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I see the usual, predictable Daytona haters are perched in this thread.
I live in Daytona, so I can tell you realistic viewpoints. Beachside is fine everywhere. Now I wouldn't live anywhere on the mainland near Mason Ave. in Daytona Beach proper, but there are plenty of other nice areas. Ormond is fine, Daytona Beach Shores (where I live) is nice, South Daytona is nice, Port Orange is really nice, and Ponce Inlet is pretty fantastic. Take a drive along Peninsula Dr. on beachside and you'll see how much of a "slum" Daytona is NOT. Just stay away from the northern part of it on the mainland. Anything south is fine. Good luck!
Mateo, there's nothing more accurate then hearing from someone who actually lives in an area. I'm sure that most of us value what you have to say on the subject and I'm glad you posted! We've visited the area and didn't get the impression that it was a run-down area full of slums and white trash. I don't see things through rose-colored glasses. Neither do I see things through a dark cloud of negativism and it appears you are the same way!
I know, another "I want to move to Florida thread", but seriously, after living in west Michigan for the past 20+ years with 9 months of cold, unending cloudy days, lots of snow, rain, icy roads and sidewalks to slip on, my boyfriend and I have been talking about moving to someplace in Florida for the past 5 years. We're barely surviving here, so our attitude is we'd rather be barely surviving in someplace where we would at least have sun and warm weather to go out for walks and be able to open the windows. That's where the question comes in- has anyone just packed up their belongings and left with no real place to go; no job waiting for them. Situation now: I am on disability from two different low back disorders. I worked my whole life up until 2 years ago when my back disorders got so severe I ended up on disability. My boyfriend has done a little bit of everything, but was mainly in the construction, landscaping and printing business for 15 years making a decent living, but was laid off from that about 5 years ago; printing/bindery work practically obsolete. He has been working in retail for the past 3 years making $7.40 an hour and is extremely hard-working and his manager said he did the work of 3 or 4 people. We live in an apartment for $700/month. I get a little over $600/month on disability,$100 is taken out for medicare. So we know what it's like to struggle and be poor. We just need a new start somewhere where we have sun and warmth; the constant cold, clouds & snow make me hurt even more. I live in constant pain and don't ever want to go out in this weather. I know it sounds so unrealistic, but certainly we're not the first people to have ever done this. Would love to hear from people that actually have just packed up and left with less than ideal circumstances, like being very low income and not having a job waiting for them when they get there. We also have no relatives that live in Florida (or the south) to stay with until something possibly works out. We're not asking for a lot, just need a fresh start in a place with sun and warm weather.
I suppose if you are close to destitute your logic of living in a warm place rather than a cold place makes some sense, however with you not working and hubby looking at minimum wage jobs i'd make sure your vehicle of choice is a full size van as theres a good possibility you might be living in it..
In reply to the above comment: Volusia County is the LOWEST paying county in the USA! Yes, housing may be cheaper, but NO jobs unless you want to commute to Daytona (25 miles) or Orlando (30-50 miles) so there goes your savings on rent-it all goes to gas. I lived in Deltona (Volusia) for 14 years, 7 of which I was unemployed (not by choice) and finally packed up and moved-I still own a house there and all, but can't afford to live there, let alone enjoy life!
I would like to see the statistics on this. Also, you do realize that Daytona is IN Volusia County, so I am not sure where your 25 miles logic comes into play. I wouldn't live in Deltona if you paid me to so good job getting out, maybe you should have tried another city in Volusia County..oh thats right, they were too far.
I know, another "I want to move to Florida thread", but seriously, after living in west Michigan for the past 20+ years with 9 months of cold, unending cloudy days, lots of snow, rain, icy roads and sidewalks to slip on, my boyfriend and I have been talking about moving to someplace in Florida for the past 5 years. We're barely surviving here, so our attitude is we'd rather be barely surviving in someplace where we would at least have sun and warm weather to go out for walks and be able to open the windows. That's where the question comes in- has anyone just packed up their belongings and left with no real place to go; no job waiting for them. Situation now: I am on disability from two different low back disorders. I worked my whole life up until 2 years ago when my back disorders got so severe I ended up on disability. My boyfriend has done a little bit of everything, but was mainly in the construction, landscaping and printing business for 15 years making a decent living, but was laid off from that about 5 years ago; printing/bindery work practically obsolete. He has been working in retail for the past 3 years making $7.40 an hour and is extremely hard-working and his manager said he did the work of 3 or 4 people. We live in an apartment for $700/month. I get a little over $600/month on disability,$100 is taken out for medicare. So we know what it's like to struggle and be poor. We just need a new start somewhere where we have sun and warmth; the constant cold, clouds & snow make me hurt even more. I live in constant pain and don't ever want to go out in this weather. I know it sounds so unrealistic, but certainly we're not the first people to have ever done this. Would love to hear from people that actually have just packed up and left with less than ideal circumstances, like being very low income and not having a job waiting for them when they get there. We also have no relatives that live in Florida (or the south) to stay with until something possibly works out. We're not asking for a lot, just need a fresh start in a place with sun and warm weather.
