fact finding expedition gone way wrong in Billings (Great Falls, Plentywood: to rent, motel)

[doubtingdreams]

So as All threads usually start, it's been a life long dream of mine to get to montana. Well i thought i was on the right track when i went on a mission to get facts and information. I have a friend whom i havent seen in years in Shepard MT. i contacted her and we talked for a few weeks and the she invited me to stay with her while i searched. Of course I agreed. Well I got the money together and drove the 1400 miles to get there. and just as i get into Mt she calls she's not home get motel basically, which turns out is more expensive. So I slept in my truck At Hunty bridge. Next day same thing she late coming home stay at motel. all the while i'm filling out job apps and looking at houses etc... This went on for a week, all the while i'm calling my husband and two young son's as if nothings wrong. Of couse i didn't get a job in that week and was tired of bathing in yellowstone river and called my husband and made arraingements to come home. So with that background story, my husband is a heavy equip. opeator, dumptruck driver has his class A CDL, I have done just about anything that doesn't require a colledge education. We are working class people, not looking for movie like happy endings, just a new begining. Tell me Montana Do We have a chance or Should we let it die?

[nature's cathedral]

I am sorry it went down like that. Truly sorry. However, take heart and perhaps take a different approach. It sounds like the friends timing was more of the problem, and a week is a might short time to find a job. I would suggest you contact likely employers by phone, email, etc. in the field you and you husband work in and get them interested. If you get nibbles even offer to come out if they don't offer to pay for it. Also, cast a very wide net; I mean very wide. I would hit everything from Plentywood to Yaak. If your husband can operate farm equipment that might be a plus.

I bet within the first year of finishing my degree I sent out a thousand resumes.

Good luck.

[doubtingdreams]

Thank you nature, I will take heart. sound's like I need to get busy, thx again.

[nature's cathedral]

You're welcome.

[imbobbbb]

Well if you don't have a city in which you are set on living in you could try what I did about 14 years ago.I went and stayed in Harlowton,[I cheated and had relatives but many small,dying towns have small dying motels where you can rent a room for a couple hundred a month}.From Harlowton you can go out on monday apply for jobs in billings and be back by evening.On tuesday go the other way to Great Falls and return.Wednesday hit up big timber and livingston.Thursday drive over to helena and back.Friday head up to lewistown.This plan works better if you have an economy car but I did it in a '77 dodge 3/4 ton truck.The central location allowed me to get to a lot of decent sized cities and back in a day.Its a lot easier to get hired to a bluecollar job if you are 'staying' within a hundred or so miles away in the state than if you are calling up from ohio or new york with a dream of moving to montana.If you are standing there they figure you may actually show up if they hire you.If you have a cheap enough place to stay you can even afford to commute for a few weeks or a month while you find closer housing once you figure out which city you'll work in.Of course this plan also works best in spring/summer/early fall. goodluck

[doubtingdreams]

Thx imbobbbb, though with two kids in school it may present a little more of a challenge, but I'm very up to it. And a very good plan u had never thought of that. I'm so impatient waiting for spring is going to kill me. And I know I'm in a hurry to be beat down, Let down, and work my tail off for not much to show for my trouble. I wasn't raised to live the easy life, and that's not what I'm working towards.

[montygarlic]

doubting dreams:
I took a little glance at your public profile here - nice picture of the kids!

Back to the topic:

Your husband's ability to handle trucks (CDL) and heavy equipment is a big positive for employment prospects. BUT, he will need to be willing to travel some and be away from home some - not always ideal for families.
Your background with horses may be the real ticket to get your family to Montana, based on the motivation you show in your opening post to this thread. Have you ever considered (live-in)caretaking a ranch for absentee owners? Lots of savvy folks try to find such arrangements, but too few coming from out of state have any horse-handling skills.

We first came to Montana looking for a place to rent or buy, then landed as live-in caretakers in the most beautiful place you could ever imagine with the Clark Fork River running through it. The owners lived in Arizona all but about three weeks every year. We had a great house (rent free), an unbelievable view on 200 acres, great garden spot, and orchard, etc. In addition to the rent free, I was paid a small monthly salary (varied by seasonal work load) but could work at other things part time. My wife found a good (but low-paying) job in town which she loved. The ranch had horses that required daily care.

This arrangement allowed us to search all over the western side of the state and get acclimatized socially, financially and such, without spending a lot of back and forth windshield time and money from our former home in the Midwest. (Though not from Missouri originally, we did live in Texas County for a couple of years)

There are a couple of "tricks" to finding these caretaking positions, but you can do it. Google, Caretaker Gazette and local realtors/property managers are all your friends while you search.

Good luck.

mg

[doubtingdreams]

I can't tell you how thankful I am that you answered my post. I will get right to it.

[montygarlic]

Originally Posted by doubtingdreams

I can't tell you how thankful I am that you answered my post. I will get right to it.

If you need more help, send me a private message via this site. My wife (of 40 years) and I love to help others - it brings more real joy than anything else we do. We'd be happy to answer your families' questions about schools, climate, political climate, economy, whatever by phone if you like.

mg