bad ideas can work (Hilo, Kahului: rent, income, organic) - Hawaii (HI) - Page 2 - City-Data Forum

HankDfrmSD · 10-30-2008, 11:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hotzcatz

What's the average rainfall in Hilo, somewhere over sixteen feet of rain a year, isn't it?

Here's the average rainfall per month, and year total (about ten feet), at the airport:

HILO GEN LYMAN FIELD, HAWAII, HAWAII USA Weather History and Climate Data

Hank

hotzcatz · 10-30-2008, 01:43 PM

Oh, on an average year, it's only ten feet of rain a year. The average rainfall can vary a lot from year to year, though.

hotzcatz · 10-30-2008, 02:00 PM

Work may not be available here. There are eighteen jobs listed in the Hilo Tribune Herald and not all of them are for "living wage" type of work. Someone wants an experienced barn worker for ten hours a week and is willing to pay $100 a week so that would be $10 an hour but not enough hours to actually live on. Someone else is looking for exotic dancers but doesn't mention amount of pay, there is a job for a papaya picker and there are a few driving jobs but you'd need a commercial driving license. Accounting, dental hygienist and some managerial positions but you need experience and degrees for that.

Do not come here unless you have a return ticket. Being stuck in a place 2,500 miles off in the middle of the ocean is not a good thing. Resources (such as jobs) are getting tight and folks will hire the local folks who live here before folks who have just moved over here from the mainland. Tourism is down 30% this month so thirty percent of the folks who used to work with tourists are now taking the other non-tourist jobs so they can survive. Tourism is also the biggest employer, so it isn't like there are other jobs to fill the gaps.

This is an island, we are 2,500 miles away from the mainland and most everything is shipped in. There are two sizable towns on this island and a dozen villages BUT THAT IS IT. No manufacturing jobs, limited agricultural jobs, construction is down and the construction folks here are fighting for the remaining construction jobs, tourism is down and the folks getting laid off from there are taking whatever work they can find. Folks are not even being hired for holiday work.

Moving here without enough cash to survive on for at least six months or without any backup support from friends or family is not a wise move and it is swiftly moving into the "stupid" column. I suspect this time next year moving here without any money or means of support will be in the "suicidal" category. There are not enough jobs here for the folks here looking for work and it isn't going to get better for quite some time. If you can bring a job or an income with you, then it's good, but there isn't work here. Read the online versions of the newspapers and see if you can see anything more hopeful.

sbradley86 · 11-02-2008, 04:54 AM

It's not really what I want to hear but I do appreciate your honesty. I've been slowly working on a plan so I'm set up a little better. But I don't know if my plan is solid enough to run with. Time will tell I suppose.

I'm editing this, and after looking back on your previous posts hotzcatz, you seemed to think it was doable. I'm curious what has changed your mind. Is it for me specifically, or just a general message to all of us without much of a plan?

MadRussian · 11-02-2008, 06:29 AM

Actually hotzcatz absolutely right. I researching move to Maui for at least 2 years. Been there number of times. Even been on job interview there, and my impression is same: VERY expensive place, with VERY slim job market, and jobs that available paid VERY low.
I just turned down job offer because salary was 30% less then I making now for same job on mainland... and BTW I'm not making now top $$ for industry.
They can't hire anyone for that position for at least 6 month - because it's just impossible to survive on that money on Maui ... and we talk about hi-tech engineering job that required a lot of education and extended experience.

whereveryougo · 11-02-2008, 07:52 AM

I am a nurse living in the Dallas area and my daughter and I
have decided we want to move. She will be a Junior in high school
next year and the plan would be to move next summer. Anyone know
which island has the most affordable housing and best jobs for nurses?

sbradley86 · 11-02-2008, 08:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MadRussian

Actually hotzcatz absolutely right. I researching move to Maui for at least 2 years. Been there number of times. Even been on job interview there, and my impression is same: VERY expensive place, with VERY slim job market, and jobs that available paid VERY low.
I just turned down job offer because salary was 30% less then I making now for same job on mainland... and BTW I'm not making now top $$ for industry.
They can't hire anyone for that position for at least 6 month - because it's just impossible to survive on that money on Maui ... and we talk about hi-tech engineering job that required a lot of education and extended experience.

I'm not looking to live a suburbanite life. Something low key that will put a roof over my head and food in my mouth is great for where I'm at in life.

hotzcatz · 11-04-2008, 12:35 AM

They just posted the tourism numbers for October and they are 30% less for our island. Since tourism is the main economic engine on the island of Hawaii, that pretty much whacks our economy. The folks let off from their tourist service jobs are going to be filling in whatever other jobs they can find. Last year I couldn't find anyone to do yard work or weed whacking for $15 an hour. Now there are folks willing to work for $5 an hour.

The downturn is severe enough to be noticeable now. Less cars, less people. Lots of repairs being done on houses. I'm suspecting that is a combination of folks being able to find workers now or being out of work themselves and able to paint the house themselves.

Depending on how the economy goes on the mainland and if airfare prices drop enough that folks will be able to afford to get here and if they will have enough money to spend on a Hawaiian vacation, then there will be jobs again.

We have the election (finally!) tomorrow and usually things are as good as they are going to get before an election and then hop into the proverbial handbasket going you know where after the election. If things are this dire BEFORE an election, what will it be like after? Well, we will soon find out.

For your plan, if you could work in a "Plan B" where you would be able to return to where you started if things didn't work out would be a lovely thing. Just in case.

A suburbanite life is not affordable in Hawaii. Living with house mates or even room mates in a small place and eating pretty low on the food chain is how many folks manage to get by on service job wages. There are usually multiple family members living together to help increase the household income, too.

When sugar went down on the Big Island back in '95 there were also cuts to the Welfare program so overall Hilo lost about 40% of it's economic income. Folks had to move to the mainland or Oahu to find work. I went to Oahu and got a job in a field completely different from what I'd been doing before. Lots of folks used to fly to Oahu for the work week and then fly back on weekends but air fare was a lot cheaper then and we could get coupon books for flights. It is beginning to feel a bit like that again. Kinda at an apogee right now and it is hard to tell if things are going to improve or plop into that proverbial handbasket.

I'm beginning to hear stories about hundreds of job applications for one or two job openings. This has been for some jobs on the Kona side and some for Hilo side as well. I don't see "help wanted" signs in any windows, not even McD's or the local gas station.

The next week should be interesting.

sbradley86 · 11-05-2008, 01:30 PM

Ah, now I understand. Well I've already decided to buy a round trip ticket. I've got a few tricks up my sleeve, we'll see how it goes. I would hate myself forever if I don't try to make it work.

hotzcatz · 11-05-2008, 10:36 PM

Nothing personal against you, this is just an in general sort of post about how tight things are getting. There's probably a niche somewhere you can fit in and find beans, biscuits and a roof. You probably won't find steak, caviar and a hot tub, though.

Having the return part of the ticket means you will be able to escape if things get dire.

And it will be an adventure. Life is too short to not have adventures now and then. Just have a sensible adventure where it is understood that you don't get rainbows without rain. Sometimes the rain is nice, too, especially in Hilo.