So, what annual income does it take to sustain life in Maine? (Dexter: credit card, how much)

[Maineah]

Originally Posted by mainebrokerman

el, you are so right.... money doesnt make ya happy, just more nervous,,

most mainers i know that do have money, you'd never know it, they are not flashy at all, in fact they go out of there way not to be arrogant ,,,,,most mainers despise arrogance, and snobs,,,

I can introduce you to some if you'd like!!

[ILUVMAINE]

Well, if I HAD been successful in finding a job, I would have been happy making $25,000 if my health insurance was paid. That along with my hubby's retirement would been more than enough for us to live on. Going out to dinner every night of the week? Probably not, but at least we could have had a small piece of land and "maybe" paid the heating cost in the winter.

[Submariner]

Originally Posted by dmyankee

Everything is relative. Maine is a good place to start out for the entrepreneurial types. Most people will have several "irons in the fire," unless they have a career path. If you have several businesses going, you can file schedule C's, F's, etc and make the books work in your favor. Many fortunes have been made starting at home. Maine Biz always has a success story.

Well said.

[moughie]

Originally Posted by mainebrokerman

most mainers i know that do have money, you'd never know it, they are not flashy at all, in fact they go out of there way not to be arrogant ,,,,,most mainers despise arrogance, and snobs,,,

Agreed- never , ever met one single Mainer like that.

At the risk of making a gross generalization and offending everyone, it was often the out-of-staters and other petit bourgeois- esp from the NE corrider, that tended to often exhibit those characteristics

[Elcarim]

You've never been to my neck of the woods! Appearance is absolutely everything around here. Why else do you think it takes me an hour to dress up to go grocery shopping?!!

I'm just really weary of hearing people saying they have to leave Maine because they can't afford to stay, when I've honestly seen very little statistical proof to back up those claims.

[Submariner]

Originally Posted by Elcarim

You've never been to my neck of the woods! Appearance is absolutely everything around here. Why else do you think it takes me an hour to dress up to go grocery shopping?!!

Heh heh heh

I have lived in areas where the 'show' was everything. Most of my relatives live for the 'show' of it. They tend to spend far more than they earn, and carry huge debt loads. Everything is for show with them.

On my shopping trips to Maine, it was one thing that was very obvious. As compared to Ct, Maine has very little 'high maintenance folk'.

... I'm just really weary of hearing people saying they have to leave Maine because they can't afford to stay, when I've honestly seen very little statistical proof to back up those claims.

Me Too.

From our own travels and experiences, we have seen cheaper places to live.

New Mexico desert, West Texas desert, Arizona desert, all flat alkali deserts with no water and no hope of water. Out 100 miles from the closest town in a trailer. Now that is cheap living.

[island mermaid]

It's all about "status" down here too. If you don't wear Prada and drive a ferrari or a bentley you're just not well off and obviously a miserable failure in life.

I just laugh...

[American girl]

If you cut out high speed Internet, cable TV, manicures, fancy hair cuts, $500/month truck payments, take out food, gym memberships, shopping as recreation and substitute library books, a good used vehicle, cooking from scratch, a good pair of walking shoes, brown bag lunches in the park and Saturday night card parties instead of going out....then a little goes a long way. And, not just in Maine. True freedom comes from owning and wanting less - then you're a slave to no one.

[Submariner]

Originally Posted by American girl

If you cut out high speed Internet, cable TV, manicures, fancy hair cuts, $500/month truck payments, take out food, gym memberships, shopping as recreation and substitute library books, a good used vehicle, cooking from scratch, a good pair of walking shoes, brown bag lunches in the park and Saturday night card parties instead of going out....then a little goes a long way. And, not just in Maine. True freedom comes from owning and wanting less - then you're a slave to no one.

We have no cable;
no manicures;
I cut my own hair, I cut my Dw's hair;
we do not own a truck;
we dont eat much fast food;
no gym membership;
we rarely window shop;
we grow our own food as much as possible and cook from 'real' scratch;
we host saturday evening dinners with card games afterward.

[Siobjuan]

Well, we are having a tough time of it. I earn about 29K, have 2 teenagers, We have paid off all but 1 cc (under 300 owed and once it's paid off, there will be NO MORE!) own our vehicle...but are carrying a mortgage of 100K.

The problem is my DH can't seem to get a freakin job. We are in Dexter and the year we moved here, Dexter Shoe laid off a bunch of folks, then last year the Lane Furniture announced they are closing shop as well. So, you have all these folks who have lived here their entire lives and all know each other, so who do you think the openings are going to go to?

I know, I would hire those I know (or am related to) too, but it's frustrating.

How are those with kids getting by on so little? What are the secrets I seem to be missing out on? How do you heat a house without going broke?

Don't get me wrong, we love it here and are staying until the day I twist off this mortal coil!