Moving to Maine for a few strange reasons... (Bangor, Kennebunk: low income, real estate) - (ME) - Page 6 - City-Data Forum

JKHolden127 · 09-18-2009, 04:08 AM

deborah caldwell: i did mention in an earlier post that i have attended school, and i also stated that i run an online business. it's "our" dream to move to the east coast, after a bit of research, i fell in love with Maine.

my husband and i are officially making a trip to maine in summer of 2010. he's going to start college here in the spring and then transfer (which he can do as long as he has less than 1/2 of the required credits, which will be true)

he has a job that will potentially transfer to the same company i maine, and i hope during my job search here, to find something along the same lines. at least for awhile.

i've been AFK for awhile because it's like super busy craft show season right now! :P I have a show i'm getting ready for, for next weekend! anywho!

tata!

mainegrl2011 · 09-18-2009, 04:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chaosX5

I have read that in-state tuition for Fort Kent $5,100.00 Of course there are other fees.............

I see that my figure is from 2007, have they increased the tuition? ( Room and board is $6,000.00 or so)

Just wondering...........

I just went on the U of Maine at Fort Kent website, this is what I saw listed for in-state students: tuition $6,030, there are other fees, books, room, meal plan etc. $15,258....I do not know where my friend came up with $18,000 unless there are other costs that are not listed on the website. I just took her word for what she told me because I have known her all my life and she isn't one to lie. If a person finds a rental for $600 a month that is still $7200 a year. If you don't live on campus, you have to live somewhere. A person can often save money on books by avoiding the college bookstore and looking for them online.

Tuition and Fees - University of Maine at Fort Kent

MEorBust · 09-18-2009, 04:17 PM

Ok. I'm settled in Kennebunk. The weather is amazing! I came from high of 110 to low of 90 degrees. What a relief. I agree with the job market struggle. It's not a good time to get a new job. We had a hard time finding nursing jobs. Things are great here.. so glad we moved. We don't miss Arizona at all. We were so happy to eat White Castle burgers and fries in St. Louis.
If you can score a job and affordable housing.. why not? Just get those things in line first before you make the big drive. Save your $$$.. it's going to cost a lot to move. Gas, hotels, first and last months rent, maybe a deposit?? Dont forget to add those things to the budget. Tolls, food, space heaters

timnwin · 09-18-2009, 08:22 PM

Congrats MEorBust! Have fun settling in!!!

arctichomesteader · 09-18-2009, 08:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mainegrl2011

I just went on the U of Maine at Fort Kent website, this is what I saw listed for in-state students: tuition $6,030, there are other fees, books, room, meal plan etc. $15,258....I do not know where my friend came up with $18,000 unless there are other costs that are not listed on the website. I just took her word for what she told me because I have known her all my life and she isn't one to lie. If a person finds a rental for $600 a month that is still $7200 a year. If you don't live on campus, you have to live somewhere. A person can often save money on books by avoiding the college bookstore and looking for them online.

Tuition and Fees - University of Maine at Fort Kent

For a student from any New England state it would be almost $18,000 if they lived on campus there (if going for something not offered in their state of residence). ME resident is considerably less. For a student from outside of NE it's more expensive. Tuition isn't too bad at UMFK, but room and board on campus is another story. I know because I had considered going there. Someone going there would be best served by finding a place to rent off campus.

arctichomesteader · 09-18-2009, 08:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JKHolden127

Hey lovely people from Maine! Greetings from St. Louis? :P

My husband and I are looking to move to Maine. He wants to go back to school ... and well... we HATE the midwest. Since we are getting student loans to cover our rent, plus both having part time jobs we decided we may as well make a large leap to a HUGE leap. Quitting a full time job to go back to school is SCARY! So we want to move to make it a fresh start!

Also, we love the east coast... we want to move out there eventually, so we may as well start over now!

So that being said. We were looking at the community colleges in the area, and he would then transfer to a university after completing a two year program (this is done by like 80% of people where we live, so this seems normal, right?)

