Relocating for afordability etc..

[MonkeyMama]

I would recommend Portland area. Portland has been voted #1 city in many areas in recent years. Very cultured, close enough to the mountains and the shore. I know quite a few people who live in Vancouver, WA and commute to Portland. WA has some very affordable communities just minuted from the big city. Oregon is pretty tax free except property taxes like I said are high. So I know many people who live in Washington but work and shop in ORegon - tax-free.

Downside, everyone and their brother is moving there? LOL. I have my eye on it, it is a lot like San Francisco - feels good enough as home to me.

You may not be tied to NYC, but do you think you would have culture shock in a small town? I love the big city too much, that is why we stay. My sister lives in Raleigh area - it is very cheap and beautiful, etc., but I can not stand it there in the least. I also have family in kansas - talk about cheap. Those are my roots but the fact I could retire there today does not draw me in the least. I think I will stay near the coast...

But seriously moving outside of the big city just 2 hours was a big enough culture shock, probably why I Am scared to leave the state. If you start out renting though sounds good. You can test the waters before you really commit somewhere.

[Duchesse]

: I also live in NYC. I have been thinking about a move like this for years. I am waiting for my last child (14yo) to fly.

I want a warm climate. I want to be in the suburbs but near a city where I can take in sites, sounds, music, ballet, symphony, theatre, opera, movies, museums, in a nutshell culture. I should be able to entertain my visitors.

I also like to party sometimes, none of that wild stuff but, I love to dance.

.

[Fern]

CT is pretty, but if you're moving for affordability issues, you won't see much of a savings moving here from Staten Island, certainly not in terms of real estate values.

[Frugal Father (tm)]

I did alot of reaserching on City-data.com, sometimes the grass isn't greener for some. Areas that meet certain requirements had more crime, if less crime maybe more pollution etc,etc...Guess we'll stay put for a while plus we love the cultural opportunities in our area. Thanks for your opinions.

[Frugal Father (tm)]

got a diagnosis I am not happy with medically in addition to current medical conditions
and of course cost of living and a purposeful life...still might want to relocate, inexpensive area, nice people, chances to have solo pursuits, nice climate, schools ( tween going on teen) etc...NYC/Staten ISland is costing alot more than just money...any advise....

[LivingAlmostLarge]

I'd move in a heartbeat!

[scfr]

Originally Posted by Frugal Father (tm)

got a diagnosis I am not happy with medically in addition to current medical conditions
and of course cost of living and a purposeful life...still might want to relocate, inexpensive area, nice people, chances to have solo pursuits, nice climate, schools ( tween going on teen) etc...NYC/Staten ISland is costing alot more than just money...any advise....

We relocated from the Seattle area to the Austin area in October, in order to have a substantially lower cost of living while maintaining a good quality of life. We've been very happy with the decision. I think Austin's great. Very nice people, nice climate if you like heat, good schools (varies by district of course, as it does anywhere), etc.

If you could tell us what your ideal place would be like, perhaps folks could throw out some suggestions?

[Gruntina]

I am all for relocating. I used to live in Montana and moved to Silicon Valley. The HCOL is a shock factor and it got me stuck here for awhile before I can move. I feel I lost a lot of choices and opportunity while trying to pay for everything in CA.

However I do not want to be a downer but I can imagine your wife is not going to find a nice paying job in her field as I used to work in that area. It’s just a couple steps up from minimum wage in most places.

[Frugal Father (tm)]

Do to my illnesses my wife is the bread winner, I sell paintings as such, have done other per diem things but shes the bread winner and her field -
working with developmentally disabled adults pays the most most in NYC..
I have researched areas and get minimal amounts of info regarding her
field and offers, lets say other companies in NYC would get excited if she looking to change companies, but in others states they react ho hum even with all her experience, I am assuming its the fact they assume they can;t match or offer anything. But still NYC is sapping things in various catergories.

THX for the replies

[ThriftoRama]

We moved from a high cost city to a low cost city and it has dramatically changed our lives for the better. It was like getting a 30 percent pay raise. We were also able to buy our house outright (which never would have happened in our old city...), pay less for insurance, and earn the same or more at our jobs. It's been life changing. I never would have guessed that our quality of life (no money stress, etc.) would have improved so much.

It's put us on a much better financial footing and is allowing us to do things we couldn't afford to do before-- sock away more for retirement, travel more, live debt-free etc.

[Frugal Father (tm)]

Originally Posted by ThriftoRama

We moved from a high cost city to a low cost city and it has dramatically changed our lives for the better. It was like getting a 30 percent pay raise. We were also able to buy our house outright (which never would have happened in our old city...), pay less for insurance, and earn the same or more at our jobs. It's been life changing. I never would have guessed that our quality of life (no money stress, etc.) would have improved so much.

It's put us on a much better financial footing and is allowing us to do things we couldn't afford to do before-- sock away more for retirement, travel more, live debt-free etc.

