Where to live: the frugal choice?

ameliat · 03-04-2008, 10:11 AM

Margaret Garcia-Couoh's post about moving to and living in Plumas County, CA got me thinking. My husband and I have been talking about moving "somewhere cheaper" where we might actually be able to afford to buy a house. We currently live in Washington, DC.

Where do you live? Are there jobs? Is real estate affordable? What advice would you give a inter-racial couple wanting to live a sustainable lifestyle and start a family?

Thanks so much for your ideas!

Lynnae · 03-04-2008, 10:48 AM

I live in Southern Oregon, and while it's beautiful here, real estate is expensive. My husband and I have often thought of moving someplace less expensive, but our families are here, and my husband has his dream job, so we're staying put for now.

jdp · 03-04-2008, 12:07 PM

People think I am weird. I guess maybe I am backwards. I found a job in a place I love not a place to tolerate for a job I love. For me work is work. But where I am seems to root me or nourish me.

I live in NWPA, USA. I frequently visit places like DC and think "boy am I lucky to live where I live". Here its all about having work to live here. Not a lot of jobs. Plenty of room, options - rural to town to city, and excellent features.

lucille · 03-04-2008, 01:07 PM

More rural does not always equal cheaper living. We live in a small metro of about 200,000 people in the midwest. We don't have income tax but property taxes are as much here as they are in some big cities. Housing is cheaper than places like California but it is about the same as some bigger midwest cities. So you have to really do your homework about all of the details that go into cost of living and actual wages. Things like Salary.com usually post a bit higher than going wages. Your also going to lose money if you can't find a job in your field and your only options left are rather low paying jobs.

Here my options are to work in my field and get paid ok or go work a $10 an hour job. Not great options. You also have to look at driving. If your going to have to drive long distances to get anywhere and you have no public transit options that can make a place more expensive.

Another place to find tips about cheaper places to live is to look at Senior and Retirement type websites. They will outline cost of living and break out all of the tax rates.

Megan · 03-04-2008, 01:10 PM

I grew up in a small farming community in the Midwest near a very large city, and now live in the D.C. area. I do miss the housing prices. I couldn't buy a one bedroom condo here for what I could buy a 3 bedroom house there. But there are a lot of perks to this city too, perks that I didn't have before. I think there are always trade-offs.

In terms of recommendations... I've heard good things from friends living in the Chicago metro area. But I can't personally vouch for it.

rstlne · 03-04-2008, 01:11 PM

I live in northern New Jersey, so almost anywhere in the country would have cheaper real estate and lower property taxes! I think either Central or Northeast Pennsylvania or Central Delaware might be good relocation choices if I were to retire now and didn't want to spend more than $100K on a house. Definitely do visit the place before you choose it. If you're there for a few days and it doesn't pass the smell test, you're not going to like living there.

cheapskate · 03-04-2008, 01:13 PM

Hey ameliat, nice post here and great question. I also live in DC over in the LeDroit Park neighborhood. Rent is pretty affordable in my group house and job-wise, I make enough to stay afloat. Enough to pay for a few cabs here and there, but nothing exorbitant. Just got back from NYC where I burned easily $200 in one weekend. (not cool)

ameliat · 03-04-2008, 01:24 PM

Great ideas!

Cheapskate, I know what you mean. I do like living in DC (Takoma metro stop) and not having/needing a car. It is a very affordable lifestyle for my husband and me right now. We pay very reasonable rent and have a wonderful landlady (we live in her basement – very small 1 BR). Absolutely perfect – EXCEPT what to do when we have kids?

I go back and forth about the trade-offs, like Megan mentioned. Ideally, we’d stay and buy in Takoma Park, MD and have the best of both worlds but the housing prices are pretty outrageous for a frugal couple working at DC non-profits.

So here we are considering a move with the same mentality jdp alluded to – where we’re going to live is MUCH more important than what we’ll do. As long as there are some jobs available, we’re both pretty flexible.

Keep the ideas coming! You all are a wonderful source of experience and advice

lucille · 03-04-2008, 03:58 PM

Sometimes second tier larger cities can offer a cheaper cost of living but still have some of the big city things people want. Indianapolis, Louisville, Cincinnati. Minneapolis isn't bad on a cost of living basis if you can find the right neighborhood that is safe, not insanely expensive AND close to things.

amyschiff · 03-04-2008, 04:44 PM

I currently live in South Central Michigan. It's pretty reasonable to live here--especially compared to a little bit south in Ann Arbor. Job-wise, it's not so great. My home state of Ohio is a lot the same (Northeast Ohio, at least), though maybe a little less economically depressed. I was lucky (and thankful) to find an awesome job in Lansing, MI because I was able to be reunited with my boyfriend after living 4 hours apart for about four months.

THe midwest is reasonable but not for the faint of heart... the weather here can be totally awful.

