Most affordable place to live in Idaho?

[elkotronics]

On a side note where did you move from? have you always lived in Idaho?

Hi, DEADTIME, sorry it took me so long to respond to your question. I've been busy job hunting here in the greater Idaho panhandle. One interview early in the week and a decision coming back from St.Maries on a hospital job there. This stuff plus keeping my current clinic going in Kellogg has really kept me busy. Like any good restful weekend I am digging my free time this weekend, surfing the net and planning on playing 'Roger Clemens MVP Baseball' on the Gameboy.

As to your question, phew, my wife and I were married in Edmonds, WA, north of Seattle (where I grew up) in 1980. I worked for Boeing until May of 2003 when I was laid off the 2nd time from them. They subscribed to The Trade Act with Uncle Sam, so I took them up on their offer to retrain and learn how to do another kind of job besides Technical Illustration at Boeing (I have 20 years in there at Boeing's Everett jet plant).

We sold our house in Burlington, WA, in July of 2003, after we moved to Missouri so I could go back to school. I went to college in Missouri starting in Aug. of 2003 and graduated in May of 2005. I got my first Respiratory Therapist job in Pierre, SD, in June of 2005 and have worked in four different hospitals in four different states including the Pierre RT job. So we've been around. I'm currently running a Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation clinic in Kellogg, ID, right now.

Light on hours available here so I've started looking for other opportunities, hence the St.Maries RT job interview. I'll know soon on that job and it looks like I have an interview in Sandpoint, ID, on Tue. or Wed,. the 29th. So once again we'll need to leave another place.

The good news is we'll get to stay in northern Idaho. I'll let you know what happens after I find out what that might be.

[DEADTIME]

Good to know if I ever have a hard time breathing Ill let ya know. My family will be up in North Idaho for about a week checking out all the small towns (kellogg especially)and Coeur D'Alene itself.

I too will probably be retraining as I'm getting out of what I use to do and have been given a goodly sum of Obama coupons for college. I'm thinking something medical as my wife is a nurse and seems to like it. But who knows, maybe a bouncer at a topless club would be fun. (I actually did this to earn cash for college when I got my BA and MA in education) not sure how hard a teaching gig is to get in Idaho.

I'm just trying to get my family someplace safe that doesn't cost an arm and a leg to live in.

[SCGranny]

My brother lives in SE Idaho in Soda Springs. It is a town of abt 5000 people, in a valley. It has limited restaurants and nightlife, but the area is wonderful. You can ski in the town park, hunt in the nearby mountains. It has a small hospital, as well as a grocery store, a bakery, some small restaurants. It is hard for them to keep doctors there, as the guys love all of the outdoorsy stuff, but their ladies want something more. Nearby is Lava Hot Springs - if you love a hot tub, this is a huge natural outdoor hot spring that is family friendly and absolutely beautiful; open year round and great fun to sit in or meet people even when it is snowing! Housing is fairly cheap - my brother bought two houses and built them together - and the people are warm and kind. The schools there are great (my brother subs occasionally) and the kids are well-behaved and friendly. When the first "Harry Potter" movie came to the theater, every child in town was there - and since there weren't enough seats, some kids were sitting with their classmates and friends... in spite of the crowd, there were no cel phones and no rudeness; everyone had a great time!

We've been there twice and loved it both times; stayed at the Caribou Lodge which has a fireplace in the lobby and is very friendly and comfortable. DH and I walked down to the local bar on Christmas Eve during a blizzard, and people not only tried to give us rides (it was only 3 blocks away!) while we were walking, but offered to take us 'home' afterward. People pretty much do as they please and don't bother people, but are quick to lend a hand. There is very little crime there - most of the residents have pagers in their homes and when there is trouble, all the guys grab their guns and respond. The last time the bank was robbed (about 10 years ago) - the (out of town) guys never made it out of town; everyone parked their pickups around the perimeter and stopped them. It looks like any other quiet, out-of-the-way town, but the people there are sharp and alert.

The only reason that we didn't move there is we were looking for a small farm or a larger piece of property, and there were few in our size/price range - mostly huge farms and ranches, with quaint and cosy houses in the towns. Otherwise, we would have jumped at the chance to live there!

[elkotronics]

I've been to Soda Springs while living in Pocatello in the 2005-2006 era and it's a very cool little town. Your description paints a very inviting picture of the place as being a fantastic place ta call a permanent home.