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Old 01-01-2010, 02:34 PM
 
Location: Central Fl
2,903 posts, read 12,491,367 times
Reputation: 2900

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Quote:
Originally Posted by RMD3819 View Post
Please don't take these comments as harsh. I am trying to be constructive here.

"Almost everything in Florida is cheaper, that is why the pay is lower in Florida." This is a myth. Some things are cheaper, others more expensive, and much depends on your lifestyle choices. If you search around long enough you will find comparisons from folks who have actually done it and the conclusion is nearly always the same-the same standard of living costs the same in FL or the NE/MW. The lower COL=lower pay is the companion myth. Your pay will be lower, but the COL (even if lower) will be way out of proportion to your pay cut.

You sound desperate to get out of CT. I'm not trying to discourage you. Florida is a great place. Millions of people live here. The key is realistic expectations. Your post follows a very common theme we see here (especially in the winter):

Desperate to escape the cold, they figure Florida is warm so it must be utopia. They are cold and miserable so might as well be warm and miserable. They post here with the following requirements (this is an exaggeration, but not by much):
-Good jobs
-Good schools
-Low crime
-Low COL
-Low housing costs
-No hurricanes
-And last but not least...close to the beach!

They have no job skills, money, or family support. They are "open to anything", "hard workers", "need a fresh start", or "need to cleanse my soul".

They don't want to believe the responses that contradict their dream of Florida from people who actually live here. If they can only just get here, life will be puppies and rainbows. They pack up the car and move. They get here and the dream evaporates. The payscales don't match the COL. Jobs, even if you can find one, won't pay more than $10/hour. The school system standards are WAY lower than what they are used to. Life here is not like it is on the postcards. They are not going to the beach everyday.

I know you didn't post here asking about all those things. I typed that just as an example of unrealistic expectations. Don't fall into that trap.

The success stories here-and there ARE success stories-also follow a pattern. These people moved here with jobs lined up, are retired with a pension income, or are wealthy.

It all comes down to realistic expectations.
Well written post.

Bottom line.....not enough info given here by the OP. What skills do they have? Do they have kids? What do they do now? Etc,Etc.....

Let's not fight about cost of living by state. There are too many variables. YOU HAVE TO DO YOUR HOMEWORK.

My experience is in comparing western NY to Central Florida.
Water is way higher in Florida. I have no idea why.
Gas is cheaper in Florida.
My utilities are cheaper in Florida. It costs more to heat my NY home then it does to cool my Florida home.
Milk is higher in Florida. Food is about the same, perhaps a bit higher in Florida.
My taxes are much lower in Florida.
My homeowners insurance is much higher in Florida.
I think there is a savings in Florida with cars lasting longer because of no rust.
Snow removal is cheaper in Florida.
I use more sunscreen in Florida.
Wine costs more. A 3 liter box costs the same as a 5 liter box does in NY. Florida has some dumb law prohibiting 5 liter boxes. (I buy cheap wine cuz I'm cheap).

All in all, I think I will have a lower cost of living in Florida, but some of that is from downsizing. This would be different for everyone.....do your homework. I'll let you all know for sure in 549 days.

Frank
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Old 01-01-2010, 03:00 PM
 
Location: Amherst, MA
3,636 posts, read 9,723,341 times
Reputation: 1761
Quote:
Originally Posted by RMD3819 View Post
Please don't take these comments as harsh. I am trying to be constructive here.

"Almost everything in Florida is cheaper, that is why the pay is lower in Florida." This is a myth. Some things are cheaper, others more expensive, and much depends on your lifestyle choices. If you search around long enough you will find comparisons from folks who have actually done it and the conclusion is nearly always the same-the same standard of living costs the same in FL or the NE/MW. The lower COL=lower pay is the companion myth. Your pay will be lower, but the COL (even if lower) will be way out of proportion to your pay cut.

You sound desperate to get out of CT. I'm not trying to discourage you. Florida is a great place. Millions of people live here. The key is realistic expectations. Your post follows a very common theme we see here (especially in the winter):

Desperate to escape the cold, they figure Florida is warm so it must be utopia. They are cold and miserable so might as well be warm and miserable. They post here with the following requirements (this is an exaggeration, but not by much):
-Good jobs
-Good schools
-Low crime
-Low COL
-Low housing costs
-No hurricanes
-And last but not least...close to the beach!

They have no job skills, money, or family support. They are "open to anything", "hard workers", "need a fresh start", or "need to cleanse my soul".

They don't want to believe the responses that contradict their dream of Florida from people who actually live here. If they can only just get here, life will be puppies and rainbows. They pack up the car and move. They get here and the dream evaporates. The payscales don't match the COL. Jobs, even if you can find one, won't pay more than $10/hour. The school system standards are WAY lower than what they are used to. Life here is not like it is on the postcards. They are not going to the beach everyday.

I know you didn't post here asking about all those things. I typed that just as an example of unrealistic expectations. Don't fall into that trap.

The success stories here-and there ARE success stories-also follow a pattern. These people moved here with jobs lined up, are retired with a pension income, or are wealthy.

