Any sound advice to those from NJ (Tri-State Area) on Tampa, Mrytle Beach or Austin? (Columbia: rent, insurance)

[kta379]

Hi Everyone! I am new here. Please excuse my long post for my mind has been troubled on what I should do. I am posting in all 3 sections to hopefully get more responses..thanks! I posted to Tampa and NJ sections respectively as of yesterday.

The old me was never afraid to take risks and move on...so I am blaming partly myself and my weak insecurities for letting the job market affect my emotions..which I feel has made me sad...and thus..unable to move. Perhaps, reading through this, some of you might have been in my position at one time in life, or know of someone in my shoes or even can just relate to the thoughts of moving.

As everyone knows, the job market is still quite shaky and uncertain. I am originally from the Midwest (the Dakotas) and I moved here in 1992. I am a Rutgers graduate and for the most part love living the Brunswicks of Middlesex County. However, due to losing my job twice in this crappy economy, I am strong considering moving out of here.

I am approaching my late 30's. I like the South Brunswick/Plainsboro/Cranbury/Somerset areas for the country feel that reminds me of home. That is why I never moved out of this area. I have no family or other ties to hold me down to staying in NJ. I am college educated with a diverse work background but I am always "deemed" overqualified...yet I am always in the top 3 for jobs. (Go fig!) =0)

It sure would be awesome to get some sound advice and input from those men/women who are in my age bracket and that are single. I hope to meet Mr. Right...and go from there in life...but right now..I am unhappy and tired of living out here....

I love the nightlife as much as I value the country charmed life. I love quiet down time and zen moments. But I love the hustle and bustle of being near the big cities. Where I am now..I am not to far from NYC, Philly, AC, the Poconos, Washing DC..etc...you get the idea...I have and eclectic taste for all things fine and divine as well as calm and serene in life. I can adapt to anyplace. Just need help to figure out where???

I am so sick of renting...I know that i could buy 2 homes in either of the places based on all the money I spent on rent over the years...

These are my top 3 choices for a fresh start (though I feel nervous to move again in life and alone..I guess =o(

1. Austin/Dallas - Texas

I have been desiring to move to Austin/Dallas..but probably Austin for job opportunities and to get a fresh new start. I have never been to Austin but know many people from Jersey have moved there and have some old friends over that way. I fell in love with San Antonio back in Summer 2010 for I had so much fun on the River Walk. But I think Austin will better suit me. I know only of the Lake Travis area. so any feedback on surrounding neighborhoods would be great. The job market is great here

2. Myrtle Beach - South Carolina

I use to live in Columbia when my step-father was in the Army. We lived in Fr. Sumter. I remember trips to Charleston (which I love) and of course, Myrtle Beach. I had a co-worker move to Columbia over 15 years ago to get away form the taxes and to have a better life. I do church online and one of my locations is out of Myrtle Beach. I lived with my real mom in Savannah, (went to school there) so the weather in the South will not bother me to much. But I really like the church and I though maybe this is a sign to move there to be part of the growing church community. Who knows..maybe God has a special someone lined up for me here or in any of these 3 places. Again..the job market is not so bad I here.

3. Tampa Bay Area - Florida

Tampa would have never been on my list..had it not been for some kind stranger that I was conversing with from there while changing my car insurance policy. The nice person moved with his wife out of the Boston area after her retired there. He took a job at the car insurance place. They moved for they had only 1 son about my age who lives there. The nice man had nothing but wonderful things to say about the area. He also stressed to not get worried that only elderly folks move to Tampa. And I know the job market is not to bad there.
---------------------------------------------

So, there..Whew! Sorry if I wrote to much..but this has been keeping me up for the last few weeks. Moving back to the Dakotas is not an option for me...I love the country and it is a great place to raise a family..but I do not care for the blizzards and for some strong reason...I do not feel my special someone will be from there.

It is so much easier to move when you are in your 20's for I have lived all over the USA and finally settled in NJ and have not moved since. I would like to believe I still have a lot of life left and perhaps this maybe a sign for me to move one more time.

I kinda wish I had a special someone in my life that in my shoes...but for now...I hold steady to my faith..and welcome any thoughts and ideas. I am not in my 20's but I am not "over the hill".

Kind Regards and Bless you all!

[saint19]

My advice....find a good job and everything else will take care of itself.

Just about any decent size city in the South would fit what you are looking for.

[kta379]

Saint19:

I am already interviewing in these areas. Job or no job, I have enough funds set aside to move anywhere. Thank you for your input.

