Can I afford Ft. Collins on $37,000 a year? (Fort Collins, Delta: to rent, health insurance)

[Ziasforever]

Originally Posted by Davros

If your boyfriend is currently employed, I can understand why he is reluctant to move. It's a scary time to quit a job and move somewhere where you will be unemployed or even temping.

Health insurance costs are a big concern for anybody who is unemployed or whose employer doesn't offer insurance. Given the health care costs of somebody who is unemployed, it is much harder to survive as a pair on 37,000 than it would be to survive as an individual. When you're making 37,000 and you get some kind of health care insurance at work, that's very different from being unemployed, living with somebody who's making 37,000 per year, and having to buy your own health care insurance. Yikes !

Has he been applying for jobs in Fort Collins as you have been ?

Another thing you should have some concern about is that you may not be offered the job this time, since they may remember that you turned them down before. Whatever you do, don't move until you actually have the job offer.

If she's that good, they'll offer her a job. $37K isn't a lot of money anymore but that's what people do to live in a desireable area. Wait until FC figures out they are out of water.

[davemess10]

$37k isn't a lot of money any more? I think that is VERY livable in Fort Collins, you might not be buying a house, but that is plenty of money.
I really don't think you could rent a 3/2 ranch in town for $800/month. More like $1100 at best.

I just moved from Fort Collins to Portland.
Comparing the two, I think their cost of living is fairly comparable. The rent here seems to be pretty in line (as long as you aren't trying to live in the really trendy areas or downtown). Food costs are a little more, but there is no sales tax. I've heard property taxes are really high, but I'm not planning on buying anything.

There are some temp. agencies in town. My ex-girlfriend worked at one for a while and it seemed to work out okay. The job market isn't great, esp. if you're looking for a specific type of job, but I think you can find work, if you just want to work. You do have to remember that Fort Collins isn't that big.

I wouldn't exactly call it a sprawling or congested town. I mean most of the town is about 5 x 5 miles. It can be kind of slow to drive around, but that is mostly due to the traffic lights versus actual congestion. Besides it's a great city to get around on bikes! Especially if you work at CSU, no spot in town is more than 3-4 miles from campus, and it usually is faster to ride there anyway (esp. with the ridiculous parking permit charges they have).

Fort Collins is a great place to live (one of the best in the country), I really don't think you would regret moving there.

[Davros]

Originally Posted by davemess10

$37k isn't a lot of money any more? I think that is VERY livable in Fort Collins, you might not be buying a house, but that is plenty of money.
I really don't think you could rent a 3/2 ranch in town for $800/month. More like $1100 at best.

37,000 is good if you're making it, and you're getting health insurance coverage from work, and you don't have a lot of dependents.

37,000 is not good if your girlfriend is making it, you are unemployed, and you have to buy your own health insurance.

It all depends on what the boyfriend's situation in AZ is whether this is a good move for him. He also needs to be applying for jobs in the Fort Collins area, stat, if he's decided to make that move.

[Ziasforever]

Originally Posted by davemess10

$37k isn't a lot of money any more? I think that is VERY livable in Fort Collins, you might not be buying a house, but that is plenty of money.
I really don't think you could rent a 3/2 ranch in town for $800/month. More like $1100 at best.

I just moved from Fort Collins to Portland.
Comparing the two, I think their cost of living is fairly comparable. The rent here seems to be pretty in line (as long as you aren't trying to live in the really trendy areas or downtown). Food costs are a little more, but there is no sales tax. I've heard property taxes are really high, but I'm not planning on buying anything.

There are some temp. agencies in town. My ex-girlfriend worked at one for a while and it seemed to work out okay. The job market isn't great, esp. if you're looking for a specific type of job, but I think you can find work, if you just want to work. You do have to remember that Fort Collins isn't that big.

I wouldn't exactly call it a sprawling or congested town. I mean most of the town is about 5 x 5 miles. It can be kind of slow to drive around, but that is mostly due to the traffic lights versus actual congestion. Besides it's a great city to get around on bikes! Especially if you work at CSU, no spot in town is more than 3-4 miles from campus, and it usually is faster to ride there anyway (esp. with the ridiculous parking permit charges they have).

Fort Collins is a great place to live (one of the best in the country), I really don't think you would regret moving there.

37K is not a lot money. Registering your car in Larimer county isn't exactly free and you have to do it every year or two years, I can't remember. Emissions testing too unless it is newer. Let's not forget the state, it wants its 5%. Another thing, I NEVER said 37K wasn't doable in FC. In fact I DID say it was doable. When I was up there in 2006 I looked at several rentals in the 700 to 1000 price range doable on 37K. One thing I have noticed is that liquor tends to be cheaper in CO versus NM. It was the opposite when I moved down here from the DMA 10 years ago.

