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.
Hey everyone, I'm sure this has been talked about before, but is there anyone here whos left California for Boise? Did you have a family? What's it like moving from your parents if you have kids?
I'm a young father (23), married with a baby girl (7 months old). Even at my age, I'm fed up with california. This place stinks. I have a great job in education, and saw an opening in Boise for my same position, which sparked me looking again. I had a close friend whose family moved there and loved it.
My major reasons for wanting to move are,
first, cost of living- I would love my wife to stay home with the kids as they grow up, and not have to work. Right now, I make about 55/year and STILL cant afford a DECENT place to live. Sure I could buy a house- inthe ghetto- horrible schools, trashy people, dirty city. Along with this, is that taxes are killer here and its getting worse with our moronic state legislature.
Second- I want to live with like minded, decent people, where I can feel comfortable rasing my daughter. I know no place is perfect, but californians are, as a whole, self centered, "its all about me and my happiness" kind of people- I don't really think this needs further explaination ;-)
I know there's not Utopia in life, and I'm not expecting that. I would, however, love to live somewhere affordable and peaceful. Boise seems to fit that, plus it looks like a beautiful piece of country. :-) My only, ONLY reason for not having moved yet is my and my wife's parents. I don't know that I could take that away from my daughter. Any thoughts?
There are a lot of young families in Boise so you'll probably be very comfortable. I think growing up in a big city can be a great asset but only if you're rich. lol. So if I were in your situation I'd probably looking for somewhere else to live as well. Boise is a great option. Not too big not too small and pretty much has everything suburban California has.
Be sure to have a job lined up whether you move to Boise or elsewhere.
We will be moving soon to the Emmett area just north of Boise.
My wife's parents moved here in Central Calif to be closer to the Grandkids.
They also understand that we have a way out of California and they are a bit reluctant but know we are going.
I have invited them up to live with/near us but right now they are being stubborn and say no way.
When they start missing the grandkids and they realize they are in Calif for no good reason I hope they move closer.
If not then I hate to say it's their loss.
Either way it's better for our kids to get to Idaho and the grandparents know it.
They will come around even if the first few months of us being gone might be hard on them.
You have to do what's right for your faimly and the parents will follow.
The wages here will be much, much less than what you make in California. Teachers here start at about 28k/year, approximately. Unfortunately, our legislature elected to cut funding in education, which means we cut a whole bunch of teaching jobs, and I believe froze raises.
I'm not sure if you're looking at teaching or something else in education, but be warned - it's tough. It's nearly impossible to find a job in the Boise district, especially coming from out of state. Boise State and the University of Idaho feed a ton of teachers into the area each year, so competition is harsh. I know many qualified kids that find the jobs they want, and end up elsewhere.
In short, the answer is YES you should consider moving here. California is a complete mess but not for the reasons you think.
However, it sounds like you have "Caveman values" of "Wife no work. Wife stay home. Wife you cook Me Dinner." Maybe you would have more money if you had dual incomes? It's sad that you place such heavy work restrictions on your wife and, presumably, your daughter? Aren't you being a bit self-centered, which is an attitude you claim disgusts you in California?
The legislature recently trimmed $4mil from Education. I think only Nampa is hiring teachers. There's a brand new community college in Nampa but it missed enrollment projections. In short, the entire education sector is under strain here. That job you saw advertised might actually not be filled.
There are plenty of young 20 somethings here with families and kids. You would probably fit right in. A dollar here goes MUCH FURTHER than in California, 60% less on utilities, 6% sales tax, no CRV, very affordable auto registration, etc...
A dollar here goes MUCH FURTHER than in California, 60% less on utilities, 6% sales tax, no CRV, very affordable auto registration, etc...
I don't completely agree with that, especially with the comparison of incomes between the two states. It sure would've helped if the OP said where exactly in California he's from so that I could give a better idea of where there is value in Boise as compared to where he lives. If he lives out in a rural area, for example, his car insurance rates won't be as sky-high as they are in an urban setting.
I came from L.A. Right off the bat I saved a thousand dollars a year on my car insurance with roughly the same coverage and despite having to switch coverage since my L.A. provider isn't available here. Registration and license fees were delightfully cheap too. The plethora of pawn shops and secondhand stores provides various necessities at a bargain rate. And housing is obviously affordable. I'll never again be able to live in as nice a neighborhood as I am now in the North End.
