Moving to Colorado - Scouting Trip Advice (Denver, Fort Collins: house, job market)

[hollyt00]

There is a website,

Teach in Colorado

But it seems to appear to be updated only if the school district is subscribed/whatever.

Colorado Springs SD11 *may* have difficulties finding jobs, as two (or three) elementary schools and one high school closed. Those teachers will likely be absorbed into the other schools in the area.

Here in CO, the building principal will ask anyone by a letter of intent- I intend to stay next year, or not. If you are set on moving to CO, then tell them now. Otherwise, I personally wouldn't move out to a new place without a job. If that means that I tell them end of May that I will be leaving, so be it.

[thelionofmali]

Great Holly! Thanks so much.

I have heard that CS is facing tougher economic times than most of the state, so I expected to hear things like that.

I am committed to moving, with or without a job, but I obviously would like one to be lined up. I just have been avoiding telling my principal because I don't want it to be awkward at work. I fully intended to tell them after Spring vacation, but wasn't sure about the timing. Maybe I will look into telling them sooner.

The reasoning behind my commitment with or without a job is that I have managed to save up enough money (15k) to make me feel comfortable moving without one. Also, I have no debt, longstanding bills, or anything else keeping me in CT so I feel like the time is right. Again, I am not opposed to working odd jobs for a year while I secure a teaching position.

Any other suggestions about how and when I should go about resigning would be appreciated. There's not a lot of information on the web about young teachers resigning (maybe why people think I'm crazy for doing this).

[jazzlover]

The OP needs a big reality check.

The simple truth is that there are far more teachers, especially less experienced ones, looking for jobs in Colorado than there will EVER be sufficient jobs to hire them all. Period. Thanks to Colorado's Constitutional fiscal noose, the situation is only going to get worse, not better. Yes, there can be turnover in the resort school districts, but there is a good reason: No one can really afford to live in one of those towns long-term on a teacher's salary. As for the rural districts, they are generally having very serious fiscal problems, too. Also, nepotism is alive and well there. For many kids who grew up in those towns, a teaching job is one of the few ways that they can stay there. So, they get their education and apply with the district. In many cases, it's a situation where their father or mother teaches there, or is an Administrator. Maybe it's an aunt or uncle, or a good family friend. Those "locals" often have a real "in" to getting a teaching job if one opens up. Sure, the job opening may be posted in ads or whatever, but often "the fix is in" about who is going to get hired before the opening ever hits the public. I've known experienced, highly qualified teachers who have moved into Colorado from out-of-state who have had to work 4 and 5 YEARS as a part-time substitute teacher before even being able to land an entry-level teaching position here. If your specialty is anything other than science, math, or other "basic" subjects, it's even tougher. A Special Ed certification really helps--in fact, that is the only certification that has gotten a lot of prospective teachers that I've known a job here.

Oh, and $15K will not support you for more than 6 months--maximum--in most resort or mountain areas of Colorado, and probably less. Then what? In today's job market, I would have AT LEAST two full year's of salary in savings before venturing forth.

By the way, I'm not a teacher, but my ex-wife is. I know how the game is played. I also know a number of school administrators and couple of school superintendents. In my work, I have been indirectly involved in a lot of school finance issues. In Colorado, these days, none of it is pretty.

[thelionofmali]

Jazz, as I said, I don't envision teaching and living in a mountain town right away. I know that is unrealistic. I realize that I will be trying to get a job in one of the major cities and I have no issues with that.

I also realize that I probably can't live in a true mountain area, but I think I can get pretty close. As some other people have said, some of the major towns are within an hour drive to the mountains and for someone from CT that is quite close.

I have done some cost of living calculations and I think 15k will probably support me for around 9 months to a year. That is assuming I cannot find a job giving me any income whatsoever. At the same time, I highly doubt that I will be totally unemployed for 9 months.

I appreciate your concern and wisdom, but I am really looking for feedback on how to make this a reality. I understand the risks, but it seems all of them are monetary. Money isn't everything.

[jazzlover]

At the same time, I highly doubt that I will be totally unemployed for 9 months.

Bad assumption in this economy.

Money isn't everything.

Unless you don't have any.

[thelionofmali]

Sounds like we look at life a little bit differently, but I appreciate your thoughts. You actually made me look over my budget again, but I am pretty confident that I can make it a year on that money without worry. I don't live very expensively. However, perhaps I will widen my search to Wyoming as well (seeing as they seem to have a better reputation for teaching)

As far as a last resort, it is pretty easy to get a consistent day care job using a number of different websites/organizations that I have experience with in the past. My health and dental insurance are covered for another two years (thanks to Obama!) so that isn't a worry.

Keep firing those concerns away, I want to make sure I evaluate everything before I make a commitment.

[jazzlover]

Alright, let's do some math. Start with your $15K for a year.

If you skimp and get a cheap apartment, even with a roommate, you're probably looking at a minimum of $700/mo. for rent and utilities. That takes you down $6,600--less than $600/month for a year. Out of that, you have to pay all of your food costs (which are not cheap in Colorado), vehicle costs (including registration and insurance, both of which you have to secure in Colorado within 90 days of establishing residency here), clothing, job-hunting costs, etc.

