that we had to leave at around 5am because it wasnt that close to where we were staying,it was beautiful.The sun was coming up and there was NO ONE on the road,there was mist off of every lake and river we passed.Absolutely amazing.The only thing that holds me back is that my boyfriend wont ever leave.And i love him very very much.But i dont think i will ever be happy here.

You should do whats best for you, If you love Maine, then that's probably were you will be happiest. You should send your resume, apply to jobs and work with a staffing firm there to find employment and see what happens. There has to be Animal shelters, vetinary centers, etc with some open position.

[Grass4]

I just graduated school in May and can't wait to get away from the island. I'm thinking about going west to Arizona or New Mexico.

Long Island is awful if you're trying to do anything besides raise a family or retire.

[lifetimeliguy]

Originally Posted by dogcrazy

When i was in Maine it was amazing.Seeing the mountains in the distance.SOOOO many trees!!It was so peaceful.SO scenic.They call it the swiss cheese state because theres so many bodies of water.People were so friendly up there,they act like theyve known you their whole life when theyve just met you.Traffic?What traffic?!Granted in areas like Freeport,Maine there was some.But otherwise there was maybe one or two cars behind us.One day we went to an auction that we had to leave at around 5am because it wasnt that close to where we were staying,it was beautiful.The sun was coming up and there was NO ONE on the road,there was mist off of every lake and river we passed.Absolutely amazing.The only thing that holds me back is that my boyfriend wont ever leave.And i love him very very much.But i dont think i will ever be happy here.

One coastal area to check out is the towns of Rockland, Camden and Belfast. Really nice harbor towns , a bit touristy in summer though. These towns are big enough for you to find work in your profession but you may find a small town feel. If you have never visited there take a look.

[Rachael84]

Originally Posted by lifetimeliguy

I agree w/you. I visit Maine pretty regularly to ski in winter and mountain bike in summer and have seen much of the state. It's so beautiful, especially the northwest part of the state and the coast. To me there are two parts - the coast (which to me seems pretty wealthy in parts) and the interior, which is more rural and not as prosperous. Every time I leave I wonder why not move there. I have always found the Maine natives to be friendly and as you mentioned beauty everywhere.
Portland is a (much) smaller version of Boston to me and has much to offer for young people . Further up the coast are some beautiful smaller towns. One thing I noticed, though - is how many older folks there are in Maine, especially in the smaller places away from metro Portland. I guess there are not many opportunities for young people to stay in the smaller towns.
I have had some awfully cold days up at Sugarloaf in winter - it can be brutally cold like I never felt here in NY. Portland gets cold for a coastal city - frequently in the single digits at night. Make sure you visit where you would like to live in winter first ! good luck.

I went to college in Maine. most of the other students were from small town Maine or Massachusetts. It's like a whole other world up there. I'm not used to small town living. I felt so out of place, lol. But you're right, so many people are friendly. I like how it's pretty liberal there too. Lots of rallies always going on in Portland. It's a nice little city to walk around in.

I ended up transferring because it was way too cold and the college just wasn't a good fit. A mix of the 2. It's definitely not a place I would live, but I really enjoy visiting.

I also don't think I've ever been in a state where so many people have so much pride in their state lol

[daveyjones978]

Originally Posted by Rachael84

My fiance and I were going to move to Las Vegas, simply for the fact that we think it's beautiful out there. We thought it was cheaper, but once we did all the calculations, we would struggle more out there since teacher salaries are very in Las Vegas. For that reason, we're staying. We will probably retire someday in the southwest.

Agreed. I have several friends that are teachers in the LV area.. the starting salary is not the best. They claim that they are in desperate need, however they do not pay the salaries required for bringing staff there.

Good luck!

[daveyjones978]

Originally Posted by Peter B

Vegas?? Try taking a lunchtime stroll between June and August than see if its the right fit. Better quality of life?If you're a rattlesnake then maybe.

Been there done that. Three months of 105-110 compared to the rest of the year is bearable for most. Compared to other metro cities the quality of life is on par. There is a whole other side than what most tourists see. So I'm not really sure where your comparison is coming from?

[daveyjones978]

Originally Posted by Jrprofess

Have you secured a job? Just curious on the prospective job market in the region given the economy, etc. What profession are you in?

The job market is the same as all over the country. Yes there are hiring freezes, and depending on the industry, there are jobs available; it really all depends on where you look, and how you go about it. Often times, its a case of who you know, and not necessarily what you know.

