Should we move from California to Arizona????

[bakphx1 785]

I have lived in AZ for 30 years.  If you’re from Canada you may find the heat easier than the cold in Canada.  I grew up in the Midwest with long cold winters and don’t mind the summers nearly as much.  Sure the peak temperatures during The hottest times of year get hot.  But, in June and July the mornings and evenings are quite comfortable (the native’a secret-it’s only hot from noon to six except for monsoon season when the humidity is higher).

 

That said, there are places in Arizona with cooler weather, but you have to not mind a small town.  Phoenix has everything.  You can eat and shop 24/7.  Flights are plentiful and not expensive.

 

It’s worth checking out, but definitely visit first.  I work with threes Canadian nurses, no complaints from them.  

 

 

[debbiedoo 2,339]

im gonna throw this one far out from left field - but southern virginia! 

 

cheap cost of living. we bought an 1800sf house on 10 acres of land for $50K as a foreclosure. value is around $100K. yes,weve had to work on it, but thats how paul spends his weekend here -renovating our house lolol

 

cheap property taxes too - for us it comes to around $30/month

 

theres a couple of medical centers usually hiring nurses within an hour (south hill va 30 min and henderson nc 60min and duke in durham nc about an hour and a half) . a bunch of smaller town medical center type places usually affiliated with the hospital too.

 

and paul could really use a good chiro when he moves here!! 

[mnlvj8891 1]

Why not move to Chicago?

[AKteacher 101]

Native Californian here (southern). I now live on the North Slope of Alaska, in Utqiavgik (formerly Barrow). It's very different here, kind of like living in a different country. Culture-wise it's the center of all things Inupiaq (eskimo), but there are many other cultures mixed in as well - Thai, Korean, and many Filipinos. The winter weather can be cold but it's really not too bad. Nurses and doctors are in high demand up here. The hospital has its own housing for employees. I came up here looking for adventure and ended up staying 10 years now. My kids love it here - after spending summer in Philippines, they were asking when we are coming back to Barrow. So if you're looking for something different, a place with many Filipinos, good pay where you can save money, maybe it's for you.

 

Here's a link to current hospital job openings. Keep in mind that the posted salaries are minimums; most people I know make much more. Also many benefits like subsidized housing, health insurance, travel, etc. to factor in.

 

http://www.arcticslope.org/careers/job-openings/

Edited August 10, 2018 by AKteacher
Add'l info

[NigeriaorBust 4,087]

  I was born in NY ( upstate )  and after college have spent years in both California and Arizona.   I am currently in California.  California is expensive, it is also full of criminal residents that the state will suck every working person dry to support  these lowlifes.  Housing is expensive.  My 1980s  four bedroom house  60 mile outside of LA zillows at over 800k.   That being said the high temp in the summer is 112 vs 120 ( I lived in Tucson )  and you can find whatever recreational activity floats your boat within an hour.  I enjoy the mountains and live at the base of the foothills.  Traffic in California is a mess.    

  Arizona is hot in the southern half.  You could cook an egg on the sidewalk and you will roast your feet if you try walking barefoot on it.  Being an open carry state there is less crime,  It takes a bit getting used to see granny packing while walking Fido.  If you want to go to a real beach you are committed to a days drive.  At the time I was in Tucson I will still riding and although beautiful the landscape is hostile.  Cactus needles and trees with thorns.  

[N-o-l-a 7,167]

1 hour ago, AKteacher said:

Native Californian here (southern). I now live on the North Slope of Alaska, in Utqiavgik (formerly Barrow). It's very different here, kind of like living in a different country. Culture-wise it's the center of all things Inupiaq (eskimo), but there are many other cultures mixed in as well - Thai, Korean, and many Filipinos. The winter weather can be cold but it's really not too bad. Nurses and doctors are in high demand up here. The hospital has its own housing for employees. I came up here looking for adventure and ended up staying 10 years now. My kids love it here - after spending summer in Philippines, they were asking when we are coming back to Barrow. So if you're looking for something different, a place with many Filipinos, good pay where you can save money, maybe it's for you.

