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As far as I know, the Southeast, and Florida have always been low wage states when compare to the Northeast. 25 years ago the wage/COL were in line with each other. A one bedroom apartment in Orlando with two swimming pools and other amenities rented for $225.00 a month. A lot people were earning less than $10 an hour then. Houses, 3 bedroom, 2 bath located close to downtown Orlando
were in the $80k range. Gas was less than $1.00 a gallon. It was very livable. These days prices have tripled. However, wages did not triple for most people. Some have barely doubled.
Inflation is a large part of the problem. The dollar does not have the buying power it once did. You need a lot more dollars to obtain the same items we were able to obtain 20 years ago. The potatoes havent changed, the cucumbers still look the same, the string beans still taste the same. However, the prices of those items has increased considerably along with everything else.
The inflation problem has not only affected FL, but the entire U.S. Not only the entire U.S. but most of the world. In England in the space of ten years the price of a home has increased almost 90 per cent. Wages in England have risen about 25 percent making buying a home increasingly unaffordable for millions of Brits.
While we in FL continue to enjoy low tax rates, low taxes, and lower cost of living than a lot of the U.S. we are still victims of inflation. A victim of inflation has a harder time in procuring basic goods at an affordable price.
Since we live in a capitalist economy, Joe the baker does not earn as much as Harry the pharmacist.
Tom the taxi driver does not earn as much as Larry the lawyer. People are paid salaries based on their knowledge, skills and abilities even though Larry and Harry pay the same price for a gallon of gas, a pound of bananas, a cup of coffee.
Keep in mind. It could be worse. You can be a low wage earner and a victim of inflation but live in an area where the cost of living is much higher. Then you're in poverty!
Quote:
Originally Posted by Travelassie
We're also some of those folks who've lived in Florida for many years and have done very well, as it's turned out. There are advantages and disadvantages to any location, of course, IMO you make your choices, change what you can and live with and make adjustments for what you can't change.
We've always figured that having no state income taxes, and the relatively low property and sales taxes ( at least compared to some other states), have balanced out the high homeowners' and auto insurance to some extent, but we still didn't want to spend our retirement in a crowded, expensive urban area-hr Miami, so we moved to the other coast, and have retired there. IMO life couldn't be better for us at this point.
I'm more familiar with salaries in healthcare than I am in other areas, but I guess like everywhere else salaries depend on the supply and demand for employees with particular skills. Salaries tend to be somewhat higher in SE Florida, they're certainly not so great where I live now, from all indications. It's possible, depending on the technical trade, with experience ( and demand!) a technician might make $25/hr, but I've heard it's more like perhaps $17-18, at least to start. I know RNs ( even those without BS degrees) can make around $25/hr, and more if they're experienced and specialized. Technicians in healthcare fields probably make more like $13-15 an hour, depending on where they're employed, a shift differential may raise that by about $2/hr.
I know several pharmacists who work at either Walgreen's or CVS in Florida, and I'm told they make well over $100,000 annually, one gal I know says she's making about $150,000.
As far as I know, the Southeast, and Florida have always been low wage states when compare to the Northeast. 25 years ago the wage/COL were in line with each other. A one bedroom apartment in Orlando with two swimming pools and other amenities rented for $225.00 a month. A lot people were earning less than $10 an hour then. Houses, 3 bedroom, 2 bath located close to downtown Orlando
were in the $80k range. Gas was less than $1.00 a gallon. It was very livable. These days prices have tripled. However, wages did not triple for most people. Some have barely doubled.
Inflation is a large part of the problem. The dollar does not have the buying power it once did. You need a lot more dollars to obtain the same items we were able to obtain 20 years ago. The potatoes havent changed, the cucumbers still look the same, the string beans still taste the same. However, the prices of those items has increased considerably along with everything else.
The inflation problem has not only affected FL, but the entire U.S. Not only the entire U.S. but most of the world. In England in the space of ten years the price of a home has increased almost 90 per cent. Wages in England have risen about 25 percent making buying a home increasingly unaffordable for millions of Brits.
While we in FL continue to enjoy low tax rates, low taxes, and lower cost of living than a lot of the U.S. we are still victims of inflation. A victim of inflation has a harder time in procuring basic goods at an affordable price.
Since we live in a capitalist economy, Joe the baker does not earn as much as Harry the pharmacist.
Tom the taxi driver does not earn as much as Larry the lawyer. People are paid salaries based on their knowledge, skills and abilities even though Larry and Harry pay the same price for a gallon of gas, a pound of bananas, a cup of coffee.
Keep in mind. It could be worse. You can be a low wage earner and a victim of inflation but live in an area where the cost of living is much higher. Then you're in poverty!
We've seen between 85-105k in annual earnings with my wife and I both working. She has college I was military and went to a technical school.
With an education and or vocational skills you can do pretty well still, even in Florida. It really does depend on the demand and the demographics. In order to sell goods or services you have a customer base that can afford it.
Of course each region allows for variations in what you can charge for goods or services. Here in Northern Virginia for example you can see labor rates as high as 115 dollars per hour.