My education is in the Administration (public, and non-profit) fields, yet I've worked in the service and hospitality industry off and on for the past few years, so I'm actually open to any option. I'm currently looking for work, and as I said in my original post, I'm exploring options in other cities as well, not just in Vegas.

[TristansMommy]

Originally Posted by gmagg

If you are considering moving away from Long Island, where are you going? What reasons are you moving for and what type of new environment do you seek? Example: ( job, better quality of life, affordability, better nightlife/singles, schools, family, college,retiring etc.)

I have recently left LI.

Moved to Carbon County PA .

Reasons for leaving.. plain and simple.. LI was too expensive.. housing, taxes.. you name it.. too expensive. WE were looking fora better quality of life. LI was too stressful on us financial and it was causing a lot of stress in our marriage AND we really couldn't have another child if we stayed on LI because of the cost of living.. and I desperately want to give my son a brother and / or sister.

New place is much cheaper. Currently renting a 4 BR , 2.5 bath farmhouse surrounded by 300 acres for a whopping $800/month. (only $200 more a month than my escrow payment was on my house on LI!).. Yes, this house is old and not very updated..if at all.. but it's clean (thanks to all the cleaning I did). AND.. I'm not so far out that I"m not near anything.. I have neighbors but can't see or really here them too much. I'm 5 minutes from Walmart, SuperGiant and abunch of other great and convenient things and about 30 minutes from Whitehall / Bethlehem area . This house WAS a find though and was cheap .. we do hope that maybe someday they will want to sell it and we'll get it at a bargain too as it needs a lot of work , but we're not afraid of that. It has a ton of charm and is a late 1800's farmhouse colonial complete with porch and high ceilings.

Health insurance for me and mys on in NY was $856/month. New health insurance in Pa is not $550 AND my husband gets coverage too for that much. Car insrance went from over $300/month to approx $190/month! Electricity is cheaper.. Cable/Internet/Phone is still the same. Gas is cheaper here adn the other day was $2.19 /gallon (although gas has come down since me moved). Water is free becasue it's from a well. Sales tax is somewhere in the 6% range. WE literally cut our livign expenses in half.. and I can't TELL you have relieved I feel.

ANd.. to boot . .I'm also 30 minutes from skiing at Blue Ridge Mountain (west of me), I'm near Jim Thorpe and about 40 minutes from the Poconos. I get to wake up everday and look out at beautiful rolling hills.. lots of green. There are hiking trails, white water rafting .. tons of things to do and it's beautiful here.

So far I"m happy here.. I do miss my friends on LI.. and I left a lot of my memories behind since I grew up there... but my entire family is now gone from LI and I was the last hold out.

It's amazing what kind of home you can get for your money here!!! It's INSANE..but it makes me so overwhelmingly happy that i could own a house that ism uch bigger than my Levitt was for 1/2 the price I paid for that.. not to mention the much cheaper taxes..

There is life off LI. I was resistant so many years ago when my husband wanted to leave.. but now I wish I would have done it sooner. To think of how much money we'd have in the bank right now if we had done that!!

[TristansMommy]

Originally Posted by dogcrazy

I thought about New Hampshire but their home prices are pretty expensive.I definately want to stay in the Northeast.Weer seriously thinking about NC just like everyone else,but wayyy too hot and come on now everyone is moving there.Its going to be just as crazy as NY.Im currently in the animal field and would love to stay in it.I want acreage and an old farmhouse.My dream!Im only 21 years old and i do own my house with my mother.We are both on the mortgage.My boyfriend also lives with us and obviously contributes.If it wasn't for him it would be very tough.If it was just me,i could not even afford to rent anything.Of course i have a car payment.Buying my used car was one of the first things i did to establish credit.

We never go out to eat.I mean like once or twice a year if that.Fast food once in a while.Store brand foods,coupons.can't remember the last time i went shopping!I don't make that much money at my job,but i don't pay anything towards medical benefits.I only pocket about $60.00 of my paycheck each week.Im just so unhappy here and ive been for a long long time.I just get so concerned about finding another job.

You should look into North East PA.. NOT the Poconos.. try Lehigh Valley and I'm in Carbon County.. near Jim Thorpe..

It's beautiful here.. cost of living is great.. nice houses, nice people so far ..