Extremely nervous about moving to Bedford...insight appreciated-- (Boston, Cambridge: insurance, budget)

[airedaly]

Don't pay any attention to Hazelcat's posting - there is always one miserable person in the crowd who tries to ruin it for everyone else. Did you ever watch the saturday night live segment "Debbie Downer" with Rachel Dratch? That's what Hazelcat is trying to do. Ruin life for everyone else because she is so miserable.

Massachusetts is a beautiful state, with lots of wonderful people and so much to do. And, again, you make your life what you want it to be. Sitting at home complaining never made anyone happy.

[Miker2069]

Originally Posted by puffle

I lived in Lexington and the only thing that was hard to get use to was the lack of manners of the teenagers working at the Stop and Shop. Never a hello or thank you. I live in So. Ca. and have for many years and the people that work at the markets are very friendly,courteous and helpful and that I will miss, but if that is the only issue, I can deal.

I agree, I moved to Charlotte and there's a supermarket chain called Harris Teeters, and I swear it's a corporate law that you must ask any customer you make eye contact with if they need any help or at a minimum *smile*. The cashiers stand at the entrance of the checkout line and ask if you're ready to checkout and did you find everything you were looking for. I go back to Boston often and it's a big difference regardless of the S&S/Market Basket location. Anyway I started shopping at Roache Brothers in Burlington b/c they were a little nicer

If it's 3 years of your life, I think you'll be fine. It's when it gets to year 13 that the winters, taxes, and other stuff starts getting to you- but being from Cali you probably won't find to much of it a shock. I'd recommend sampling all the good stuff New England has to offer- great seafood, walk in the north end , do the duck tour, jog on the charles (just don't look in the water), catch a red sox game in September, go to Vermont for leaf peeping in early October, etc. You'll be happy for it.

Hanscom Air Force base is in Bedford/Lexington so there are tons of military folks around- Bedford is a bit of a sleepy town, but there are some of us that like sleepy.

All the best.

Good luck

[Stockholmaren]

I’ll feel right at home then, nobody bothering me at the checkouts J I rather just get in and out of the store – it took me a long time to adjust to people at the checkouts asking me how I was doing and everything.

Also, are taxes really that bad in MA? To me it seems like there is a pretty low sales tax, property tax rates not too high, no city taxes, and the income tax isn’t that bad either. I know they charge high taxes on items like cars, but I thought I read somewhere that the tax rate in MA is about the middle of the pack of all the states or am I mistaken?

[ChunkyMonkey]

Taxes are about average. Sales tax is 5%. No taxes on food or clothes.
Property taxes vary on what town you are in. You'll have to pay a state income tax at 5.3% I believe. When I moved here I didn't think any of the taxes were outrageous.

[hazelthecat]

Originally Posted by airedaly

Don't pay any attention to Hazelcat's posting - there is always one miserable person in the crowd who tries to ruin it for everyone else. Did you ever watch the saturday night live segment "Debbie Downer" with Rachel Dratch? That's what Hazelcat is trying to do. Ruin life for everyone else because she is so miserable.

Massachusetts is a beautiful state, with lots of wonderful people and so much to do. And, again, you make your life what you want it to be. Sitting at home complaining never made anyone happy.

Of course you can't have an opinion that's different around here. Then again ......typical M*******.

[hazelthecat]

Originally Posted by skytrekker

Top Metro areas USA population wise.

1. New York–Northern New Jersey–Long Island NY–NJ–PA 18,818,536
2 Los Angeles–Long Beach–Santa Ana CA 12,950,129
3 Chicago–Naperville–Joliet IL–IN–WI 9,505,748
4 Dallas–Fort Worth–Arlington TX 6,003,967
5 Philadelphia–Camden–Wilmington PA–NJ–DE–MD 5,826,742
6 Houston–Sugar Land–Baytown TX 5,539,949
7 Miami–Fort Lauderdale–Pompano Beach FL 5,463,857
8 Washington–Arlington–Alexandria DC–VA–MD–WV 5,290,400
9 Atlanta–Sandy Springs–Marietta GA 5,138,223
10 Detroit–Warren–Livonia MI 4,468,966
11 Boston–Cambridge–Quincy MA–NH 4,455,217
12 San Francisco–Oakland–Fremont CA 4,180,027
13 Phoenix–Mesa–Scottsdale AZ 4,039,182
14 Riverside–San Bernardino–Ontario CA 4,026,135
15 Seattle–Tacoma–Bellevue WA 3,263,497
16 Minneapolis–St. Paul–Bloomington MN 3,175,041
17 San Diego–Carlsbad–San Marcos CA 2,941,454
18 St. Louis MO–IL 2,796,368
19 Tampa–St. Petersburg–Clearwater FL 2,697,731
20 Baltimore–Towson MD

