Help Me!

[Frostnip]

This is a song-and-dance anyone who works in the public sector has seen quite a few times, honestly. There's a pretty predictable cycle where they threaten lay-offs, folks who feel their position is tenuous jump ship, administrators use it as an opportunity to cull the people they wanted to cull, someone does some financial wizardry, and then most if not all of those positions are open again for new hires, because in reality it does just take a sufficient number of warm bodies to keep various things operational. Things are a up-in-the-air right now but I wouldn't be alarmist about it, nor write off government jobs as an opportunity to get into the black.

[RayinAK]

Originally Posted by stiffnecked

So the City of Fairbanks has a popultion of 33,000 and the Fairbanks Northstar Borough's population is over 100,000. I'm glad you grew up there but it seems to have grown a bit since 1930. I'd say that any city that has an international airport with jet serivce directly to the lower 48 qualifies it for more then "small" city status.

Too many people already But the worst part is the very high cost of living. The number should be around 130-140% compared to some cities and towns in the lower-48 where the cost of living is in the 78-90%. I can understand the OP's situation since it is very tough, but there are some people out there surviving on lower wages. The difference has to do with how much you spend and owe, and how much you make.

[Dakster]

Fairbanks is a class 1 city... So "bigger" than small town, USA, but I hardly call it a large US City if we are comparing Fairbanks against all US Cities and areas. You could call it a "modern city" with services (Fire, Police, Etc..), including an international airport.

Maybe a better description would be it is a small metropolitan area. There are "Small" cities in Miami-Dade, but they are completely locked in by other cities and the metro-area has the 2.5 million people in it. (Really South Florida has 5.5 million and that includes Broward and Palm Beach Counties) Whereas you have to go to the outskirts of Fairbanks to come with 100k people and it isn't like the surrounding Boroughs are over populated either.

According to the Wiki - North Star is 7,444 Sq. miles for 100k people. NYC is 469 sq. miles. and with limited exceptions (Central park for one), all of it is built up too.

And IMHO there is ABSOLUTELY nothing wrong with that. Different strokes for different folks. One of the reasons AK attracted me as well, Ray. NYC doesn't appeal to me AT ALL - and yes I have been there.

[msta999]

Get into something like this Military Vets w/honorable discharge & Transitioning Military , where the military will not only pay for the training, but also pay you to go. I only use this school as an example, I don't know anything about them. NIT in Wasilla/Palmer has one (check with your VA rep, they should be able to help you), but they don't have operator training till spring.....which might be worth waiting, I'm thinking of getting out of the mechanic business and going with them, using the GI bill. You my have to travel a lot, but the pay should be good.

Debt is a hard one, when the wife and I got out of the Army, we had a bunch. I was sick of it and finally decided to get rid of the credit cards that we had just for emergency's (Ya! Right!), then started paying everything I could on the smallest bill, and payed minimum on the rest, then when the smallest bill is gone, do the same with the next smallest bill and so on. It took us a few years, plus some working 2 jobs, but finally got rid of all the debt. it is not easy, but can be done.

Something else that helped was buying a fixeruper home, then build equity in it as you get things fixed up. If you rent, the money you pay is gone for ever, if you buy, then have to sell a few years later, you should be able to get all your money back plus some.....least that's what helped me.

[NomadicBear]

I would move away. Sounds absolutely miserable. I'll admit I don't get these prices in Alaska, but there's a housing bubble everywhere right now.

[Dakster]

AS long as I can sell my house before it bursts and then buy the next one after it bursts I'll be happy. Granted, I am not usually that lucky, but one can dream.

[NomadicBear]

Originally Posted by Dakster

AS long as I can sell my house before it bursts and then buy the next one after it bursts I'll be happy. Granted, I am not usually that lucky, but one can dream.

Is your house for sale right now? It may be too late already.

[Dakster]

Putting it up next Month... And hopefully it isn't too late....