Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
One more thing- I greatly appreciate the concern, I truly do. we will not be stranded there, we do have resources. If it doesn't work Out, We will tuck our tails between Our legs and slink back to mainland. Nothing is for sure- we Would be sad but survive.
please keep the advice coming, we are considering every point!
Sorry, KH, yes, we do have a pool, so that does add a bit, of course. The pool pump is a high-efficiency one, though, and really didn't kick up our bill all that much when the pool was put in.
Not giving up my dryer, LOL. Hate crunchy line-dried clothes and towels. And if the OP lives in a condo with a washer/dryer, she won't be hanging clothes outdoors with a family of six, I would imagine.
We do have a small freezer, which allows us to buy in bulk which may or may not offset the cost of running that freezer.
We have a big-screen TV but it's new and doesn't draw much at all. If I watch our meter before and after appliances go on (which becomes slightly addicting when you first install the PV panels, LOL), the electric dryer is the killer, hands down. Not an issue with the PV panels nowadays, though.
Yes, there are ways to cut down but that again points to bang-for-buck. I work FT and I don't care to spend my days hanging out wash and running outside to take it down when, as it often does on the Windward side, it rains. And I hate crunchy scratchy towels.
We have a gas water heater. A lot of places on the island have no access to piped-in gas and rely either on propane tanks or electric. Not sure what a residential tank of propane would go for here but I would imagine that it's not cheap but neither is electricity, of course.
I love Hawaii but not enough to give up my daily way of life, including creature comforts. There, I said it. We can afford to maintain a standard of living that is just as good (frankly, somewhat better) than what we had on the mainland. If we couldn't, we'd consider leaving. Our house will be paid for in less than a year and then we might be doing some serious thinking. Like, whether or not we want to die in a place where we have no family, for one. I see this happen so often and it is tremendously heart-wrenching, both for the person dying and for those who can't make it to be with them. Just sayin'....
We've been here fourteen years now. I have seen sooooo many come and go, all arriving with the declaration that, no matter what, it will be soooo worth it to live in Hawaii. Some leave after a really short time, some last a few years and, increasingly, I am seeing people stay here for ten, fifteen, and even more than twenty years before they leave. Reasons for leaving are many but what I am hearing now is "it really has changed...nothing is the same...the cost of living is getting to be unbearable...I want to be near family..." etc. Oh, and this is funny, I think---one of the most frequent reasons for leaving that I'm hearing lately is "it's BORING!!" The list is long.
Uh-oh...rambling again. See ya.
GREAT info, thank you! And I Agree about the dryer- We do a LOT Of laundry- Can't really change that So has to be factored in.
When I Said utilities I Was referring to electric And water, everything else is on my list but it is those two I was unsure about. The TVS are big, we have too many and they Aren't new- I did not Count them in the selling column, but it is possible- and We'd buy One. we Want to simplify. same thing with furniture, what we have is big and not particularly great quality, from what I've read it wouldn't be smart to pay to bring it. am I wrong? cars are not Worth bringing they are Older.
Furniture: depends on what you could get for it if you sell it, what it would cost to ship, and what it would cost to replace. Walk around your place, with a pad and pencil, and honestly look at your stuff and add up what the REPLACEMENT cost would be.
You said that, with the furniture and cars (cars which you say are old), a conservative estimate for what you would get by selling the items would be $20K. I can't begin to think how much replacement costs would be in Hawaii, even with the desire to "simplify." At the very least, half as much again, especially if you are including cars. Many items are easily overlooked when thinking replacement---window coverings, sheets, towels, cleaning supplies, vacuums, tools, electronics, small kitchen appliances, cookware, dishes, etc, etc, etc. It adds up very very quickly, especially at Hawaii prices.
Look into getting a POD or ReloCube, at least. Once the replacement costs of the items being shipped outweigh the cost of shipping, the decision is a no-brainer in my book.
Cars: if they are reliable I would ship them. You can ship them for less than $3K for both from the PNW, I believe. You could never buy two decent cars for that amount of money here, not even close.
I really don't intend to be mean here but I gather that you really don't have a heckuva lot of disposable income to play with. Shipping cars and items might be a POA but I really can't see, from what you've told us, that you'd have the ready cash to go out and furnish an entire household for six upon arriving here nor be able to replace those cars with anything you can actually drive.