In a place like Ocala Florida on the other hand, you may see a shop labor rate set at 75 dollars an hour cause that market wouldn't be able to bear 115-130 dollars an hour.
And you'd be so disappointed if you couldn't get a rise out of *someone* with those posts, wouldn't you? Or if you weren't provided an opportunity to jump with righteous indignation all over someone who had the *nerve* to criticize the contents of your posts.
I don't recall anyone here disputing yours, or anyone else's right to voice whatever opinions they may have about any given topic. Even as misguided as those opinions may be ( your description of Florida in the summertime, along with the flora and fauna gone wild is about the strangest one I've heard yet), you're entitled to them if that is what floats your boat...as far as taking anything personally, I can't for the life of me figure out what there is to take personally about a stranger one's never met posting nonsense on a forum, LOL.
But acting like such a spoiled child over someone disagreeing with what you have said isn't very conducive to the exchange of ideas and free discussion that is, in reality, the object of forums on CD, and if that's all you can do, you can leave me out of that loop.
I don't know about getting a rise out of "someone" but judging from your replies & the length of your post I certainly got a rise out of YOU. LMAO!! I will continue to do me meaning you will never shut me up. You responded to me 1st, all I did was reply. Now you're putting on a act of innocence yet all one has to do is go back & see who was the antagonist. I've never opposed any poster who testified of their great love of FL, neither have I opposed anyone who claims to hate it, it's called respecting the opinions of others cause that's all it is......a opinion. You need to learn how to do the same.
I don't know about getting a rise out of "someone" but judging from your replies & the length of your post I certainly got a rise out of YOU. LMAO!! I will continue to do me meaning you will never shut me up. You responded to me 1st, all I did was reply. Now you're putting on a act of innocence yet all one has to do is go back & see who was the antagonist. I've never opposed any poster who testified of their great love of FL, neither have I opposed anyone who claims to hate it, it's called respecting the opinions of others cause that's all it is......a opinion. You need to learn how to do the same.
Suit yourself...whatever........ have fun, but I think I'll stick to talking to the adults in the group.
Currently yes. Maybe by Xmas I can be back in FL though. If by chance I stay out here, I will probably end up in Midtown Sacramento but I hope to be back out there.
I travel all over the country. I was in 6 different states just last week. I've also lived in several different states.
You lived in Florida which you didn't like and then moved to a crummy part of CA which you also don't like. Sounds like you need to get out more or do some research the next time you move.
I already DID my research. I had some bad experiences out here and realized that FL was actually easier and not as bad as I initially thought. I had to see another level of hell to APPRECIATE what I had. Although I wasn't in the best part of FL for me, I at least knew I had other options nearby if I did not want to live there and plenty at that. Even then, the area not so suited for me that I did live in is still better than some places I've seen in CA. Does that umm.. answer your question now?
As far as I know, the Southeast, and Florida have always been low wage states when compare to the Northeast. 25 years ago the wage/COL were in line with each other. A one bedroom apartment in Orlando with two swimming pools and other amenities rented for $225.00 a month. A lot people were earning less than $10 an hour then. Houses, 3 bedroom, 2 bath located close to downtown Orlando
were in the $80k range. Gas was less than $1.00 a gallon. It was very livable. These days prices have tripled. However, wages did not triple for most people. Some have barely doubled.
Inflation is a large part of the problem. The dollar does not have the buying power it once did. You need a lot more dollars to obtain the same items we were able to obtain 20 years ago. The potatoes havent changed, the cucumbers still look the same, the string beans still taste the same. However, the prices of those items has increased considerably along with everything else.
The inflation problem has not only affected FL, but the entire U.S. Not only the entire U.S. but most of the world. In England in the space of ten years the price of a home has increased almost 90 per cent. Wages in England have risen about 25 percent making buying a home increasingly unaffordable for millions of Brits.
While we in FL continue to enjoy low tax rates, low taxes, and lower cost of living than a lot of the U.S. we are still victims of inflation. A victim of inflation has a harder time in procuring basic goods at an affordable price.
Since we live in a capitalist economy, Joe the baker does not earn as much as Harry the pharmacist.
Tom the taxi driver does not earn as much as Larry the lawyer. People are paid salaries based on their knowledge, skills and abilities even though Larry and Harry pay the same price for a gallon of gas, a pound of bananas, a cup of coffee.
Keep in mind. It could be worse. You can be a low wage earner and a victim of inflation but live in an area where the cost of living is much higher. Then you're in poverty!
California 101 right here. The rents go up, the wages do not. In fact in FL, some places are paying 9 now and even if some start you at 7.50 an hr, how much less really is it than what CA can pay? Warehouse work I am sure is a tie in FL for pay because one time I got job details of a warehouse position in a city in CA which is definitely more costly in rent than anywhere in FL I seen. The pay was just 9 so to me I thought it was a highly 3rd world setup. I got hired for a few positions in FL with labor type work like that and they started 8-9 so I feel FL is for sure the better state of the 2 to be somewhat removed from the poverty line anyhow.
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