Should I move to AZ or struggle in Long Island, NY (Phoenix: mover, crime)

[Bummer]

GO FOR IT, Rammie!

There is nothing more positive and lifting than a clean slate. I did just that about a dozen years ago and my only complaint is that I didn't do it sooner.

Good Luck . . . it won't be a piece of cake but definitely worth the effort.

[rammie]

I know things will be hard and so Im a little scared but my fear of things is my biggest hurdle, like what happens if I or the kids get sick? Also I have to get healthcare again since my husbands union in Ny only has benefits in NY and NJ unless he moves eventually too...Thanks for your words of wisdom Bummer. I think by the time I move in July, I will be ready...

[azriverfan.]

Originally Posted by Ponderosa

Years ago I did not think so, but I have come to believe that having family nearby is a very important key to satisfaction about where one lives - assuming you get along with the family, of course. It sounds like you have nothing to lose. 2100/mo will keep you alive here and maybe some job will turn up for you over time. You could probably buy a house in PHX area for what you were paying in property tax in NY. But live in as nice an area as you possibly can. Don't skimp on rent, because school quality here depends mostly on the income of the area. Not sure if you are thinking about Peoria or Prescott, but Peoria would be a better choice as it is cheaper (Prescott is very pricey) with more job opportunities and things for a young family to do. Your boys will fit in right off. There are so many new people who come that being a new kid in school is no big deal.

On the other side of the coin, I think NY and easterners in general sometimes have a tough go of it here. The so-called culture is more west coast, people keep more to themselves, and it can get lonely if you are not the outgoing type who seeks out friends. But young people adapt and all in all, I believe this is a whole lot better part of the country to be in than the east.

I was going to respond but Ponderosa said it better than I ever could. I agree with the above. Yeah you could live on 2100 so if you get a job and earning another 1000 a month, you could pay the bills. And a lot of apartments are starving for people. The Mark-Taylor apartments in Chandler are advertising 4 months free rent with a long term lease(usually 15 months). Just to show you how good that is, during the early 2000's, they were giving 2 months free rent and then in mid 2000's, they were not giving any free months off.

[roundball]

Originally Posted by rammie

..I love Vistancia but it seems too far to commute to the airport everyday but all of Peoria seems nice.

I agree. Vistancia is a very nice are. It is one of my favourite areas in the NW. Unfortunately it was to far out for us. Like Ponderosa said you should try to live somewhere nice. The Fleacher Heights area of Peoria has excelling schools and so does the Arrowhead part of Glendale right next door. They are both located along the 101 too for a quicker commute and many jobs. There is one apartment complex (off the top of my head) in Fleacher Heights and quite a few within a 1/4 mile off of 59th, 67th, and 75th aves and the 101 (Arrowhead). All with a pool or two, gym, and deals right now.. All of them are withing walking distance of an Excelling school.

[LocoAZnative]

I wouldn't come here hoping you will score a job with US Airways.

US Airways to cut 1,000 jobs, trim flights from Las Vegas

[Radical_Car]

Originally Posted by LocoAZnative

I wouldn't come here hoping you will score a job with US Airways.

US Airways to cut 1,000 jobs, trim flights from Las Vegas

Theres a lot of places laying off...

But anyways, YES you should go, when I am out of high school and everything, im going out of state most likely, either Arizona or Texas.

[roundball]

Originally Posted by Radical_Car

Theres a lot of places laying off...

.

That's true, if she is looking at moving to the NW Valley she will be able to find a job easy. It may not be the most glamorous. If she can count on close to 30 thousand in child support all she has to do is find a retail/service job in the arrowhead area that offers insurance. I see help wanted signs around here all the time. She doesn't need to make 50 grand. Just something that will cover medical with $15-20 grand for spending money and she'll be doing ok. Even McDonalds offers a medical plan and they have a sign up in the delivery window for jobs about 70% up here. Same with Safeway, they are hiring right now up here. Those are just the two places I knoticed this morning. I'm sure there are many service jobs hring up here right now. There has been the past 5 years I lived up here.

[Ponderosa]

Originally Posted by roundball

That's true, if she is looking at moving to the NW Valley she will be able to find a job easy. It may not be the most glamorous. If she can count on close to 30 thousand in child support all she has to do is find a retail/service job in the arrowhead area that offers insurance. I see help wanted signs around here all the time. She doesn't need to make 50 grand. Just something that will cover medical with $15-20 grand for spending money and she'll be doing ok. Even McDonalds offers a medical plan and they have a sign up in the delivery window for jobs about 70% up here. Same with Safeway, they are hiring right now up here. Those are just the two places I knoticed this morning. I'm sure there are many service jobs hring up here right now. There has been the past 5 years I lived up here.

There'll be 10 MBAs and 25 IT pros applying for each of those. Of course, they won't get them as they are "overqualified".

[rammie]

I know what you mean about the job market but believe it or not, if im going to work in mcdonalds, i rather do it in az then ny since you have to make about 100,000 here to survive and im not kidding about that. The taxes alone are 8,000 - 20,000 a yr, just insane. I know the economy is tight right now but Im hoping when things get better, my friends that are still with the airlines can help me out. I have friends in the Gilbert, CHandler and Glendale area too. I will look into some of those apt complexes you mentioned. I have looked in a lot of apt guides and went to see a few when I was there, and they are just so big and beatiful compared to the crap in NY. Everything is old and falling apart and if its nice, you need a fortune to rent one...It would be so nice to feel human again. Hey, I just read that article about US air and although it stinks for jobs, its a way of weeding out the bad, maybe now they will have to be nice to get another job. When I worked for america west, we never liked us air and they still dont, its not the same since the merger.

[preapls]

Do not move here!!! I wish someone told me that 5 years ago