How many of you are looking to move out of Michigan? (Traverse City: environment, student loan)

[malamute]

Originally Posted by Sociologist

I'm not sure if you have yet...but consolidtion of your loans is possibly the next best thing...I had about 42K with sallie mae, although they don't offer consolidation directly anymore, but there are still companies out there that do. I saved roughly 250/month by doing this, the credit crunch is catching up to student loan holders and the results aren't going to be pretty. Most major banks in the past offered the same services, but no more.

I had the same issue with over-qualification, and this is something that will continue to worsen. Remember, in the pool of unemployed people, you have lots of displaced older workers, individuals with much more education than you and I, and everyone in between. If you really just want income at this point, getting a service industry job shouldn't be difficult, just indicate that your willing to take lesser pay than your degree screams for. Keep looking at other states, if you can find a company that will cover some of the relocal costs, then jump on the opportunity. After I fisnished my undergraduate work I waisted 3 years of my life (yes I said 3 years) searching for better paying employment, and I hold two degrees in very desirable fields, and have almost a decade experience. This story is all to common, and simply put...if you have the chance at a better paying job elsewhere....your degree will open doors that otherwise wouldn't have been there for you.

Good Luck!

That's good advice. A degree won't hurt you ever, but sometimes you have to downplay it when applying for a job that doesn't require it -- the important thing is to always be working. If you take a job not in your field and not high-paying you can always justify that to a future employer and they'll be more impressed by someone who is motivated to work no matter what than by someone who lacked employment for months on end.

Plus in many jobs, there are ways to get your foot in the door and then start moving up and if you already have the degree, then you have the edge. For example Starbucks, there are district manager jobs that require a degree and pay well but you would want to know the business from ground-up.

[scorpiosnpit]

I am on this site today to look at some good places to move to. My husband is a licensed contractor here in northern mi and work is scarce. A few years ago he couldn't hire enough help to do the work in the summer and now he can't find work anywhere around and it's june! alot of people around are in the same boat and we don't qualify for unemployment being self-employed and all the factories and other jobs around are closing or laying off workers. About the only jobs available right now are McDonalds and maybe waitressing for the summer. I was born and raised in this little town and love it here with all my heart. It's beautiful and freindly and great for raising kids but no one can make ends meet anymore. I'll be sad to leave but it looks like I might have to if I want to feed my family!

[quick_fingers]

I was born and raised in the area where I am (Big Rapids) and I love this area because it's my home, BUT...the people are not friendly, they don't do anything fun in this town because the wind-bag, mucky-mucks poo poo anything if it's not "artsy-fartsy", grandiose, or self-complimenting. Out-siders' (and people with moneys') butts are kissed by the city council while the "real macoys" are ridiculed and ignored, because the wind-bag council members and greedy landlords, enjoy their sense of omnipotence. There are no jobs here, in all, it's a crummy place to live. I've been down south and the people are lovely. They are friendly and helpful and, there are more opportunies for fun work and the people seem to enjoy their work. It's warmer, in both senses of the word and if I had the money and circumstances, I would definately move. Yes, sadly, people do want out.

[sand_balloon]

I love Michigan in the summer... but honestly, it's not Michigan so much as it is the cold. Growing up in winter almost all year long, one gets sick of it. So we (my entire extended family of 20-30) plan to move south to North Carolina slowly and steadily.... and maybe if enough people move out of Michigan, it will turn back into the beautiful wilderness it once was.

[BobTex]

Someone on the Texas board said to come over and check this out. They said a bunch of folks were coming to Texas. I don't really see this. I do know that the economy is in the tank up there. God bless y'all! Texas welcomes you here if you so decide.


BTW ... I was born in Detroit in 1953. Folks moved in '55 down here.

[lakefrontgirl]

I moved to Mich from Cali 6 yrs ago this month and we are now relocating to Raleigh NC the end of August. Its going to take literally every cent we have but altho the lake is so nice, we cant live here, I mean really live. We moved in 2002 to Mich because back then it was known as a better place to restart, within one year, the end of 2003 Michigan became the state with the lowest pay, industrial state with companies closing up every month, they say new jobs are out there but you just cant live on the pay. So this move is something we are really looking forward to. Not to mention its a depressed state here, NC is booming and sooo gorgeous! Its close to the ocean, and has the stores and lifestyle Im used to from Cali, but without as many people. Even if it had the same or more people, we would still move. This state has become so depressing, no wonder its the #1 state for alcoholism, no one can afford to get outside their home. I go to Chicago alot for fun, shopping etc, just to get a small taste of NORMAL life, what Im used to. It was sooo much different when we got here, then it turned into the worst nightmare ever. If you travel along the lakefront cities its nice, but with gas prices who can drive that far away?

