Moving to Tn in one month. Please HELP. (Memphis, Knoxville: movers, house)

[crunchymama192]

Originally Posted by Fayki_89

First off i would like to say please excuse me. I sometimes have trouble explaining what im trying to say when typing. I have adhd and my mind goes faster than my fingers.


My family (My husband, and my 2 young girls) are having some financial issues in California. Currently we are living by the skin of our teeth. We are paying $1600 where we are right now. Most places here are actually about $900 - $1200 for 2 or 3 bedroom apt. But this is currently the place we are stuck. My husband makes 10.50 an hour making 1200 a month. So you see how this is unbearable anymore. I am fully able to work and cant find a job. We live in a small town on the outskirts of anything with no car. So just getting our children to the doctors is hard.

With tax season right around the corner we are coming into some money from a refund and also an inheritance. We have the choice to either try and pick ourselves up out here or take our money and run. We chose Tennessee for a couple of reasons: I have some family in tn that left California many years ago and is doing much better. Me and my husband have both wanted to move farther east. Motley for the atmosphere to raise our kids in just seems so much better than snotty California. But most importantly im seeing that it is one of the cheapest states in the usa.

But, i have some friends here telling me that its the opposite. There are no jobs and cost of living is not as easy as it seems and that we should stay in Ca.

Also. I have been applying online and have been looking at many places to live. Havent gotten any leads yet so we are going up there blindly at the moment with the possibility of being stuck in a motel or something similar until we get on our feet. A lot of people may discourage this but please understand that we really dont have any other options here. Please help with any advice or input you can give im really scared of moving so far but really scared of staying here as well.

Did I log onto someone elses profile and post this? This is just like me, husband makes exactly the same and we are also leaving california with an inheritance and tax money to tennessee. Me and my husband are doing the same thing regardless of what people say. Taking the money that we could live for a while on in Tennessee with no job, apply like crazy before we go, and take that risk. California SUCKS!!! Especially if you have family in Tennessee that could help you if you need it, I would say to do it. You dont want to be miserable trying to provide for your girls when you could do so much better there. I have been looking at 2 bedroom houses in tennessee that rent for around $500 a month. I wish you the best of luck in whatever decision you make.

[Memphis1979]

Originally Posted by crunchymama192

Did I log onto someone elses profile and post this? This is just like me, husband makes exactly the same and we are also leaving california with an inheritance and tax money to tennessee. Me and my husband are doing the same thing regardless of what people say. Taking the money that we could live for a while on in Tennessee with no job, apply like crazy before we go, and take that risk. California SUCKS!!! Especially if you have family in Tennessee that could help you if you need it, I would say to do it. You dont want to be miserable trying to provide for your girls when you could do so much better there. I have been looking at 2 bedroom houses in tennessee that rent for around $500 a month. I wish you the best of luck in whatever decision you make.

And we get people that come here every day thinking the same thing you do, then they end up on state welfare.

Free country I guess, but before I move anywhere, the last 4 times I've moved in fact, I had the job lined up first. Actually, I'd move, while she and the kid/kids would stay where they were at for two months, then after I had a home and everything was settled, then they would move. To me, thats just being a responsible father, ymmv

[smtygoingeast]

Funny reading this post kinda sounds like us. We are in California and want out now, but we are gonna wait for a job. Regardless of what we want, we need to provide for our kids and not gonna let government do that for us, because we wanted to move spontaneously. It's horrible over here in California, in more ways than one but need to think things through thoroughly. I have been researching over there for a couple months now and love the looks and the people seem great in Tennessee, so that's where we are headed.

[california_leavin]

This thread almost fits me as well there was literally nothing in California for me, but ive got no wife or kids, so if Tennessee doesnt work out for me, its just me that gets burned. But out of the whole east I like Tennessee the most. Be prepared to see alot of pro Jesus signs/crosses, though that does not bother me one bit, thats going to be a shock for others from california. I would recommend a summer visit first, that way you can see if the heat + humidity are do able before you move and your stuck with it. I wish you luck on getting out of the shake and bake state.

[Memphis1979]

Originally Posted by smtygoingeast

Funny reading this post kinda sounds like us. We are in California and want out now, but we are gonna wait for a job. Regardless of what we want, we need to provide for our kids and not gonna let government do that for us, because we wanted to move spontaneously. It's horrible over here in California, in more ways than one but need to think things through thoroughly. I have been researching over there for a couple months now and love the looks and the people seem great in Tennessee, so that's where we are headed.

Then I'd say your being responsible. I'm not sure what this hatred of California is. I spent a lovely two weeks out there last month, and I though the people were nice, services were good, and traffic wasn't bad. I was in the San Francisco area, and I've heard LA is bad, so I guess it depends on where you're at. Tennessee has its undesirable areas as well.

Originally Posted by california_leavin

This thread almost fits me as well there was literally nothing in California for me, but ive got no wife or kids, so if Tennessee doesnt work out for me, its just me that gets burned. But out of the whole east I like Tennessee the most. Be prepared to see alot of pro Jesus signs/crosses, though that does not bother me one bit, thats going to be a shock for others from california. I would recommend a summer visit first, that way you can see if the heat + humidity are do able before you move and your stuck with it. I wish you luck on getting out of the shake and bake state.