It all comes down to realistic expectations.
Probably one of the absolute BEST posts I have read on here in a LONG time..... Hit it right on the head!!!! Rep for you!!!!!!
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Old 01-01-2010, 03:11 PM
 
Location: Amherst, MA
3,636 posts, read 9,723,341 times
Reputation: 1761
A lot of times we who all actually do live here, need to back off on the hard headed people who insist they are doing the right thing and let them come down here and find out for themselves, be it the "hard way" or possibly they will make it. At this time personally I would not make the move, but when I did the adventure to FL blindly in 1994 it was a different world, and a different Florida too. I have a friend who moved to FL this past Sept from CT, they came with the same rose colored glasses, and where are they now? In CT, they stayed for 3 weeks..... It's something you either like or hate, this state of Florida. I like everything but the heat and humidity above 81 degrees. I like my job, I like Estero, when the time comes I will move on, but for now I am content. After 15 years FL grows onto you and it's in your blood, but my homestate is where my heart is.

If things are lined up right it could be a good move, if not... It could be a nightmare..... just my .02
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Old 01-25-2010, 11:44 AM
 
Location: CT
7 posts, read 18,695 times
Reputation: 11
I agree with all the posts everyone is saying somewhat...For some more info about skills and such, I will say we have no kids, 25-30 age, both bachelor's degrees, in business and political science, been working fulltime in the "real world" for about 4-5 years.

We have definitely done our homework, it would be stupid for someone to just pick up and leave without doing homework on the area. We have friends who have made the move from CT to FL, this is not why we are moving, we are not following them. But, about 2 of them are not happy in Florida, be it a job, or just don't like the area they decided. And we have friends who love it, and are doing great and would never move back! It is all the type of person you are, if you end up liking it or not. The reason why we posted on here, is to continue doing our homework and find out more info from the people who already live here. But we are still young no kids yet, so within the next year is the best time to move down before any kids come, etc...that way, if we do not like, or do not have success we can easily move back, and don't have to worry about pulling kids out of school and the rest of it.
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Old 01-25-2010, 08:12 PM
 
Location: Fort Myers FL/ Ottawa ON
1,210 posts, read 3,269,302 times
Reputation: 494
can you swing taking a month off and slowly driving from boca chica Tx around and down to Key West, then back up to Charleston?

this is what we did searching for our snowbirding nest. We ended up in SWF for this, but if I was younger, I would probably go to Houston. Huge economy, palm trees, gulf beaches an hour away.
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Old 01-26-2010, 01:00 AM
 
Location: The Conterminous United States
22,584 posts, read 54,033,362 times
Reputation: 13612
Quote:
Originally Posted by LDROXY525 View Post
I agree with all the posts everyone is saying somewhat...For some more info about skills and such, I will say we have no kids, 25-30 age, both bachelor's degrees, in business and political science, been working fulltime in the "real world" for about 4-5 years.

We have definitely done our homework, it would be stupid for someone to just pick up and leave without doing homework on the area. We have friends who have made the move from CT to FL, this is not why we are moving, we are not following them. But, about 2 of them are not happy in Florida, be it a job, or just don't like the area they decided. And we have friends who love it, and are doing great and would never move back! It is all the type of person you are, if you end up liking it or not. The reason why we posted on here, is to continue doing our homework and find out more info from the people who already live here. But we are still young no kids yet, so within the next year is the best time to move down before any kids come, etc...that way, if we do not like, or do not have success we can easily move back, and don't have to worry about pulling kids out of school and the rest of it.
Make sure you have a job. I don't know where you friends moved to in Florida, but it is a big state, with unemployment rates that vary a lot. Unemployment in the Lee and Collier County areas is some of the worst in the country. And much, much worse than anything in CT. I'd really consider kroeran's advice. TX has jobs. Best of luck to you.
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Old 01-26-2010, 05:12 AM
 
Location: Florida
917 posts, read 2,603,374 times
Reputation: 288
.
Quote:
Florida Unemployment Numbers Increase in December


State's unemployment at 11.8 percent in December; highest in Florida in almost 35 years


By BRENT KALLESTAD Associated Press Writer
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. January 22, 2010 (AP)


More people were jobless in Florida last month than live in the state of Rhode Island.
Nearly 1,087,000 workers were searching for a paycheck in Florida in December, which is more than Rhode Island's 2008 population of 1,050,788.


Florida's unemployment rate increased to 11.8 percent, the highest rate since May of 1975 when 11.9 percent of the state's work force was idled, the Agency for Workforce Innovation reported Friday.
And things aren't looking brighter in the short term for Florida, which was one of 43 states nationally reporting higher jobless figures Friday.
Legislative economist Amy Baker predicted earlier this week that Florida will lag behind the rest of the nation in recovering from the latest recession largely because of the state's housing surplus where there are more than a half million homes in foreclosure. Baker said Florida's unemployment will likely peak at 12 percent later this year.

Most jobs have been lost were in the construction, trade and professional areas. The only growth sector in much of 2009 was in health care where there is a shortage of 12,000 nursing jobs. Florida Unemployment Numbers Increase in December - ABC News
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