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One of the dilemmas that I am coming to realize is that relocating far from family can be a deal breaker. I am somewhat close to my family. At a minimum, I would like to be able to see them at least three times per year. But, it seems like most jobs only give about 10 vacation/PTO days per year. That's ridiculous. Right now I get 23 PTO days per year. But to have only 10 days available per year means that I would essentially have to waste most of those days on traveling to visit family and sleeping over their house for a few nights each time. That basically means that I would have almost no days leftover to myself to take a real vacation, and far less likely to be able to take the occasional day off here and there. Ugh!
Not to mention, if I wanted to fly to CT to visit family, it would end up costing well over $1,000 per year in travel costs (airfare, parking, etc.).
And I know that nobody in my family would make an effort to fly out and visit me. I know how they are and they don't like to travel much. They rarely ever even visit their own parents down in Florida.
Has anybody else experienced this kind of predicament first hand? How do you cope with it?
Do people often underestimate the importance of proximity to family and friends when making the decision to relocate long distance?
I am beginning to think that being extra far from family is not worth it, just to have a lower cost of living or other superficial things like climate or whatever. After all, family and friends are more important than economics and cost of living issues, right?
Are you sure it's only 10 days P T O? That seems very low. Maybe that's 10 days vacation plus some sick days (which of course won't do you any good for travel). Do you get some holiday time?
We dealt with this problem, and used holiday time to get some extra time without using up so much vacation time. Can't help with the money prob except to say "watch for the deals". Our family didn't travel much either but they got better over time.
Are you sure it's only 10 days P T O? That seems very low. Maybe that's 10 days vacation plus some sick days (which of course won't do you any good for travel). Do you get some holiday time?
We dealt with this problem, and used holiday time to get some extra time without using up so much vacation time. Can't help with the money prob except to say "watch for the deals". Our family didn't travel much either but they got better over time.
Well most jobs in general only give 10 PTO days (not counting sick days given). And traveling on holidays means higher airfare prices, which sucks.
Well most jobs in general only give 10 PTO days (not counting sick days given). And traveling on holidays means higher airfare prices, which sucks.
Actually, flying on Christmas Day is usually less expensive, also New Years Day. And you don't have to fly on the holiday, just incorporate it into the trip, e.g. Fourth of July, etc.
I am beginning to think that being extra far from family is not worth it, just to have a lower cost of living or other superficial things like climate or whatever. After all, family and friends are more important than economics and cost of living issues, right?
Gosh - you are 'speaking my language' on this. I have the opposite. I moved away from the community where a lot of my family is, 29 yrs ago. It was a financial decision based on my husband's work/field, and during many of the initial years, we were raising kids, etc, and it was what it was. I can't say we didn't enjoy the new community, or that it wasn't an essential and beneficial move, economically.
But now, the kids are grown, moved all over - but not extremely far away - just not next door either, etc. And so we'd like to get back to the original town where I grew up and lots of my family (and their kids) still are too. It's not the best of economics - so the decision / planning has been difficult to decide. Same time we are growing older, so the reduced crime rates, and close-knit family group, would be nice.
Anyway, I sympathize with you. I think family, etc, can be 'priceless' when trying to put a 'pencil' to the decisions - but same time, the original move away, for us, was beneficial, and luckily within about 6 hrs drive. And I chuckle now as I sit and try to figure out how/when to move back, 29 yrs later!
One of the dilemmas that I am coming to realize is that relocating far from family can be a deal breaker. I am somewhat close to my family. At a minimum, I would like to be able to see them at least three times per year. But, it seems like most jobs only give about 10 vacation/PTO days per year. That's ridiculous. Right now I get 23 PTO days per year. But to have only 10 days available per year means that I would essentially have to waste most of those days on traveling to visit family and sleeping over their house for a few nights each time. That basically means that I would have almost no days leftover to myself to take a real vacation, and far less likely to be able to take the occasional day off here and there. Ugh!
Not to mention, if I wanted to fly to CT to visit family, it would end up costing well over $1,000 per year in travel costs (airfare, parking, etc.).
And I know that nobody in my family would make an effort to fly out and visit me. I know how they are and they don't like to travel much. They rarely ever even visit their own parents down in Florida.
Has anybody else experienced this kind of predicament first hand? How do you cope with it?
Do people often underestimate the importance of proximity to family and friends when making the decision to relocate long distance?
I am beginning to think that being extra far from family is not worth it, just to have a lower cost of living or other superficial things like climate or whatever. After all, family and friends are more important than economics and cost of living issues, right?
Actually, flying on Christmas Day is usually less expensive, also New Years Day. And you don't have to fly on the holiday, just incorporate it into the trip, e.g. Fourth of July, etc.
Okay, but still...it seems like it would be challenging to be able to make three separate trips per year to fly and visit family with only having 10 PTO days per year.
Okay, but still...it seems like it would be challenging to be able to make three separate trips per year to fly and visit family with only having 10 PTO days per year.
Anyway, I sympathize with you. I think family, etc, can be 'priceless' when trying to put a 'pencil' to the decisions - but same time, the original move away, for us, was beneficial, and luckily within about 6 hrs drive. And I chuckle now as I sit and try to figure out how/when to move back, 29 yrs later!
I'm trying to find a place to move to that is about 6 hours away so I can be closer. Unfortunately any closer than 6 hours will put me in a state that is undesirable to live in.
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