Relocating for afordability etc..

[Frugal Father (tm)]

I am considering relocating considering cost of living and the ability to include frugality and to simplify things more. NYC is expensive , although we do well , I'd like a more positive financial change...anyone out there moved for the sake of frugality, cost of living or what ever...

Thanks.

[simpleselu]

Re: Relocating for afordability etc..

We are moving and one of the reasons (although low on the list) is that the cost of living is lower while the salaries where I am now and where I will be are dollar for dollar the same.

[Ima saver]

Re: Relocating for afordability etc..

We did not move because of that, but I found living in florida was much more expensive than living in North Georgia. My electric bill was higher (22 years ago) than it is now. Property taxes are much higher in florida.

[Frugal Father (tm)]

Re: Relocating for afordability etc..

Yes I see that. I work at home (writing and painting) and keep the house, My wife however has a nice position in the developmental disabilites field working with retarded adults. She could make even more in NYC than she does if she moved to other comapnies and she could make less somehwere else, but I fiqure with a lower cost of living, frugality and adopting a simplier course of lving we'd be better off, buying a house or condo and having no mortgage or even putting a nice chunk in the bank would be nicer. We would even consider a rental community because property taxes and taking up weekends to upkeep a house are things we'd rather not due.

What places do you guys like...I've looked at upstate NY, (NJ for rental communities-no ptax involved) maine,connecticut, and even arkansas...HMMMM?

[ShoppingInsider]

Re: Relocating for afordability etc..

Personally, I consider moving in order to afford a better standard of living a very sound reason to move. We moved quite a bit during the first years of our marriage for precisely that reason and are now where we want to be and prospering. My sisters, on the other hand, did NOT want to leave the large city in which they live and they & their families have struggled financially.

FWIW, the town I live in is consistently rated one of the top 10 mid-size cities (mid? small? About 90,000) as far as affordability, what it has to offer, recreation, unemployment, etc. by Money magazine. It's smack-dab in the middle of the US, the biggest employers are universities, medical facilities, and insurance companies, and we bought a 2500 sq ft house on 14 acres, less than 2 miles from the city limits, for $235K.

Sometimes I watch those HGTV shows that compare what you get for the money (housing-wise) in different cities and I can't IMAGINE paying that much money to live!

Diana

[Frugal Father (tm)]

Re: Relocating for afordability etc..

Personally, I consider moving in order to afford a better standard of living a very sound reason to move. We moved quite a bit during the first years of our marriage for precisely that reason and are now where we want to be and prospering. My sisters, on the other hand, did NOT want to leave the large city in which they live and they & their families have struggled financially.

FWIW, the town I live in is consistently rated one of the top 10 mid-size cities (mid? small? About 90,000) as far as affordability, what it has to offer, recreation, unemployment, etc. by Money magazine. It's smack-dab in the middle of the US, the biggest employers are universities, medical facilities, and insurance companies, and we bought a 2500 sq ft house on 14 acres, less than 2 miles from the city limits, for $235K.

Sometimes I watch those HGTV shows that compare what you get for the money (housing-wise) in different cities and I can't IMAGINE paying that much money to live!

Diana

Diana,


If I may ask where is it that you live. I don't need particulars I klnow this is a public forum. Thanks

[ShoppingInsider]

Re: Relocating for afordability etc..

Columbia MO

[Ima saver]

Re: Relocating for afordability etc..

I would always live in the south and we hope to move someday to the mountains of North Carolina or Tennessee. I will check out the property taxes first, I can't imagine paying what some people pay in prop. tax.

[tinapbeana]

Re: Relocating for afordability etc..

I would always live in the south and we hope to move someday to the mountains of North Carolina or Tennessee. I will check out the property taxes first, I can't imagine paying what some people pay in prop. tax.

Property taxes will always be lower outside the city limits and away from the touristy areas. As for NC vs TN: TN has a high sales tax but that is in lieu of either state income or property tax, i can't remember which... Either way, works out nicely when one doesn't spend much & therefore don't get hit w/ the higher sales tax!

[banana]

Re: Relocating for afordability etc..

We did about 10 years ago. We relocated from NY to PA.

[ren]

Re: Relocating for afordability etc..

No matter where you go, it might be a good plan to rent for a year. It'll give you time to get familiar with the area, so you'll know where the best/most convenient place to live would be. Also, just in case you end up not liking the area, you won't have to worry about selling and paying the realtor's comission.

[PRICEPLUS]

Re: Relocating for afordability etc..

I am told the Raleigh/Durham area is pretty nice and reasonable!

[jacksprat]

Re: Relocating for afordability etc..

I am told the Raleigh/Durham area is pretty nice and reasonable!

As as resident of RDU, I think it's very overrated. Nice , but still overrated. And as for basing your relocation decisions on a magazine article,- DON'T ! For example, many transplants compain about the roads and road conditions here.. I agree, even South Carolina - who used to be close to the bottom in the road rating - fares better. The median home price in this area is the highest in the state. You won't see any mention about these kind of things in one of those magazines and I think people put way to much validity in them..

Bottom line, research and visit before you move !

[LuxLiving]

Re: Relocating for afordability etc..

Retire Columbia

http://chamber.columbia.mo.us/retire/

[Ima saver]

Re: Relocating for afordability etc..

I think Tennessee has no state income tax.