DISQUS

remodelingthislife · 2 months ago

I like the new header. I guess I don't know how new it is. And the photo for this post is hilarious.

There are pros and cons to both places, the NE and here. I sure do miss the NE this time of year, and there are parts of me that long to go back for good, but not to NY.

the bugs, snakes, and 93 degree autumn days top my list of reasons to leave florida someday :)

You're right though, this area has much to offer and I'm glad you're settling in.

bubelah · 2 months ago

You are right, it's strange to me that we are in mid-October and still have summer with 90+F temperatures. A loooooong summer! And the thought of snakes scares me to tears, but so far I've seen only snake skin next to our house.
We are planning to visit NE in Fall and for winter holidays. Hope to get the variety this way.

Steve · 2 months ago

@remodelingthislife: Thanks (on the header)! It's about a week or two old, I guess... (the pic on the right is from your neck of the woods, actually).

I'll tell you what I plan to do - eventually I'll get the summer home in Maine and the winter home in Florida, and of course the weekend apartments in Manhattan and Miami. Heh :)

remodelingthislife · 2 months ago

funny you say that - maine is at the top of my list of places to move one day. i had to remind hubby that my not yet being 31, it might be a bit early to become snowbirds though :)

re: other comments. homeowners insurance has not bitten us in the butt yet, and is FAR cheaper still than it was when we were in NY. i do believe i drive more now than when we lived in NY but that is 100% due to have two children that i choose to drive to school each day.

ulyana · 2 months ago

I guess another part of the equation is the income. If you are maintaining the same level of income, then those savings actually do feel like savings.

At the same time, there are fewer pressures to maintain the same level of earnings, so you can breathe more freely.

plonkee · 2 months ago

Many of your comments (positive and negative) are related to the relative densities and ages of NJ and Florida as major population centres. Older places have more maintenance issues (for the city and so on), real estate is cheaper in less dense areas, with the corollary of more driving. Bet you're creating a bigger carbon footprint now.

Steve · 2 months ago

@plonkee: True, although I'd argue that since we're now living in the 12th biggest US city, we've actually moved UP since we were living in the Jersey burbs - admittedly outside of the nation's largest city, but technically we didn't live there. And yes, we're obviously driving more, although in some ways it's a bit of a wash - I drive more, but Bubelah's driving much less since all of the essential things we need are within about a 5 mile radius. And I doubt we could have reduced our cost of living as substantially having moved to a less-densely populated part of Jersey, which is partially what I'm getting at. It would be an interesting post for someone more analytical than I am - whether the cost of living in the States is more dependent on the location (by state) or the size of the town.

But I'm sure our carbon footprint increased in total. It's not a great thing, but when my current car gives up the ghost I do plan to buy a hybrid for my commuting car, hopefully offsetting at least part of that.

misformoney · 2 months ago

You didn't address the one thing I hear is terribly expensive about Florida - homeowner's insurance. I keep hearing horror stories about people fleeing Florida because they can't afford to insure their home. What has your experience been?

Steve · 2 months ago

@misformoney: Well, it's less expensive in NE Florida than other parts, primarily because we don't have the same level of hurricane risk. I'll be able to tell you better after this week because I'll actually be securing it on our new home after getting a few quotes.

alicia · 2 months ago

I left the NE for Florida in 2001. Only lasted 3 months in Florida. Once May hit and the temps rose, I couldn't get back to NY fast enough.
Your kids may be young BUT wait till they grow up and you have to deal with drug problems. I didn't meet one single parent who didn't have trouble with their kids and drugs. Drugs are everywhere in Fl. I didn't want my children socializing with ANYBODY. You can't get a job in FL without a drug test and then there are the constant on-the-spot drug tests. Wait. They'll come to you soon enough.
Then there is the crime in FL, the sex offenders, the child molesters.....yeah, great fun. (and I lived in a wealthy area-Sarasota/Tampa Bay) As a mother, I couldn't get back to the law and order state of NY's finest fast enough. And a good bagel and pizza! And Broadway!
FL is nice to visit. That's about it.
I understand what you say about New Jersey. That state is a disaster (high taxes, corrupt) BUT when we came back to NY, we settled more upstate (lower cost of living) still within a 90 minute drive (or train ride) to NYC. I'll never be far from NYC ever again.

PS: we found people in Fl to be really, really stupid (compared to the sharpness of New Yorkers). ugh.

Steve · 2 months ago

@alicia: Sounds like you had a bad experience, to put it mildly. 3 months seems like a fairly short period of time to have such strong feelings, but I guess different strokes for different folks. I am enjoying the summer-like temps in October, I can say that much. Not going to miss the snow.

Curmudgeon · 2 months ago

Hi Steve - I could make the same comparisons you did with my own state, New Hampshire, and almost certainly come out ahead of Florida (no state sales tax or tax on earned income, for example). The cost of living is probably about the lowest in the Northeast, and services are remarkably decent. Since I work largely out of my home, my 11-year old Subaru has been averaging 8500 miles driven a year (my carbon footprint suffers because of airline business travel).

But a big thing with you was the weather; as a southern boy, it seemed that you longed for the kind of climate you grew up with. I, on the other hand, grew up in the industrial Midwest, and have a special affinity for the change of the seasons.