What state did you move if I may ask and what line of work ? Thx for the reply

[Frugal Father (tm)]

Originally Posted by scfr

We relocated from the Seattle area to the Austin area in October, in order to have a substantially lower cost of living while maintaining a good quality of life. We've been very happy with the decision. I think Austin's great. Very nice people, nice climate if you like heat, good schools (varies by district of course, as it does anywhere), etc.

If you could tell us what your ideal place would be like, perhaps folks could throw out some suggestions?

.

if I combined it all I wouldn't find the place as far as my research has shown
so far...It a nut shell, employment for my wife in the developmental disabilities area working with retarded adults in management or supervisory position. Coastal would be nice but may be unattainable ( near coast) near things like shopping, culture, freebies,libraries, area things all the frugal things we on these boards seek . not rural, but quite, we like our privacy sometimes and can be homebodies, not to urban, not overly suburban and good schools ( tween going on teen involved here) and activities for said tween/teen..

Low cost of living! a house or condo or manufactured house we could buy outright or have a low mortgage than would be insignificant within our budget, A place I could take a deep breath and be glad I am there, feel a sense of place ( even with health issues.) Thats more than enough I guess


Thx for asking and everyone help.

Frugal Father (tm)

[tabbycat31]

Frugal Father.

I recently moved from Westchester County, NY to a coastal area of NJ. OF course teh NJ shore is not extremely low in terms of COL but it has made a difference. Plus I like the 50cents a gallon savings on gas.

I see that your wife is the breadwinner in your family. IF her job is in NYC, you could move to my area and still get a train to NYC. There's a train line directly to NYC from Bay Head and north, and it's about 2 hours on the train if she could stomach that.

[scfr]

Does your wife belong to any professional organizations where she could get data on which states have the highest percentage of DD adults, or which have the best programs for DD adults, and/or which have the greatest need for people like your wife? Perhaps you could come up with a list of likely candidates, and then research each area and choose one or two to focus on.

When we relocated, our primary focus was to find someplace with a lower cost of living (and where the weather would suit my husband's golf habit). After locating many likely candidate cities, we started researching them. Austin was actually one the most expensive on our list of candidates, but we chose it because of the quality of life. DH made a scouting trip here, and decided this was the place, so off we went! [It wasn't quite that easy, since moving is a LOT of work, but that was the overall strategy.]

[Frugal Father (tm)]

Originally Posted by tabbycat31

Frugal Father.

I recently moved from Westchester County, NY to a coastal area of NJ. OF course teh NJ shore is not extremely low in terms of COL but it has made a difference. Plus I like the 50cents a gallon savings on gas.

I see that your wife is the breadwinner in your family. IF her job is in NYC, you could move to my area and still get a train to NYC. There's a train line directly to NYC from Bay Head and north, and it's about 2 hours on the train if she could stomach that.

She works in Brooklyn to be specific..and the commute, we'd like it to be shorter if possible ...we thought about NJ though.

Thx

FF

[Frugal Father (tm)]

Originally Posted by scfr

Does your wife belong to any professional organizations where she could get data on which states have the highest percentage of DD adults, or which have the best programs for DD adults, and/or which have the greatest need for people like your wife? Perhaps you could come up with a list of likely candidates, and then research each area and choose one or two to focus on.

When we relocated, our primary focus was to find someplace with a lower cost of living (and where the weather would suit my husband's golf habit). After locating many likely candidate cities, we started researching them. Austin was actually one the most expensive on our list of candidates, but we chose it because of the quality of life. DH made a scouting trip here, and decided this was the place, so off we went! [It wasn't quite that easy, since moving is a LOT of work, but that was the overall strategy.]

She has access to all kinds of things, its the pay and also if relocating the proximity of the career to the chosen place to live...long commutes are not our
thing and I know that puts a major dent in desires.


thx

FF

[tabbycat31]

Have you considered Long Island? I'm not sure the COL specifics but it should beat the city.

[Slug]

First, this discussion is really timely for me. I just quit my job in order to relocate my family from HIGH cost of living NJ to lower cost of living NC. You can read all the gory details in my blog if you're interested. Obviously for me the right choice was to go for it. It's certainly better from a family standpoint. And, I think the amt. I'll be able to save there will quickly offset the real estate losses I'll likely incur in NJ.

Second, a couple of people already mention the Raleigh Durham area of NC. One person mentioned the traffic and the roads. As someone who lived in RDU for more than a decade and now lives in NJ, I can safely tell you that the roads and traffic of NC are nothing. Nothing. The roads here make you get your car re-aligned about once a month and the traffic is congested and very dangerous by comparison. I'd rather deal with I-40 and 440 far more than spend any amt. of time on the NJ Turnpike or Route 1. Ugh. I can't wait to leave and get back to NC. Again read my blog post for more, but you have to make the best decision for you and your family.

Best of luck.