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And like you wont have any of these bills in another state? Funny.
Dude, LI has among the highest property taxes, highest utility rates, highest gas prices, ever increasing grocery prices and ridiculous labor charges for any service you may need. Point being, the bills won't go away, but they'll likely be smaller. Much smaller.
For me, this used to be true. The abusive quality of life on LI used to be worth it because I could make more here than anywhere else in this fine country. And there were numbers of open jobs in my discipline, making it so easy to dish out the the abuse of high property taxes and long commutes.
Guess what? No more! In fact, both LI and NYC are among the lowest paying places today for what I do.
Location: Prince Georges County, MD (formerly Long Island, NY)
1,558 posts, read 2,723,022 times
Reputation: 1652
Okay, okay...I'm gonna shout this from the mountain top:
Generally speaking, most other areas aren't cheaper than Long Island-- the COL just falls more in line with the salaries. You'll still have bills wherever you go. Yes, you'll be more financially comfortable, but, geez, you won't go from driving a Kia to driving a Benz!
For me, this used to be true. The abusive quality of life on LI used to be worth it because I could make more here than anywhere else in this fine country. And there were numbers of open jobs in my discipline, making it so easy to dish out the the abuse of high property taxes and long commutes.
Guess what? No more! In fact, both LI and NYC are among the lowest paying places today for what I do.
In all seriousness, I know it's not easy. However, it really might be time for you to look elsewhere. Again, family & friends do not pay our bills. So, that's is not a ligitimite reason to stay. You can make 30k-40k (60-80k combined) income and STILL own a house in other parts of the country. 100k here, does not go far. Others, Please do not reply "live within your means". We all know 100k owning a house is not much.
I would start looking at my options if I were you.
bigjretrac: ... actually, I CAN go from driving a Toyota to driving a Benz, or, in my case an Audi.
I retired on LI from JPMChase in Jan of 2007.
In 2010 I bought a villa in Delray Beach THREE times the size of my condo in Hewlett.
Both places had no mortgage.
The monthly carrying costs are EXACTLY ONE HALF of what I paid on LI. (Maint fees, RE taxes, car/home insurance, cable, electric, water & garbage). Now add to that the 6-8k in NYS income tax that I no longer pay and it is obvious why I sold the place this August, just a couple of months before Sandy struck.
I lived and worked on LI for my whole life. I loved that place.
I am fortunate to be able to visit for the summer months, but if I could not, I would not shed a tear.
Good luck to all of you
Okay, okay...I'm gonna shout this from the mountain top:
Generally speaking, most other areas aren't cheaper than Long Island-- the COL just falls more in line with the salaries. You'll still have bills wherever you go. Yes, you'll be more financially comfortable, but, geez, you won't go from driving a Kia to driving a Benz!
You're wrong. If it were true Long Islanders would be rolling in hundred dollar bills, living in big houses and watching their bank accounts grow. Long Island salaries, and even a lot of salaries in NYC, are not keeping up with the cost of living there.
The arbitration system is not working, I understand they need to compare to adjacent, similar jurisdictions but taxpayer ability to pay is an afterthought. Suffolk and Nassau taxpayers are caught in an endless game of leapfrog where the employees always win regardless of how an onerous a contract is that heaps ludicrous rewards on civil servants.
We are under a fiscal control board in Nassau yet they are gettiing slary increases.
Location: Prince Georges County, MD (formerly Long Island, NY)
1,558 posts, read 2,723,022 times
Reputation: 1652
Quote:
Originally Posted by ClarkStreetKid
You're wrong. If it were true Long Islanders would be rolling in hundred dollar bills, living in big houses and watching their bank accounts grow. Long Island salaries, and even a lot of salaries in NYC, are not keeping up with the cost of living there.
You're wrong. Re-read what I wrote.
I just said that areas outside have a COL that is more in line with the salaries of that area.
If those other areas were simply just cheaper, they'd be rolling in the dough.
Wages outside Manhattan (and often Long Island, too) are generally much lower. This is offset by the fact that the cost of living is lower.
Many people complain about Long Island because they feel the wages don't match the COL of living here.
It works something like this, I'm using round numbers to make this easy.
Lets say you bring home $100/week on Long Island and your weekly expenses are $100. Tight? You bet.
Now lets say you move to Raleigh, and you take a pay cut at your new job. Now you're only making $70/week, but your expenses are now only $65.
It's not that you're making your $100/week salary and rolling in the dough with your extra $35, you'll have to take a pay cut. Oftentimes people take that $5 and put it towards savings or college funds that they were neglecting on Long Island to stay ahead.
So the south isn't actually cheaper, the expenses are just more in alignment with the wages.
I doubt many other cities pay what New York pays in salaries.
Last edited by bigjretrac; 01-14-2013 at 07:27 PM..
They are cheaper as there has been a premium to live on Long Island for a very long time. During the good old days (1980's) the average American Joe was spending 25 to 30% of their income on housing, Long Island was at 36%+. Electricity was also higher as was fuel, heating oil, etc. now fast forward and the LI premium is even higher. It's not only the COL of many other area are inline with salaries, it is also the lack of a extra high premium to live there.
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