Cost of living Surprises

Moemg · 03-31-2007, 11:27 AM

I was just thinking recently about how much taxes and insurance have gone up in Florida and I was wondering if anybody moved somewhere and got a unexpected surprise about their cost of living ?

JPatrick · 03-31-2007, 11:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Moemg

I was just thinking recently about how much taxes and insurance have gone up in Florida and I was wondering if anybody moved somewhere and got a unexpected surprise about their cost of living ?

Sure, we bought a new home in 06. I anticipated $2000 in property taxes and put that amount aside. Mailman brings bill in December.----$109 !!!! 8)
The 2006 tax was based only on the raw land amount.
HONEY!! HEY YOU KNOW THAT BOTTLE OF CHAMPAGNE WE'VE BEEN SAVING--
Oh well, now it's 2007

modhatter · 03-31-2007, 11:53 AM

Yes, it seems that many states have surprises. Texas being know for having high real estate taxes, for instance has high home insurance costs.
Some also say very high utility costs.

I read once that Colorado has very high auto insurance costs. Don't know if that is true. Any comments.

We all know the obvious like Texas above and Florida for high real estate taxes and now insurance, but what about some of the not so know higher costs.

Anyone, want to share - to save someone else looking for a low cost of living a surprise.

kcowan · 03-31-2007, 12:08 PM

We had a $2300 vet bill. Repairs on our 95 BMW (1st in four years) another $1500.

OTOH taxes have been going the other way and portfolio has outperformed our plan (twice as good) since 2002.

Rustic23 · 03-31-2007, 12:14 PM

We retired in May of last year. Now this is a little thing, but Laundry and Clothing is a good surprise. We have not spent a dime on dry cleaners. In fact I still have dress shirts hanging in my closet still in plastic. Wash and wear, that you could never just wash and wear, are now really take out of the dryer and wear. While we have purchased some new clothes they were casual things like tee shirts or shorts and tennis shoes. We have spent less than 20% of what I had in the spreadsheet for this.

Goonie · 03-31-2007, 02:40 PM

Surprise!! Our house insurance premium DROPPED about $55 this year!!

I like those surprises!!!

mountaintosea · 03-31-2007, 02:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Goonie

Surprise!! Our house insurance premium DROPPED about $55 this year!!

I like those surprises!!!

Goonie 7 days? Does that mean by next weekend you will join the ranks of the REs?

Helen · 03-31-2007, 06:17 PM

Yes, I've been receiving some cost of living suprises the last two days. Yesterday I found out the retaining wall of my carport is crumbling, today I found out the chimney needs to be rebuilt from the roof up. I already knew the deck has to be ripped out and rebuilt.

I paid off the mortgage 1.5 years ago and I'm thinking I may have to take out a new one to cover the repairs.

I'm so bummed.

Goonie · 03-31-2007, 06:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mountaintosea

Goonie 7 days? Does that mean by next weekend you will join the ranks of the REs?

That is correct, although my boss claims I've been retired for quite some time already!

I'll get 2 more paychecks...one next Friday that will be my regular pay, then one 2 weeks later that will be lump-sum for vacation time, accumulated sick days, personal days, and comp-time. Then May 1st my first pension check will be direct-deposited!

Only one more week of harassment and childish behavior in my w*rkplace.......then I'll have to find other things to do to occupy my time!

Brat · 03-31-2007, 10:48 PM

When DH & I moved to Seattle metro from Portland 10 years ago we assumed that the cost of goods (excluding sales tax) would be about the same. Not so - even at the same wholesaler. Seattle was significantly higher. The first excuse I heard was that wages are higher here. The more I probed, not so.

What do I attribute this difference? I think the business gross receipts tax is one factor. Another may be that Seattleites think that the more they pay for an item the better it must be. Oregonians have no such illusions, for them shopping for the best deal is a fine art.

lazygood4nothinbum · 04-01-2007, 12:10 AM

brat, could also have to do with property or lease costs. i go for a bagel & orange juice in fort lauderdale & i'm out 5 bucks. same meal at same store in tampa and i walk out with some serious change. same store, same food, big difference in cost. i'm thinking of relocating to rural florida depending on what happens with property taxes here. only problem with that is i won't be able to find a bagel there at any price.