Well, I was first attracted to Bangor, it hosts the Eastern Community College, and seems reasonably priced for housing and seems to have a fairly large town for shops and what-not-do-dids.

Then I started looking at Portland, it seems a lot more similar to where we are at now, (without being in the midwest, oi!). But it also looks quite a bit more expensive, I couldn't find anything to rent for under $600 that wasn't TINY.

So... what do you all think? Of the locations of the community colleges, what do you recommend? We won't be able to come out and visit until we actually make our move. We are super tight on cash and we want an area that we can make a slow transition from the bustling St. Louis life. Help Help Help!!!

Bombard me with comments now!

Okay, others have commented, but if you care for my honest opinion...I think it's a crazy plan. Most of ME is like most of VT economically...meaning, jobs are tough to find, don't go there without a good job lined up in advance. I'd also suggest against getting in too much debt with large loans.

grubbyhubby · 09-18-2009, 10:57 PM

JK- I'm also in St. Louis ( hate it ) and looking at moving to Maine. The difference is, IF we make the move, I will have spent 6 months , minimum at the job I'm going to check out at the end of Sept.
I understand how tempting it can be to say " F*#@ IT, STL is a hellhole, I'm outta here!"
You guys will be fine if you just take your time, get things lined up, and be patient with the process.

Back in '94, before we had kids, my wife and I decided to move to Missoula, MT. She was going to go to U of MT. there while I worked. Things fell through with her student loans somehow, AFTER we were already there, moved into a place, and somewhat settled. After a couple of months out there with NO family or connection to the place in any way, ... well, it got real difficult and we bailed. We had to sell my VW Vanagon to make $ for the move back to the Midwest and forfeited our security deposit on our place. It was a very expensive lesson and was not without it's emotional hardships, as well as a strain on the relationship. True, we learned a lot from it but I don't recommend going about it half assed. Just make sure its where you want to be and do your 'due diligence' in researching the area and you will be OK.

mainegrl2011 · 09-20-2009, 11:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by arctichomesteader

For a student from any New England state it would be almost $18,000 if they lived on campus there (if going for something not offered in their state of residence). ME resident is considerably less. For a student from outside of NE it's more expensive. Tuition isn't too bad at UMFK, but room and board on campus is another story. I know because I had considered going there. Someone going there would be best served by finding a place to rent off campus.

At first I thought living off campus would be more economical, but now I am not so sure. Is living off campus going to include heat, electric, and a meal plan? Are you suggesting living off campus with room mates to share expenses and hopefully live more inexpensively?

arctichomesteader · 09-20-2009, 04:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mainegrl2011

At first I thought living off campus would be more economical, but now I am not so sure. Is living off campus going to include heat, electric, and a meal plan? Are you suggesting living off campus with room mates to share expenses and hopefully live more inexpensively?

Room and board is over 7,000 for what comes to, not quite 8 months of time in total. Over $3,000 is for food. I spend less than $3,000 for food in a year (most of that on bulk items like grains, sugar, honey, etc., and the rest from week to week the things that I want fresh, like eggs, etc., as I need them). I am certain an apartment could be had for less than the other 4,000 with all expenses. I suppose it depends on one's habits, how much one spends on things. Not everyone could do it cheaper I suppose. I hunt nearly all of my meat now, and grow a fair amount of vegetables. I usually use kerosene heaters for heating which costs less than central heat (if it were my own place I'd have my woodstove installed right now). I've never done the room mate thing, I couldn't stand that.

medievalbooks · 09-21-2009, 08:40 AM

I am a member of the Red Cross. Most of the calls we had last year were for fires due to kerosene heaters, small electrical heaters. Them getting knocked over, having something catch fire that was put too close etc. Now I know there are folks that know how to use them safely, but please to those that don't...don't use them...or be extra careful and don't leave them on when you leave the house.

Due to my experiences, we got rid of ours years ago, just wasn't worth the risk.