[magellan]

Originally Posted by Pirate Vince

It is strange. Looked at countless homes in the UP and rarely did I see one with a screened porch. Is is something with the snow? Snow get into it and then blocks it all up?

We just got back from a 4 day trip to the UP, during mosquito season, and I didn't get one mosquito bite. I did put on spray when we went to Taq Falls but that was it.

[Serious Conversation]

I'm from northeast TN. One of my high school buddies moved from here to Ann Arbor several years ago, and loves it. However, that's going to be a far cry from the UP. My experience with MI is for summer vacations when I lived in Indiana.

His expenses went WAY up. His car insurance more than doubled. You'll be paying state income tax in MI that you won't be paying in TN. Property taxes are going to be significantly more expensive. He got a huge pay increase, so it more than made up for it, but he's a software engineer and you're not going to find work like that in the UP.

I just checked GasBuddy. Regular unleaded is $2.9x in Marquette. I filled up for $2.40 at Sam's in Bristol, VA. That's going to add up. Car registration is under $40 for any type of regular car in my county.

I'd be wary of relocating to any small town with someone with these kinds of medical needs. My girlfriend has lupus and is temporarily in a wheelchair. I live in the Tri-Cities, and we're having to go to Nashville to find someone to treat her lupus effectively and do a hip replacement surgery. The logistics of this are tough - if you don't have a garage, you're going to have to plow and salt the driveway. The wheelchair may have to be maneuvered on ice - this sort of thing. You don't have to worry about any of that stuff in TN.

I can't even imagine what it would be like to have someone with very sophisticated medical needs in rural northern MI

[magellan]

Originally Posted by Serious Conversation

I'm from northeast TN. One of my high school buddies moved from here to Ann Arbor several years ago, and loves it. However, that's going to be a far cry from the UP. My experience with MI is for summer vacations when I lived in Indiana.

His expenses went WAY up. His car insurance more than doubled. You'll be paying state income tax in MI that you won't be paying in TN. Property taxes are going to be significantly more expensive. He got a huge pay increase, so it more than made up for it, but he's a software engineer and you're not going to find work like that in the UP.

I just checked GasBuddy. Regular unleaded is $2.9x in Marquette. I filled up for $2.40 at Sam's in Bristol, VA. That's going to add up. Car registration is under $40 for any type of regular car in my county.

I'd be wary of relocating to any small town with someone with these kinds of medical needs. My girlfriend has lupus and is temporarily in a wheelchair. I live in the Tri-Cities, and we're having to go to Nashville to find someone to treat her lupus effectively and do a hip replacement surgery. The logistics of this are tough - if you don't have a garage, you're going to have to plow and salt the driveway. The wheelchair may have to be maneuvered on ice - this sort of thing. You don't have to worry about any of that stuff in TN.

I can't even imagine what it would be like to have someone with very sophisticated medical needs in rural northern MI

The Tennessee Dept of Tourism called, you can come pick up your check now.

[danielj72]

Originally Posted by magellan

The Tennessee Dept of Tourism called, you can come pick up your check now.

Still everything he said is correct. Things are definitely more expensive up there than they are down here. Housing is the only exception, parts of Michigan are dirt cheap for housing. He is certainly right about folks with serious medical needs living in a rural area of N. Michigan, that could be dangerous.

Maybe I should pick up my check too

[magellan]

Originally Posted by danielj72

Still everything he said is correct. Things are definitely more expensive up there than they are down here. Housing is the only exception, parts of Michigan are dirt cheap for housing. He is certainly right about folks with serious medical needs living in a rural area of N. Michigan, that could be dangerous.

Maybe I should pick up my check too

Yes, just wait a few days to cash it. I mean, if you don't pay for anything in Tennessee, then who knows where that money will come from.

[Nattering Heights]

Originally Posted by magellan

Yes, just wait a few days to cash it. I mean, if you don't pay for anything in Tennessee, then who knows where that money will come from.

Food tax.