You know, when I was 21 with no kids, I lived like a migrant for a while. Just went from here to there. Was fun. Tennessee is nice, but, depending on your age, live a little. If TN is really the place for you, it'll stick and you'll come back. For me, coming back was coming home. No matter where I've been, home is where the heart is.

[Leonard64]

OK,

I am FROM California and after looking for 3 years found East Tn to be the best place to move. I was fortunate in that I could take my job with me.

I would advise looking at job opportunities, though the job market here is better than in CA. You will save a bunch over all from the cost of living in CA, but do a bit of homework first.

[smtygoingeast]

Originally Posted by Memphis1979

Then I'd say your being responsible. I'm not sure what this hatred of California is. I spent a lovely two weeks out there last month, and I though the people were nice, services were good, and traffic wasn't bad. I was in the San Francisco area, and I've heard LA is bad, so I guess it depends on where you're at. Tennessee has its undesirable areas as well.

Visiting is totally different than living. The high living costs with wages low, plus just tired of living in a liberal state where everyone thinks they deserve everything for free. (Well in my neck of the woods) With our kids living where we live, we just want a better environment plus more opportunity for them. We will finally be closer to my family, that since I've been in California for 27 years, I haven't been able to see them.

OK,

I am FROM California and after looking for 3 years found East Tn to be the best place to move. I was fortunate in that I could take my job with me.

I would advise looking at job opportunities, though the job market here is better than in CA. You will save a bunch over all from the cost of living in CA, but do a bit of homework first.

Leonard, absolutely doing our homework and seeing it so much less expensive in Tennessee, that it makes me feel the longer I'm here in Cali, the more I'm just throwing money away. I know the wages are not that high but neither is where I'm at. I'm seeing the same exact wages for what I do or even more over there, which makes me just want to pack up and go. But since we have a family, we have to plan everything out. Hopefully by summer we should be over there. Crossing fingers!!

[hiknapster]

Originally Posted by smtygoingeast

The high living costs with wages low, plus just tired of living in a liberal state where everyone thinks they deserve everything for free.

heh. Tennessee has its fair share of people that are on government assistance. In fact, there are an awful lot of people that are on disability. It's become somewhat of a joke among people I know that have had to deal with people that are on disability for their "nerves." There are people here that have been on disability and their parents and grandparents were on disability, almost like a proud family tradition. These folks are usually found in rural areas where the unemployment rate has been traditionally high.

Here's a graphic from the CDC that shows health-care per expenditures per the disabled population:

http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/disability...n-Map600px.jpg

Here's a 2010 graphic showing how federal assistance to the states shakes out.

http://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/...s3-custom1.jpg

Now here is the breakdown for food stamps. We've written quite a bit about food stamp use in this state.

http://i53.tinypic.com/2j33yid.png#u...0map%20965x605

And here's a nice breakdown for medical help. Tennessee has a long history of medical assistance fraud.

http://facts.kff.org/upload/jpg/enla...map%201000x750

[knucklehead_vol]

Originally Posted by Emigrations

You should stay put. You do not have a job lined up, a town, or anything. There are parts of TN that are doing well in the Knoxville and Nashville metros, but many small TN towns are actually going to be worse for employment than most of CA because there are so few jobs available, and what there is tends to be in health care. Do nothing until you have more concrete plans. TN taxpayers cannot afford to keep taking care of people moving to this state who think cost of living is everything and end up jobless and homeless.

That is some nice southern hospitality. Did you not read how much they are making? Temp Agencies pay that much here. They are worried about their kids welfare, and I applaud them for that. In a time when people are selfish, it's good to see people still care about their families. But you are more worried about taxes than another persons family. I would welcome them and bid you adieu if it was possible because of your assumptions.

[yarddawg]

Originally Posted by hiknapster

heh. Tennessee has its fair share of people that are on government assistance. In fact, there are an awful lot of people that are on disability. It's become somewhat of a joke among people I know that have had to deal with people that are on disability for their "nerves." There are people here that have been on disability and their parents and grandparents were on disability, almost like a proud family tradition. These folks are usually found in rural areas where the unemployment rate has been traditionally high.

yep. Here's another link: Moderator cut: link removed, linking to competitor sites is not allowed

I don't think that site is considered competition to this one but just in case it is and the link gets removed - it's to a per-capita welfare list by state. Tennessee is #5 right behind California at #4, so a similar rate of public assistance in both states. In Tennessee it's primarily a rural phenomenon and honestly many of the people on the dole don't have a lot of options, the economy in many rural areas of the state has been decimated for decades. In some of the rural counties, including mine, the local economy is essentially being supported by the inflow of cash from various types of public assistance programs so that even people who aren't drawing a government check are dependent on the system. About half of the sales at the local grocery store are EBT card, roughly a third of the county is on food stamps.