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Old 08-01-2017, 02:25 PM
 
5,047 posts, read 5,757,186 times
Reputation: 3120

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Quote:
Originally Posted by xdv8 View Post
You bought a brand new house in a new development under these circumstances. Was that a good choice? Honest question.
Sorry ; didn't buy a brand new house in a brand new development ; not the facts at all. It was a 20 year old house on a street alone. The reason why we did it was because we didn't want to rent and we didn't want to move twice. We also paid cash for it so yes, we tied up all our money for a while.
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Old 08-01-2017, 02:29 PM
 
5,047 posts, read 5,757,186 times
Reputation: 3120
Quote:
Originally Posted by Craziaskowboi View Post
My brother has worked for the same company for 10 years and was just given a $10,000 raise in April. He and his family are comfortably middle-class, and so is my best friend from elementary and middle school. Furthermore, my friends from high school are all comfortably upper-middle-class, and when I've asked them about other people we knew, there were only five who left: two who made it on Broadway, one who made it in the NFL, one who married into the military, and one who works for the state government in Harrisburg. The rest of them are still in the Pittsburgh area, and none of them are living from paycheck to paycheck either. In fact, the only one who doesn't have a job chose to be a stay-at-home mother. Bottom line, if Pittsburgh has a moribund economy, then nobody ever bothered to tell my brother or any of my childhood friends.
But you were forgetting one pretty important fact ; :the rest are all still in pittsburgh". So there is the history, the connections and the background here to be able to get the jobs, to hear about the jobs going etc. I wish I received a $10K raise ; most of my raises from a law firm or accountant firm have been less than $1 a hour. I hope my kids will stay in Pittsburgh as they really love it. Pittsburgh does have a lot going for it, however as an outsider, it is hard to break into it.
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Old 08-01-2017, 02:37 PM
 
Location: East End, Pittsburgh
969 posts, read 764,342 times
Reputation: 1044
Quote:
Originally Posted by okaydorothy View Post
Sorry ; didn't buy a brand new house in a brand new development ; not the facts at all. It was a 20 year old house on a street alone. The reason why we did it was because we didn't want to rent and we didn't want to move twice. We also paid cash for it so yes, we tied up all our money for a while.
My mistake. I thought you were in that Newbury development.
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Old 08-01-2017, 02:43 PM
 
Location: Foot of the Rockies
90,316 posts, read 120,219,944 times
Reputation: 35920
Quote:
Originally Posted by Craziaskowboi View Post
My brother has worked for the same company for 10 years and was just given a $10,000 raise in April. He and his family are comfortably middle-class, and so is my best friend from elementary and middle school. Furthermore, my friends from high school are all comfortably upper-middle-class, and when I've asked them about other people we knew, there were only five who left: two who made it on Broadway, one who made it in the NFL, one who married into the military, and one who works for the state government in Harrisburg. The rest of them are still in the Pittsburgh area, and none of them are living from paycheck to paycheck either. In fact, the only one who doesn't have a job chose to be a stay-at-home mother. Bottom line, if Pittsburgh has a moribund economy, then nobody ever bothered to tell my brother or any of my childhood friends.
Whereas my brother, my cousins and I all moved away, 3 of us to the "sunbelt". My brother has now moved back, in retirement. My BFF and her 3 sibs all moved away, either west or south, no one has moved back. Some of my other HS friends stayed, some moved away. I did graduate shortly before the steel crash, which did affect the younger people more than the older steelworkers. I, however, moved away to get married to someone from out of state. Everyone's story is different.
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Old 08-01-2017, 03:08 PM
 
6,357 posts, read 5,008,150 times
Reputation: 3309
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ruger357 View Post
This hits a sore spot with others. You and I are the villains because we don't agree.....
You are not villains at all. What is the point of online forums if people would only agree every single time for everything?

