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We are moving to the Midwest in March. No jobs. Scary and risky? Yes. Necessary and no other choice, yes. Sometimes you have to go where your family is, where the help is, where people can join together and help each other. That's why we're going. I've tried applying for jobs online, but no luck so far. It's hard to find a job in a small town unless you're there, because most of those small companies want to see you in person, or don't even have a website for applying online. So, yes, we are moving from CA to the Midwest in a month, with no jobs. But we do have some savings, and a place to live lined up. Sometimes you have to do what you have to do, whether we're in a recession or not. I guarantee if we stayed in our current situation, we would NOT ride out this recession very well at all. We are racking up our bills, living paycheck to paycheck and getting ourselves in a financial hole because cost of living in CA is so high.
Gosh...I'm glad I'm not the only one who has been thinking of things like this!
My husband and I are thinking about moving and really have to make a decision soon b/c of a job situation...so what may happen in a 1 1/2 years we need to decide on in like a month or two! It is so hard b/c living in a small town, with all your family nearby makes life here seem pretty good. And we are happy...but we think we can be happy somewhere else too. Maybe that is the key. There's no rule that says you can't be happy in more than one place.
I just think it can be difficult...the job market here in Ohio is pretty crappy (for lack of a better word) and while it isn't GREAT in other places...we've done some research and it is better, with better pay. Ugh...who knows.
Green grass? Try frozen front yard
It's funny..we up and left friends, kids, babies in CA a couple of months ago and moved to Chi for my husbands job. We both love it here....it's so different here...and so ... well... different...people, climate, hoods...
Every now and then when one of the grandbabies has a milestone(walking) and we know we could be there to see it...we joke about going back...but in truth... we don't want to go back to the same old...which is what it would be....the long commute...awful traffic....etc...
Moving with a job is hard enough. Don't compound it with moving without a job.
I was lucky and found a job within 3 weeks of moving....
Don't even get me started about housing....
I'm here for the long run...and I choose to love the place I'm in
And my husband and I am together...with our dogs... we're complete wherever we are.
Hi Suprnova - I have a friend who moved from CA to Chicago during a horrible time in her life... unfaithful husband, debt problems, she had a new job she was starting back there, alone, no friends, but she landed on her feet and absolutely loves Chicago, found a great guy.. it worked out really well for her.. anyway, we're thinking of leaving CA but like you, we have grandbabies. How are you handling it? I know we'll miss them, but its exciting to think about a new place, start phase III of our lives. Any tips?
How many of you out there are in a situation where you need to move, but aren't because of the economy? And how many of you are moving anyway?
MY husband and I moved where we are now with the intention of staying three years. We are coming up on that three year mark this summer and really NEED to get out of here. We are unhappy, unhealthy, and miserable, although trying to make the best of it. But now we are facing the economy and wondering what to do. I am a nurse, but even jobs for nurses aren't a sure bet anymore. Who out there is in a similar situation and moving anyway, or not? Tell me your stories! We are planning to move anyway, and have a fair amount of money saved up, but are we doing the right thing? That is a rhetorical question, but tell me what you are doing.
Life is too short to be miserabe. If you have the savings you should go. I always listen to my gut, it usually works out just fine. Nurses are still very marketable.. have you ever looked in to State work? I know the prisons are hiring nurses all the time. We're planning to take the leap sometime down the road, we just have to sell our house. Kind of like a big adventure. Good luck to you.
MeganAK, I say go for it if you think that you have sufficient savings. I am in the process of moving myself in a few months (just want to make sure that I have enough money saved for emergencies and othe unexpected costs). In a time when things seem to be spinning out of control, the one thing we can control is our happiness. Do the research on where you want to move. What is the unemployment rate there? What is the cost of living ratio? What woud your budget look like if you did move there? these things can tell you if you have enough saved. If you feel you do then follow your heart and make yourselves happy. Best of luck to you.
I guarantee if we stayed in our current situation, we would NOT ride out this recession very well at all. We are racking up our bills, living paycheck to paycheck and getting ourselves in a financial hole because cost of living in CA is so high.
