[arctichomesteader]

Originally Posted by Georgiapeach32

Wow and I thought my $700.00 rent and $150.00 gas bill was knocking serious fire out of my pockets. I thought WRJ would be a lot cheaper since it's a smaller town but I guess not eh? I'm currently living in a townhome style apartment and would likely want the same there especially since I have a dog. So my question is, if wages are so slim and everything is so high, how are people making it? I could see things being quite expensive if you are living near or in the big city but I'm getting the impression that things are just ridiculously high everywhere.

The Northeast Kingdom is relatively affordable compared to the rest of VT, but it's a bit deceptive, since there's also less work there.

[GypsySoul22]

I doubt you are going to get ANYTHING nice for $700 a month here! One bedroom maybe $800 or more.
I was just reading about this somewhere, maybe the newspaper...people can't find reasonable housing (rentals) in the Upper Valley.

This area is also spotty (some parts are run down). I would not say 'hood dangerous' but run down...

Not sure if we are allowed to link to the paper but here are today's rentals...:

Valley News Classified, 03/17/2010, Apartments Unfurnished

If this gets taken down, I will DM you.

Please note Wilder and WRJ are near where you said you are going to work.

If you have a specific area in mind, I can tell you more about it.

Oh, and get ready for a big shock, no lights at night on the highway. Yep, it's pitch black. And hardly anyone has porch lights or burns outside lights. So you have to have decent lights on your car if you are doing night driving.

As far as 'sitting in the dark' it is MY observation in MY complex. I don't hold any of the things I am saying for all of Vermont, just this area.

And I am being fair with my replies, not trying to put off Georgia Peach.
GP--you will probably have to pay a fee monthly for your dog on top of rent...

[LisaMc46]

Originally Posted by Georgiapeach32

Wow and I thought my $700.00 rent and $150.00 gas bill was knocking serious fire out of my pockets. I thought WRJ would be a lot cheaper since it's a smaller town but I guess not eh? I'm currently living in a townhome style apartment and would likely want the same there especially since I have a dog. So my question is, if wages are so slim and everything is so high, how are people making it? I could see things being quite expensive if you are living near or in the big city but I'm getting the impression that things are just ridiculously high everywhere.

A lot of people are making it by depending on some type of government assistance like food stamps, Medicaid, subsidized housing, etc. The sad part is that my friends who receive these services all work and all but one live in two-income homes.

My husband and I are doing O.K. by working very hard (he works two jobs and I work one) and being very frugal. We live in a smaller, energy efficient house (our electric bill is usually under $50 and we're on target to receive a refund from our fuel company b/c we used less propane than anticipated). We garden and cook mostly vegetarian meals from scratch. We shop at thrift stores and accept free stuff whenever it's offered to us. Our kids ride bikes, go to the lake and play outside rather than taking expensive lessons.

You can make it in Vermont just like you can make it in NYC or anywhere else you're determined to live, but it takes planning and determination. At this point, if I were you I'd make sure that the salary you've been offered would be enough to cover your basic expenses.

As far as being a Republican is concerned, I wouldn't worry. Vermonters aren't as liberal as people think. It's a minority of whack politicians and their loyal followers who have given the state that undeserved reputation.

Most people I've met here aren't prejudice. In fact, they tend to be a lot less prejudice and elitist than the people I grew up with in Northern N.J. We host an African American child every summer through the Fresh Air Fund and people have always treated her with the kindness and respect they show to my own children.

Of course, if you're looking for an African American man to date, you'll probably have to join E-Harmony. They are far and few between up here.

[GypsySoul22]

Lisa is giving good advice.
I have to say after almost 3 years, living that way has gotten exhausting. Pinching pennies is fine--but it's hard to live that way long term.
You have to be committed to it, as she says.

Frankly, I'm sick of it. (and I am not a materialistic person).

Give me a decent job and NO help from the gov't any day.

Anyhow, as a single person you will have different wants and needs from married and married with kids folks.

You can be frugal here. You can go to Walmart (40 minute drive) or Market Basket in Claremont and buy cheaper groceries. You will do 99.9 percent of your shopping across state lines in NH because there is only one supermarket here and it is one that charges more than others.

We spend more $ than we want at the local gas station because the supermarket is 10 minutes away.

Walks with your dog are free...so you can enjoy that...
Lebanon has more persons of color than VT. (not far away). I bet Hanover/Dartmouth has something to fit your needs.

[cwilli64]

Oh gosh stay away from Vermont, ALL of Vermont, every square white, non-diverse inch of Vermont. I am a person of color and I stayed in Vermont for six weeks, I just left three weeks ago and I thought I was going nuts. Every time I saw a person of color we would smile and wave at each other like help me! It's unreal, simply unreal in Vermont. Stay away, stay far away from Vermont.

[coldoutside28]

Originally Posted by cwilli64

Oh gosh stay away from Vermont, ALL of Vermont, every square white, non-diverse inch of Vermont. I am a person of color and I stayed in Vermont for six weeks, I just left three weeks ago and I thought I was going nuts. Every time I saw a person of color we would smile and wave at each other like help me! It's unreal, simply unreal in Vermont. Stay away, stay far away from Vermont.

I tend to agree somewhat with this.