Not to mention summers in Michigan are usually rainy and you cant make plans for BBQ and outdoor things. Sorry, had to add.

[Bydand]

Originally Posted by lakefrontgirl

I moved to Mich from Cali 6 yrs ago this month and we are now relocating to Raleigh NC the end of August. Its going to take literally every cent we have but altho the lake is so nice, we cant live here, I mean really live. We moved in 2002 to Mich because back then it was known as a better place to restart, within one year, the end of 2003 Michigan became the state with the lowest pay, industrial state with companies closing up every month, they say new jobs are out there but you just cant live on the pay. So this move is something we are really looking forward to. Not to mention its a depressed state here, NC is booming and sooo gorgeous! Its close to the ocean, and has the stores and lifestyle Im used to from Cali, but without as many people. Even if it had the same or more people, we would still move. This state has become so depressing, no wonder its the #1 state for alcoholism, no one can afford to get outside their home. I go to Chicago alot for fun, shopping etc, just to get a small taste of NORMAL life, what Im used to. It was sooo much different when we got here, then it turned into the worst nightmare ever. If you travel along the lakefront cities its nice, but with gas prices who can drive that far away?

Actually Michigan has one of the higher wage bases, so in that statement you are wrong. Not all professions, but most professions you will make more here than most other places. Couple that with a lower cost of living and it is like a double raise. It is far from being the lowest wage state, I would LOVE to see the link to that back that statement up.

Good Luck in NC. It can be a nice place.

You state that you go Chicago a lot, than 2 sentences later state that with gas prices who can go to the lake front cities. That makes no sense, gas is the same price whether going to Chicago or a Michigan lake front city.

I have had a bar-b-que the last 3 week-ends and not a drop of rain on any of them. Have them all summer usually and might have 3 or 4 rained out, that isn't a lot. You might be surprised by the weather in the Raleigh NC area, they get rain also. They do have MUCH milder winters, but the humidity in the summer is enough to drain you of energy. (Yes I know that for sure after having spent time down there and having a sister than used to live just outside of Raleigh.)

[magellan]

I read all these posts of people moving to North Carolina, and see their populations (in Raleigh and Charlotte) are exploding by tens of thousands every year. They can't possibly be adding that many high paying jobs every year, so where are all these people working? In construction/real estate/mortgages to make way for the next wave of immigrants? I can't imagine a stable economy based solely on growth.

[baystater]

Originally Posted by magellan

I read all these posts of people moving to North Carolina, and see their populations (in Raleigh and Charlotte) are exploding by tens of thousands every year. They can't possibly be adding that many high paying jobs every year, so where are all these people working? In construction/real estate/mortgages to make way for the next wave of immigrants? I can't imagine a stable economy based solely on growth.

Think Florida 5 to 7 years ago. It's the same thing people are always looking for the greener pastures over the hill. Florida was that pasture back then. Now.........not so much. So NC and SC are the new pastures that will eventually brown over. Heck Magellan you know and I know Michigan will be Perceived as a "green pasture" again. Probably sooner rather than later as water shortages start to ratchet up. But in the mean time property is looking soooooooooooo good to this bottom feeder.

[malamute]

Originally Posted by magellan

I read all these posts of people moving to North Carolina, and see their populations (in Raleigh and Charlotte) are exploding by tens of thousands every year. They can't possibly be adding that many high paying jobs every year, so where are all these people working? In construction/real estate/mortgages to make way for the next wave of immigrants? I can't imagine a stable economy based solely on growth.

I think that's the problem with the economy nationally -- it's based solely on growth. The population of the USA is growing incredibly fast so new homes must be built, which creates construction and bank jobs and other service industry jobs, but there's no other solid base for the economy.

I would be leery of the long-term for any place that is growing just because it is growing with no good economic base.