Illinois......are you staying or leaving? (Chicago, Rock Island: chapel, to buy, schools)

[NealIRC]

Originally Posted by damba

[/b]You are missing 99% of life by revolving around 'a church' IMNSHO.

Like what?

[compactspace]

Originally Posted by Bellamouse

Moving didn't take away from my job. I work from home. Husband had vacation time due at the time he quit his job so he still got paid for the couple weeks before he had to start his new job. Our church was our life and we didn't need to ask for help - they just volunteer. That's the way it works in a real church. We didn't belong to some big, impersonal church where you go in, sit by yourself in the pew and run out after service and you don't know anyone. Our entire social life revolved around our church, and our church was our family.

So maybe our situation wasn't "typical", but I'm just telling you that just because people earn good money doesn't mean they MUST spend it unnecessarily. We found spending 5 or 6 times the amount we spent to hire professional movers unnecessary. Some of the richest folks in the world do things on the cheap (which is how they got rich).

If people would rather hire "insured" movers, good for them. I saved $10k. Even if my big dining room table got ruined in the move (for example), I could replace that for $5K and still have saved another $5K. Smart people do cost/risk analyses.

Also, we didn't drive the 18 wheeler. We shipped it FREIGHT. I said that. You aren't paying attention. We drove our cars and the stuff showed up a week later. Clearly you don't understand how shipping items "freight" works....

Right. So it seems that if you exactly the right circumstances then a move to some conservative southern state might make economic sense.

You might just come out and say you hate the left-wing culture in Chicago so much that you'll go through the tremendous inconvenience of moving somewhere more conservative. Why all this verbiage trying to convince other people of some highly dubious financial reason to move? Because despite what you say, the superiority of Florida or Tennessee or whatever is not evident, prima facie. It's not even evident a posteriori in any case you might mention, other than the concentration of conservatism.

Fact is that yes, Illinois is net losing people, for now. But others are coming and they're better educated and with better prospects.

Again: why not just move on with life, rather than returning again and again to Illinois-related websites trying to persuade others (or yourself) of Illinois' hopelessness?

[Taco1234]

Originally Posted by compactspace

Right. So it seems that if you exactly the right circumstances then a move to some conservative southern state might make economic sense.

You might just come out and say you hate the left-wing culture in Chicago so much that you'll go through the tremendous inconvenience of moving somewhere more conservative. Why all this verbiage trying to convince other people of some highly dubious financial reason to move? Because despite what you say, the superiority of Florida or Tennessee or whatever is not evident, prima facie. It's not even evident a posteriori in any case you might mention, other than the concentration of conservatism.

Fact is that yes, Illinois is net losing people, for now. But others are coming and they're better educated and with better prospects.

Again: why not just move on with life, rather than returning again and again to Illinois-related websites trying to persuade others (or yourself) of Illinois' hopelessness?

Are you not here arguing the same points? Why not love your amazing Illinois life? Why come to forums where people are debating and airing their grievances with Illinois if you have so much life to live and it's a waste of time? The fact is, all of these threads wouldn't keep popping up if there wasn't a huge issue. The news gets worse by the day and people like to discuss it. You're here doing the same thing, just on the other side... so????

[Bellamouse]

I think he missed the title of the thread.... "Illinois.....are you staying or leaving?" Hence, I had something to add to the conversation, SINCE THEY ASKED! He only wants to hear from the ones who are staying. Those leaving need not reply. This is the exact liberal culture that I hate and wanted to get away from. The angry, hateful, nasty people who are relentless in attacking you if they don't agree with you. They cannot abide ANY opinion that differs from their own and they work diligently to shut that person down. Sickening. Beyond glad to be away from that!

[My Kind Of Town]

Originally Posted by Bellamouse

I think he missed the title of the thread.... "Illinois.....are you staying or leaving?" Hence, I had something to add to the conversation, SINCE THEY ASKED! He only wants to hear from the ones who are staying. Those leaving need not reply. This is the exact liberal culture that I hate and wanted to get away from. The angry, hateful, nasty people who are relentless in attacking you if they don't agree with you. Sickening. Beyond glad to be away from that.

