moving to maine (Portland, Bangor: car registration, how much, hotel)

[dward417]

I am a single mother of 3 and am thinking of moving from Atlanta, Georgia to Maine. Ive lived in Georgia all my life and want a complete change of scenery. Especially for my kids. I want to experience mountains, ocean, and winterwonderland at Christmas time. I am in the medical field here so I don't know if it would be hard to find employment. Atlanta has multiplied so I need somewhere quiet and lots of nature to enjoy. Would maine be the place for me? Please any feedback would be tremendous help.

[bigchuckie]

MEdical field here is growing . Maine has all that you have mentioned but be aware Taxes are high and so is the cost of living. However
people think that is a good trade off considering the quality of life

[dward417]

What major hospitals are there? So I can start checking employment online. I am considering other places as well...but Maine sounds like its the place I want to be. I have never lived anywhere but Georgia so this will be an adventure for me.

[pinkpalace]

It's funny you'd post this -- I'm actually sitting in a hotel room in Georgia after putting an offer on a house in Winder. I'm moving FROM Maine TO Georgia.

Maine does have some really good points -- no traffic and mild summers are two good points. Winters weren't as bad as I expected them to be, but could be a shock to you. Just so you know what to expect -- my kids were required to have snow pants and boots at school in order to play outside during recess at school when it snowed.

Electricity is about twice as expensive in Maine as it is in Georgia. I paid just over 14 cents/kwh in Maine, it's only roughly 7 cents/kwh in Georgia. The cost of heat will be a major shock. Last year, we used about 1200 gallons of heating oil. Heating oil is just a little cheaper than the cost of gasoline, so you can figure out about how much you could spend on heating oil every year. This year, we were set to pay $405/mo (every month) for heating oil. (You overpay in the summer to make up for underpaying in the winter.) There are ways to reduce the amount of heating oil you use -- like using a pellet stove.

Also, from what I've seen, car registration is a little more than twice as expensive than Georgia car registration. Our 2006 Toyota Sienna would be $650 this year to register in Maine, and will only be ~$250 to register in Winder.

Another downside is there isn't much shopping. You get some good stores around Bangor and Portland, but it won't compare to what you've been used to around Atlanta.

All that being said... I don't want to sound negative. Maine is a terrific place to raise a family. There is practically no crime. There is never any traffic. (Especially compared to Atlanta.. sheesh!) The entire state is beautiful. There are lakes and rivers all over. It's very, very peaceful, and everybody I've met has been extremely friendly.

Just make sure to do your homework about the cost of living before taking the plunge. We expect to save roughly $700/mo on utilities after moving to Georgia...

[stevenlear]

Yes, it is cold here during the winter and it can be pricey to heat your home.. but we don't have to run air conditioning from April through November either. My windows have been open for months! It is warm today.. about 85.. but will cool off tonight and I will sleep with a fan blowing.

Eastern Maine Medical Center is located in Bangor and is one of the City's major employers... just google them.

[MinnesotaGirl]

Hello-
The website www.themha.org is a list of all the hospitals in Maine and has the web links, mailing addresses an contact information. Ths website also lists a Maine Recruitment Center for healthcare workers. It does emphasize physician recruitment, but will help with all other clinical areas. I found it easier to link to the hospitals website and search the job openings myself.

Good luck with your decision!