I am African American and moved here about 18 months ago (following my fool, now ex-boyfriend who has now returned to Toronto, but that's another story). I have a good job with a non-profit. I ended up getting into a homeshare with a so-so roommate. Obviously, I wouldn't recommend that. You will enjoy your time here more if you have your own place, sans roommates. Many people in Burlington have roommates because it's so freaking expensive. But just today I found a nice flat in a decent area that is mid priced.

Also from the deep south, I knew Vermont was the whitest state in the US when I got here. But it's one thing to read about it and a totally different thing to live it. Let me tell you, there have been times when I go across the lake (Champlain) to Plattsburgh and I'm freaking out over how many visible minorities live there. I was in ATL a few months ago, and I was enamored with everyone around me because, hey, they weren't all white!

The best thing about living here (I live in Burlington) is that Montreal is less than 2 hours away. I'm pretty much up there at least once a month.

I am getting ready to get the heck out of here. This is a great place to live if you like being a token OR if you like buying local and/or eating raw OR if you have a great job (i.e., high income) OR if you are a trust fund baby. If you are poor and are making less than 50k annually....it will suck. So hard. If I couldn't afford to get the hell up out of here often, I would have quit and left a long time ago. The relationship I moved up here for dissolved almost a year ago....the only thing keeping me here is the fact that I'm used to my routine, I'm waiting to hear about which grad school I got into, and I haven't driven over to Ottawa yet.

I've spent most of my time hitting up every place I've ever wanted to see in New England. That has been fun.

Um, if you're from anywhere south of the Mason Dixon, these winters will kick your butt all up and through. For real. It is hard core cold here in winter (like it can get down to -20s) and heavy snows. Get snow tires. AND AWD. I would be a sad person without my Subaru. It may be ugly, but it can handle the snow.

I am single as of last May. I haven't had one date. It sucks, but it's partially my own fault. 1, I'm not ready and I'm sure I'm giving off 'I've had my heart stomped on" vibes; 2, I don't go out to the clubs like most people in their 20s. I do hit up the coffee shops and bookstores. There is a huge emphasis on being physically fit and participating in outdoor activities here. I think I would have had more success dating if I'd learned to ski or snowboard.

My job has me travelling all over this state. I would NOT live in White River Junction. Consider the Burlington area, Middlebury, Brattleboro....yeah, that's about it. Southern VT is mostly rich white people and expensive; Northern VT is still mostly rich white people but where the 1%-2% visible minority population primarily resides.

I would NOT live in Hanover/Lebanon. Dartmouth or not.

VT is not as liberal as they pretend to be, but it's more liberal than say Alabama or Georgia any day of the week.

VT definitely needs more minorities, but they'd rather import their minorities from war-torn areas. As my roommate says, people here want to "keep Vermont Vermont," i.e., the way it's always been, i.e., white.

All of that negativity said....I've made some really great friends here and I will miss the natural beauty of this state.

This has been a great life experience, break up or not. But I've had enough. My next move will take me to a major city hopefully, where there is more diversity.

[Evan_Lanctot]

GeorgiaPeach,

I left Vermont partially because of the expense but also partly because of the people. There is more racism here then you might think because of the liberal reputation.

I saw you're also considering Augusta, Maine. Take that instead. It won't be as expensive, an there is less racism as far as I can see(I am now in Portland).

[Sporin]

I love threads like this, it's always interesting to see what locals really think of our area.

I'm in Windsor, spend quite a bit of time in WRJ as it's a short drive and I love working on my laptop at the Tuckerbox Coffee Shop (I'm a self-employed Graphic Designer). WRJ is slowly reshaping itself as an artists area. There is the Cartoon College, and a number of galleries and shops.

Dartmouth brings some diversity into the area, but no one will pretend it's a lot. There are a large number of children of color that have been adopted in. There is a sizable Asian population in particular. None of it will seem even slightly diverse compared to Georgia, but for northern NH/VT, it is certainly considered a more diverse area.

Good luck with your search, do your research, winters are long, good jobs are scares, and rents/utilities are high. But it's a nice area to raise a family, low crime good schools, etc. I think it would be tough as a single. I wouldn't give a second thought to being a Republican up here, I just don't think political affiliation is a screaming big deal up here except for a few loudmouths who take their bumper stickers too seriously.

[GypsySoul22]

Originally Posted by Sporin

Good luck with your search, do your research, winters are long, good jobs are scares, and rents/utilities are high..

Well, #1--yes, winter is too long. We were very lucky this year.
#2--What's the point of low crime and good schools (dubious) when you can't make enough to survive or 'you just hang on' doing 2 jobs and your kids are unsupervised and bored (leading into mischievous behavior)
#3--Rents and utilities are very high for 'podunk nowhere.' If you live in the Lebanon/WRJ/Hanover area you are being ripped off for high rents/taxes for very little (see #2).

Don't forget we pay as much for groceries (or more) than in metro areas.

I miss the diversity of a bigger place.

I'm not saying this place is horrible (it's not horrible) but there are too many 'negatives' to justify us staying here. (for our family).

Anyhow, I already know the OP has decided what to do. I wish her good luck.

[mustmove]

GypsySoul22's list is accurate. If you don't have kids and can move around it ain't bad to give it a try. Except that it takes a little extra money to move and living in VT is hard on the extra money accumulation.