Angry, hateful, nasty people aren't limited to "liberals." That much I can assure you. Some of the most angry and hateful people I know in my life (this includes friends and family) are staunch conservatives.

[eevee]

Yeah, so, umm I didn't read the entire thread and I have zero clue what the above drama is about but I just wanted to answer the original question. I moved out of Chicago in September and don't see myself ever moving back. I'm currently in NYC (Brooklyn to be exact) though I see myself moving again in a few years, probably back to the New England area. There are things I will miss about Chicago but they are outnumbered by the things I won't miss at all.

Before anyone asks, yes, I'm paying more in rent. In fact, my rent is exactly double what I was paying in Chicago. HOWEVER, the last Chicago apartment I lived in was in East Garfield Park (in fact, just a couple of blocks away from the now infamous "Chicago Torture House"). I was paying $400 to rent in a verifiable hellhole and am now paying $800 to live in a MUCH nicer neighborhood. To compare, I'm coming up even when compared to the room I rented in West Lakeview (it had slightly cheaper rent but my Brooklyn place has heat and hot water included). Frankly I would rather pay the extra rent and not have to hear gun shots almost every night or have to walk through an open street drug market.

I've lived in a bunch of Chicago neighborhoods, from Pilsen and Humboldt Park (east and west of the actual park) to Uptown and Lakeview. Yes, I experienced some racist BS living up north, yes, the city is segregated, and yes, there are some definite crime issues creepy by up north (count me as someone who almost got mugged in Lakeview). It is grosly exaggerated in many regards but it's not nonexistent. And I just got tired of all the drama: tired of all the crime and CPD excuses, tired of the crap schools (don't even have kids yet but am focused on the future

In the end I'll miss the lakefront, the museums, and the restaurants and will likely visit in the future, but I'm glad to have moved out, especially when it was becoming far to hard to find gainful employment and affordable rent (really, Logan Sq is dang near expensive as some of the nice parts of Brooklyn!). Plus I was REALLY missing the ocean and mountains and that played a role in my move as well.

[compactspace]

Originally Posted by eevee

I was paying $400 to rent in a verifiable hellhole and am now paying $800 to live in a MUCH nicer neighborhood. To compare, I'm coming up even when compared to the room I rented in West Lakeview (it had slightly cheaper rent but my Brooklyn place has heat and hot water included).

You're paying 800 rent in Brooklyn? Where??? 800 doesn't even cover my coop maintenance. Not even half of it. Granted that's in Manhattan but BK ain't much cheaper. This is a very sweet deal.

(Edit: may or may not be asking for a friend.)

[compactspace]

Originally Posted by Taco1234

Are you not here arguing the same points? Why not love your amazing Illinois life? Why come to forums where people are debating and airing their grievances with Illinois if you have so much life to live and it's a waste of time? The fact is, all of these threads wouldn't keep popping up if there wasn't a huge issue. The news gets worse by the day and people like to discuss it. You're here doing the same thing, just on the other side... so????

No. I'm calling out a bunch of nonsense reasons this poster is giving for moving south; reasons that are founded on false premises yet are nonetheless phrased for persuasion. Hating the politics is valid. Come right out and say this is why you left.

But implying that Joe Public will benefit financially from moving south is just plain misinformation.

Hateful? This is debate. How would you characterize the way Ted Cruz argues with his opponents? Or is that all okay because he's in the right?

[jwaiter]

I'm staying. I just bought a new condo in Logan Square.

[eevee]

Originally Posted by compactspace

You're paying 800 rent in Brooklyn? Where??? 800 doesn't even cover my coop maintenance. Not even half of it. Granted that's in Manhattan but BK ain't much cheaper. This is a very sweet deal.

(Edit: may or may not be asking for a friend.)

Deal can be found if you look (for example, look up he various "Gypsy Housing" Pages on Facebook). It's not impossible to find a 3 bedroom apartment for around $2400-2800 even in spots like Bushwick or even Williamsburg (and bigger apartments are often cheaper per bedroom). The $800 is obviously just for a room, but I once saw a UWS studio posted for $1500/month (NOT a share!). Our apartment is not stainless steel-and-granite new, and we don't have a doorman or a gym or in building laundry, but it's perfectly serviceable, pest-free, and most importantly, safe.