Planning To Move To MO From CA in a Month and Need Help!! (Springfield: house, school)

[Belle813]

Originally Posted by mrschilicook

Belle: I moved here from California (Pleasanton) two years ago after years of visiting here on vacation, relative visits, etc. There are good and bad things about ANY area...it just depends on what you want, need, expect, etc.

I would advise that you do not move ANYWHERE until you've visited it several times, investigated the areas, met people, seen the weather (winter isn't bad, it it's more than you are experiencing).

Alot of west coasters move here because of the cost of living (mostly housing is a lot less) then they find out that the salaries are also a lot less...so it balances out in the end. However, there are fewer jobs because it's a smaller less industry diverse area.

You may love it here, you may hate it. I know people who make it here about two years and decide that they've made a mistake. It's financially difficult to "go back home" because California is so expensive from a housing viewpoint.

So before you move anywhere, check it out in person. And don't limit yourself to here. It's a nice area, but may not have the ammenities you want, are used to, etc. Or it may be a perfect fit....but don't just move here blindly not knowing the area.

Dear mrschilicook:
You got a good point,but also a good adventure isn't bad right??I mean if we have a little money saved up to move to MO,can it do us any harm to just move there and adapt to the new life??I really hope not!!......haha

Thanx the advise,really!!I appreciate it

[Belle813]

Originally Posted by KonaKat

I think in just about any specific area, the ones that have been there a long time don't like to hear "how we did it back home". I had to chuckle reading that one post because you could change only a few words and be quoting the locals and kamaina here in Hawaii! "We do NOT care how you did it on the mainland." "Try wait" and "If can, can." Love it. I moved from Las Vegas to Kona and what a complete 180 in lifestyle that was (being raised in the Ozarks helped prevent the shock). Who cares how fast you could have driven the distance in LA, this is Hwy 11 which is a 2 lane road with little or no shoulders in most places and hardly any connecting roads along the way! I quickly learned to leave a bit earlier and relax and enjoy the scenery on my way.
Sometimes we're bound to get frustrated especially when dealing with local government for instance, but hey, what's to do? Get used to it, learn how things are done, and remember: No one held a gun to your head to move here.

Good luck OP, your job situation is going to be the kicker for you. Hope your family finds enough work to make a go of it.

KonaKat:
I totally agree with you on this one!!

[Belle813]

Originally Posted by joe stixpuck

There are caregiver types of positions available here, even in the more rural areas, but they don't pay anything like what your father and brother would make in CA. My stepmom has been doing it for years, makes around $15/hr tops, and a brother has been doing it two years and makes around $10/hr. That's in a semi-rural area, but even near the cities these days the wages are bad for most anything. They could probably find work around the Springfield area, but it might take awhile....

Besides the Springfield area, there are lotsa rural/semi-rural communities outside the StL metro area that would provide the kind of living ya'all seem to be looking for maybe. As has been mentioned, it would be best to check this place up beforehand before hitching up the proverbial wagon. I spent much of my life out here, loved some things and hated others (esp. ticks, chiggers, and brown recluses!), and after living out in NorCal a few years still suffered a heckuva shock coming back. But after LA (especially if not such a nice area) maybe this place will suit your family perfectly. It's more affordable at least, IF you can find the jobs pretty quick after moving here. They don't pay as well and are not as plentiful, but they'll do to cover the rent and bills in most places.

Good luck if ya'all move out this way! It's a big step, and as a few people noted already, it's difficult (financially) to make the move back if you don't like it out here, or even to move most anywhere else for awhile in many cases.

joe stixpuck:Thanx!!

[Lake Junkie]

Originally Posted by Belle813

Dear mrschilicook:
You got a good point,but also a good adventure isn't bad right??I mean if we have a little money saved up to move to MO,can it do us any harm to just move there and adapt to the new life??I really hope not!!......haha

Thanx the advise,really!!I appreciate it

Adventure isn't bad...right!

It seems from these message boards that I did it all wrong...we didn't investigate & check every little thing out...we just flew out for a week, looked around at houses & MOVED. I do wish I'd discovered the lakes area before I moved around SW MO so much...but I think there's a lot to be said for determination.

[misplaced1]

Originally Posted by Lake Junkie

Adventure isn't bad...right!

It seems from these message boards that I did it all wrong...we didn't investigate & check every little thing out...we just flew out for a week, looked around at houses & MOVED. I do wish I'd discovered the lakes area before I moved around SW MO so much...but I think there's a lot to be said for determination.

LOL we didn't even look around first. I did all the research on-line. I checked out the crime, schools, shopping, parks, anything I felt was important. We then had housing lined up and saved money till we had enough to move and packed up and left. I'm so excited we'll be able to go back.

[DeanMoore]

We flew out, looked for a week, and moved as well. I'm halfway between Springfield and Branson, and its awesome here.
We lived in No Cal for years, and even though we both had Missouri roots, we didn't know anyone here, and it turned out to be the best thing that ever happened to us, and our kids.
We had just become guardians of a nearly uncontrollable wild street-wise 13 yr old. we moved here, and he was in serious culture shock!(the principle thought we had enrolled the omen)
He just turned 18 last week, and he is such a different person now! Missouri schools are so much better (generally) than California schools (generally) its not even a comparison. The people here are great, and the caregiver field seems like a good field for future prospects, and there appears to be some demand here already.

now move here, then tell the other Californians all about the chiggers so they will stay away...

[Curmudgeon]

Originally Posted by DeanMoore

...now move here, then tell the other Californians all about the chiggers so they will stay away...

We'll do our best to close the door behind us when we move in the Spring.

[misplaced1]

Originally Posted by DeanMoore

We flew out, looked for a week, and moved as well. I'm halfway between Springfield and Branson, and its awesome here.
We lived in No Cal for years, and even though we both had Missouri roots, we didn't know anyone here, and it turned out to be the best thing that ever happened to us, and our kids.
We had just become guardians of a nearly uncontrollable wild street-wise 13 yr old. we moved here, and he was in serious culture shock!(the principle thought we had enrolled the omen)
He just turned 18 last week, and he is such a different person now! Missouri schools are so much better (generally) than California schools (generally) its not even a comparison. The people here are great, and the caregiver field seems like a good field for future prospects, and there appears to be some demand here already.

now move here, then tell the other Californians all about the chiggers so they will stay away...

LOL @ chiggers. Most of the Ca. peeps I know are too worried about low wages, tornado's and humidity to venture out there.

What kind of roots do you have there? I have traced my family back to Buchanan county to one set of my great, great, great, grand parents. I had moved out to Bethany which isn't all that far and didn't find out just how close I was to the county two of my relatives were born in until I was back out here in Ca. I was so suprised. My info has stalled again so I am going to have to do some digging and hope some more info turns up.

[DeanMoore]

My wife's family is from St Joe, still has elderly relatives there, my dad lived in St Louis for 30 years before I was born, and I'm still in touch with his friends from that era. we are south of Springfield, and when we moved here, the only people we knew, was a California co-worker that moved as soon as they found out we were coming.

[Lake Junkie]

Originally Posted by DeanMoore

My wife's family is from St Joe, still has elderly relatives there, my dad lived in St Louis for 30 years before I was born, and I'm still in touch with his friends from that era. we are south of Springfield, and when we moved here, the only people we knew, was a California co-worker that moved as soon as they found out we were coming.

They moved AWAY as soon as they found out you were coming?



That's hilarious...

I love it here, too. So glad that Missouri had such a great effect on your young'n...we had the same experience.