Tommy · 04-01-2007, 12:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lazygood4nothinbum

i'm thinking of relocating to rural florida depending on what happens with property taxes here. only problem with that is i won't be able to find a bagel there at any price.

LGFNB, any suggestions as to what parts of Florida have reasonable costs of living and still have some Fort Lauderdale / Miami lifestyle.

samclem · 04-01-2007, 12:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tommy

LGFNB, any suggestions as to what parts of Florida have reasonable costs of living and still have some Fort Lauderdale / Miami lifestyle.

Havana?

whitestick · 04-01-2007, 01:22 AM

Some other "surprises" for Texas, at least in the DFW area are -
electricity rates at 13+cents/kwh
restrictions on your watering such that your newly planted shrubs/lawn/flowers will wither and die due to lack of water
months on end of torrential rains, and flooding such that the surviving shrubs/lawn/flowers will wash out with any remaining topsoil and go floating down the street
need to install sprinkler systems to water your house foundation, not your yard, as in Texas, there are only two types of foundations - those that crack, and those that are gonna crack
when the previously mentioned rains come, the water fall is so great, that it falls directly off the side of the gutters, washing away the dirt next to the foundation, and digging ruts next to the house - such that when the rains stop, the ground will dry out much quicker and go from soggy to cracked within a couple of weeks.
excess amount of chemicals for the pool as the normal heat causes the chlorine to evaporate quickly.
when mentioned rains come, the finely chemically balanced pool overflows with the excess water, diluting the chemical balance, and as a side benefit, washing the vegetation (lawn/flowers/shrubs) in a chemical bath causing them to wither and die, ensuring that they will also need to be replaced along with the vegetation next to the house.
enjoying the four seasons - Spring (see above reference to rains, but add in tornados, and gale force winds driving the rain horizontal), Summer (aka - A/C running 24x7 permitting wearing of some clothes), Fall (noted by 2 weeks of color and all the leaves fall at once - covering the bare dirt where the lawn once was), and Winter (generally 1 or 2 days of severe ice storms that melt within 24 hours). By the way, the other phenomenon of Winter is that you can turn the A/C off, and after a period lasting from 2-3 days, immediately switch to heat, followed by a 2-3 day period at end of Winter, when you turn A/C back on.

**REWahoo** · 04-01-2007, 08:05 AM

Whitestick, you're hired.

73ss454 · 04-01-2007, 08:44 AM

Tommy,

If you plan on moving anywhere in Florida and will buy a house, plan on getting spanked with property taxes.

Lakerat Nomore · 04-01-2007, 09:07 AM

whitestick,

You sure make life in Texas sound horrible. You beat REWahoo hands down. One wonders why you are still here. There has got to be something that is good about your home state. Or are you just trying to discourage all those others from migrating to the Lone Star State? I live in the North Texas area and while I can confirm all those less than idealist qualities about our Texas enviroment, I wouldn't live anywhere else.

**REWahoo** · 04-01-2007, 10:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lakerat Nomore

whitestick,

You sure make life in Texas sound horrible.

Lakerat,

whitestick is just doing service to all those who are lured by the idea of low TX real estate prices by pointing out living here is an acquired taste. We've got too damn many people moving here already I'd hate to see people move here to retire and be disappointed when faced with the harsh reality of life in TX.

See Philip Sheridan's comment below.

OKLibrarian · 04-01-2007, 10:27 AM

*nods* OK is not all that different from TX (just more tornadoes and a far better football team, really), and there are definitely tradeoffs to living in this part of the country. We plan to stay here indefinitely, being the cheap-ass geeks frugal lovers of the heartland that we are--but our FIRE plans also involve summering in canada or europe.

NORTHERN europe.

Lakerat Nomore · 04-01-2007, 10:35 AM

REWahoo,

I do get a chuckle out of your rattlesnake and scorpian reminders. Even the gator news and maybe an occasisional Eboli flash, but some of whitesticks comments hit to close to home! Like the watering the foundation and water restrictions. Of course, the water restrictions are the result of all those folks from other states building their mcmansions and using to much water for their landscaping and their pools. On second thought, Texas is a horrible place to live. You folks with the U-hauls headed out of CA just keep on trucking to some other paradise, Texas ain't it! Sorry for my brief lack of clear thinking....