[PawleysDude]

Originally Posted by kta379

Saint19:

Job or no job, I have enough funds set aside to move anywhere...

Famous last words.

Saint was offering you very good advice, particularly as it relates to SC and Myrtle Beach. SC is not a state where you want to be when you're unemployed. You will be treated as lazy and worthless, and that's by the state agencies. MB's primary industry is tourism. Wages are pitifully low and primarily seasonal. It's made worse by the fact that you're competing against every HS and college kid who wants to spend the summer at the beach. MB is also surrounded by counties with unemployment rates pushing 20%. Folks from those counties routinely ride buses a couple hours each way to work jobs in the MB hospitality industry at minimum wage or worse. When Fall rolls around, most of these jobs dry up. If you have training in medical technologies, there may be opportunities. Otherwise, it's tough.

As Saint said, find a job, then build yourself a great life wherever your new job is located. Rolling the dice on a move is a tough way to lose whatever money you've saved. Good luck to you.

[kta379]

Pawley'sdude:

Thank you for suck insightful information. I am sure the aforementioned meant well..but his tone appeared blunt and cold. I know nothing of him nor he of me. To write the way he wrote with no info on the background on the recipient whether it be me or someone else is rude, cold and just uncalled for. I no anger or grudges...I am a better than to let something bother me...hence how I replied in a more cordial and simple manner...unlike other people who would of went on the response. (this I have seen on other boards in other cities).

I have enough sufficient funds to get by for a good long time...but I plan to find something prior to moving anywhere. I am not idiot..this is a tough economy...only a fool would go on a long trip and pack no rations.

For this time around in my life...it is all about me...putting myself fist in life and making this my final last move. I could of left years ago when things started going downhill. But just because things are tough in life...and things are not great around here..does not mean I need to give up. NJ...has more potential but it needs to clean up its act...just like other states. Without having to go into deep politics...I am sure you know what I mean.

I have always loved SC before any city from what I remember as a small child living in Ft. Sumter outside of Columbia. I remember all the trips to Charleston and the fishing on the boat. I have always long to go back at some point...

I am keeping all responses both on here and from other sites and from my personal network in good perspective...good or bad. Rely...I am putting my faith in God...and will go from there.

Again...thank you for taking time to respond to me. Have a great week. To bad there are not more people like you in this world! =0)

Cheers!

[kta379]

suck insightful...

sorry but I meant to say "such". (was typing to fast).....my bad!!

[canudigit]

Funny, I didn't take saint19's response as being blunt or cold, just honest and straight to the point.

To reiterate what PawleysDude was saying, jobs in MB, and especially the kind of job where you earn a living wage, are few and far between because of all the competition. We are not full-time residents, but we have a condo there and visit a couple of times a year and have gotten to know several of the locals. One case in point: We met a man in his late thirties who waits tables in a restaurant near our place. He moved to MB from Massachusetts sixteen years ago and is currently working three part-time jobs just to make ends meet because it is all he can get, even after being there for sixteen years. Even at that, he still rents in an area of MB where he keeps a large dog "just in case", because the COL is not proportionate to most people's wages. He is clean cut, attractive, articulate, friendly, and an asset to his place of employment and even so, he needs to keep three jobs just to pay his bills because service jobs in the tourism industry are notoriously seasonal and low paying, just as PawleysDude said, and a city like MB that runs almost entirely on tourism offers relatively few other opportunities.

Anyone on any of these forums who advises you to find a secure, year round job before relocating is only trying to help you to avoid making a costly mistake that could eat up every bit of your life's savings, and that's not cold, that is kind.

[saint19]

I didn't mean for my comment to be taken badly, I apologize if it was. Mostly I just meant if you get a good job in a place that you want to live, the rest of the things you are worried about should fall into place. Good luck in your search.

[kta379]

Canudigit:

Thanks...I appreciate what you said. Thank you! And yes, I will be okay..either way...wherever choose.

[kta379]

Saint19:

I am not upset...I just did not care for the tone. Alas! No harm done. =0) Life is way to short to be upset over petty things. I will be fine...and even if I do not have a job lined up...I have more than enough funds to get by. I know I could be eating my savings up...but I have no plans to let it get that far. So, when I move...it will be 9-12 months from this date. Again...I am no fool...I have read and seen what happens when people do not prepare for the 'winter". Besides....I am coming down for vacation to see old friends. And as of now...I am leaning towards Austin/Dallas.

Thanks and have a good week! =o)