[INeedAChange]

that's true, especially if you have children. It all depends on how much you're willing to sacrifice. Will you live in a studio apartment, in a marginal neighborhood with no car, so that you can be in Fla.? Is it worth it?

Originally Posted by macguy

Thats a problem also, you can't just decide to live meagerly or make a few sacrifices. You still may go under regardless.

[macguy]

Originally Posted by INeedAChange

that's true, especially if you have children. It all depends on how much you're willing to sacrifice. Will you live in a studio apartment, in a marginal neighborhood with no car, so that you can be in Fla.? Is it worth it?

The worst part is that in most cases it takes both parents working to get by. Im am not making judgments on the way people live their lives but kids need more then part time parents.

[Cameron Cayman]

I will agree that living in Fla. is a lot like living anywhere else in many regards. But, since basically my whole family are Fla. natives and I've spent so much time there.....to me it never had the "Florida mystique" or visions of paradise like so many seem to have. I found out that, since leaving Fla. I've lived in KY and Tennesee and basically do the same things that I did in florida...lived the same kind of life, etc.

I didn't hang out at the beach all day when I lived in Fla., the ocean was no big deal, I mean, yeah, I knew it was there, but I didn't hear a choir singing every time I drove past it. Every once in a while, on a saturday, we would go out to the beach. But, when you're on vacation in Fla., usually you have a beach front room/condo and it's easy access. But, when you live here, you've got to pack up the car with all the "beach stuff" drive over there, fight the vacationers in traffic, find a parking place, etc.....

Similarly, in TN. I don't go hiking, etc. all the time. The beautiful mountain scenery is all around me, and it's nice, but eventually, it just blends in and becomes part of the routine. Don't get the wrong idea, Fla. is nice, but so are many, many other places.....just be advised....it's probably not a good idea to come down thinking and/or expecting some sort of paradise. It's not, unless you're very well off financially; but, for millions of every day folks who have to work, pay bills, and go through the daily grind, Florida is just another place to live.

[SouthernBelle3]

Well heatwave, you said it so much better than I.

[Petertherock]

I am still in a toss up. Right now I am living at home with my parents. Since I am single and just getting back on my feet with a new job which I haven't actually started yet I am starting over. I will be making $10/hour. If I had to live on my own here in Maine I couldn't do it any better than I could in Florida. Here in the Portland Maine area you are looking at $700-$800 for a 1 BR apartment in a decent area. You might be able to get a studio for about $500-600. From what I read it's pretty much the same in Florida. The wages from what I see is about the same (9-10/hour for the security field)

At least in Florida I wouldn't have to worry about snow and -30 temps for 6 months of the year. If anyone knows of any other warm climates with palm trees and better job market then let's here it.

[UB50]

I used to live in Florida but I left. There were things I liked when I left but none of them would make me want to move back.

The things I didn't like?:

1) I wanted to live in a *real* city -- not a place pretending to be a city. I wanted to work in a highrise and when lunch came around, join a throng of people on the streets walking to various restaurants.

2) I craved the culture that you only get in a big city. Museums, plays (professional plays, not high school productions), music, that kind of thing.

3) I got tired of feeling like every person I met was a tourist. In some parts of Florida, it literally felt like everyone was on vacation.

4) Paychecks really sucked. If you are young, you can't get the decent jobs because someone who took an early retirement at 45 and has tons of experience is willing to do the same job for minimum wage.

5) Workers have no rights in Florida. Employers treat them like throwaway bodies for the most part. Layoffs are so incredibly common.

6) After I left Florida, I realized I really DIDN'T like the weather there. The humidity sucks! Not to mention what salt in the air does to cars.

7) I didn't miss the bugs either -- or the wildlife which seemed to consist of armadillos, alligators, snakes, lovebugs, and those birds that ride on the cattle. Where where all the soft cuddly animals like squirrels, mice, and rabbits? The little green treefrogs are cute though...

8) Everything was so frickin' far away. I lived in one place where I had to drive 8 miles to get to anything: grocery store, fast food, gas station, even the 7/11. It's fine until you actually have to drive that on a regular basis.

About the only thing I really missed after I left was the natural beauty of the area I grew up in.

[sunrico90]

Originally Posted by SouthernBelle3

Well heatwave, you said it so much better than I.

I'm in a business trip to Lex KY, the temperature in the car yesterday afternoon was 113 degrees....Just a bit hotter than Florida....

[sunrico90]

Originally Posted by UB50

I used to live in Florida but I left. There were things I liked when I left but none of them would make me want to move back.

The things I didn't like?:

1) I wanted to live in a *real* city -- not a place pretending to be a city. I wanted to work in a highrise and when lunch came around, join a throng of people on the streets walking to various restaurants.

2) I craved the culture that you only get in a big city. Museums, plays (professional plays, not high school productions), music, that kind of thing.

3) I got tired of feeling like every person I met was a tourist. In some parts of Florida, it literally felt like everyone was on vacation.

4) Paychecks really sucked. If you are young, you can't get the decent jobs because someone who took an early retirement at 45 and has tons of experience is willing to do the same job for minimum wage.

5) Workers have no rights in Florida. Employers treat them like throwaway bodies for the most part. Layoffs are so incredibly common.

6) After I left Florida, I realized I really DIDN'T like the weather there. The humidity sucks! Not to mention what salt in the air does to cars.

7) I didn't miss the bugs either -- or the wildlife which seemed to consist of armadillos, alligators, snakes, lovebugs, and those birds that ride on the cattle. Where where all the soft cuddly animals like squirrels, mice, and rabbits? The little green treefrogs are cute though...

8) Everything was so frickin' far away. I lived in one place where I had to drive 8 miles to get to anything: grocery store, fast food, gas station, even the 7/11. It's fine until you actually have to drive that on a regular basis.

About the only thing I really missed after I left was the natural beauty of the area I grew up in.

Interesting Post, please describe each point for your current location. Sound like you find your paradise away from Florida....

[pslOldTimer]

Long time readers of the Florida forum know what I'm about to say.

I feel compelled to remind you that it gets cold up there.

'nough said

[121804]

It gets cold up there for short PERIODS of time, not months. It will get nasty cold for 1-2 weeks, warm up, get cold again, warm up for quite a while. Then a snow storm will come along in April & melt 2 days later b/c it is 50 degrees. There is variety...wonderful variety.

Here, it has been hot, sticky & humid for about 2 straight months with about another 2 to go.

It just never lets up in SW FL...hot, humid & sticky from June to October.

People like different things