Oh, and the taxes are horrible here.....

03-31-2007, 11:27 AM	#1
Moemg Thinks s/he gets paid by the post Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Sarasota,fl. Posts: 3,264	Cost of living Surprises I was just thinking recently about how much taxes and insurance have gone up in Florida and I was wondering if anybody moved somewhere and got a unexpected surprise about their cost of living ?

03-31-2007, 11:53 AM	#3
modhatter Recycles dryer sheets Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 345	Re: Cost of living Surprises Yes, it seems that many states have surprises. Texas being know for having high real estate taxes, for instance has high home insurance costs. Some also say very high utility costs. I read once that Colorado has very high auto insurance costs. Don't know if that is true. Any comments. We all know the obvious like Texas above and Florida for high real estate taxes and now insurance, but what about some of the not so know higher costs. Anyone, want to share - to save someone else looking for a low cost of living a surprise.

03-31-2007, 12:08 PM	#4
kcowan Thinks s/he gets paid by the post Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Pacific latitude 20/49 Posts: 1,549	Re: Cost of living Surprises We had a $2300 vet bill. Repairs on our 95 BMW (1st in four years) another $1500. OTOH taxes have been going the other way and portfolio has outperformed our plan (twice as good) since 2002. __________________ For the fun of it...Keith

03-31-2007, 12:14 PM	#5
Rustic23 Thinks s/he gets paid by the post Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Lake Livingston, Tx Posts: 1,102	Re: Cost of living Surprises We retired in May of last year. Now this is a little thing, but Laundry and Clothing is a good surprise. We have not spent a dime on dry cleaners. In fact I still have dress shirts hanging in my closet still in plastic. Wash and wear, that you could never just wash and wear, are now really take out of the dryer and wear. While we have purchased some new clothes they were casual things like tee shirts or shorts and tennis shoes. We have spent less than 20% of what I had in the spreadsheet for this.

03-31-2007, 02:40 PM	#6
Goonie Thinks s/he gets paid by the post Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: North Central Illinois Posts: 2,289	Re: Cost of living Surprises Surprise!! Our house insurance premium DROPPED about $55 this year!! I like those surprises!!! __________________ "Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind." - Dr. Seuss - Retired April 2007 @ 50 with COLA'd DB Pension plus Lifetime Medical & Dental Insurance.

03-31-2007, 06:17 PM	#8
Helen Recycles dryer sheets Join Date: Oct 2004 Posts: 489	Re: Cost of living Surprises Yes, I've been receiving some cost of living suprises the last two days. Yesterday I found out the retaining wall of my carport is crumbling, today I found out the chimney needs to be rebuilt from the roof up. I already knew the deck has to be ripped out and rebuilt. I paid off the mortgage 1.5 years ago and I'm thinking I may have to take out a new one to cover the repairs. I'm so bummed.

03-31-2007, 10:48 PM	#10
Brat Thinks s/he gets paid by the post Join Date: Feb 2004 Posts: 2,867	Re: Cost of living Surprises When DH & I moved to Seattle metro from Portland 10 years ago we assumed that the cost of goods (excluding sales tax) would be about the same. Not so - even at the same wholesaler. Seattle was significantly higher. The first excuse I heard was that wages are higher here. The more I probed, not so. What do I attribute this difference? I think the business gross receipts tax is one factor. Another may be that Seattleites think that the more they pay for an item the better it must be. Oregonians have no such illusions, for them shopping for the best deal is a fine art. __________________ Duck bjorn.

04-01-2007, 12:10 AM	#11
lazygood4nothinbum Thinks s/he gets paid by the post Join Date: Feb 2006 Posts: 3,897	Re: Cost of living Surprises brat, could also have to do with property or lease costs. i go for a bagel & orange juice in fort lauderdale & i'm out 5 bucks. same meal at same store in tampa and i walk out with some serious change. same store, same food, big difference in cost. i'm thinking of relocating to rural florida depending on what happens with property taxes here. only problem with that is i won't be able to find a bagel there at any price.