If it doesn't work Out, We will tuck our tails between Our legs and slink back to mainland. Nothing is for sure- we Would be sad but survive.
You mean "when".
Anyway, it is such a waste with children to spend so much money moving (over $20K min) when you'd have nothing to show for it when you move back. Just wasted. That money will be gone and you'll never get it back.
This isn't like a cross-country move. It is far more difficult and expensive.
great comments, thanks! As far as my college student, She is $150 rlt Away now Already, She is in our state but far. And she wouldn't probably Change Schools until her junior year, I think next year She is going to Europe on A music exchange program. She may decide to Stay where She is. She gets a lot of funding and Scholarships, it is doubtful She'd live With us anyway. Our decision won't be based on her, She has a tentative plan for next year anyway but all good thoughts, thank you!
Also, my Salary isn't figured into All Of this- we bank it. we could not live on my income alone for a long duration, but if Something happened to his job (and we have been through that before) we'd Survive. The budget I'm trying to put together is On his Salary Alone- that is what will decide this- mine is a cushion- Savings, emergency living.
oh, and both of us Are willing to take different Jobs if we need to, I'm no stranger to bartending or waiting tables, and he can do almost any position at a hotel or retail. we aren't set On one career. I Can also increase my hours easily.
College Kid: It will NOT be a $150 R/T ticket if you leave and she stays. More like $500 or more. So that's a factor. Either she won't come here or you won't go there if things are tight. If there is an emergency, crack open your credit card, close your eyes, and be prepared to jump. Crap definitely happens.
Okay. You've been a good sport so far but the stuff in the last two paragraphs above pushed me over the edge.
Advice now? Explore other opportunities elsewhere. Seriously.
Why would you want to go somewhere that might have you lowering your standards of living, working in crap jobs, and merely "surviving"? With THREE KIDS (if the oldest doesn't come with you)??
One more question, since we're getting into the nitty-gritty here,---what is the realistic salary of the position your husband is seeking? And, at the risk of being accused of being excessively niele, and I apologize in advance, what do you make?
College Kid: It will NOT be a $150 R/T ticket if you leave and she stays. More like $500 or more. So that's a factor. Either she won't come here or you won't go there if things are tight. If there is an emergency, crack open your credit card, close your eyes, and be prepared to jump. Crap definitely happens.
Okay. You've been a good sport so far but the stuff in the last two paragraphs above pushed me over the edge.
Advice now? Explore other opportunities elsewhere. Seriously.
Why would you want to go somewhere that might have you lowering your standards of living, working in crap jobs, and merely "surviving"? With THREE KIDS (if the oldest doesn't come with you)??
One more question, since we're getting into the nitty-gritty here,---what is the realistic salary of the position your husband is seeking? And, at the risk of being accused of being excessively niele, and I apologize in advance, what do you make?
not Sure What you mean by what I said in the last paragraphs. I pointed out we are not even counting my income in this-how is that not Smart? We will Only move if his salary Alone will carry us- and I would still be working. that Seems very intelligent to me, why is it not?
his salary requirements depend on the island, but at least $100.000, again depending On island.
mine Varies on how much I work and it will be less If We move, ballpark 25 but I have the ability to make more, I work more currently.
The school year starts around August 1st of each year. In the meantime, you have about 4 months to get official Hawaii school physicals - for each child - because they are transplants... TB tests, overdue vaccinations.... and if they are in ANY sport, they will also have to have an official Hawaii school sports physical. Do not expect that you can move here and get an appointment for a doctor for the physicals or TB tests in any kind of short amount of time. You will also have to have transcripts sent directly from their current school, right after the present school year ends, to the new school. Each child will also have to have their birth certificate for the school. You can download and print the official Hawaii forms from the DOE website.
The school year starts around August 1st of each year. In the meantime, you have about 4 months to get official Hawaii school physicals - for each child - because they are transplants... TB tests, overdue vaccinations.... and if they are in ANY sport, they will also have to have an official Hawaii school sports physical. Do not expect that you can move here and get an appointment for a doctor for the physicals or TB tests in any kind of short amount of time. You will also have to have transcripts sent directly from their current school, right after the present school year ends, to the new school. Each child will also have to have their birth certificate for the school. You can download and print the official Hawaii forms from the DOE website.
Excellent information. They are all up to date, and have recently done physicals for sports for the next year since they just had a birthday...I will definitely check out the forms, thank you!
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
