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I'd suggest the Big Island's Waimea (Kamuela) might be a good fit, if you can find employment, although that may not be terribly hard. Accountants are needed everywhere and the hospital in Waimea has just become part of Queen's medical association and they are expanding so they may need your wife's expertise, you could inquire.
Oahu has become too crowded, too busy and isn't really laid back much anymore at all. I suppose from a tourist's point of view, it may seem so, but on a daily go to work and live there point of view, it's become a very constrained rat race. Everything you do takes the traffic into consideration and just about everywhere you go has a line to get in. Not very laid back anymore at all and the rents are outrageous. The social vibe has a certain frisson of urgency, almost panic that it didn't used to have. Not quite sure how to describe it. It's a great place if you want excitement and things to do - at least, if you can get in and can afford it.
Waimea on the Big Island has values that would most likely mesh with what you may be used to, coming from Wichita. Family oriented social fabric, a certain friendly practicality that is common to the Mid-West, the topography is a bit more rolling than Wichita, more like around Springfield Missouri with more greenery, perhaps. Plus the ocean, although that's not really Wichita, unless you compare it to the ocean of wheat, milo, corn & sunflowers you're likely surrounded by. So, there's probably enough change and "Hawaii" to suit your desire for change yet enough baseline common ground for your comfort level.
Hilo might also be an option, it's a "working" town with family values, a hospital for your wife's work as well as a need for accountants. Hilo is much more "Hawaii" than Honolulu. It has the laid back attitude and doesn't do the traffic thing very much.
Then, of course, there's my favorite little town of Honokaa. Not much need for a chemotherapy technician, (that I know of) but we could use more accountants. It's near enough to Waimea that if you were to find employment or start an accounting office in Honokaa, she could work in Waimea, should the hospital up there need her services. It's a smallish town but comfortable, not a single franchise in town so the economy is solid and thriving. The money spent at the businesses in Honokaa pretty much stays in Honokaa. And, all those little businesses are gonna need good accountants.
. California was an option but for some reason its political stances do not mesh well with my beliefs. I am hardly active politically but there is just something about California that doesn't sit well with me.
If you don't like the politics of California - you certainly won't like the politics of Hawaii.
@OpenD - Thank you for the harsh reality. I will take care to research further. These are just the preliminary rounds, gathering broad information. I will really crunch the numbers as we progress.
@hotzcatz - Thank you for all those suggestions! I will definitely look into those locations. My wife's certificate allows her to do anything in the pharmacy department (outside of prescribing and actual Doctor work). I think any hospital (or Walgreen's/CVS/equivalent) would be a potential employer. She just specialized in Chemo (essentially like an Accounting degree would still allow me to do "business" style jobs).
@whtviper1 - I will definitely research the political standpoint of Hawaii. The issues with California are more along the lines of subsidies and other business oriented standpoints (not emotional issues like gay marriage, etc...). Not sure if that is what you mean. Thank you for the heads up.
Edit: Thanks for all the information. I think I will go research some more specifics. Feel free to lock thread if necessary.
Last edited by castleclashv2; 12-16-2014 at 01:40 PM..
Location: Southernmost tip of the southernmost island in the southernmost state
982 posts, read 1,163,270 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Rogerluli
How can someone assume that Miami = Florida ?
True, Miami and the Keys are about as different as day and night. It would be sort of like saying Honolulu=Hawaii.
But having lived in Florida, I can say I much prefer Hawaii.
I guess thanks for the list of Miami cities. I understand one city does not make a state. I am not ruling out Florida for any one reason in fact my company has a presence near Kissimme that may be an option just not the current choice. I dont want to be rude but I came here for information on Hawaii not Florida (especially not Miami Oklahoma haha) and not to have specific phrases I make be about other states analyzed and critiqued. For those that offered advice thanks again.
Last edited by castleclashv2; 12-16-2014 at 07:47 PM..
