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Hello out there, I'm moving to NJ from Fort Lauderdale/Miami area to be closer to my boyfriend of 3 years. He moved back to his hometown of Brick, NJ about 6 months ago, and I'm going to move there in the next 3 months. I just graduated college with a BA, but will not be moving in with him. I am looking at Tom's River.. I also want to be close to an area with jobs. How is the job market in Tom's River? Is it more affordable than northern NJ? I guess I'd have to commute to northern NJ for a better paying job? I am willing to live with a roommate. I just want an area that has jobs, somewhat affordable (within reason, I know NJ is expensive) and close to Brick Twp. I really don't want to be more than an hour drive from Brick if possible. Also, is $5000 a good amount of money to have saved for this move? Or more? Thanks!!!
The quick answer is yes, lol. Regarding jobs, there are a fair amount of them all over most of the USA, but it al depends on what profession you are interested in pursuing.
I believe I would start with seeing what is open where to narrow down your source of income first.
Good luck.
It's sweet that you want to move closer to your boyfriend, but I have to ask...have you ever experienced the dead of winter in the north east? I'm curious, because I'm working on the exact opposite move from NJ to Ft Lauderdale. Just can't go through another winter here.
I moved from South Florida to Jersey City partially because I just couldn't take the year-round heat any longer . . . and then I get here and we still have these ridiculous heat waves in the summer, but at least it's not months on end and there is often relief at night. I hate heat. I hate direct sunshine. I love the cool and cold weather. I like cloudy to overcast, gray skies most of the time--so I also found it disappointing that there are SO many cloudless days here. People in Florida would say "It's usually overcast up north", but that's bs, at least here. It seems like there are as many sunny days here as in Florida, to my disappointment. Climate-wise, growing up in South Florida was like living in Hell for me.
Anyway, moving up here without a job with only $5000 doesn't give you a very big window. However, I did something similar. I moved up with no job, but I had $10,000 saved, and this was 16 years ago. I also moved into a small basement apartment that was only $500 per month at that time--it was basically a basement studio. I figured I had enough that I could eke it out here for close to a year (eating cheaply, etc.) even if I didn't find a job, and I would still have enough money to get back to Florida if I had to (where I could have at least moved temporarily back into my mom's place to figure out what to do next).
With that strategy, I was ready to take any job I could find--and that's what I kind of did initially, as I took a low-paying job as a foot messenger in NYC. That enabled me not only to do some sightseeing and get to know the city while working, but also to continually visit possible other places of employment, drop off countless resumes, etc. It took me maybe five weeks to find a decent job that way (this was 1995). I could have taken other things prior to that, but they didn't pay very well, or they were kinda dead-end, etc. Not that I moved up here to do "normal" work--I'm a musician, but it took much longer to be able to make a living with music here, as I figured it would.
I would guess that $5000 now might only give you a few months, really. If you run out of money and you still don't have work, what are you going to do? So save as much as you can before the move, and look for the cheapest place you can tolerate living in until you find work. You need to have an exit strategy and a minimum dollar amount to execute it. If you do not have relatives or friends you can live with at least temporarily, or a guaranteed job to go back to, an exit strategy might be tough, and in that situation, it really wouldn't be wise to move without having a job first.
I have to ask .... have you really thought this through? Moving from your home, and presumably family, to be with a guy you're not going to live with?
I'm not judging - just thinking of my own mistakes
I live in Brick (formerly NY). It's a great place to raise a family - very safe; good schools. However, for a single person with no job prospects? Don't think so... (And forget Toms River - a lot of seniors and they're are sections that are "not so nice")
And, have you thought about that hour commute you're willing to make? I thought I did when I moved for the same reason 6 years ago - it sucks! It's 2 hours/day; 10 hrs/week out of your life. And, during the summer, the ride back "south" is horrendous with all the people going to the "shore". Traveling an hour from Brick (going north) puts you around the Woodbridge area (approx)....going South puts you nowhere!
The apts run about $850-$1,000 for a nice one bedroom in Brick (and you'll need first & last up front). Then there's utilities, food and the fuel for your very long commute. If you're hiring a mover (my parents just moved to FL) it'll cost you at least $2,500 (my parents paid $5,000 but they had a lot of stuff). If you're not bringing furniture, etc., you'll also need money for those items.
Please think this through thoroughly; if he loves you, let him stay in FL with you!
PS - don't expect to go swimming in the ocean here - yup, it's a hell of a lot better than NY, but nothing like Florida.....GOOD LUCK!!
Moving from your home, and presumably family, to be with a guy you're not going to live with?
Yeah, I didn't even address that aspect. And looking at her posting history, just in May she was talking about some guy in Arizona instead. Is this the same guy? I have to wonder just how serious he is about a relationship in either case.
Moving to Central NJ on a wing and a prayer, without a job, to be near a guy who is maybe not that serious about a relationship?
I'd think that through a bit more maybe.
Why not concentrate on graduate school as you mentioned in the other post, and on working in some ground level capacity in the field you're interested in?
As I mentioned above, I can certainly understand wanting to get out of Florida (even though there were plenty of things I liked about it too--it was a mixed bag, but I was ready for a change and couldn't take the weather any longer), but think about where you really want to be and why. Every place has pros and cons, and every place will mean that you have some opportunities available and others closed off to you. It's important to think about what you want long term, so that you're at least setting yourself up to be able to make the next move. It's too easy to get stuck in a place, or a situation, and not be able to make the next step.
I moved from South Florida to Jersey City partially because I just couldn't take the year-round heat any longer . . . and then I get here and we still have these ridiculous heat waves in the summer, but at least it's not months on end and there is often relief at night. I hate heat. I hate direct sunshine. I love the cool and cold weather. I like cloudy to overcast, gray skies most of the time--so I also found it disappointing that there are SO many cloudless days here. People in Florida would say "It's usually overcast up north", but that's bs, at least here. It seems like there are as many sunny days here as in Florida, to my disappointment. Climate-wise, growing up in South Florida was like living in Hell for me.
LOL, you sound very Emo like your depressed. not judging everyone likes what they like, just never heard of someone like cloudy weather unless they're from the northwest.
but back to the topic, i agree with the others if you should be doing. this ins;t a relationship forum but i wouldn't recommend moving here to be with a boyfriend because if anything does happen (not saying it will, not saying it won't) you will end up stuck here and most likely hating it here because of what this place represents to you. So i suggest you think this through thoroughly before doing anything,
LOL, you sound very Emo like your depressed. not judging everyone likes what they like, just never heard of someone like cloudy weather unless they're from the northwest.
I mentioned this in some other thread . . . but I sure can't remember where. Anyway, to me, being outside and in the open on bright, sunny days, especially on days when the temperature is in the 70s or above, feels equivalent to having a theatrical spotlight follow me around at home, shining right in my eyes. It's hot, it's blinding, it burns me if I'm in it too long, it ends up giving me a headache, etc. I can't empathize with enjoying that instead. It just seems obnoxious, lol.
On the other thread I think I asked why people who like that wouldn't actually put spotlights in their homes and crank their heat up to 90 or so.
No replies from the OP tells me she does not follow-up on things. Dont move across country for a boyfriend/girlfriend with no job..period. Especially not to brick nj.
PS - don't expect to go swimming in the ocean here
This is pretty silly. I go in the ocean 50-60 times a year. The area is packed with people going in the ocean. There aren't many jobs available in the shore area that pay great wages.
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PS - don't expect to go swimming in the ocean here