One thing I would definitely agree on you with is that FC is nicer than a lot of other places.

And, yes, I WOULD definitely call FC sprawling. It is pretty much built out from Loveland to Wellington to LaPort. That's what I know from driving 287 and I25.

Of course if you're from New Jersey or L.A. then it's nothing compared to that....yet.

[davemess10]

There are no emissions tests in Larimer county. And, you're really using $100-200 of car registration fees to validate how expensive it is to live in Fort Collins? It has been at least double to register my car here in Portland, OR versus the Fort ($250 vs. $85).

I wouldn't call a community, where I can ride my bike from my front door for over 3 hours straight (Be out out on country roads in about 2 miles) and hit only ONE traffic light sprawling. Yes the city is expanding in most directions (which I don't agree with), but it is mostly just lame housing developments. The important parts of the city (Old Town, CSU, the Poudre) remain intact, and very accessible to the majority of the town. And I-5 and 287 have been the main areas of growth, so if you haven't spent much time in the rest of the city, I could see where you would get your impression.

So if you said it's doable? Why do you not say that 37k is a lot of money?
I know plenty of people in Fort Collins making it just fine on $25,000/year.

[nevada1427]

You will do fine. I am currently making $26,000 ( after taxes ), and am having no problems. =)

[Davros]

I don't think there's any question of whether she'll be OK on $37,000. That's definitely liveable in Fort Collins.

The question is whether the boyfriend is going to be OK. What if he gets sick ?

And then there's possibly the question, down the line, whether $37,000 is enough to raise a family on. I think it would be far preferable to have both parents working if you're a married couple and each of you makes a max of $37,000 in your career.

[delta07]

Originally Posted by Davros

I don't think there's any question of whether she'll be OK on $37,000. That's definitely liveable in Fort Collins.

The question is whether the boyfriend is going to be OK. What if he gets sick ?

And then there's possibly the question, down the line, whether $37,000 is enough to raise a family on. I think it would be far preferable to have both parents working if you're a married couple and each of you makes a max of $37,000 in your career.

Haha, now you've got the OP and her boyfriend having kids and both working at the same place together. Seriously, I doubt this is something of major concern right now. It sounds like her boyfriend is willing to make the move...I get your point, but come on. Life is too short not to follow your dreams. I say go for it! Worse case scenario, you decide you don't like it (or the boyfriend doesn't) and have to move again. If you're not willing to take a risk, you'll never know.

[Davros]

Originally Posted by delta07

Haha, now you've got the OP and her boyfriend having kids and both working at the same place together. Seriously, I doubt this is something of major concern right now. It sounds like her boyfriend is willing to make the move...I get your point, but come on. Life is too short not to follow your dreams. I say go for it! Worse case scenario, you decide you don't like it (or the boyfriend doesn't) and have to move again. If you're not willing to take a risk, you'll never know.

You're right. I went waaay over board with that comment. It was out of line.

But I am right about health insurance concerns. In your worse case scenario, you can end up moving out a lot poorer than you moved in.

[Ziasforever]

Originally Posted by davemess10

There are no emissions tests in Larimer county. And, you're really using $100-200 of car registration fees to validate how expensive it is to live in Fort Collins? It has been at least double to register my car here in Portland, OR versus the Fort ($250 vs. $85).

I wouldn't call a community, where I can ride my bike from my front door for over 3 hours straight (Be out out on country roads in about 2 miles) and hit only ONE traffic light sprawling. Yes the city is expanding in most directions (which I don't agree with), but it is mostly just lame housing developments. The important parts of the city (Old Town, CSU, the Poudre) remain intact, and very accessible to the majority of the town. And I-5 and 287 have been the main areas of growth, so if you haven't spent much time in the rest of the city, I could see where you would get your impression.

So if you said it's doable? Why do you not say that 37k is a lot of money?
I know plenty of people in Fort Collins making it just fine on $25,000/year.

Emissions testing was temporarily 'suspended' in Fort Collins starting in 2007. It will begin again in November. Furthermore, you are correct if you have an old car about registering it; it's only a $100.00 or so. But if it's new or a couple of years old then it's going to cost you. I know. It cost me $400 to register my Saturn when I lived there. My friend paid over $600 to register his suburban.

Also, if you live on the edge of town, especially in the eastern part of Windsor, you might be out on a county road and only one stop light. For now....

$37K, $25K ok. It's a king's ransom. It's more money than most people in Mexico make in a year.

But I made 50K when I lived up there and didn't have a lot left over for fun.