03-04-2008, 10:11 AM	#1
ameliat Junior Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Posts: 3 Reputation: (10)	Where to live: the frugal choice? Margaret Garcia-Couoh's post about moving to and living in Plumas County, CA got me thinking. My husband and I have been talking about moving "somewhere cheaper" where we might actually be able to afford to buy a house. We currently live in Washington, DC. Where do you live? Are there jobs? Is real estate affordable? What advice would you give a inter-racial couple wanting to live a sustainable lifestyle and start a family? Thanks so much for your ideas!

03-04-2008, 10:48 AM	#2
Lynnae Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Posts: 70 Reputation: (11)	I live in Southern Oregon, and while it's beautiful here, real estate is expensive. My husband and I have often thought of moving someplace less expensive, but our families are here, and my husband has his dream job, so we're staying put for now. __________________ Lynnae beingfrugal.net

03-04-2008, 01:10 PM	#5
Megan Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Posts: 308 Reputation: (63)	I grew up in a small farming community in the Midwest near a very large city, and now live in the D.C. area. I do miss the housing prices. I couldn't buy a one bedroom condo here for what I could buy a 3 bedroom house there. But there are a lot of perks to this city too, perks that I didn't have before. I think there are always trade-offs. In terms of recommendations... I've heard good things from friends living in the Chicago metro area. But I can't personally vouch for it. __________________ Counting My Pennies

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03-04-2008, 12:07 PM	#3
jdp Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 205 Reputation: (24)	People think I am weird. I guess maybe I am backwards. I found a job in a place I love not a place to tolerate for a job I love. For me work is work. But where I am seems to root me or nourish me. I live in NWPA, USA. I frequently visit places like DC and think "boy am I lucky to live where I live". Here its all about having work to live here. Not a lot of jobs. Plenty of room, options - rural to town to city, and excellent features.

03-04-2008, 01:07 PM	#4
lucille Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Posts: 510 Reputation: (33)	More rural does not always equal cheaper living. We live in a small metro of about 200,000 people in the midwest. We don't have income tax but property taxes are as much here as they are in some big cities. Housing is cheaper than places like California but it is about the same as some bigger midwest cities. So you have to really do your homework about all of the details that go into cost of living and actual wages. Things like Salary.com usually post a bit higher than going wages. Your also going to lose money if you can't find a job in your field and your only options left are rather low paying jobs. Here my options are to work in my field and get paid ok or go work a $10 an hour job. Not great options. You also have to look at driving. If your going to have to drive long distances to get anywhere and you have no public transit options that can make a place more expensive. Another place to find tips about cheaper places to live is to look at Senior and Retirement type websites. They will outline cost of living and break out all of the tax rates.

03-04-2008, 01:11 PM	#6
rstlne Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: New Jersey Posts: 364 Reputation: (115)	I live in northern New Jersey, so almost anywhere in the country would have cheaper real estate and lower property taxes! I think either Central or Northeast Pennsylvania or Central Delaware might be good relocation choices if I were to retire now and didn't want to spend more than $100K on a house. Definitely do visit the place before you choose it. If you're there for a few days and it doesn't pass the smell test, you're not going to like living there.

03-04-2008, 01:13 PM	#7
cheapskate Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 50 Reputation: (10)	Hey ameliat, nice post here and great question. I also live in DC over in the LeDroit Park neighborhood. Rent is pretty affordable in my group house and job-wise, I make enough to stay afloat. Enough to pay for a few cabs here and there, but nothing exorbitant. Just got back from NYC where I burned easily $200 in one weekend. (not cool)

03-04-2008, 01:24 PM	#8
ameliat Junior Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Posts: 3 Reputation: (10)	Great ideas! Cheapskate, I know what you mean. I do like living in DC (Takoma metro stop) and not having/needing a car. It is a very affordable lifestyle for my husband and me right now. We pay very reasonable rent and have a wonderful landlady (we live in her basement – very small 1 BR). Absolutely perfect – EXCEPT what to do when we have kids? I go back and forth about the trade-offs, like Megan mentioned. Ideally, we’d stay and buy in Takoma Park, MD and have the best of both worlds but the housing prices are pretty outrageous for a frugal couple working at DC non-profits. So here we are considering a move with the same mentality jdp alluded to – where we’re going to live is MUCH more important than what we’ll do. As long as there are some jobs available, we’re both pretty flexible. Keep the ideas coming! You all are a wonderful source of experience and advice

03-04-2008, 03:58 PM	#9
lucille Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Posts: 510 Reputation: (33)	Sometimes second tier larger cities can offer a cheaper cost of living but still have some of the big city things people want. Indianapolis, Louisville, Cincinnati. Minneapolis isn't bad on a cost of living basis if you can find the right neighborhood that is safe, not insanely expensive AND close to things.

03-04-2008, 04:44 PM	#10
amyschiff Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Lansing, MI Posts: 308 Reputation: (44)	I currently live in South Central Michigan. It's pretty reasonable to live here--especially compared to a little bit south in Ann Arbor. Job-wise, it's not so great. My home state of Ohio is a lot the same (Northeast Ohio, at least), though maybe a little less economically depressed. I was lucky (and thankful) to find an awesome job in Lansing, MI because I was able to be reunited with my boyfriend after living 4 hours apart for about four months. THe midwest is reasonable but not for the faint of heart... the weather here can be totally awful.