[Serious Conversation]

Originally Posted by magellan

Yes, just wait a few days to cash it. I mean, if you don't pay for anything in Tennessee, then who knows where that money will come from.

I'm actually pretty hard on TN. With the exception of the last two years, I've had a very difficult time making ends meet in this state. The tax situation just happens to be favorable. However, there is basically no safety net here - you're on your own if you can't work.

The problem that the OP is going to face is that he's likely going to face a significant increase in costs. I didn't see anything about a job. If he's got the same (probably low-ish) income, that dollar is just going to stretch much farther in Tennessee, outside of (maybe) housing.

I was looking into moving to Grand Rapids a couple of years ago. Groceries were significantly cheaper there than in northeast TN. I've been there quite a bit and like it - but the UP is just a totally different world. Most "not national" retail in my immediate area is actually quite a bit more expensive than in Indy because of the lack of competition. You'd find more competition in GR or metro Detroit, but the UP is probably even worse than here in that regard.

That's not even considering the medical headaches. My CSA is about 500,000, but we don't have the amount of specialists and such that a larger city would. If someone has significant medical needs, it's unlikely they're going to have the specialists and ease of care they need in a remote area. That's not a knock against the UP, but small towns and rural areas anywhere are dealing with these issues.

[magellan]

Originally Posted by Serious Conversation

I'm actually pretty hard on TN. With the exception of the last two years, I've had a very difficult time making ends meet in this state. The tax situation just happens to be favorable. However, there is basically no safety net here - you're on your own if you can't work.

The problem that the OP is going to face is that he's likely going to face a significant increase in costs. I didn't see anything about a job. If he's got the same (probably low-ish) income, that dollar is just going to stretch much farther in Tennessee, outside of (maybe) housing.

I was looking into moving to Grand Rapids a couple of years ago. Groceries were significantly cheaper there than in northeast TN. I've been there quite a bit and like it - but the UP is just a totally different world. Most "not national" retail in my immediate area is actually quite a bit more expensive than in Indy because of the lack of competition. You'd find more competition in GR or metro Detroit, but the UP is probably even worse than here in that regard.

That's not even considering the medical headaches. My CSA is about 500,000, but we don't have the amount of specialists and such that a larger city would. If someone has significant medical needs, it's unlikely they're going to have the specialists and ease of care they need in a remote area. That's not a knock against the UP, but small towns and rural areas anywhere are dealing with these issues.

Fair enough but that's a significant change of tune from your post earlier. I don't know enough about the UP to make that assessment, and I've actually lived here all of my life (48 years). Marquette seemed to have a pretty big hospital but who am I to know these things.

[Pirate Vince]

Well, my wife is disabled vet so her medical is covered by the VA (clinic in Marquette) or VA Hosp. in Iron Mtn. She is in real bad shape from MS. I am retired military taking care of her, and have been for 20 years that she has been a quadriplegic from MS. I am getting to the age where I want to make sure I am in-place when I need to put her in a nursing home. For now, she is quite content hanging out in the house and watching TV. I need to get out so I have to have help come in a few times a week so I can hit the woods or whatever. There is a great state veterans nursing home in Marquette. While this could be several years away, I still need to think of the future and make moves while I have the energy and such to do it. I am still on the fence about moving to the UP. It will be more expensive compared to TN. I can absorb some of that cost but it adds up after a while. The snow would suck somewhat but I see overall temps on the rise and more days with warmer weather than in the past. I just went through actual temps. for Mqt last year over winter and was surprised how many days were above freezing (highs). If I can get her out to Sprawlmart a couple of times a month, she would be happy. As for doctors, her health at this point is very stable considering. Her doctor actually almost dropped her because she hasn't seen him in a couple of years.

[Giesela]

Originally Posted by magellan

We just got back from a 4 day trip to the UP, during mosquito season, and I didn't get one mosquito bite. I did put on spray when we went to Taq Falls but that was it.

Last.......June? we stopped at Whitefish point and RAN back to car. We were covered in mosquito's. Even with rain jackets on etc. it was just nerve wracking to have so many following you around in a big cloud.