Where to live with a telecommuting job? (schools, living)

[RichardJon]

Hey guys,

so I live in the midwest currently and have a 79k/yr job. Since I work in IT field I am not too worried about not getting a job elsewhere, but it is very hard to get a job elsewhere since you are working hard full-time.

Last week I decided to quit and go without another job lined up. My idea was west-coast or generally somewhere where I will have either ocean or mountains. Or both ideally :-)

My boss just told me that I am very vital for the company and that they want to keep me as an employee even if working remotely for them. Which means that I just gained location independece, yey

My girlfriend also wants to go with me, her major is something in acupuncture and wellness, so I guess she can just get a job anywhere, but I am definitely ready to support her financially until she finds a job.

Could you help me brainstorm where could we move to? The concern is cost of living (COL) of the west coast which I have heard is significantly higher than midwest. But maybe there are areas which are nice and not very expensive?

[Minervah]

Keep that job doing it remotely. That's gold. It means you are way ahead of the pack. Hang onto it for dear life until you have found something else.

If you are looking at the Western part of the country never assume that you don't have to worry about getting a job just because you are in IT unless you are in the very top of the field with a very knowledgeable background of the more complicated programs and a good deal of experience. The competition on the West Coast and the PNW is fierce. In some areas, especially the PNW they are extremely difficult to come by without networking unless you possess knowledge most do not have.

The COL in the Western part of the country is much higher than the Midwest. Be prepared for sticker shock. Check out the stats on the Internet. You can find comparison scales on various websites.

As far as your girlfriend's major there are lots of people who use these services but again there are also lots of people who provide these services. There are many schools that grind out students of wellness and acupuncture by the boatload. So lots of competition there too.

I am not trying to discourage you, just trying to tell you what you could be up against if you choose the West Coast or PNW. You said COL would be a concern and that might be a problem there. The most expensive places are usually where the IT jobs are going to be in comparison to what you are used to in the Midwest.