But utilities and other goods and services have been just as expensive, if not moreso (I'm looking at my checkbook that goes back for years to verify some of this stuff). Basic land-line service cost me a hair shy of $10 more a month than L.A., so I eventually discarded it (you suck Qwest!). I had L.A. DWP for power, who I thought were great and were far cheaper than Edison. During the brutal summer months living in the San Fernando Valley, the most I paid for a two-month power bill was close to $35. Idaho Power generally runs me about $23-$24 a month. I pay about $3 a month more for basic cable and get I'm guessing roughly 15 less channels. It's nitpicking for some, but it adds up over time, especially for people who aren't exactly earning a California income anymore. Unless you buy bulk or are able to always spot the big deals at Winco, your groceries will be just as expensive. Eating out, even at fast food places, will be just as expensive. I would even say fast food places are more expensive here. You can find some decent cheap restaurants, but it has taken me a fair amount of hunting. Getting your car or whatever fixed will be just as expensive. Department stores will have the same prices. Gas, while still cheaper than CA obviously, isn't that much cheaper now. In past years coming through here on road trips, it was real cheap. When I moved up, there was only maybe a 10-15 cent difference. I was shocked.
Just want to put it out there that while Boise is assuredly cheaper than California, there isn't some blanket across-the-board cheapness either. And the disparity in wages comes into play.
The above poster above makes some good points. Overall cost of living will be less but it seems sometimes big ticket items are sometimes less in California. My parents and I have the same model car, same year, etc. I paid nearly 6000 dollars less. I'm assuming that is because of large number of dealerships here. However, here in LA County we now have a lovely 9.25% sales tax which really adds up on those big ticket items. Fast food seems to be priced exactly the same. Nicer "sit-down" restaurants seem to be a little less expensive in Boise. Booze at bars and restaurants is FAR less in Boise. My friends always joke you can have a VERY good time with $15 in Boise...in LA you get ONE drink.
In general, wages are far less in Boise. In LA you can make a lot of money if you're qualified but I think entry level jobs here pay horribly. I see jobs demanding college degrees offering 10/hr. For me personally, if I moved back to Boise my cash after bills, etc. would virtually be the same as in California given my work experience, etc. But I think for most people that isn't the case.
However, it sounds like you have "Caveman values" of "Wife no work. Wife stay home. Wife you cook Me Dinner." Maybe you would have more money if you had dual incomes? It's sad that you place such heavy work restrictions on your wife and, presumably, your daughter? Aren't you being a bit self-centered, which is an attitude you claim disgusts you in California?
Wow. Did we read the same post?
What I read was that he'd like his wife to be able to stay home raising their child. I would like to remind you that it's not socially unacceptable to have traditional marriage roles, and the OP sounds like he's seeking a better life for his family. Something for which I think should be commended....not excoriated.
Choosing to have both spouses work to make ends meet and give your kids a decent life is one thing...but I've seen WAY too many people have both spouses work (and spend less time with their kids) so that the PARENTS could have nicer cars, more toys, etc. I see nothing wrong with seeking to move to a place where the parental unit can attempt to only have a single spouse needing to work...
What I read was that he'd like his wife to be able to stay home raising their child. I would like to remind you that it's not socially unacceptable to have traditional marriage roles, and the OP sounds like he's seeking a better life for his family. Something for which I think should be commended....not excoriated.
Choosing to have both spouses work to make ends meet and give your kids a decent life is one thing...but I've seen WAY too many people have both spouses work (and spend less time with their kids) so that the PARENTS could have nicer cars, more toys, etc. I see nothing wrong with seeking to move to a place where the parental unit can attempt to only have a single spouse needing to work...
I read it the same way you did Sage
I think he sounds like a fine young man, with good values.
I read it the same way and commended the young man for not wanting to have day care raise his daughter. Far from being selfish, I think it's pretty selfless to let your wife stay home and lovingly raise a family. Good for you, young man.
I read your post and concur wholeheartedly about California. We, too, are positioning ourselves to jump off the Titanic before it goes all the way under. We, too, want to scale back and just enjoy life and be around like minded people. Boise is a wonderful place, not perfect, but has so much to offer and great people overall.
I strongly suggest that you take trips up to Boise to get a feel for the area before moving and, even if you have a job lined up, make sure you're resourceful and can find something else in the event that doesn't pan out or at least be able to get by for a while until finding something else. The area is beautiful, the people overall are friendly and welcoming, but the job market stinks right now. Best wishes
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.
