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Boy, this is a hard one for me to address. It has been very hot. In fact, this summer has made my other half state many times that he would like to go back to Florida. This is from someone who told me a few months ago that he wanted to be buried in Tennessee. He hates the heat, but admits that it is worse here in middle Tennessee than in Florida. Electric costs are higher in Tennessee (ash spill, etc.). Adding to the cost are places built without any insulation.
We lived on the west coast of Florida, so the breeze is not as frequent as on the east coast of the State, but there is absolutely no breeze at all here. Three days ago, he watched a dog die of the heat because people here have no concern for their pets. It is horrible. They have no clue.
This heat does not bother me at all, but the winters are very depressing to me. I do not like 9 degrees and snow. Grey skies all winter is not my style. It gets dark way too early for me and is miserable. If you are used to having sunlight by the time you get home from work, forget middle Tennessee.
People here do not know how to drive in any kind of weather, much less snow. If it rains, they damn near stop on the interstate - not sure why, but it is a fact. I drive the interstate everyday and I see it all the time.
I fell twice last year on the ice and could not go to work for 3 days because I injuried my hip. So, I am old now and should have been able not to fall, but it happens. At least now, where I work, they know not to expect me to show up if there is any chance of snow in the forecast. I told them they can kiss my ass, I'm not doing it.
Speaking of forecast, the poor weather people here have no clue. It is useless to try and watch the weather report in the morning, because they are so far off, isn't even funny. Here, you just have to look at the sky and guess.
I've been here two years and I really tried to like the move and what we were trying to do, but we are both ready to go back to Florida. Hopefully, I will be able to find something to do. The job I have here is great, but not worth this.
Think about why it is you are wanting to move. Sometimes you end up worse off than where you are.
Sorry you're not enjoying it Paula. I've got a friend that moved here from Florida and she hates it as well, but said it's still better than FL to her. She's thinking of going back to Jersey. She hasn't met friends though and that's been hard on her. And yes, the way people treat their pets is enough to make me ill. That's been the hardest part of this move for us. We do rescue so we see the worst of the worst. Makes me sick.
Poor lamplight, stuck in Murfreesboro. But I finally found something worse. Memphis heat index? 114.
Yes, I've been to Memphis several times in the dead of summer, and for the life of me I can't figure out why I went. Not only is it hotter, but (to me) it's not pretty either. At least here in Middle TN we have some nice scenery, even if not as much as East TN.
Gah! Well our heat index hit about 115°Fa couple of times in the past two weeks, but the dew point wasn't that high!
Throughout this summer, I just have to keep reminding myself that I'd rather be in Tennessee than some other places I've visited in my life. Like Florida, Alabama, or Mississippi. Even when it's hotter here I suppose I'd take TN over those states. Not everyone would, but I sure would!
Location: The land of erternal summer to Murfreesboro, TN
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The OP wanted to know about South Floridians. I never had a $1000 a month bill either, but it was $250 all year round for me. I never turned off my a/c. I also had a pool.
Quote:
Originally Posted by beachmouse
Remember that Florida is a big state north to south and north Florida definitely has seasons and is NOT warm all year long. Where I live, January-February we'll get stretches where it struggles to get to 50F during the day, and you've got to worry about tender plants freezing on you at night.
And I wonder what kind of house and pool someone has to end up with a $1000/month electric bill. No one I know would ever get close to that kind of number. The worst electric bills we ever had were from the winter in our TN rental house that had those old wall heaters. $300/month+ and the warm air never really seemed to make it very far from the heaters.
Sorry you're not enjoying it Paula. I've got a friend that moved here from Florida and she hates it as well, but said it's still better than FL to her. She's thinking of going back to Jersey.
Joisey.........that's worse than Florida....( been there done that on both places )....
Quote:
Originally Posted by Lamplight
At least here in Middle TN we have some nice scenery, even if not as much as East TN.
Gah! Well our heat index hit about 115°Fa couple of times in the past two weeks, but the dew point wasn't that high!
Throughout this summer, I just have to keep reminding myself that I'd rather be in Tennessee than some other places I've visited in my life. Like Florida, Alabama, or Mississippi. Even when it's hotter here I suppose I'd take TN over those states. Not everyone would, but I sure would!
I've made my last move...., the plateau is my paradise....
The plataeu seems much nicer. Temps are better in summer, but winter still is too cold for me. The issue with animals simply makes me sick. I have never seen people treat animals so poorly as what I have seen here.
I have lived in South Florida as well and that is what I am basing my opinion on. I stay in touch with my friends in FL and the electric bills here in Tn are much higher than what they are experiencing in FL. Just trying to give some information and some input, which is what the OP was looking for. People on this forum talk about how much less the cost of living here is compared to
Florida, but that is simply not true. The only thing that is less is auto insurance. Here, you have to pay sales tax on groceries, which you do not have to do in Florida.