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Research Your Destination
Embracing an action-oriented philosophy doesn't mean packing your bags without knowing where you're going. If anything, moving without a job lined up requires additional planning, as your knowledge of your new home will likely play a role in your success there. In particular, scout out the options available there. Find the relevant contacts before you leave, rather than while you're trying to navigate a new city.
Network in Advance
By the time you depart, you should have the names of at least five people to contact once you arrive. These need not be professional contacts -- just individuals with whom you can meet in a cafe, learn the names of other contacts and start meeting people to help you locate job opportunities. Contacts matter in any job search, but they're essential when you're in a strange place.
Know How Long Your Money Will Last
Unless you're certain you've got in-demand skills, plan on a minimum of three months without a paycheck. You would be wise to plan for six months. Unless you can embark on the trip feeling your funds will be well-spent no matter what comes of it, don't do it.
Be Ready for Anything
To get the job you really want, depending on the market, you may have to be willing to accept all different sorts of assignments in the interim -- child care, dog-walking, bartending. That's part of the reason relocating without a job is typically more attractive to people in their 20s. You may not have to walk dogs for months, but opportunities tend to multiply, and if you begin to accept one or two jobs -- however far from the ideal -- you're likely to find others in the future.
Have an Exit Strategy
Things not working out in your new home? You need an exit strategy. More than anything, that means keeping channels open with friends, colleagues and former bosses. Store your resume somewhere online, like on Monster, for easy reference, and have it ready to go when you decide to return. You'll even be able to apply for jobs before you get back
Texas has the 2 lowest paying counties in the US. Not Fl, not Volusia.
Quote:
Originally Posted by ashyfishy
In reply to the above comment: Volusia County is the LOWEST paying county in the USA! Yes, housing may be cheaper, but NO jobs unless you want to commute to Daytona (25 miles) or Orlando (30-50 miles) so there goes your savings on rent-it all goes to gas. I lived in Deltona (Volusia) for 14 years, 7 of which I was unemployed (not by choice) and finally packed up and moved-I still own a house there and all, but can't afford to live there, let alone enjoy life!
Florida may be more difficult than you realize. Most towns are not planned to allow for walking, biking, or short rides to commerce. In some towns, you'll have a 10 to 15 minute commute just to go grocery shopping. There are some towns that are better planned, but that's really not common in Florida. Unless you live in a really big city, there's generally no public transportation, either.
As far as social assistance, Florida has not expanded Medicaid, and it also has a lower unemployment payment rate. If someone is laid off from work, no matter how much he makes, the highest amount of unemployment he can get is minimum wage.
Rental assistance is back-logged. People who try for Section-8 often wait years (an hopefully by then they've moved to a better location or have gotten better paying jobs).
Electric bills are high in the summer, spring, fall, and sometimes winter. In the winter, you may find yourself switching from cooling the house to heating the house. We don't really have winters, just cold, wet cold snaps that come and go--although, southern Florida doesn't really get too many of them.
Most of Florida is flat. Most of the state parks look the same with a few exceptions. The Springs in Central Florida are pretty awesome,though, but expect a long drive to many of them.
Florida DOES pay lower in many places than others, but we Floridians are quick to forget that we pay no state taxes: thus the lower amount of social assistance programs.
Free stuff to do is hard to find in many Florida places. Parks are scattered, and many libraries are struggling to keep pace. Some towns have no libraries or they have very limited libraries (for example, in Bunnell, Florida, the library is mostly a legal library with a few shelves of books and it is only open M, W, and F from 8 am to 5 pm. Again, many towns are not set up to where you can just walk or make a short drive to the library.
Not all beaches have easy parking access, and many charge parking fees.
