S. FL cost of living comparison

[triton1]

Originally Posted by FLtoNC

Garbage: Approx. $0 in FL as compared to $21/month in NC

I didn't know that one did not have to pay to have their garbage picked up in south Florida!

[compelled to reply]

Of course you do, it's just you pay a homeowners association fee instead of directly paying for pickup. That is if you live in a neighborhood with a homeowners association. Some of those communities are like little fascist countries, while others just just try to maintain an attractive neighborhood in a transient region.

[FLtoNC]

Originally Posted by triton1

I didn't know that one did not have to pay to have their garbage picked up in south Florida!

I didn't have a separate garbage bill - it was included in my water bill. So, the cost you see in my post for water includes this. Here in NC, I have to pay a separate company, and my water bills alone are higher than water & garbage combined in FL.

[Cindi Waters]

Hi, just found this forum. We moved from Kentucky to Broward County a few years ago because my father was sick. He lived in Broward County. We are over 55 and bought into a condo development. Not in the greatest community area, but the development itself is still decent. Florida has its good points (New York food and excellent live music, entertainment) and its bad points. (congestion, high crime rate in Ft. Lauderdale) I loved Kentucky, though, and would probably acclimate very easily to N. or S. Carolina. Except I wouldn't be able to get the types of food I enjoy unless I go to a tremendous supermarket, such as Meijer's in Kentucky. They had just about everything anyone could hope for. Now -- to live in an over-55 community offers many monetary advantages because the buy-in costs are generally lower than younger communities. So although certain other costs are higher in Florida like auto insurance and home insurance (if you can get it), our level of living has not been particularly hurt by FL prices because of the moderate price of the over-55 condo development we live in. We paid about $64,000 for a small condo (teeny-tiny) but we're managing. I have a pool that's clean outside my building, an exercise room, and a good restaurant (fairly inexpensive) down the street. Of course, things changed after Wilma, and the war in the middle east, add into that the mortgage lenders situation, prices of real estate plummeted, the gala was over in Florida, and our maintenance fees also skyrocketed because of the damage the storm did. But we live in a good association and the repairs are getting done, the pool is nice, still have to watch your backs though (if that helps) in this part of Ft. Lauderdale, ain't easy. Yes, gas is expensive. But I'm beginning to like the weather after all these years. It's nice when it's 70-80 degrees here and I hear about a big snow storm up north. I love the bluegrass music and the friendly, laid-back attitude of many in Kentucky.