T.K.O.

I fell in love... now I must follow my heart.

From my visiting thread...

My plan of now is to stay here on the mainland and follow through with school. I'm on the waiting list for a few health care tech programs that last anywhere from 1 to 2 years. I'm fulfilling the program prerequisitess while I wait.

I've spent all of this last weekend moving back in with my family in efforts to make double payments on my Lex and save up for the move. I was looking into the Hawaiian National Gaurd, but I'll hold that thought until after the election . Like I mentioned in the other thread... I'd like to save up about 4 - 6 months worth of living expenses before I move.

I'm at work right now so I gotta get back to it but I'm welcoming all wisdom and advice.. Thanks again everyone

chrisyano

Welcome! Congratulations on your decision and commitment to moving to the country's most beautiful state.

Like I mentioned in your visiting thread, housing is where the sticker shock will be for the most part down here.

Are you planning on renting or buying a place? I was told recently that we have the highest median rent in the country...coupled with the fact that our real estate market hasn't really seen much of a drop in prices despite massive collapse on the mainland...make for adequate start-up funds that much more important.

I'm sure you'll be fine, just be forewarned that you will be spending more here to get less. It's kind of a way of life for us here on the islands .

REV-01

iTrader: (13)

welcome!

yeah move back home is a wise move to save up for $.

T.K.O.

Depending on where my schooling takes me.. I'll have to decide whether I'm financially stable enough to purchase a house. If I'm not, renting will have to suffice.

Definitely. No rent & utilities will save me a few extra hundred to put towards my baby.


Also I'd like to add if anyone has a job for me like RIGHT NOW I'll hop on a plane and live in a tent. No joke.

TrendyTodd

iTrader: (6)

Just keep abreast with the local happenings in Hawaii before moving here with your tent. Although there is a shortage of nurses and doctors, one hospital chain has declared bankruptcy and will be laying off a number of employees.

www.honoluluadvertiser.com

I think if you can afford it, now is a good time to invest in real estate.

chikken

hey welcome....I spent 6 years up in washington...bellevue and seattle mainly....good to see that you're thinking about hawaii as your future home....and yes when i was up there i really missed the sun..... let me know if you need anything. So what kind of schooling or degree are you studying for??

sorry, I didn't read your entire post....got distracted for abit...anyways....I've spent some time at the various hospital here and if you need advice or guidance as to which hospital to work for let me know....i'm also in the health field btw....

VIP_ES300

congrats on your decision
its good that youre saving up beofre moving here...since summer gas has gone down almost 30cents a gallon rofl

hapaboy

wow! someone who's following their heart and not something else!

aloha!

PHML

iTrader: (33)

Congrats on your decision to move here. Its going to be pricey...but Im sure you already got a taste of life here...during your short visit.

Besides HMC (who has financial troubles), Queens Hospital, Kaiser, and Straub are other health institutions here.

Save as much as you can...shipping your ride will be over $1k alone.

Good luck.

Pete

REV-01

iTrader: (13)

so you and your spouse is moving here?

i think to rent a studio is somewhere around 800 or so.

i would say electric is about 250-300, water is 100, phone is 120 with internet.

gas is around 200 a month.

food i dont know because i live at home.

T.K.O.

I really can't afford it right now. I'll really have to look into the market and my potential earnings after school. Saving up is definitely key in this.

So you understand how we suffer 96% of the year and cross our fingers the other 4%... at least I do. Theres really people here that don't mind the weather... or the snobby people... but I'm sick and tired of being uncomfortable doing little things like walking to my car.. its usually raining or drizzling so I have to run... then opening my door to get rainwater all over the black leather... a ton of pine needles in my floor mats.. dirt on the side panels... and then when the showers clear up my cars dirty again.. after just having it washed the day before.. the third time that week.

Every day, all year we show up to our jobs and look out the window and talk about how ****ty the weather is... well I'm done sitting around and talking about it... I'm making the moves.

Gas is a ****** no matter where you go. Though I did hear on the radio that gas in Honolulu is highest in the US. Depending on my proximity to work, I'm more than happy to ride my bike for the majority of the year. When I was in Waikiki.. I forgot to fill up the drop top 'stang before I returned it.... however the enterprise guy felt bad about forgetting to tell me about a parking area I could have used to avoid my $25 valet at the hotel... so he only charged me a 20 spot when it would have probably cost around $50 to get it back to where it was.

Haha.. beleive me there are a ton of hotties around here.. the problem is they can only dress like THAT 7 days of the year!! but while I was in HI, I was with my girlfriend so I couldn't really go hottie huntin.. but shoot I've never seen girls as care-free as the ones that would see me holdin my girl's hand.. and act like she wasn't there! Fantastic! haha

Oh and that guy next to her in the picture, thats me right there... just shorts. Even in the winters when its freezing out I practically live without a shirt... granted i crank the heat in the house... .. its just much more comfy and feels right.

Thanks Pete. Saving is definitely a key priority. As far as shipping the 2GS... I wish I would have gotten some floaties installed with the air ride... I'd row that mug over for $1,000

Ya the prices are definitely on the up. I was thinking I may just have to live off air and dry Ramen noodles in one of tents made of sticks and shrubs somewhere along the Waimea Falls trail.. and hope they don't find me.
haha

I came out to HI a couple weeks ago with my girlfriend... shes much like me as she can't stand this god foresaken region (I can just hear my mother in the back of my head: "It ain't thaaat bad.."). She says there is no way she'd let me move alone.. but the problem is all shes got is a highschool education, and a year or two experience working as a manager at a tanning salon.. which isn't terrible for 19, but if shes going to be my second half of income, she'll need to get her *** back in school and make something of herself. I love her to death... but if she can't committ, I won't hesistate... theres plenty of options to explore on the island... as displayed above.


*edit: Eeek... still $11,000 to pay off on the 2GS! I can use the money I'm saving on rent to put towards principle... quite the journey.. may have to sell this beast once I get it fixed back up.




ALSO, let me get some input...

Consider $0 debt when I move...

Give an estimated range in yearly income that would support comfortable living lets say in a 1 - 3 bedroom house in a safe neighborhood with no kids.

( I bet theres an online calculator somewhere that could make this easier )

chikken

you are right about the snobby people i've exprience a bunch of them first hand

but at least seattle will always have the a$$ kickin' pike's place chowder and ooooo those langherhan sausages and smoke salmon belly strips

Kaluna

Renting or buying? Honestly you're looking at to be decently comfortable around the 55- 65k for a 2 bedroom house. Then again I know of people that make 30k a year and are happy, and some that make 100k a year and struggle. Anywhere really is safe, depends on how far you want to drive to work, and where you're working. Traffic is hell if you're commuting from the leeward side to town & back expect 3 or more hours during peak times a day. Nice to see you dug it enough to make it your home though man. Just some things to think about. Most people I know move up to the states cause its cheaper. I'm sure a lot of us here as well will be glad to help you out when you get here. Good luck.

MEANDAFAKA

haha, its funny how you gonna/wanna move to hawaii. as i will be leaving in 5 days to mainland for military.