Things to Consider (San Diego, Paradise: ski resort, loans, home)

[mover2010]

In a previous thread, bunky331 recently stated "Its no fun living in Paradise or the next best thing and just getting by." This is the most accurate statement I have read! I currently have a temporary (5 year) position in New Hampshire that pays pretty well, and am considering places to relocate permanently. Not to mention that we have no debt other than auto loans. The cost of living here is extremely high, few high-paying jobs, and we are scraping pennies just to pay bills. Without going into detail, the bottom line is that this area is considered to be the ideal locale for outdoor enthusiasts (skiing, fishing, hiking, hunting, camping, etc.) but few local people have the time to do these things because we are always working to make ends meet! Instead, we get to watch the tourists have fun.

I do not mean to sound negative toward New England, or any other region, but I feel that a person's happiness is not determined by their location, but by their ability to choose how to spend their time--when earning enough money just to pay bills is the primary focus, life sucks!

[skeke]

That work life balance is a challenge. I don't work longer hours than many other full time employed. I do choose to put in a bit more than 8 hours a day (doesn't give me any more pay, just a choice I make.) I start my day between 7:30 and 7:45 and am usually the last to leave the office at 5. (I choose to release the staff at 4:45 if we are not busy and spend the time till closing watching over the office by myself). More often than not I do not actually take my hour lunch, just eat at my desk and continue to work. I am trying to make myself go out and walk at lunch for health reasons. I am of retirement age and I tell you I can't wait! I have always said I would work full time until 66 for the best fiscal advantage, but I am seriously considering retiring at 65 and dealing with the pension, health care coverage and social security reductions that would result from this choice. I haven't related this to the expense of San Diego just the way it is when you have a full time job. I can't imagine what it might be like to have to work more than one job in order to get by. My energy levels are such that I don't do much on weekends beyond grocery shopping, cleaning, yard work and laundry. Most likely thing we do is have another couple over for dinner. I hope to change that upon retirement.

[lrmsd]

I am from NE, and currently in SD.I agree with you, but also feel there ARE certain locales where you can live well on less...and SD is one of them. I think the weather and beach really assist in keeping you focused on the positive, at least some of the time...even when struggling to make ends meet. It IS harder when you have children, as we do, b/c you don't have the means to provide a nice home, etc. that you may want for them...but you can certainly enjoy the plusses the area has to offer, in terms of the natural world, fairly readily...hiking, beaches, free museum days first tuesday of the month for residents, that sort of thing. Even with surfing, if you find a cheap used board and wet suit, you can begin teaching yourself for free. All beaches in CA are public and free, and free parking is the norm.

Contrasted with winter sports, or sports that require a large infrastructure-ie,ski pass,equipment, etc., the year round sports in SD are accessible to most.

You also have year round produce for cheap, and no winterizing costs for clothing, heating the home or auto winterizing expenses. Our utilities run about 100 a month in SD, and we do not have central heat or a/c.

I'm not sure what the point of your or my post even is, but that's my two cents.

I am sorry you are not able to enjoy the NE area you are in...I wonder if in the greater Boston area, you could find a higher paying gig and have more disposable income to enjoy life?

Either that, or get mroe training or go into business for yourself-in short, find a way to work smarter, not harder, and make more money for the same amount of time/hours worked, or even less. Or be creative...ie,get a very part time job at a ski resort, and get a free or very discounted pass. I'm not sure what your interests are, but I bet there's a creative avenue to finance them....

Choosing how to spend one's free time is a key to happiness, I agree. Also, unconvential avenues to getting there are part of the American mindset, IMO. One needs to think outside of the box in some cases, when getting ahead in the traditional sense is not an option.

Life...a work in progress, at best. lol