Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Ok first of all I'm 19 and I'm in love and been in a relationship for almost a year and planning to ask her to marry me in 2016 and hopefully move during 2016-2017 she is a year younger and is all for moving. I am prepared to get cold I know. I'm gonna move during summer so I don't die. Haha I am in a few months going to get a job. And I've done all the math and figured I'm gonna need about 15-20,000$ saved up. I currently and will continue to live with my parents until I move. So saving this much really won't be to hard. I am moving for the nature for the more feel of freedom better people better atmosphere. I would like to live in a place where my neighbors are actually nice helpful. Can kinda teach me show me the way. Now I am most likely going to attempt to secure a job in AK before my move.if I can't I will take my chance. I would actually like to work with or on the oil? Are there jobs in that. I am a very fit young man. And I'm fine with labor work. I would prefer hand on jobs. My future wife actually is goin to be trying to become a kindergarden teacher.. Or is that a bad idea for AK. I have been looking around on web and decided between anchorage or Fairbanks. I will and only will rent a HOUSE no freaking apt. Any idea of some towns that have homes with some decent land on them. More privacy. What we in fl would call MYAKA like 15-20 min from town. Will it be more expensive outa city? I forgot to say that I got my 15-20,000 idea by adding up the price of 6 months of rent 1500-2500$ a truck 5-7k a 4wheeler guns food supply's furniture. I plan on making a life in AK. Please don't attempt to talk me out of this my gf and I and very into hunting I'm a very good shot. Bow, rifle . As well as her. I would love to be able to kill my own deer and moose and put food on my tables. I added in gas as well. I plan on flying down. I've done very much research. Even done to the tag prices during hunting session. Anyone am tell me if I'm thinking and planning correctly? Any ideas? Help? I do actually really like the sound of 28 sunlight days and like 29 dark days. I would like a house with the flier place that has the vents through the whole house and I burn my own wood. I really wood rather have that then central air. I know I'm bouncing all around. Haha thanks for anyone who helps me.
-Chris Best
Yep last name is best
I'll share my .02 - one Florida boy to another. If you live in Myaka - you pretty much live in the sticks in Florida - so you should have the rural lifestyle idea part down. That is probably where the similarities between AK and FL end. (I'm in Florida, have been to AK) Done the same research you have and hope I have an understanding of what it takes and what you need to make it in AK. Your money needed is about right, but plan on keeping track on just how much it cost you to get to AK and have that much in a separate bank account so you can leave if it doesn't work out and/or you do not like it there. I assume you will drive and bring stuff with you. At today's lower than last years gas/diesel prices plan on $2k+ in gas and $700-$800 in lodging. Assuming you are driving a moving van up with stuff. I figure 5-6 nights at an average of $125 a night. I make time and sometimes skip staying at a hotel for a night. Food is expensive for a majority of your drive - so pack food and take advantage of free hotel breakfasts. To just drive to/from AK in a car that gets 35 mpg - should cost around $600 each way - but you still have the 5-6 nights in a Hotel each way.
Have you been to AK yet? At least on vacation? It's a large state - Oil/Gas roughnecks are primarily working on the North Slope. Not really close to Anchorage or Fairbanks. Usually involves some sort of rotation schedule - like 10 days on 10 days off. Areas of the state have vastly different climates - and different game. Even different bag limits for fish and game - might want to check that out. Don't count on being able to feed yourself from catching fish and game all year round. See "into the wild" movie or book for how that can work out. Granted, you sound like a hunter so you would have been able to dress a moose correctly and prevent it from spoiling.
Living cheap just depends. Land and buildings are cheaper the more remote they are. The more remote they are the more expensive and time consuming it is to get supplies. Remote in AK is not the same as remote in Florida. Florida remote still involves being able to drive out of your house 24 hrs a day/7 days a week/365 days a year. Remote in AK means, sno machine, ATV, airplane, and/or boat and it all depends on the weather. Only thing for certain is that you may not be able to leave 365 days a day. Remote may mean outhouse, no running water (you run to get water though), generator for electricity, etc.. etc...
You mentioned Fairbanks and Anchorage. Those are considered major AK Cities and would be medium to small size Florida Cities. They are City expensive too. You live in a pretty low COLA area of Florida, so expect to pay more for you staples (basic supplies and food).
I am not going to discourage you. I think its great that you have a plan -- keep reading up and researching. You have the largest stumbling block figured out, which is that you need alot of money saved up to get there. From what I read teachers are in demand, but the manual labor isn't as in big a need as it once was.
You do need to visit and look around. Renting in the beginning is probably a good idea, but in the long run, you'll probably want a remote (or semi-remote) cabin and land all to your own. Which means buying it. For a taste of remote living, you can rent outside of Fairbanks cabins from dry to damp to wet. (Meaning what type of water supply they have) to see if you like that sort of life. Some C-D members here have threads on their dry/damp cabins and how they make it work...
Thanks!!!
And I've never been there and I actually just plan on kinda taking some clothes and getting on a plane. I will be selling my vehicle. And planning to buy everything I need when I get there. And I know I'll be paying more but the jobs there pay a lot more then in FL
And I'm not only try to live from the land. I'll be happy to go to the store to buy food. But during hunting season I can definitely get some moose and deer and save a lot of money. Not to much into fish. Unless it's actually cooked buy a good cook. Fish here in fl sucks.
