How should I prepare to move out of state??

[dan2286]

I am thinking about moving out of state. I am finding out living in Ohio, it is very hard finding a decent job, and I am also just getting sick of this state in general. I have been thinking about going to Florida for a while now and I am thinking I will be happier there. I am just trying to figure out what I need to do to prepare me to move. What would I need to do to have a job ready for me when I get there? How much money should I have to start life there? Does anyone know what parts of Florida have a cheap cost of living that is not in the ghetto and not in hurricane zones? I am wanting to get a job as an automotive tech, so I am hoping I can get started off at around $30,000+ a year. I think I should be able to survive with that. I am only 22, so I think being so young might make things harder for me to accomplish this. I luckily have decent credit and no car payment, so that stuff helps.

So, can anyone give me advice? What should I do do to prepare?

 

[TexasT]

I'd get a job and some living arrangements squared away before I jumped off in to the unknown.

I'd want three and preferably six months of living expenses put up to weather the unthinkable(More if you could do it). Also you might want to have moving expenses there and back if you decide you don't like it and want to move elsewhere.

Beyond that I'd say go for it. I tried it once it didn't work out for me, but I'd do it again if the right circumstances presented themselves. I am sure God did not put me on this earth to go through life unhappy.

 

[85 Cutlass Brougham]

The problem is, the job market stinks down here right now. Other than that, I live in the Tampa Bay area, and it is a nice place to live. There are bad and good parts here as there are anywhere else. I live in New Port Richey, which is north of Clearwater by about 20 miles. It is in Pasco county, which tends to be a cheap place to live, but it can be a bit odd too. I like the cheapness, but there isn't much of a social scene for me here because the area tends to have it's fair share of white trash, and I don't really fit in. Not that they are bad people, but it's not somewhere you will find lots of people to discuss intellectually heady subjects with either. Crime is low where I live, and no one really bothers you unless you really do something wrong. Like anywhere else, it's a give and take. You can buy houses in my neighborhood for $50-100k, depending on condition, size, etc. As for Hurricanes, there has not been a landfall in this area since the 1920's. The West coast tends to be insulated somewhat by certain aspects of the region's climatology, which prevent them from hitting here ( storms tend to move east to west, so they would have to reverse the normal trend to hit here). I would investigate the area first before moving here. Get a 6 month lease on an apartment, and learn the area before settling down. In some ways, I wish I didn't live here and was in a more metropolitan area, but most of those areas tend to be pricey, less convenient, and close to bad neighborhoods. If you are single, we do have a lot of nightlife in Tampa and St. Petersburg. It's not a bad area, just get to know it before you make a move.

 

[Blake442]

Get on the computer and start searching for jobs and small apartments while you're still in Ohio. Save up enough money to cover yourself for at least 6 months. If you find a good job/housing prospective, try and find a cheap flight to go take a look/interview. Other than that, it's just a matter of packing up your crap! Good luck with whatever you end up deciding.

 

[montessaj]

Forget Florida. Move to TEXAS....if you can stand the heat. Its a pretty good place to live taxes are not too bad, and cost of living is also pretty low.

 

[dan2286]

Forget Florida. Move to TEXAS....if you can stand the heat. Its a pretty good place to live taxes are not too bad, and cost of living is also pretty low.

I would love to move there, but it is way to far away from family. I was actually born in El Paso, but I was way to young to remember anything.

 

[85 Cutlass Brougham]

The best advice I can give you right now is that if you are currently employed where you live, stay there for now. The economy is not good, and the job market is terrible in most of the US. Unemployment in Florida is at 8%, and some analysts expect it to peak north of 10%. I may not love the job I have right now ( Pizza Delivery), but it is stable, I am in no danger of losing my job, and it more than pays the bills. I would be stupid to quit especially since I know people who can't find ANY job and have been out of work for 6 months! People I know who do find jobs often lose them within a few months as companies need to tighten their belts. The newest people always get fired first. We had a new grocery store open up, and for 300 jobs they had 10,000 applicants!

 

[dan2286]

I just recently lost my job and am finding it very hard to find one that can pay my bills. Im not completely broke yet, so I have something o work with. The only way I will move is if I can get a job ready for me when I go there. That is going to be the hardest part, I think.