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Old 10-11-2008, 09:54 PM
 
1 posts, read 2,734 times
Reputation: 12

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Hi Rixxagain,

I just moved here 3 weeks ago, I took a well paying job and didn't know a thing about Anchorage. Here's the scoop from my perspective. 1) Everything is more expensive, I know you've heard that but it doesn't sink in until you pay $4.50 for a pack of 18 eggs and a ironingboard at Walmart cost $45. 2) If you have a cellphone and it's not AT&T then you will probably be paying a surcharge on every call you make until you get a local number and ditch your old provider. 3) There's lots of gyms and clubs around, especially downtown, I haven't had time to explore Eagle River yet but I'm sure it's that way there too. Any further out than that don't count on much. 4) I thought winter started in November but it's snowed almost every day so far in October and rained/iced over every other day. I don't know if you're planning on driving up but if you do then get a new battery and make sure you have snow chains. The public transportation system is okay here but I don't wait on buses. I have to drop off my son at school, drive downtown to work then stop at the FEW Walmarts, Bestbuys, and grocery stores along the way. So far I've found 2 Walmarts in Anchorage (neither is superWalmart with food) and one Bestbuy. Fortunately Anchorage is rather small. Nothing like Houston which I'm use to. 5) No Walgreens in Anchorage, in fact I'm amazed that there are hardly any drugstores at all except in the Walmarts, Carrs(grocery store, best prices), and Fred Meyers, etc...this place has a serious overkill in bars and underkill in just practical stores. 6) There are lots of autoparts stores and autofix-u-up places but they cost a bundle. Everyone new to Anchorage from somewhere else will spend a mint winterizing their car unless they do it before they leave home. Do everything except for a radiator flush (Phoenix antifreeze won't work here), make sure and change your oil to 5W-30W because you need a very light oil which will thicken as the car warms up. If you plan on leasing a car in Anchorage then plan on spending $800 to $1200/mn for anything bigger than a Geo.

Darn lost track. And I may be boring you anyway. Email me anytime at [EMAIL="jpetty7903@aol.com"]jpetty7903@aol.com[/EMAIL] if I can give you further information.
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Old 10-12-2008, 12:13 AM
 
Location: Naptowne, Alaska
15,603 posts, read 38,200,339 times
Reputation: 14848
Dang JP...I'm amazed your still here. What were you expecting? Houston in Anchorage?
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Old 10-12-2008, 12:43 PM
 
3,774 posts, read 10,787,074 times
Reputation: 1862
Yes, groceries are more expensive here. Cost of shipping them up from the outside. Barge, plane, truck whatever. I know of 3 Walmarts in town, A Street Midtown, Dimond Center (south) and Mountain View area (north). There are about 8 Carrs stores, and about 6 Freddies.
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Old 10-12-2008, 07:52 PM
 
Location: Wasilla, AK
63 posts, read 216,819 times
Reputation: 39
They are in the process of turning the dimond walmart into a supercenter with food and all - construction on now!
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Old 10-15-2008, 03:55 PM
 
Location: Kamloops, BC
229 posts, read 657,158 times
Reputation: 95
Fairbanks and Cleveland the same?
Average January High:
Cleveland:34, Fairbanks:-2
Average January Low:
Cleveland:19, Fairbanks:-19
Sure looks the same to me...
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Old 10-15-2008, 11:14 PM
 
7 posts, read 19,869 times
Reputation: 14
Oh. The only reason I compared the two was that I heard that Fairbanks can have greater differences in temperature and weather than Anchorage. Like Anchorage ranges between -20 and 70 in the course of a year, where Fairbanks, as I understand, can range from -40 to 90. Thats the way cleveland is too. It may be 30-something one day and -30 the same day. Temperatures can range- year long, from -30 to 110 in summer.
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Old 10-29-2008, 02:55 AM
 
Location: Mckinney TX
4 posts, read 10,931 times
Reputation: 12
Well i have lived in Alaska my whole life up until just about a year ago... i moved to texas... i love it here but i love it more in alaska... i am moving back. there isnt a lot of night life... but there is enough to go around... there is a famous bar there that a lot of people travel to alaska for... it is called "Chilkoot Charlies" look it up... it is the best place to go to listen to any type of music that you want... especially if you dont know exactly what you want to listen to that night... there are 9 different bars in the one building... and there are a few different types of music playing in different sections.... it is really nice... i like it... as for excersize there is a place called The Alaska Club... kinda pricy but if you have the right job you can get the membership fee waived... but be careful to read the fine lines of their conditions... other than that that is the best fitness club there is in alaska.... that i know if anyway... good luck alaska is the best... but beware of the cold. i heard its only 10 degrees there right now....
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Old 10-29-2008, 02:59 AM
 
Location: Mckinney TX
4 posts, read 10,931 times
Reputation: 12
wow... i have had a few cell phone in alaska and i know that ALASKA DIGITEL is the best service that i have had. i loved it the whole time that i had it... very cheap also... no complaints on that... i dont know much about AT&T or Verizon but i thought that Verizon was at Best buy... you can get any carrier really... but they are at walmart and best buy and target... although i dont know anything about the stuff at target because i have moved before that was built... but i am going back... so yeah... its a lot nicer than what a lot of people on here are saying
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Old 10-29-2008, 03:03 AM
 
Location: Mckinney TX
4 posts, read 10,931 times
Reputation: 12
i know that i am posting a lot but i am new to this website and i am amazed that J P is still in alaska... man o man.... i dont know what your credit is... but damn that is really expensive to lease a car... i have never heard of it being that much.... i lived there for quite some time and i am moving back i will definantly have to check that out...
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Old 01-14-2009, 06:23 PM
 
Location: Anchorage
51 posts, read 142,648 times
Reputation: 28
Rixxagain-my two cents from someone who is not from here but has spent ten long years. First off just let me say that men love it here-hunting,fishing the great outdoors. Most women on the other hand, don't feel the love! If your wife is a city girl she will not get that feeling. Yes, we are getting Walgreens soon but as for a city feel-not so much. There are a few decent restaurants downtown but most places that have been around for awhile operate out of what I would call "trailers" and don't have any atmosphere. There are no professional sports teams-we have the Alaska Aces hockey but not much else. Transit here is not great and doesn't even go to certain parts of the city (Hillside for instance, which is an area up on the south side of Anchorage. The weather is cool most of the year. Snow is on the ground from October to April. Last year's summer it rained and rained and the temps never got above 65ish. There is no real city rec programs to speak of. Like others mentioned gyms are privatized and very spendy. This place is fine for people who make 125k a year or more and who can afford all the spendy food, homes,vacations, cars,etc but for the average joe it is a tough go. .!If you are in oil,a Dr. or a pilot you are good to go! I will give the Alpenglow sky its due as it is beautiful and the sunsets....other than that I don't like the isolation of not being able to drive out of here, no deals on airfare, etc.,ok, I need to stop as my tourism skills are lacking!!
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