If I had the opportunity, I would have loved to move to Maryville. I know it would be too cold for me, but the town is simply awesome! I love it there. I guess there is never a place that is perfect!!!
The plataeu seems much nicer. Temps are better in summer, but winter still is too cold for me. The issue with animals simply makes me sick. I have never seen people treat animals so poorly as what I have seen here.
I have lived in South Florida as well and that is what I am basing my opinion on. I stay in touch with my friends in FL and the electric bills here in Tn are much higher than what they are experiencing in FL. Just trying to give some information and some input, which is what the OP was looking for. People on this forum talk about how much less the cost of living here is compared to
Florida, but that is simply not true. The only thing that is less is auto insurance. Here, you have to pay sales tax on groceries, which you do not have to do in Florida.
If I had the opportunity, I would have loved to move to Maryville. I know it would be too cold for me, but the town is simply awesome! I love it there. I guess there is never a place that is perfect!!!
Paula...not to hi-jack this thread....but....
Electric rates per KWH is cheaper here in TN versus Florida...as is car insurance, homeowner insurance, real estate taxes to name a few....
I have found that the associated costs of these items are cheaper in Tennessee than Florida:
1. Homeowner's Insurance - 3,000 square foot house on a builder's acre in So. Fla. including Flood Insurance was $2,800 last year. 6,200 square foot house on 4 acres in Putnam County, Tn. homeowner's insurance is $1,400 (Just paid the bill). BIG SAVINGS!
2. Real Estate Taxes - In So. Fla., for a $500,000 sales price on a home, you will pay approx. $10,000 per year. In Putnam County, Tn., we will be paying $1,500 per year for our new house. BIG SAVINGS!
3. Auto Insurance - Rates are approximately 40% cheaper in Putnam County, Tn then South Florida. BIG SAVINGS!
4. Fuel prices typically run .25 cents per gallon cheaper in Tn.
What is more expensive in Tn than Florida:
1. Retail taxes of between 9-10%, depending on the county. In order to combat this, we purchase all big ticket items on line. These costs you can control if you are smart with your purchases.
2. Taxes on dividends/interest income. (Right now, if I make any money in the stock market (LOL), I would have to pay taxes.) I pray for the days when this will happen.
3. Food costs because of the taxes added on. However, we look forward to growing our own vegetables in Tn.
4. Ammunition is VERY expensive in Tn. We purchased a box of subsonic ammunition a couple of months ago in Tn and it cost us $42.00. We just bought some here in Fla. today for $13.00.
5. Utility bills seem to be higher in Tn. Definitely the water bill is. However, we are going to combat the electric bill through green building design including icynene insulation, solar panels, windmill, geo-spring hybrid water heater, Geo-thermal HVAC, etc.
Bless your heart that you can afford a 3,000 SF house in either state! Perhaps I am on a much lower level than you. From your evaluation, it is 4 to 5 for Florida! However, it all comes down to what each person is looking for. I don't own a home here in TN even though I could - the prices here are way too high for the quality of the homes and how they are built. I'm going to sit back and wait and pick something that is somewhere near the quality of home I have in Florida. However, that is very hard to find here. People seem to think their homes built in 1970-+ compare to what is available in other areas.
Your evaluation of estate or dividend taxes is based upon values above $1 million, so you are in a very good position to even comment on such an issue. I do not have to consider such an issue. Obviously you are in a different economic class than I am.
Ammunition costs we have not evaulated since I came here plenty stocked up. And in case anyone wants to know, what we have is illegal. One shot and that's all she wrote.
Your idea of purchasing items on line to avoid the sales tax is a sound one. I just don't want to purchase anything here. However, for those who are here, it is a very good piece of advice.
Water rates are off the charts here, but you still have to live, so the bottom line is, 'you've got to pay to play" and that applies anywhere!!!!
I also planned to grow vegetables here in TN, but the bugs are so overwhelming here, it doesn't make it worth it. I gave up last summer/spring.
I will have to say, car insurance is much less due to the "no-fault" policy in Florida. I will refrain from any comments about drivers here. I have posted that on other threads.
Electric rates - well let me post that I never had an electric bill over $140 in Florida. That was with the AC running during the summer months (for those of you who don't know, summer is 9 months in FL). In TN, I turn off the water heater, don't use the AC as much as possible and during the winter, I use only space heaters and my bill is $150+. I don't know about the KW rates, but there seems to be a lot of extra charges for the ash spilll and other BS that nobody wants to acknowledge on this forum.
Oh well. Happy Sunday. I hope everybody has a great week!!!
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Well our heat index hit about 115°Fa couple of times in the past two weeks, but the dew point wasn't that high!
....that's worse than Florida....( been there done that on both places )....
, the plateau is my paradise....
