How to NOT ruin Montana if you move here (Billings: live in, cost)

[miss x3]

[quote=expatvermonter;7725237]Sure you can be wealthy and enjoy nice things and live in Vermont or Montana. However people have reached a boiling point with the greed! Here in VT Volvos, Birkinstocks = McMansions and overpriced condos so much so that the locals who SUPPORT your lifestyles with their services are living in all the local motels on welfare! Is that what you want for Montana? I have been to MT a lot. There are MANY native VERY WEALTHY ranchers in MT with big spreads. They don't s

I looked for work on a ranch in MT and would love that kind of an offer!

[miss x3]

Originally Posted by seven of nine

Tough stock in most of Montana. Don't expect a welcome mat but then don't let that stop you from seeking what you are looking for. Start a new thread and lets get reaquainted. I have lots of "newbie" stories BTW my insurance agent has lived here for 35 years, the locals still refer to him as being "not from here" Who cares?

Being of tough stock does not equate being rude. No excuse for being rude or unwelcoming. There are ENOUGH areas that don't set out a welcome mat, believe me! We don't need anymore. We all need to bring BACK that Mayberry feel where people actually did, believe it or not, send a welcome committee around to new neighbors. If everyone keeps living in fear of the bad ones, we can't bring that lifestyle back. But we must also respect people who want to live privately, and show basic consideration for others . I do not see people moving in droves to the area, believe me. Historically, they have favored the coastlines, and continue to do so, no matter how high the cost of living and no matter what the media tells you. Don't get your news from the media. Look at the actual statistics: The general populace still resides along the coasts and in big towns. That is why we moved, to get away from all those crowds and noise.

Being tough isn't impressive and it doesn't score you any points. I come from a town that prides itself on being the 'toughest'.. ok, and what has that gotten you? Cold and misery. Life is more than hard enough, don't make it harder . We had 37 inches of snow in one month here and the white hurricane of '78 that I lived through.. with 75 mph winds that picked up a bag of cement and shattered a window.

[miss x3]

Originally Posted by Alaskapat528

Had to rep ya on that one. Excellent post!

Great thing about Ohio: It is both 'city' and 'rural'. We always stayed in them more 'rural' areas, yet people from across the country don't 'get' the state at all! I had a guy in Chicago say to me this past february 'So, do you have cows? What is that you grow, corn?' He lumped an entire STATE in with those misconceptions.

[mtboy]

Originally Posted by miss x3

There are MANY native VERY WEALTHY ranchers in MT with big spreads.

I wouldn't say MANY... or even VERY WEALTHY.

If what you are refering to as wealthy is in relation to the amount of acres you own then yes there are some "land wealthy" families here. But that does not by any means they are wealthy. It is called "land rich" and for many of the families here on the eastern part of the state it is lucky they even still operate with the outrageous property tax this state has. But as in VERY WEALTHY meaning they have a large bank roll stored up and can buy anything they want... you are misinformed my friend.

[LAPTOP GAMER]

Originally Posted by expatvermonter

I read all these posts about bashing "outsiders" moving to Montana, and let me say I have first hand experience with people ruining my home state of VT. Here is how to NOT ruin things if you move from NY, NJ, MA, IL, CA to a rural state.

1) Refuse to pay $350K for that new 3 Br rancher. Tell the seller that it is only worth $120K and that is all you will pay. If you are willing (and can) pay overinflated prices you have just ruined the market for someone who can only afford a reasonable mortgage. Build simple, cheap and green. The locals will respect you for it (no McMansions).

2) Leave your "liberal" mentality in CA! This does not mean you have to like Bush or Rush. People in the rural areas generally don't want extreme left or right thinking/politics. They are mostly center of the road pro-constitution.

3) Don't get involved in politics. Let the state be run the way it has been. If you like right wing bible thumping move to Mississippi or Tennesse. If you like diversity (gang-bangers and hip hop) move to LA. If you like constitutional freedom move to ID, MT, VT. There are states that match your like and dislikes. It is a big country, but don't move to an area to change things.

4) Rural people own and carry handguns for self defense. If you don't like it stay in NY City where it is safe under Mayor Bloomberg. We don't want a police heavy state in Montana or Vermont!

5) Subarus, Volvos, Birkinstocks, North Face, Latte do not belong in rural areas. It is like wiping the greed and excesses in the faces of the locals. This does not mean you need to shop at Walmart for your fashions and wear a dirty cammo baseball hat. If you move here buy a utilitarian vehicle (Jeep, Small Pick-up Etc), get some new Carharts, a woodstove and live simply. Country does not mean being a redneck. Just dress down and be humble, not loud and pretentious. Save your cash for future emergencies. Greed is not welcome in the simple country lifestyle!

6) Don't blast hip-hop or wear your pants around your ankles. NO ONE here wants to hear it, believe me!

So I guess mt Tahoe isen't acceptable in Montana, and BTW my mom who has lived in Montant all of her life drives a Subaru.

[JoeMama2009]

Solution: arm every American with a firearm, everybody will be more polite.

[Broz]

Originally Posted by JoeMama2009

Solution: arm every American with a firearm, everybody will be more polite.

Amen....

[JoeMama2009]

Originally Posted by Broz

Amen....

Damn straight!

[pirate_lafitte]

[quote=miss x3;8674100]

Originally Posted by expatvermonter

Sure you can be wealthy and enjoy nice things and live in Vermont or Montana. However people have reached a boiling point with the greed! Here in VT Volvos, Birkinstocks = McMansions and overpriced condos so much so that the locals who SUPPORT your lifestyles with their services are living in all the local motels on welfare! Is that what you want for Montana? I have been to MT a lot. There are MANY native VERY WEALTHY ranchers in MT with big spreads. They don't s

I looked for work on a ranch in MT and would love that kind of an offer!

I don't see anything wrong with owning a Volvo or Birkenstocks. Personally, I don't like Birkenstocks, not my style. But Volvos are alright with me. I see nothing wrong with having those things. If you work for them, I don't see a reason why you shouldn't have it.

[Reziac]

Originally Posted by pirate_lafitte

I don't see anything wrong with owning a Volvo or Birkenstocks. Personally, I don't like Birkenstocks, not my style. But Volvos are alright with me. I see nothing wrong with having those things. If you work for them, I don't see a reason why you shouldn't have it.

Nothing wrong with OWNING them. The problem is that there is a certain set of johnny-come-lately who look down on the "hicks" who drive Fords and wear Red Ball sneakers, and who are out to change Montana into Greenwich Village and Beverly Hills. And all too often those "out to change MT" folks can be identified by their trappings -- Beamers, Volvos, Birkenstocks. So tho it's a stereotype, it has its roots in hard cold reality.

I remember when you could peg the trust-fund hippies dead-on by their Birkenstocks. No one else wore 'em, cuz no one else could afford 'em.