wanting to leave san diego.....

[Huckleberry3911948]

Originally Posted by tobyandcasey

just dont know where to go.

My husband and I are san diegans, east county born and raised. We lived in Hawaii for several years (stationed there) and now that my husband is out of the military and we are back home, we have realized that we can not make it out here! So we have decided to move out of San Diego, but we dont know where to go from here.

We thought about Redding,CA but with not knowing anyone and no family near by, we would have to pay for daycare. Then we thought about Nevada or Arizona, because of the high demand for my husbands line of work (HVAC) but he decided that he wants to be in law enforcment now, so there is no point in moving someplace because of a job that he doesnt plan on making a career. Now we are considering Washington, but I have only ever visisted, and though he did live there for a few years, it was soo long ago and he was so young that he doesnt really remember what it was like.

So now we dont know what to do. I know that everywhere you go, the minimum wage will change, therefor we have to go somewhere where we can still make decent money and not struggle doing pretty much the same things we are doing in San Diego. That is why we thought of WA. My SIL lives out there and loves it. She said that the COL is so much cheaper and there is no state tax and higher minimum wage. I know that if we moved out there, then I would have a definite job no problem starting at $9.50, but my husband may have a harder time. And with him being the main "bread winner" in the family, we really need his income. I dont think $9.50/hour can support our family alone.

Anyway, what are your guys' advice on all of this??

my heart goes out to you.
i have known a number of ex military families with similar. the overwhealming sense that comes from unplugging from the huge military system that takes care of everything.
any chance of re enlisting til the kids are grown?
just asking.
just a career thought.
RN program? the greatest nurses in the world come out of balboa hospital.
the sign up bonus has got to be very very big right about now.
after 2 years max nursing and 90 days ocs its full lieutenant 80-90k salary and officers quarters all expenses paid.
sounds good? no?
just asking
some times to avoid a pitt bull we got to jump straight up instead of to the side, knowwhatamean?
hope that helps
stephen s
san diego ca

[sailorgirl2007]

I completely agree with Austin_or_SD. It really depends on the lifestyle you want for your family. I am a CA native. Born and rasied in SF and spent most of my adult life in SD. I always thought I'd stay in SD, but after having a child and recently retiring from the military, I realized SD is not the place to be. Too expensive and long commutes. We are relocating to San Antonio and loving that decision. The home we purchased there doesn't even compare to the townhouse we own here. Not only that (depending on what part of town you live in), the schools are top notch. Relocating does take a lot of research ~ I spent months looking at different cities/states. Check out Forbes' best places to live. That's how I stumbled upon Texas. As for being a veteran, many states within the U.S. don't begin to compare to CA, however TX has great veteran benefits ~ they love the military. Just something else to consider. Last, tell your husband to check out workintexas.com.

[dynomite1]

Check out Surprise, Arizona. It is a newer community in the NW Valley of Phoenix. Very nice and affordable. Nice mountain views too. Plus it is growing nicely. Plus lots of work for both HVAC repair and law enforcement. Only 5-6 hrs. from California. If you need a CA. fix. You can always shoot over for a 3 day weekend.

[hello13685]

I moved from Southern CA to San Antonio, and generally regret the move. I'm reading this thread because I, too, and seeking a new place. Here are the San Antonio/Texas pros and cons as I've perceived them.

Pros:
-Cheaper cost of living
-I like humidity with my heat
-I've scarcely seen or felt an insect (but if you have high cholesterol, the mosquitos will eat you alive)
-Very very friendly people
-Yes, the hill country is beautiful and I like the oaks

Cons:
-property taxes (if I were to own a home, but I don't because I'm going to move)
-the CULTURE

Yes, the culture is the biggie that's sending me on my way. If you are remotely liberal and are not the kind of person who would display a painted plaster sculpture of American bald eagle on a doily on your coffee table, don't move here. Texas is a very tight culture---so tight indeed that Dairy Queen commercials pull in business by telling viewers that coming to DQ is the Texan thing to do. No other state's citizens would respond to that. It's mind-boggling and kind of frustrating to transplants because first, you don't get what all the pride is about (nobody can tell you), and you are permanently left out of it because it's actually meaningful to Texans if you are a thirteenth generation blue blood native. In other words, many transplants eventually feel left out--not at all because people are mean. They're very friendly. It's just that you will never all "get" one another.

I would suggest considering these factors in addition to financial ones (something I did not do). To reduce the shock, Austin may be a better choice. It has some of the crispness of San Diego (and CA in general). You will see image-conscious (i.e., trendy and well-dressed) people waiting outside of brunch restaurants or sitting in coffee shops on a weekend. San Antonio has NONE of that presence at all. Zero. On the few occasions that I've gone out to night clubs, I've felt like I was in a bread line. And that was with people who had dressed UP to be there!

I know it's so hard to make these choices. There is no perfect place and cost of living is important, but don't overlook cultural factors too. Good luck!!

[SoCal78]

I'm from East County and am in the same boat. Can't make it out here and have realized SD is a place for luxury, not a place to start a life. I am also in HVAC and am thinking about the Las Vegas area for the most part and have thought about Arizona, but still up in the air.

[austin_or_sd]

Originally Posted by hello13685

I would suggest considering these factors in addition to financial ones (something I did not do). To reduce the shock, Austin may be a better choice. It has some of the crispness of San Diego (and CA in general). You will see image-conscious (i.e., trendy and well-dressed) people waiting outside of brunch restaurants or sitting in coffee shops on a weekend. San Antonio has NONE of that presence at all. Zero. On the few occasions that I've gone out to night clubs, I've felt like I was in a bread line. And that was with people who had dressed UP to be there!

Nice point, hello. Economics is the main reason that many people relocate. Culture is another reason that can not be ignored. Since you are San Antonio, why not give Austin a try? It is only one hour away. I went to San Antonio once and I can feel the difference. Austin is definitely more liberal. On the surface, the vibe from the bars on the 6th street or warehouse district in Austin is not much different from the vibe in downtown San Diego, but just a bit less crowded.

Texas is full of cops. I recently had a trip from Austin to Denver via New Mexico. I rarely saw cops in Colorado and New Mexico. The minute I was in Texas. Cops were everywhere along the highways stopping the drivers and writing tickets. It is to the extrems that I feel that the bonus that cops in TX get depends on how many tickets they wrote over the previous year.