How do you you people make money in rural Alaska (crimes, daycare)

[6.7traveler]

Wow, this was an interesting read. I leave city data for a month or so and miss all the action....

While not too rural by Alaskan standards (Delta), I supplement my income by cleaning chimneys. One day outside of fairbanks I made $400 doing it in a half day or so. Of course most days I am lucky to get one so I am always looking for ways to make money. Someday I would love to start a brewery in Delta and put all this barely to good use. Unfortunately, I have neither the funds nor the dedication to see this dream through so I just buy beer from silver gulch and clean chimneys....

This winter I am going to experiment growing hydroponic lettuce and tomatoes inside one of my greenhouse domes and try to sell them to resturants/stores in fairbanks. I am cutting up massive amounts of wood now and using L.E.D. Lights. I hope if I am lucky I maybe able to break even (unlikely). Otherwise my wife will kill me. You'll know if my plan fails if you don't hear from me again .

(Luckily my wife is an RN otherwise I'd be screwed, it's expensive up here)

[Metlakatla]

Originally Posted by Blueberry

This is why I and several others I know no longer participate on this forum. If we don't see life through your eyes, we are belittled and our positions are intentionally warped so you can feel superior.

You know something? I don't even know who you are, and a quick search of your posting history doesn't reveal any negative encounters between the two of us as suggested by your post. All I see is a bunch of religious discussion in a part of the forum I never even frequent and a defense on your part of a Bible thumping child molester that I honestly wish I hadn't been unfortunate enough to read -- and quite a bit of similar accusations when other posters don't agree with you.

I do suggest that you make use of the ignore feature here if myself or any other poster causes you to feel as if you can't participate on the forums.

Anyway, someone said upthread they'd like to start a B&B but can't do so where they presently live -- Haolejohn, I think...have you considered Southeast? I think there's lots of opportunity on the panhandle for that sort of thing. Land tends to be more expensive there than in other parts of the state, but at least it's available. There was a small lodge in Gustavus that I considered before I decided I really wanted to live somewhere else. I also saw a nice property in Thorne Bay that would make a good B&B.

[fumbling]

I don't understand how people can live in Alaska with what appears to be high cost of living and relatively low wages ...

[Haolejohn]

Originally Posted by RayinAK

I read somewhere, maybe at UAF, about a study relating to the Alaska Natives' diet of the past, versus the diet of recent years. Living a nomadic lifestyle, eating berries, caribou, moose, bear and other animals, fish, plus eating seal and whale, was the best diet possible. According to the study, cardiovascular disease and cancer were rare in the Native communities. The change of diet plus having a sedentary life have been a detriment to their health.

There are several news articles such as this one (below), but not a thorough as the one I read several years ago:
Shift from traditional diets takes toll on Alaska Native populations | Alaska Dispatch News

I'll read this link later, but I did read one similar about the diet. Especially in the coastal regions.
I also read an article or study that UAF did growing potatoes somewhere on the Yukon. They would have to sell them for like $10/lb to break even.

[RayinAK]

Originally Posted by fumbling

I don't understand how people can live in Alaska with what appears to be high cost of living and relatively low wages ...

It is pretty tough all around Alaska, but we are referring to villages and a couple of towns in areas that are far from the major cities. The residents of the smaller villages are mostly Alaska Natives and Indians, and the villages are located in Native lands. In some of the remote towns there is a fairly number of Asians (refer to the AK census figures).

It is those areas (villages) where things are extremely expensive, and the unemployment figures are high, specially the smaller ones.
----

That said, the cost of living in Fairbanks, Juneau, and Anchorage is very high. Juneau and Fairbanks rates around 135-140% higher than a great number of towns in the lower-48. Manhattan is perhaps one of the highest in the nation, somewhere around 220% compared to a lot of places in the lower-48. There are some expensive area in CA, too. The lower cost of loving in the lower-48 (some towns and States) ranges from 80-90% or so.

[Haolejohn]

Originally Posted by Metlakatla

You know something? I don't even know who you are, and a quick search of your posting history doesn't reveal any negative encounters between the two of us as suggested by your post. All I see is a bunch of religious discussion in a part of the forum I never even frequent and a defense on your part of a Bible thumping child molester that I honestly wish I hadn't been unfortunate enough to read -- and quite a bit of similar accusations when other posters don't agree with you.

I do suggest that you make use of the ignore feature here if myself or any other poster causes you to feel as if you can't participate on the forums.

Anyway, someone said upthread they'd like to start a B&B but can't do so where they presently live -- Haolejohn, I think...have you considered Southeast? I think there's lots of opportunity on the panhandle for that sort of thing. Land tends to be more expensive there than in other parts of the state, but at least it's available. There was a small lodge in Gustavus that I considered before I decided I really wanted to live somewhere else. I also saw a nice property in Thorne Bay that would make a good B&B.

I was looking at that Gustavo's property the other day(at least I think that is where it was). It's a dream. But right now I love my job to much. Once we are debt free I will more seriously look into it. I've not yet been to SE, though I have family in Kake. Well just one cousin.
Of course my wife isn't the people person I am. Next summer I want to find a seasonal job so that we will be debt free. Lodge is another idea.

[keyman51]

McG didn't have much of a loss from no iditarod. Most of the few tourists we get came anyway, but the restaurant lost a lot because iditarod rents the restaurant to feed support staff. The restaurant cook has moved and the restaurant is open again, but don't know for how long.

[MouseBandit]

So I'm researching things for a potential move up there. I'm trying to brainstorm sideline ways of making money. Not primary income, that'll be my husbands territory, but stuff for a stay-home homeschooling mom to do on the side. The loose working plan is to live a few years on a road system, in a fairly "lower 48 normal" house (ie, running water, electricity, road, accessibility to job and store, etc). Hopefully with a few acres to keep doing as much of our homesteading thing as we can up there. Then, after we've got a grip on what it really takes, and our kids are a few years older, start looking for property on the trail system, not on the road. I'm thinking that's considered bush, but it sounds like what size town or amenities you're closest to determines whether it's remote, or village, or hub. Do I have that right?

Anyways, so I'm brainstorming, and wondered about tax preparation? I'm thinking everyone up there still has to deal with federal taxes, right? What do folks in the bush, or hugs, or villages do for tax prep and filing? Assuming they have taxable income.

Surveying was another skill I thought might be marketable up there, especially as a side gig, not a full time thing.

[keyman51]

Remote and village mean the same thing on the mainland - they are not on the main road system. Hub means that the village serves other smaller villages in the area. In my village there is always a need for babysitters and labor jobs.

[MouseBandit]

Copy that, keyman. Thank you!
Where do folks in your village go to have their taxes done? Do they all fly into a place with an H&R Block, or do most villages have someone who does everybody's taxes?