That includes Nashua, Worcester, New Bedford, Ct RI, none of which has anything to do with boston

[skytrekker]

Originally Posted by hazelthecat

That includes Nashua, Worcester, New Bedford, Ct RI, none of which has anything to do with boston

Do any of the other metro areas 'absorb' local areas into their metro areas?

Most do- lets be objective. Boston is not only a great American city-but in fact

a global one- lets put your obvious prejudices aside.

[ChunkyMonkey]

Originally Posted by hazelthecat

That includes Nashua, Worcester, New Bedford, Ct RI, none of which has anything to do with boston

First of all, Nashua, Worcester, New Bedford has everything to do with Boston. If you doubt that southern New Hampshire has nothing to do with Boston, can you please explain why Manchester Airport is now Manchester-Boston Airport? They are all outer suburbs. There's commuter rail to Worcester and a lot of people are clamoring for commuter rail into New Hampshire and New Bedford.

Secondly, that figure is the MSA so Nashua, Worcester, Rhode Island and Connecticut are not included.
Greater Boston - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

You are thinking of CSA in which Worcester, Nashua and Providence are included. Providence markets itself to Bostonians as a good alternative to Boston with good commuter rail access to the city. In fact, rail extension to T.F. Green Airport is now under construction. Boston's CSA is actually almost 7.5 million people.

Table of United States Combined Statistical Areas - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[packedandready]

packed and ready is feeling a bit better.

Question: Do things shut down when there is a foot of snow on the ground or do those high taxes pay for the roads to be clear. In other words, how much snow does it take for people to be shut in? Do I need to buy a treadmill because the gyms will close b/c of snow?

I grew up where shops either are closed on Sunday or open at 1pm.

I live in the middle of the Mojave desert at the moment, the closest Target is 70 miles away. This area has taught me alot about what I *really* need and what I can do without--but Im really excited to not have to plan a trip once a week to Palm Springs just to do basic shopping. Is Bedford more of a village or are there "big box" stores, and if not, how close are they? Im just thinking of getting settled in and what is nearby. thanks...and I really appreciate the honesty. Id rather be informed than surprised.

Oh, and I have visited Martha's Vineyard in the past...people were very nice but I assumed it was just typical of a vacation-y type location.

[skytrekker]

Originally Posted by packedandready

packed and ready is feeling a bit better.

Question: Do things shut down when there is a foot of snow on the ground or do those high taxes pay for the roads to be clear. In other words, how much snow does it take for people to be shut in? Do I need to buy a treadmill because the gyms will close b/c of snow?

I grew up where shops either are closed on Sunday or open at 1pm.

I live in the middle of the Mojave desert at the moment, the closest Target is 70 miles away. This area has taught me alot about what I *really* need and what I can do without--but Im really excited to not have to plan a trip once a week to Palm Springs just to do basic shopping. Is Bedford more of a village or are there "big box" stores, and if not, how close are they? Im just thinking of getting settled in and what is nearby. thanks...and I really appreciate the honesty. Id rather be informed than surprised.

Oh, and I have visited Martha's Vineyard in the past...people were very nice but I assumed it was just typical of a vacation-y type location.

Yes

those high taxes do in fact clean up after winter storm very quickly. A foot of snow rarely closes us down here. 2 feet can shut things down for a day or a bit more- rarely more then that. I go to the gym 5 days a week- and in the last few years I was 'stopped' by winter weather perhaps once. Last winter was mild snow wise with under 25" the entire winter. Storms of 12 plus inches are not common.

Shopping in New England on Sundays is from about 10am to 6 or 7 PM.
Supermarkets of course have much longer hours.

Bedford is very close to several Malls,(Burlington Mall next door)and 'big box' stores are very close by (within 15-20 minutes away)