[GypsySoul22]

Well, if I had the money I'd get myself a Sub or something all wheel (no clue about these things) with huge snow tires and just wing it. If we stay in Vermont for the long term or in this area, that is what I will do once I start earning money--next winter I am going to be prepared...

Today this guy went up my road in a tractor/snowshovel type vehicle and I said that's the best thing I can drive!

[myItalianlovesSnow]

Originally Posted by HHurley78

We purchased our house in Oklahoma City(South Broadway Place, off of 59th and I think Sunnylane?) near the moore area in 1998. Admittedly this was not a great school district, but we had no children at the time. We purchased our home as an investment rather than paying rent. I was 20, my husband was 23.Our house was 3 bedrooms, one bath and had hardwood floors throughout. We did some cosmetics, but it was very liveable when we purchased it. We had a nice sized yard which had a peach and a pecan tree(very nice). At that time in OK we were making a combined income of approx. 35,000. When my son was born I stopped working and we were still able to afford our house and a newer vehicle. Not a lot of spending money but it was worth it to stay home with my son. Ok is far more affordable than VT.

I don't know how much you keep up on Oklahoma but let me tell you. I live in Claremore, North of Tulsa about 30 minutes. I live in the country. As you know I just moved back from Colorado. I'm staying in my grandparents old house. NO RENT!! Though it's no where near big enough or where I want to be it allows me to save money. I have looked at rent in Claremore and just in the year I was in Colorado prices are insane. You can't look at renting a decent place for less than $800-900 a month. Now when you compare this to Vermont it can seem a lot less. You talk about commute in Vermont...some of you. let me tell you...to get a decent job you have to drive to Tulsa. I have driven 61 miles one way to work for nothing...what is the point? In Owasso rent is pretty much the same as a lot of what I have seen in Vermont. Obviously our heating is usually lower though a lot of homes are on Propane....My last home was and let me tell you...propane isn't cheap anywhere. The number one problem for this state. Which I love, I love Oklahoma it will always be home. NO OPPORTUNITY. Not for what I am seeking my degree in and for what I want to do. Plus, I love the snow, not much of that either.

Someone said there are financial problems everywhere. There are, there is not really any place in this world that is "affordable" anymore. It's a personal preference on what we are all willing to deal with in order to achieve our "happiness" and "comfort". Nothing more and nothing less.

Now...someone can you tell me about day care in Vermont...I might have to contend with that...as of right now...No...yay...

OH YEAH...I'm MOVING 2nd week in JUNE!!! Vermont of bust...I'll be working in Burlington....I work for Lowes.

[68vette]

Now...someone can you tell me about day care in Vermont...I might have to contend with that...as of right now...No...yay...

I'm sure daycare everywhere is expensive, but I'm glad we are done with daycare. We had someone who we knew care for our children. We had two in daycare and it was about $200 per week full time. We knew the woman and were given a good deal. We paid about half of what others paid in the Burlington area for two kids. Most of our friends who still have young children end up working opposite shifts to save on daycare costs(not great for a relationship, but it saves money). We didn't have much of an issue finding daycare, but several of our friends had trouble. The worst case senerio was one of my wifes coworkers. She was put on a waiting list and wasn't given a position for close to one year. This was a place she trusted and wanted her son to go to. Not all daycares(like anywhere else) are the same. Some are good and some are not.

[KNOTTE]

We live in Rutland, so the daycare is a bit cheaper than the Burlington area, but here in Rutland we pay $130 per week for a 3 year old (FT care) and $45 per week for after school care for our 8 year old. Babies are more and will run you about $150 - $155 per week. Home daycare is cheaper, but you often get what you pay for and there's no accountability.

[GypsySoul22]

The cost of daycare was the reason I was a stay at home mom...now I can work (days) because my husband works nights. Someone HAS to be home for my son when he's off school, comes in after school and on breaks.

Of course, the family unit suffers but you have to keep going...no matter what state you live in. 2 people in a family HAVE to work unless one is a doctor or similar professional making good money.

[orion4461]

having been a marine vet and visiting over 45 states and 80 countries i have found that living in vermont is not all that--family has lived in vt for over 150 yrs and in my past 30 yrs of life i have seen vermont go striaght to hell. rutland has raised taxes over 300% in less than 6 months and still raising them--the govenor continues to line his pockets just on the news he states i would like to see the pork projects be stopped but i will not reject any money given to me-- jeez Dean was the biggest joke of them all --yeehaaa --
we have flat landers coming in buying property and making them worth more so everyones property values shoot through the roof making affordable homes in the 250k range--we have mass holess and new yorkers coming in with their drugs and killing our locals either with drugs, guns or knifes--theft is climbing in this state badly
lastly to finish my venting--the herald prints that the average vermonter makes around 60k a year---those drug dealers must be giving them the good stuff for most vermonters work in the customer based industery---flipping burgers, bagging groceries, pumping gas etc.. the people who are making their 150k a yr or more are the doctors and lawyers and I know their are not that many of them to off set the amount of working poor in this state--this is why people leave the state of vermont--It is a great place to visit but to live here better be a flat lander with lots of money for the cola will absolutly kill you finacially

[flu189]

As we get closer to March 4th more and more budgets are being released and it is just pure arrogance and contempt for the average wage earner and property owner here as we see potential increases ranging from a low of 8% to upwards of 20% in taxes for the year. With almost three years here now and seeing the cost of living exceeding income increased from three to five fold I have to say all the good about living here is being chipped away to the point now that if there is any extra extra left in the paycheck it will go towards preparations to locate out. It's really too bad, but spending down savings every year to stay here makes no sense and there is absolutely no indication that any meaningful recognition and dealing with the issue by the legislature will occur. For those that can afford to remain and for those that have the ability financially to move here and make a go of it I envy you and wish you the best of luck as Vt at least from the standpoint of natural beauty is great. Vermont very well seems destined to ever more become divided by those who have the resources to feed the coffers and by those who will depend on public assistance to just be able to make it. Eventually, however, the mouths and budgets to feed will exceed the capacity and willingness to keep up and I really don't want to be here when that day comes.

[Targo]

the govenor continues to line his pockets just on the news he states

Could expound on that please?

[Beenaroundabit]

we have flat landers coming in

LOL - Haven't heard the term "flatlander" in a long time! I left VT because the Marine Corps. made me go (!). Got out of the military and came back, but left again for a job and school and never moved back. Most of my family is still there but VT is *different* than it used to be, in my opinion.

I liked the fact that we used to be somewhat isolated - even INsulated - from the big cities and the rest of the world. Now it seems as though the rest of the world has discovered VT en masse. There is some truth to the buying up of real estate by outsiders and subsequent cost-of-living increases, but that's true in a lot of places, especially out here in the Western U.S., where it's the Californians playing the role of the "flatlanders."

But what are ya gonna do? The world is a smaller place than it was when I had a paper route delivering the Times Argus in Montpelier in the 70's (do kids even HAVE paper routes anymore?), had Boy Scout meetings at the Bethany Church, and no one locked their doors at night. Burlington used to seem so far away, but 38 miles tends to "shrink" as you get older.

Don't think I would ever move back, mainly because my mom would drive me nuts .

Semper Fi

[harry chickpea]

"I left VT because the Marine Corps. made me go (!)." ...."Don't think I would ever move back, mainly because my mom would drive me nuts"

Geeze, either the marines are in worse shape than I ever imagined, or your mom is worse than a drill instructor?

I still use my Times Argus carrier bag to lug wood. Those have to be the strongest bags ever made.