Thinking of Moving From Williamsport to Sunbury (Harrisburg, Indiana: apartment, lease)

[bobsmith]

Hello everyone. Well, as you may know I moved to Williamsport, Pennsylvania in August, leaving my parent's house in Newtown, Bucks County. Unfortuanitely, things have not panned out for me the way I had hoped. First, the retail store I was working for was cutting my hours severely and creating an unsustainable situation. Then, I attempted to get a job as a truck driver and spent three weeks in a trucking school in Indiana. Unfortuanitely, I could not quite pass the CDL test and I got sent home to Williamsport.

The last few weeks have been full of fruitless job searching and a plummetting of my finances to the point where I am cutting down on meals and put my thermostat to 60 degrees to save money. Still, I simply do not have the money to pay January's rent and I'm afraid I will have to break the lease and move out of my apartment and back to my parent's house.

There is one possibility that I might not have to move back to my parent's house. I have a friend in Sunbury, PA, who is nearing the end of his lease, and we were talking about getting a place together in Sunbury. We have been really close friends for years, and we used to be college roomates so we know we can handle living together. Even though I am flat broke he has some savings to get us both through until I can get re-employed and pay my fair share. He has already told me his intentions to do this.

I am very familiar with Sunbury but I still wonder what people's oppinions of it are. For those who live or visit Central Pennsylvania, is Sunbury a step up or a step down from Williamsport? Sunbury might be smaller but it is within commuting distance of the Harrisburg Metro, plus it within easy driving distance of Lewisburg, Milton, Selinsgrove, Shamokin, and Bloomsburg.

I don't want to move back into my parents house. There are certian issues between my parents and me that I think will make life unneccissarily stressful for all of us. I need my independence and they need their peace and quiet to have their little castle the way they like it, so it's in all of our interests for me not to return there.

So I'm thinking the Sunbury idea might be the best idea after all. I would honestly like living with a friend better than living alone, and much better than living with my parents. What do you think?

[Dawne]

First of all, I'm sorry you're in the situation you're in.

I grew up in Montoursville so am fairly familiar with Williamsport, and now I live in Selinsgrove, so I am fairly familiar with Sunbury. I think a move from Williamsport to Sunbury will be a "lateral" move for you and to be able to move in with a friend and share expenses is certainly a bonus.

As you said, from Sunbury, you can commute to Harrisburg if necessary and now that gas prices are back down again that's certainly a more desirable option than it was even two months ago.

If you have retail experience, you would be coming to this area at a good time. McDonald's in Shamokin Dam is set to open soon and is actively hiring. Monroe Marketplace is continuing to expand and more stores will be opening soon, such as Michael's, PetSmart, Staples, Famous Footwear, and probably a few more. In Lewisburg, A&W and Long John Silver's will be opening soon and that area also continues to grow.

I'd say go for it! And best of luck to you.

[wanneroo]

In your situation Bob I'd leave Williamsport for Sunbury. I have heard through the grapevine that all the industrial businesses in town are laying off whole shifts or planning on doing so, including closing whole factories. All that is going to do is put more people on the streets looking for work. Right now it is probably better to be closer to Harrisburg where you would likely have more options.

[ScranBarre]

Did you try applying at the Lowe's Home Improvement and/or Home Depot in the Montoursville/Muncy areas? I'm very happily employed at Lowe's, and while the money I earn may not be much, it's above-average for the retail industry. It's better than nothing to "hold you over." Even though Home Depot has been getting whacked hard during this recession (closing a number of stores), Lowe's is faring much better.

[nooneneedstoknowme]

williamsport higher ups are unfair to the lower citzens what they are doing is taking from the poor and giving more to the rich thereis no freedom is williamsport what so ever you can not move unless you are getting a fine for somthing you have no rights in williamsport pa about 6 years ago this town was great but not no more i lived here all my life and this is the worst i ever seen this city run