04-01-2007, 01:22 AM	#14
whitestick Recycles dryer sheets Join Date: Apr 2005 Posts: 371	Re: Cost of living Surprises Some other "surprises" for Texas, at least in the DFW area are - electricity rates at 13+cents/kwh restrictions on your watering such that your newly planted shrubs/lawn/flowers will wither and die due to lack of water months on end of torrential rains, and flooding such that the surviving shrubs/lawn/flowers will wash out with any remaining topsoil and go floating down the street need to install sprinkler systems to water your house foundation, not your yard, as in Texas, there are only two types of foundations - those that crack, and those that are gonna crack when the previously mentioned rains come, the water fall is so great, that it falls directly off the side of the gutters, washing away the dirt next to the foundation, and digging ruts next to the house - such that when the rains stop, the ground will dry out much quicker and go from soggy to cracked within a couple of weeks. excess amount of chemicals for the pool as the normal heat causes the chlorine to evaporate quickly. when mentioned rains come, the finely chemically balanced pool overflows with the excess water, diluting the chemical balance, and as a side benefit, washing the vegetation (lawn/flowers/shrubs) in a chemical bath causing them to wither and die, ensuring that they will also need to be replaced along with the vegetation next to the house. enjoying the four seasons - Spring (see above reference to rains, but add in tornados, and gale force winds driving the rain horizontal), Summer (aka - A/C running 24x7 permitting wearing of some clothes), Fall (noted by 2 weeks of color and all the leaves fall at once - covering the bare dirt where the lawn once was), and Winter (generally 1 or 2 days of severe ice storms that melt within 24 hours). By the way, the other phenomenon of Winter is that you can turn the A/C off, and after a period lasting from 2-3 days, immediately switch to heat, followed by a 2-3 day period at end of Winter, when you turn A/C back on. __________________ Mens ability to see the future is limited by their horizons of today! Unknown!

04-01-2007, 08:05 AM	#15
REWahoo Administrator Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Texas Hill Country Posts: 12,345	Re: Cost of living Surprises Whitestick, you're hired. __________________ [Closed for renovation]

04-01-2007, 08:44 AM	#16
73ss454 Thinks s/he gets paid by the post Join Date: Oct 2004 Posts: 1,882	Re: Cost of living Surprises Tommy, If you plan on moving anywhere in Florida and will buy a house, plan on getting spanked with property taxes.

04-01-2007, 09:07 AM	#17
Lakerat Nomore Dryer sheet aficionado Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 44	Re: Cost of living Surprises whitestick, You sure make life in Texas sound horrible. You beat REWahoo hands down. One wonders why you are still here. There has got to be something that is good about your home state. Or are you just trying to discourage all those others from migrating to the Lone Star State? I live in the North Texas area and while I can confirm all those less than idealist qualities about our Texas enviroment, I wouldn't live anywhere else.

04-01-2007, 10:27 AM	#19
OKLibrarian Recycles dryer sheets Join Date: Mar 2007 Posts: 211	Re: Cost of living Surprises nods OK is not all that different from TX (just more tornadoes and a far better football team, really), and there are definitely tradeoffs to living in this part of the country. We plan to stay here indefinitely, being the cheap-ass geeks frugal lovers of the heartland that we are--but our FIRE plans also involve summering in canada or europe. NORTHERN europe.

04-01-2007, 10:35 AM	#20
Lakerat Nomore Dryer sheet aficionado Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 44	Re: Cost of living Surprises REWahoo, I do get a chuckle out of your rattlesnake and scorpian reminders. Even the gator news and maybe an occasisional Eboli flash, but some of whitesticks comments hit to close to home! Like the watering the foundation and water restrictions. Of course, the water restrictions are the result of all those folks from other states building their mcmansions and using to much water for their landscaping and their pools. On second thought, Texas is a horrible place to live. You folks with the U-hauls headed out of CA just keep on trucking to some other paradise, Texas ain't it! Sorry for my brief lack of clear thinking.... Oh, and the taxes are horrible here.....