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I'm on the US east coast and am researching an eventual move to Hawaii. Reading about how expensive Hawaii is, I'm left wondering how the average Hawaiian gets by. I expect somebody to reply that the locals look out for each other, but that can't fully answer the question. What are some of the financial habits (earning, housing, spending, etc) that allow them to live in such an expensive place?
I'm on the US east coast and am researching an eventual move to Hawaii. Reading about how expensive Hawaii is, I'm left wondering how the average Hawaiian gets by. I expect somebody to reply that the locals look out for each other, but that can't fully answer the question. What are some of the financial habits (earning, housing, spending, etc) that allow them to live in such an expensive place?
Where on the east coast? It may be helpful to analogize to what you are familiar with?
Well, it's different for everyone, but a lot of surviving in Hawaii on the typical low paying job in Hawaii (which just makes the high cost of living even higher) is that everyone sort of helps everyone else. But that doesn't work for folks just moving over here since they aren't part of the island yet.
If there's a job available, it's offered to someone you know before it gets out to the general public. If there's a good rental available, same thing. You have extra oranges, avocados on your tree, you share. Services are swapped instead of paid with money. Things are still tight, though, so a lot of stuff is just done without which might be why "keeping up with the Kawashima's" isn't a typical social norm around here.
It takes awhile to get acclimatized after a move to Hawaii. Mainland habits can be terribly expensive here and a lot of them aren't even recognized as habits. Power is really expensive so folks here already are hesitant to plug anything in. Folks moving over from the mainland don't even thing about it, at least, until the first electric bill. Mainland folks generally seem to be anxious to conserve water, whereas around here, that's not all that expensive. I guess it's just what you're used to.
Also after a move, it takes awhile to find out where things are and where the better places to acquire things are. In Hawaii, it also takes awhile to figure out what's available and where. You can get things shipped in from the mainland, but that's generally going to be much more expensive and a lot of places won't ship. Also, a lot of mainland stuff won't survive in Hawaii. Depending on where you are in Hawaii and what is shipped in, of course. In areas with high rainfall and humidity, furniture made of particleboard turns into oatmeal, but in other drier areas, it's fine. Leather can mildew, it's much more likely in the moister areas. I'm seeing a trend in house construction in the past few years where they keep trying to make houses air tight, I'm suspecting it's mainland habits drifting over to the islands. Give it a couple of decades and I see those air tight houses as being a huge mildew problem, but that's just my opinion, hopefully I'll be wrong.
Some islands are easier to get along on than others. Oahu is probably the toughest since there's so many people there all pretty much looking for the same things. But YMMV.
I'm left wondering how the average Hawaiian gets by
I'll assume you mean, the average person who lives in Hawaii gets by. Only about 10% of the population is "Hawaiian".
Median income is generally a good indicator of "average". Most people by far live on Oahu.
The median income for a single person on the island of Oahu according to HUD is $67,100. That income is sufficient for a small 1 bedroom on the more desirable parts of the island or some fight traffic and get more space in less desirable areas such as the West Side of the island. Others get roommates, girlfriend/boyfriend, or have a dual income by marriage.
Quote:
Originally Posted by hothulamaui
most people have 2 jobs, live in multi generational house with parents and other relatives sharing expenses.
That isn't remotely true. "Most" people do not have 2 jobs nor live in multigenerational houses. If you said some immigrant families do that generally because of poor language skills or lack of job skills you'd be more on the right track.
7% of Hawaiian households have assets excluding houses of over $1,000,000 - among the top 3 in the United States.
Quote:
Originally Posted by hotzcatz
Oahu is probably the toughest since there's so many people there all pretty much looking for the same things.
On this I highly disagree. In my opinion, the standard of living on Oahu is much higher due to much increased wages - the only thing cheaper on lets say the Big Island is housing - but everything else is more expensive - electric, groceries, etc. You see this reflected by nicer and newer cars on the road, higher end retail stores, etc.
Median income for a single person on Oahu is $67,100 versus $46,500 in Hawaii County according to HUD in 2014, a very substantial difference.
That isn't remotely true. "Most" people do not have 2 jobs nor live in multigenerational houses. If you said some immigrant families do that generally because of poor language skills or lack of job skills you'd be more on the right track.
7% of Hawaiian households have assets excluding houses of over $1,000,000 - among the top 3 in the United States.
perhaps in your experience but not in mine. on maui all you have to do is drive down, pau hana, the residential part of S. Kamehameha Ave. (and other streets) to see how many cars are parked in front of 2 story houses crammed with family living under one roof. most of the young locals I know live with family or are in a home due to family.
Let me guess i have whtviper1 on ignore but i bet he made a comment about laziness and lack of education for the poor for why people are poor. Then he quoted some stat to justify his experience or point of view? Whats to bad about most of the stats is none really tell you what you need to know. Like for example, of all the new high priced condos being built in Honolulu. How many are being bought by people not from Hawaii as a vacation home or investment vs people who were actually born on the islands?
I lived in this house on Maui once while saving for our own place. The upstairs is where the owners lived. Always the mom and dad with at least two of their children and their children also. That's six adults and I think six kids upstairs.
Downstairs was divided. We had a two bedroom one bath with two adults and one child. Next to us was a one bed one bath with a young couple and another studio ohana that had been an enclosed patio with another couple in back.
That's twelve adults and seven children in a home built for one family. Oh and the water heaters were only turned on form a couple of hours in the morning and a fews at night.
All the streets in the is area were filled in the same manner. Parking was always a challenge as we all had our own cars. This was many years (12+) ago and I have no idea how it is now but I see no reason it would have changed.
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