Reading all these posts makes me smile. I guess sometimes it is nice just to know that I am not alone in my anxiety and fears, but also my drive to move, even if it makes things more difficult. The post above summarizes our main issue with staying put right now. We are in a rural part of Alaska with no road access- planes in and out only. The cost of living is INSANELY high, with rent being over $2,000, gas has held steady at $6.00 a gallon, and food is outrageous. The hospital up here is not going to lay us off, but there will come a time when they can no longer pay us a reasonable amount to afford to live here, and I don't want to be here when that happens. I used to agree with the person who said that we choose our own happiness, no matter where we are, but i don't really feel that way anymore. Yes, I try my best to be happy as a general rule, but where we are living now, we can't see family and friends without a grossly expensive trip, we can't go for a drive, or a road trip, we can't have a date night out to hear live music or go to a nice restaurant, we can walk on the beach if we don't mind it being frozen 8 months of the year. Anyway, I know that we could probably make ourselves stay here for a bit and wait out the economy, but I guess what it really comes down to is that we don't want to, and it is comforting to know there are other people out there who are in the same boat and going for it anyway. I feel like someday when I am older, and look back on my life, I would be sad that I spent time someplace that made me feel empty inside, that makes me feel trapped. Things might be more difficult financially if we leave, but I am just tired of living in a place that feels like a third world and is only going to get worse as the economy crashes.
To all of you out there who are making the move despite your fears, you are my inspiration! I do think that we have to constantly search for and actively participate in making our dreams come true. My dream is to have a house on some land, have a nice garden and can grow some of my own food, maybe have some chickens, raise my kid the way I was raised- with a sense of awe for the natural world.
Right now we don't have kids, we don't have debt, and we feel like it is a calculated risk to leave, but one we are willing to take. Anyway, thanks for everyone who put in their two cents on this issue. We are all just trying to figure out where we fit into this world!
To Gypsy, where in the Midwest are you looking? We are also looking there. I am originally from the Midwest, so it would be back home for me after a twelve year absence in Alaska.
To Gypsy, where in the Midwest are you looking? We are also looking there. I am originally from the Midwest, so it would be back home for me after a twelve year absence in Alaska.
Southeast Iowa. That's where my husband's whole family is, where he LOVED growing up. We will have a house on acreage, have a garden, swim in ponds, etc.. I too, want my children to grow up with a sense of awe for the natural world!
How many of you out there are in a situation where you need to move, but aren't because of the economy? And how many of you are moving anyway?
MY husband and I moved where we are now with the intention of staying three years. We are coming up on that three year mark this summer and really NEED to get out of here. We are unhappy, unhealthy, and miserable, although trying to make the best of it. But now we are facing the economy and wondering what to do. I am a nurse, but even jobs for nurses aren't a sure bet anymore. Who out there is in a similar situation and moving anyway, or not? Tell me your stories! We are planning to move anyway, and have a fair amount of money saved up, but are we doing the right thing? That is a rhetorical question, but tell me what you are doing.
I'm in a situation similar to yours. I want to move, but can't because I can't find a job in the city I want to move to. I know the economy is bad all over, but where I live, the high cost of living, bad traffic, and lousy weather only make it feel worse. If I have to deal with a tough job market, I'd rather it be in a cheaper city with better weather and less congestion. But I would not move if I were you. I thought about moving, thinking that I had enough saved up to live off til I found a job. But I realize now that would be taking a huge risk. Not only would I be eating into my savings, I might run out. And as my savings ran out, I might become more desperate and take a job I'd hate. Plus, I'd have a hard time finding a place to rent without a job. So I understand your frustration. But it really is better to stay put and ride out the storm. I'm sure you already know that and don't need me to tell you. I have to tell myself this everyday cause I'm more than ready to move. I have no house to sell and have money saved up. But I know that no matter how prepared I think I am, I'm probably underestimating how difficult it'll be.
Gypsy- my family is from Iowa- my grandparents still live on a farm in Winterset. I would consider moving there but i would miss the snow. It's a great place, though. Good luck!
Just as an update, we have decided to move anyway. My husband will work on finishing his certifications to be a Boiler Tech, and I will start looking for nursing positions. Ultimately, it IS about happiness, and even if we struggle initially, we will have LOTs of family close by that we can lean on if we have to, and here we have none. We will have road access to services while here we have none. My husband and I also talk about what would happen here if we got pregnant. We wouldn't even be able to survive here on one income because of the cost of living. I don't think that would be true elsewhere. I am tired of snow in May, I am tired of frozen ocean. I am tired of tundra. I am tired of $2000 rent. I am tired of spending so much money on groceries. I am tired of not being able to grow any food. I am tired of having nothing to do and nowhere to go and feeling trapped in a community wiht no roads! And I hate to fly! Anyway, thanks for everyone's thoughts. They were all very valuable! I think all of us right now are having to make decisions that we may not like or feel totally comfortable with, but we can't put our lives on hold while everything falls apart around us. So thanks to everyone. We will let you know how it all turns out. We have 105 days and counting......
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