Haha who know maybe I'll see you there one day!
If you're 19 you are probably outta high school. I'd seriously suggest you come up here and work at one of the seasonal tourist jobs this summer. Plenty of places up by Denali National Park for those kinds of jobs and they provide housing. It would be a good chance to save up some money, get some experience and see the country. You should seriously consider it.
Yeah, not really happy with the Fishing in Florida either. We are so fished out its crazy. Fishing for sport is OK - I do that with my kids on canal banks at the dock. I have better luck catching something there than out in the ocean, even on a charter... Not that my neighbor doesn't always come back with fish when he goes out. Just MY luck.
If you have nothing to do this coming summer, I'd be hitting coolworks.com everyday starting NOW and applying. Some of the companies if you make it the whole season give you a bonus. Take the GF too - you both work, you both save up. Depending on your pay rate and if you got two jobs, doing the math you might have close to your $20k saved by the end of the season as part of your pay includes room and board. As If you get really overzealous, I saw young adults working two jobs. One at the resort and another at a retail shop down the street. One Russian teenager I saw was banking 80 hours a week. She was saving up every penny to take back with her to Russia. Figure at least a 12 week season and probably around $10/hr. Assuming $10/hr. she was grossing $800/wk x 12 weeks = $9600... She wasn't buying anything here and ate really cheap, her goal was to go back home with as much as possible. Just depends on your goals and how hard you want to work. Not saying you would be guaranteed to get two jobs either. You may find something that pays a little more as well too...
Good luck!
If you are gonna just fly up and buy a vehicle - look at that as well. Most people in AK tell me they come back to the lower -48 to buy a vehicle because it is thousands less than getting one in AK. IIRC, at the resorts you won't need a vehicle.
Thanks
And yea I was looking in Craig's list for trucks in AK and they are definitely cheaper her in FL. So I'm going to attempt to drive up. Though I'm 19 and obviously don't have as much experience as 95% of people that would make this 3,840 mile drive. Though with 2 people I we wouldn't stop at all so we would get there in about 3 days
You probably won't get there in 3 days -that would be really pushing it. I don't advise speeding in Canada - they take traffic REALLY, REALLY serious. Not that I advocate speeding in the US, but typically in the US speeding isn't punishable with jail time unless you are wreckless driving. In fact, you should read up on getting into Canada so you know what you can bring and what you cannot. Have you or your GF ever been arrested? Even for DUI or other traffic offenses? In Canada, a lot of your trip will be at 80 kph or 50 mph - some sections even slower. Their equivalent of our interstates are 110KPH to 120KPH (I want to say 65-70 mph) Also, I guess you are further up Florida than I thought. Anchorage for me is 5000 miles. (4980 - 5300 depending on when I get into Canada) Also some of the roads, even IF you wanted to go faster you can't - the road conditions will not let you. They are up/down an d twisty and sometimes DIRT/MUD. Are you sure that 3980 doesn't include taking the Ferry? That is OK, but expensive.
You are not driving in flat, straight, Florida anymore... And I know that it is frustrating, since you can usually drive 75-80 on I-75 and the turnpike down here and doing so you barely keep up with traffic. So driving over 1000 miles a day with a stop overs is possible. You also can't push things to the fuel limit in Canada. When there is a station, you need to stop, top off, use the bathroom and continue on until the next one. Also, pulling off to rest or pee on a tree is sometimes a challenge to do safely as well.
You also will have traffic and construction delays. Even a possible road closure due to weather or an accident... Most people think I was nuts for getting from Anchorage to Miami in 5 nights - 6 days of driving. And some of that was a delay due to a broken windshield. (plan on that happening, I broke two - one up and one back)
Have you ever driven in the mountains before? Have you ever driven in the rural mid-west US? I am assuming you haven't driven in rural Canada either... Might want to plan that trip with more time to be safe.
In case no one mentions it, get the milepost magazine. They now have IOS and ANDROID Apps for magazine too. Helps you plan your fuel and overnight stops. Even if you overnight stop is 2 hour rest at a pull off. Can you do it without the milepost, yes - but it makes life easier. They even have phone numbers to places so you can call when you actually have cell phone service, which isn't all that often in Canada. (Get a Canadian phone plan at the minimum before you get into Canada).
You have a lot of research and planning left to do. I can tell by your responses you are not fully prepared yet. I admit that I over prepare and have little OCD about being prepared.
My best time on the Alcan between Portland and Wasilla (roughly 2,400 miles) was 2 1/2 days. And that was with two drivers swapping out and driving around the clock.
As mentioned, oil jobs are mostly on the slope and you work a two on/two off schedule. There are some oil jobs on the Kenai Peninsula, but those are harder to come across.
Two on/two off means you fly up, work 14 days straight, often working 12 hours a day or more. Then you fly home and you are off for two weeks.
You said you are looking to make the final move in 2016 or 2017. My best advice for now is to use that time learn what you can and come up for at least one visit, preferably two. Getting the summer job up here would be even better.
You didn't mention exactly what type of work you wanted... If you want hands on, use this time before you move up to learn how to weld, or get your CDL, or some skill that will help you get a job up here.
I was thinking of getting into electrical as a trade. And I'm fine with working 2on/2off that will also give me a chance to learn the trade.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