 

Here's a link to current hospital job openings. Keep in mind that the posted salaries are minimums; most people I know make much more. Also many benefits like subsidized housing, health insurance, travel, etc. to factor in.

 

http://www.arcticslope.org/careers/job-openings/

 

I'm over here trying to figure out how to convince my husband to move to Alaska.  We already live in northern Minnesota, which often is about the same temp as Fairbanks in winter...

and it looks like Barrow doesn't get too hot in summer.  We both can't stand when it is above 80°F here.  

 

But speaking of nursing openings, there are a lot in Minnesota/North Dakota if one is looking for low COL and higher salaries compared to it.

Edited August 10, 2018 by N-o-l-a

[Axle314 12]

But Arizona is so blatantly hot... Uncomfortable.

[DaveAndAnastasia 2,078]

I moved to San Diego two years after college, and after 17 years I'm still not leaving as long as I can pay the rent, but...

• That only applies to San Diego; if I have to leave the San Diego area (which is nowhere near as crazy-expensive as the Bay Area or some parts of greater LA, but still more expensive than most major American cities), I'm probably leaving California entirely
• My fiancée isn't here yet (she's coming from a few hundred miles east of Moscow to San Diego; this will be interesting)
• And at this point I'm a fairly senior software developer, so even with a bit of sunshine tax in my salary, I'm doing pretty well

Edited August 12, 2018 by DaveAndAnastasia

[acidrain 325]

On 8/10/2018 at 9:44 AM, Axle314 said:

But Arizona is so blatantly hot... Uncomfortable.

I'm spending my first full summer in Las Vegas. From what people have told me Arizona is even hotter.

 

The three months of crazy heat is similar to how Canadians attribute winter. You don't spend much time outside but the good news is everything is air conditioned. You move from one building to your car to another building. The weather is by no means like California but 8-9 months is solid.

 

On 8/10/2018 at 6:37 AM, NigeriaorBust said:

 Being an open carry state there is less crime,  It takes a bit getting used to see granny packing while walking Fido.  If you want to go to a real beach you are committed to a days drive.  At the time I was in Tucson I will still riding and although beautiful the landscape is hostile.  Cactus needles and trees with thorns.  

Being Canadian seeing someone pack a gun to the Tropical Smoothie takes getting used to. With the influx of Californians to Vegas the politics is fairly even (50% Democrat, 50% Republican). I'm not sure if political ideology is important to the OP but the Bay Area is one of the most progressive cities. There isn't a huge difference in the way of life from most of Canada. I've seen way more homophobia, sexism, racism in Vegas then I have my entire life in Canada. I love living in Vegas but be prepared to be around cowboys. Arizona is even more conservative.

[BRENTWOOD 14]

Oh boy... not sure if any of you will read this, but anyways I went this weekend to visit Arizona and I brought my husband. I absolutely loved it! After he was there though he all of a sudden starting bringing Chicago back up and says that's where he really wants to be. I felt so upset by this I really thought Arizona was the perfect place for us and a way to get out of California. For some reason Chicago just seems a bit overwhelming to me and I don't know what to do about this. I had to fly to Chicago for our first date and I remember feeling extremely overwhelmed.... it was hectic, cold and busy. I know Chicago is beautiful and there is tons to do. I guess another thing is his whole family and friend group is there I am a little bit worried of feeling more isolated or alone there? I don't even think that makes any sense, but anyways that is how I feel. The worst part is our lease is up in two weeks... so we have two weeks to go move across the country to Chicago. 😐

On 8/10/2018 at 4:54 AM, mnlvj8891 said:

Why not move to Chicago?

I'm not sure what to do now. If not only adjusting to my surroundings felt difficult enough now picking up and moving to Chicago feels very challenging and a whole added layer of stress to the situation. Not to mention my family does not support  a move to Chicago. Oh well I guess I only have two weeks so I better get packing.