Go for it. You're young, skilled with savings. Why not - if your risk tolerance can take it? No one can tell you what your experience will be. You should arm yourself with lots of research and savings but, in the end, your Hawaii experience will depend on who you are and how well you establish yourself.
I'd suggest moving to Oahu, though. It's not my first choice for a visit (Kauai!) but, it's the most practical to move to. Apply for jobs and network (research some prof associations that you can join so you can get access to member lists, newsletters, etc) while you're still there. Contact people who are in your industry in Hawaii and try to connect. I did this and people are very open to sharing information. They won't necessarily offer you a job right away but, if you're worth the effort, they will help. I guarantee. Ask everyone you know at home if they know someone who lives in Hawaii. You never know - local connections are very important.
A lot of posts on cd can seem like warnings to stay away. Take the 'advice' with a grain of salt. Do other research and maybe plan another visit. Contact prospective employers and try to set up meetings during your visit. Contact the HR offices at the hospitals and clinics. Get a feel for different local neighborhoods and hang out with a view of moving. Meet local people. Check out apartment listings. Go to the grocery store. Sit in traffic. Etc.
My wife and I sat down and had a serious conversation. We are relatively young (27) and have no kids. We hate our current living situation (Wichita, KS). I have a Master's degree in Accounting with a Tax emphasis and 4 years of experience and she is a certified chemotherapy technician.
We have about $40K saved up, with an additional $35K in my 401(k) if necessary. I assume after selling our house and liquid investments (firearms, bonds, etc...) we will have an additional $15-20K.
How feasible is it to make the move from the mainland to Hawaii? Are there pharmacy and accounting jobs?
I recommend that you visit Hawaii longer before you decide to move there. Do not stay in hotels. Stay in condos or homes. Do not do a lot of touristy things during your visits. The cost of living is very high. We found food costs are at least double. As of last week, the price of gas on the Big Island was about $3.71 to $3.83 and on Kauai was $3.98 to $3.99. At Costco, the price was about 50 to 60 cents less. I paid $2.31 at Sam's Club last night here in Minnesota. The cost difference in gas doesn't just effect you when you drive. The cost of fuel drives up the prices of everything. Although, when the gas prices fall, the airlines and grocery stores don't lower their prices. Although both used higher fuel costs as justification to increase their prices.
Many people who live in Hawaii struggle with multiple part time, no benefits jobs. It might be difficult to find employment initially because you haven't been in Hawaii long enough. There is discrimination against newcomers, probably because many of them are gone within 1 - 2 years. There also seems to be a lot of nepotism there. It may be who you know, rather than what you know that lands you the job. As other people mentioned, the pay is a lot less. For example, there are IT jobs that pay about half what they pay in the midwest, while the cost of living is about 1.6 times higher. Other jobs might not have that large of a pay cut.
Don't even think of spending that 401K, unless you are homeless and desperate. The early withdraw penalties are devastating. Unless you already have your jobs lined up before you move, you might need to plan on having no income for 6 to 12 months. The $40K might only last 6 to 9 months. I assume the $40K is your emergency fund. If you spend that $40K, you won't have an emergency fund.
You don't seem to want to consider Florida or California. Both are less expensive than Hawaii and have much better job opportunities and both have better weather than the midwest. Most people in the midwest that move to Florida move to the west coast of Florida, not the east coast of Florida. If you visit the west coast of Florida, I think you will find it dramatically different than Miami. The cost of living is higher in southern California than the midwest, but much less cost of living than Hawaii.
The cost for the move to Hawaii and setting up a new residence could be as high as $20K depending on how much you move. It would certainly be an experience living in Hawaii for a year or two, but it will set you back financially for many years. Most people that move to Hawaii, like you are considering, last there for less than two years. If you don't make the move, I recommend that you max your two Roth accounts this year with part of the $40K. If you need the money from the Roth, it won't cost you the penalties to withdraw it early. If you make too much money to put money in a Roth, put it into a Roth account using the 'back door' method.
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Etc.
