From Miami To Hawaii............

[megaanaustin]

super fish collection.

[MiamiManny]

would you say that maui would be second choice to oahu and i would be more likely to find a job there than the big island. I just think that oahu is way too crowded and expensive

[hotzcatz]

Try looking at Craig's List for jobs and the online versions of the newspapers:
West Hawaii Today (Kona paper) - West Hawaii Today
Hawaii Tribune Herald (Hilo paper) - Hawaii Tribune-Herald :: Hilo, Hawaii > Front

Basically, the way most folks get by around here is to live as cheaply as possible (usually more than one wage earner per household) and have a few ways of making side money as well. I hatch out chicken and duck eggs and sell the chicks and ducklings. It provides a bit of extra cash as well as pays for the chicken feed. We also have eggs and the occasional chicken to eat. My neighbor does odd jobs and mows lawns. Another neighbor does the occasional music gig. Some other neighbors grow plants for the Farmer's Market. One other neighbor repairs small engines and another one does hair styling. Hmm, we have a busy neighborhood, I never noticed how much little side business was happening. Another neighbor trains horses while another one makes sweet bread and sells it through the neighborhood. Some of this is barter and trade, too. Hair cut in exchange for sweet bread sorta things.

The biggest barrier to surviving out here is the high cost of living, especially if one wants to live like folks do on the mainland. Rent a room instead of a whole house, drive an old beach car instead of a leased or shiny new one, wear comfortable clothes that aren't expensive, find entertainment that is free or inexpensive (hiking, chatting with the neighbors, going to the beach), prepare foods at home from basic ingredients and produce as many of those ingredients yourself. Then, instead of having to find a full time high paid job to pay for all the stuff you thought you needed, a lesser paying job will cover the bills.

[MiamiManny]

I think most people that move the HI and fail is because they don't humble themselves and expect to live like a tourist. Thats not me at all After having a high paying job for 8 years that left me burn out from working 70-80 a week feeling empty when I realize that all the things that i was trying to achieve were nothing but material and i was not fulfilling my spirit. I realize i was to live a simple life closer to nature and enjoy the outdoors. I like really what you mention about being a jack of all trade because fortunately i can cook do yard work,fish,all kinds of handy work aside from having 8 years of retail management experience. i feel like i have already made the choice to move. But still not sure about where definitely not Oahu because i think is to crowded and reminds me to much of Miami beach. I'm thinking Maui or Hilo in the big island close to the university. But I'll like to hear from more locals as to why where they live would be fitting for me

Hotcats where do you live?