Hot weather is fine until you're dawning a suit for a job interview in August (or working construction or a road side job). Hot weather isn't so bad, but Florida is surrounded by warm moist air. Beach towns get breezes that help lower the heat index because of evaporative cooling, but those towns are super expensive. A few miles inland and the heat index is usually much higher than the actual temperature. So, when it's 95 degrees in August, you'll feel like it's 104. It's not the heat that people complain so much about, but it's the humidity.
With regard to finding a job, remember that it may be difficult--not just because unemployment is high (10 percent for the state, and 14 percent where I live in Florida), but because many businesses are scattered all about. You won't find too many towns where you just walk to the center and start inquiring about jobs. The transportation thing in Florida is a real issue. Look at the towns on Google Maps and compare them to other towns in Michigan.
If you're absolutely sure you want to come to Florida, get find a social seed--someone with whom you can connect and who can help you find rentals, jobs, Etc. Get someone who is willing to let you use their address on resumes before you come. See if you can contact a Chamber of Commerce to get a phone book sent to you.
Good luck--follow your heart, but do some research to make sure it's really, really, what you'll expect it to be.
Embracing an action-oriented philosophy doesn't mean packing your bags without knowing where you're going. If anything, moving without a job lined up requires additional planning, as your knowledge of your new home will likely play a role in your success there. In particular, scout out the options available there. Find the relevant contacts before you leave, rather than while you're trying to navigate a new city.
Network in Advance
By the time you depart, you should have the names of at least five people to contact once you arrive. These need not be professional contacts -- just individuals with whom you can meet in a cafe, learn the names of other contacts and start meeting people to help you locate job opportunities. Contacts matter in any job search, but they're essential when you're in a strange place.
Know How Long Your Money Will Last
Unless you're certain you've got in-demand skills, plan on a minimum of three months without a paycheck. You would be wise to plan for six months. Unless you can embark on the trip feeling your funds will be well-spent no matter what comes of it, don't do it.
Be Ready for Anything
To get the job you really want, depending on the market, you may have to be willing to accept all different sorts of assignments in the interim -- child care, dog-walking, bartending. That's part of the reason relocating without a job is typically more attractive to people in their 20s. You may not have to walk dogs for months, but opportunities tend to multiply, and if you begin to accept one or two jobs -- however far from the ideal -- you're likely to find others in the future.
Have an Exit Strategy
Things not working out in your new home? You need an exit strategy. More than anything, that means keeping channels open with friends, colleagues and former bosses. Store your resume somewhere online, like on Monster, for easy reference, and have it ready to go when you decide to return. You'll even be able to apply for jobs before you get back
I know, another "I want to move to Florida thread", but seriously, after living in west Michigan for the past 20+ years with 9 months of cold, unending cloudy days, lots of snow, rain, icy roads and sidewalks to slip on, my boyfriend and I have been talking about moving to someplace in Florida for the past 5 years. We're barely surviving here, so our attitude is we'd rather be barely surviving in someplace where we would at least have sun and warm weather to go out for walks and be able to open the windows. That's where the question comes in- has anyone just packed up their belongings and left with no real place to go; no job waiting for them. Situation now: I am on disability from two different low back disorders. I worked my whole life up until 2 years ago when my back disorders got so severe I ended up on disability. My boyfriend has done a little bit of everything, but was mainly in the construction, landscaping and printing business for 15 years making a decent living, but was laid off from that about 5 years ago; printing/bindery work practically obsolete. He has been working in retail for the past 3 years making $7.40 an hour and is extremely hard-working and his manager said he did the work of 3 or 4 people. We live in an apartment for $700/month. I get a little over $600/month on disability,$100 is taken out for medicare. So we know what it's like to struggle and be poor. We just need a new start somewhere where we have sun and warmth; the constant cold, clouds & snow make me hurt even more. I live in constant pain and don't ever want to go out in this weather. I know it sounds so unrealistic, but certainly we're not the first people to have ever done this. Would love to hear from people that actually have just packed up and left with less than ideal circumstances, like being very low income and not having a job waiting for them when they get there. We also have no relatives that live in Florida (or the south) to stay with until something possibly works out. We're not asking for a lot, just need a fresh start in a place with sun and warm weather.
1. How are you getting to Florida? Bus, truck, train, plane....?
2. Okay, so you're in FL....what's next? Where do you live?
3. Walk me through your next 72 hours...... (3 days)
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