I'm sorry you have seen your friends leave. In my younger days, I got the heck out and made good money elsewhere.
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Old 08-01-2017, 03:09 PM
 
Location: Marshall-Shadeland, Pittsburgh, PA
32,606 posts, read 77,287,663 times
Reputation: 19071
My salary is sub-$30,000; however, I acknowledge that I earn this because I'm a bad person.
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Old 08-01-2017, 03:10 PM
 
Location: Pittsburgh, PA
6,327 posts, read 9,101,134 times
Reputation: 4048
Quote:
Originally Posted by Katarina Witt View Post
Whereas my brother, my cousins and I all moved away, 3 of us to the "sunbelt". My brother has now moved back, in retirement. My BFF and her 3 sibs all moved away, either west or south, no one has moved back. Some of my other HS friends stayed, some moved away. I did graduate shortly before the steel crash, which did affect the younger people more than the older steelworkers. I, however, moved away to get married to someone from out of state. Everyone's story is different.
Aren't you from Beaver County though? I also think Craziaskowboi came of age in the 90's instead of during the height of the steel bust.
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Old 08-01-2017, 03:12 PM
 
Location: Pittsburgh, PA
6,327 posts, read 9,101,134 times
Reputation: 4048
Quote:
Originally Posted by okaydorothy View Post
In our experience., and its just our experience, we moved here as a late 40's couple with two tweens. The kids settled here very quick and love it. As adults our experience has been very different. I got a job within 2 weeks of looking and got that job thru an agency. Then that firm was taken over by another firm and the firm went much more corporate which I feared. So after 2 years, a neighbor told me of a position where she worked and I was lucky enough to get that position. I did have to go down in salary but I didn't mind as it was closer to home and no parking. I was let go suddenly at the beginning of the year after 2.5 years there. No excuse, just we have to part ways. It was a total shock.

My husband, now he struggled to get a job. He applied to many places including a branch of where he used to work for in NY. Nothing local and eventually he got a position with them in Youngstown and commuted daily. That branch was closed down after 10 months, and he went back to school. He got a job after school, but it was on call and there was no work from Jan to March. So we were back to a single income again. Finally he got a position near our weekend home in the Poconos and we have been living separately since March 2016. Is it the perfect situation ; heck no. He is willing to go anywhere for work and he will do anything. But not having connections here in Pittsburgh really killed him.
Try living on $40K a year with two kids, and a mortgage ; it is very difficult. We have not had a vacation in 5 years. Now our house is for sale so we can pay off the debt we had to accumulate just to live. And I am not saying we have expensive taste ; absolutely not.

So the point is ; if you are young and or go to college here, you have the connections and life will be decent. If you are older, then it is more difficult.
I am sorry to hear things have not been going that well career wise for you and your husband. I have always enjoyed seeing your posts on this forum and hope things can turn around for you and him sooner rather than later.
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Old 08-01-2017, 04:12 PM
 
Location: Manchester
3,109 posts, read 2,893,618 times
Reputation: 3718
Quote:
Originally Posted by bradjl2009 View Post
I am sorry to hear things have not been going that well career wise for you and your husband. I have always enjoyed seeing your posts on this forum and hope things can turn around for you and him sooner rather than later.
I second that. I loved watching your story unfold and hearing about how well your kids were doing. Hoping for the best for you and your family.
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Old 08-01-2017, 04:17 PM
 
Location: Foot of the Rockies
90,316 posts, read 120,219,944 times
Reputation: 35920
Quote:
Originally Posted by bradjl2009 View Post
Aren't you from Beaver County though? I also think Craziaskowboi came of age in the 90's instead of during the height of the steel bust.
Yes, I'm from Beaver County. While I know that BC was hit harder than Allegheny in the steel crash (yunz having your eds and meds n'at) everyone in the area was affected. I did acknowledge I'm older than Craxiaskowboi, too. I'm just saying everyone's situation is different.

Also, it does mean that none of the people I mentioned in my post raised kids in the Pittsburgh area, with any ties to the town.
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