I wouldn't count on health and dental insurance being a non-issue, either. Your insurance may or may not be "portable" to Colorado and you still will have to pay any co-pays, deductibles, etc. On that latter point, even a relatively minor injury or illness can have deductible and co-pay costs into the thousands of dollars, depending on the health insurance plan. One of way many employers are`trying to hold the line on health insurance costs is by raising deductibles and co-pays. $5,000 deductibles and 20% co-pays up to the deductible are becoming very common in employer health insurance plans. On the portability part, here is an example: A friend was laid off from his job, but kept his employee health insurance under COBRA, though he had to pay the premium. BUT, his employer's health insurance plan was through an HMO that only did business in Colorado. When he moved out of state to look for work (which a lot of people here are having to do--that should tell you something right there), his health insurance was canceled, COBRA notwithstanding, because he had to be a Colorado resident to be eligible for the HMO.

You might just do fine, just like somebody playing Russian Roulette may not shoot themselves, but neither case are odds that I like. I have four decades-plus of experience watching people crash and burn in Colorado because they had completely unrealistic ideas of what it really takes to get a job and make a living here. And, bluntly, things are tougher overall here now than they have been in most any of those four decades-plus in my experience. I research and analyze Colorado and Rocky Mountain economics as part of my work.

[thelionofmali]

Thanks for the advice on insurance. My mother and father both have different family insurance plans and we have very good insurance insurance without a copay of any prescriptions. However, I am not sure about the portability of it. I will definitely have to check that out.

As far as the budget goes, I am glad to hear I am getting some expert advice from someone in the field. However, your rent costs are too high considering roommate living. I have done plenty of searching on room sharing sites and there are literally hundreds of rooms in Boulder, Fort Collins, Denver, and the surrounding towns between $300 - $400. I don't plan on living alone.

But, maybe you can shed some light on other items in my budget. The numbers come from my average costs living in CT.





Total Expenses: 1230 14760


Anything you think I am missing in my budget?

Another thing to note is that according to cost of livings sites such as cnn and findthedata, living in Connecticut is between 10 and 20% more expensive than living in Colorado. This could provide a little break as well.

[jazzlover]

First, salaries are unlikely to be as high as Connecticut. Your auto and fuel costs appear to be way too low--especially considering driving distances here (consider this: the State of Connecticut at 5,543 sq. miles is just 768 sq. miles bigger than Colorado's biggest county--Las Animas, at 4,775 sq. miles; Colorado's land area is 104,094 sq. miles) . Unless you are driving a real fuel-sipper or drive very little, $100/month won't even cover fuel costs. $600 for insurance--I presume auto insurance--will probably only buy you liability coverage here--if you have a perfect driving record. About the cheapest license plates on the oldest vehicles in Colorado are about $110 per year. On a new vehicle, they can be $200-$600. I don't know what "personal" entails. For example, about the cheapest man's haircut here is $12. At $200/mo. for food, you wont' be eating out at all and will be eating a pretty subsistence diet. That's less than $7 per day for food. A can of Campbell's soup is $1.50 at Wal-mart. Oh yeah, most food purchased in the grocery store is exempt from state sales tax, but may not be from county and local sales tax. Food purchased "ready-to-eat" (e.g., at a grocery store deli) or at a restaurant, fast food place, etc. is NOT exempt from sales tax. Combined state, county, and local sales taxes in Colorado are often 7.5% or more, depending on location. $50/mo. for phone will about buy you a basic cell plan--no data, internet, etc. Combined land line, hi-speed internet, and cable TV are usually in the $100-$150/mo. range--most "promo" rates only last a year, at most--many only 6 months. Colorado also has an income tax--4.63% of your adjusted federal income.

In short, your lifestyle will be extremely austere--enough so that you will find it nearly impossible to enjoy the things that you think that Colorado has to offer. Take away Mom and Dad's insurance "subsidy"--and, well, you'll be broke in a year or less. I consider your "plan" risky in the extreme, and without any margin for error. Not a good place to be in this economy at all. You should be thankful for the job that you currently have--many people in your educational and career bracket are nowhere near as fortunate. They'd kill to be in your position.

[thelionofmali]

The budget I posted is based on my current expenditures in CT so I don't think it will be that much more. Utilities wise I don't use cable or phone. My car gets 40 to the gallon, although I'm sure that will be less in colorado with the inclines. Good note about the distances though. I also didn't consider potentially higher auto insurance in CO. Food wise I have been living on less than $200 a month for over 3 years now. Tax wise CT also has a state income tax and fairly high taxes all over. Also I have 0 debt and own my car outright. And to be honest, most of the things I do for fun in general dont cost a lot of money.

You do make a good point on giving up something so good. This is something that I struggle with. However, what is the point if I am not satisfied with my current situation. I don't know, sometimes I feel like staying could be an even bigger regret than leaving.

Anyone else have any thoughts?