Edited August 13, 2018 by BRENTWOOD

[acidrain 325]

7 hours ago, BRENTWOOD said:

Oh boy... not sure if any of you will read this, but anyways I went this weekend to visit Arizona and I brought my husband. I absolutely loved it! After he was there though he all of a sudden starting bringing Chicago back up and says that's where he really wants to be. I felt so upset by this I really thought Arizona was the perfect place for us and a way to get out of California. For some reason Chicago just seems a bit overwhelming to me and I don't know what to do about this.😐

 

Do you not get a say in where you move to?

[N-o-l-a 7,167]

7 hours ago, BRENTWOOD said:

Oh boy... not sure if any of you will read this, but anyways I went this weekend to visit Arizona and I brought my husband. I absolutely loved it! After he was there though he all of a sudden starting bringing Chicago back up and says that's where he really wants to be. I felt so upset by this I really thought Arizona was the perfect place for us and a way to get out of California. For some reason Chicago just seems a bit overwhelming to me and I don't know what to do about this. I had to fly to Chicago for our first date and I remember feeling extremely overwhelmed.... it was hectic, cold and busy. I know Chicago is beautiful and there is tons to do. I guess another thing is his whole family and friend group is there I am a little bit worried of feeling more isolated or alone there? I don't even think that makes any sense, but anyways that is how I feel. The worst part is our lease is up in two weeks... so we have two weeks to go move across the country to Chicago. 😐

I'm not sure what to do now. If not only adjusting to my surroundings felt difficult enough now picking up and moving to Chicago feels very challenging and a whole added layer of stress to the situation. Not to mention my family does not support  a move to Chicago. Oh well I guess I only have two weeks so I better get packing.

 

You are a grown adult, it doesn’t matter what your family supports or not. I’d imagine that their opinions are largely shaped by your description of the situation to them, in any case. 

 

2 weeks is not much time to move anywhere. How are you guys going to manage that?

 

In my opinion, Chicago is great, but also an expensive place to live. Some cheaper nearby alternatives might be Milwaukee or Minneapolis. The later has some great hospitals to work at. 

 

 

[BRENTWOOD 14]

10 minutes ago, acidrain said:

Do you not get a say in where you move to?

Yes I definitely do get a say but since I just got here I don't feel confident enough to lead the way if that makes sense. I mean he has lived in Arizona and Illinois and so I am hoping he would know what is best for us. Basically he knows he wants to move there with more certainty than anywhere that I know where to go.....Also I just read last night that changing your address with USCIs can be tricky and your mail gets lost haha so that is not great news 

[BRENTWOOD 14]

2 minutes ago, N-o-l-a said:

 

You are a grown adult, it doesn’t matter what your family supports or not. I’d imagine that their opinions are largely shaped by your description of the situation to them, in any case. 

 

2 weeks is not much time to move anywhere. How are you guys going to manage that?

 

In my opinion, Chicago is great, but also an expensive place to live. Some cheaper nearby alternatives might be Milwaukee or Minneapolis. The later has some great hospitals to work at. 

 

 

Yes very good point about my family just sucks having to constantly do things that they aren't supporting but that part I can get over. 

 

2 weeks is insanely rushed and basically it's going to be a mad dash for sure. I don't even know how to justify that in any sense haha hopefully when he gets home today he is 100% confident in where we are going. Have you heard of issues when you change your address with UsCIS ? I was reading that after you move and address change you won't get your mail so that's a new fear. 

 

Thanks for your advice on the alternatives I will look into it. I think he just doesn't want to move somewhere he has never been I don't really see many options. It's not that I don't have a say I just don't know with any certainty where we should be and the time crunch isn't helping. Thanks for your advice I appreciate it !

[TBoneTX 43,019]

See if your landlord will extend your lease for 2 weeks or a month, to buy yourself some time.