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- Thread starter Mtowncyclone13
- Start date
No kids here, so that's not a concern. I'd move out of Iowa to probably 10 other states if the money was right along with the right job. Any of those other 10 states would allow me to do what I do here in Des Moines plus some would offer more. I like Des Moines and think it has a lot of good qualities but there are a lot of similar options available.
I do know that once I retire, I will be moving out of Iowa within 6 months.
I do know that once I retire, I will be moving out of Iowa within 6 months.
When we lived in Wichita we liked it but didn't love it. There is plenty to do there but we struggled to make friends (Iowa State grads that we started to do game watches with) until the last few months there sadly. Now being back in CR around all of our family and more long time friends we partially wish we could go back and have debated it but the 8 hour drive all of hour family and longtime friends has kept us here thus far. If I were to get laid off again or not like my job Wichita will be the first place we look outside of CR and DSM. Pay is also key. The pay would have to increase enough to replace my wife's in home daycare income so she can be a stay at home mom until our kids are in school.
When I was laid off in Wichita and the job opportunities were slim to none (the downfall of putting 620 people in the job market in one day) our goals were DSM, KC and CR in that order. Mostly we wanted to be closer to family and friends but the wealth of opportunities both work and free time are so much more available in DSM and KC then especially CR. Our son was born a month after I was laid off so that wasn't a huge factor.
When I was laid off in Wichita and the job opportunities were slim to none (the downfall of putting 620 people in the job market in one day) our goals were DSM, KC and CR in that order. Mostly we wanted to be closer to family and friends but the wealth of opportunities both work and free time are so much more available in DSM and KC then especially CR. Our son was born a month after I was laid off so that wasn't a huge factor.
I've traveled enough domestically to know that I'm staying in the Denver metro for the foreseeable future. I would need a 50-100% increase in pay, new location would need similar weather and mountains, and would have to be temporary. Yeah, I like it here a lot.
There is something to be said about being close to family but it shouldn't be huge factor in staying somewhere, IMO.
There is something to be said about being close to family but it shouldn't be huge factor in staying somewhere, IMO.
Number of factors to consider but MN would be a nice place to move to, pending where in the state it's at. Before kids are in school would be the time to make this move.
Actually the new American way is to relocate for the opportunity to work even more hours per week with a vague promise of future compensation.
Well, the first big relocation (Omaha to KC) was spurred by two things: wasn't sure my job was going to exist any more (and it doesn't now so there's that) and around a 25% pay bump.
The second one (KC to Albuquerque) was "transfer offices or get laid off", which wasn't nearly as happy of a situation. Thankfully, my wife's parents are here, so I at least knew *some* people (pretty strange that we wound up moving back to her hometown after we met in Nebraska). Also, I spent every waking moment looking for other work because I was pissed about the forced relocation and the work situation is much more comfortable now. So I guess it all worked out.
Any future moves would be much more painful. It'd take a lot (big pay raise, more stimulating work) and my (semi-former) industry is not looking very robust at the moment, so it's probably not happening.
The second one (KC to Albuquerque) was "transfer offices or get laid off", which wasn't nearly as happy of a situation. Thankfully, my wife's parents are here, so I at least knew *some* people (pretty strange that we wound up moving back to her hometown after we met in Nebraska). Also, I spent every waking moment looking for other work because I was pissed about the forced relocation and the work situation is much more comfortable now. So I guess it all worked out.
Any future moves would be much more painful. It'd take a lot (big pay raise, more stimulating work) and my (semi-former) industry is not looking very robust at the moment, so it's probably not happening.
For me, there are a huge number of factors. Biggies among them:
- Cost of living compared to where I am now, and then factor in the comparative salaries to see if it's a net loss or gain. There are online calculators that can do this.
- Safety of area
- School quality - this is a bigger deal to me than I ever thought it would be. We really worried about where to move even in Ames due to this.
- Is the environment overall (weather, number of things to do, etc.) better or worse, and does the monetary bump make up for any loss?
- Proximity of family/friends, if relevant
- Cost of living compared to where I am now, and then factor in the comparative salaries to see if it's a net loss or gain. There are online calculators that can do this.
- Safety of area
- School quality - this is a bigger deal to me than I ever thought it would be. We really worried about where to move even in Ames due to this.
- Is the environment overall (weather, number of things to do, etc.) better or worse, and does the monetary bump make up for any loss?
- Proximity of family/friends, if relevant
My wife and I are both from Iowa. We moved to Omaha right after college. We lived there for 7 years but never really made any non-work friends. My job required a lot of travel and relocation was always on the table. When our daughter was born, we decided it was time to get out of Omaha and for me to find a job that didn't require so much travel and/or relocation.
We moved to Minneapolis and have loved the change. We found the people up here to be much more inviting than those in Omaha (people in Omaha were nice, just not very open, in our experience). We now have a core of friends, like where we live, and are within a few hours of family. We talk about moving to a warmer climate, but we won't even sniff that until our kids are out of school. The schools in Minnesota are just too good to consider a change.
We moved to Minneapolis and have loved the change. We found the people up here to be much more inviting than those in Omaha (people in Omaha were nice, just not very open, in our experience). We now have a core of friends, like where we live, and are within a few hours of family. We talk about moving to a warmer climate, but we won't even sniff that until our kids are out of school. The schools in Minnesota are just too good to consider a change.
I will say, when considering those non-money factors vs. money, take a hard look. When we moved from Omaha to MSP, I did it for a lateral move money-wise. Given the more expensive cost of living, I actually took a 5-10% pay cut. At the time, I thought I was ok with that given I had a more stable schedule. In reality, that was much harder to get used to than I thought and it didn't take me long to sour on being paid less for as much or more work.
Sounds like it could be a good change.
I have lived in a few states. Went to Texas to chase the Dollar. Won't do that again.
As far as relocations go it sounds like this would be relatively easy for you. But only if you really want to be there.
If you don't want to be in a place then it's a tough road. Every day you'll know that you are waking up somewhere you don't want to be. Then it can be difficult to expand your comfort zone.....
So most replies are “money”...so what is the number? Would you move from your area to a similar area (let’s just say DSM to...Indianapolis, IN) for:
8% raise
10%
15%
More???
8% raise
10%
15%
More???
I'm so glad my super-nerdy answer made sense to someone. I get headhunted a lot to places like San Fran, and I just plug the amount they quote in a COL calculator vs here at my current salary, and it's AT BEST a wash most of the time. And then you factor in all of the things like schools and safety, and it's just always been a no-brainer.
Actually the new American way is to relocate for the opportunity to work even more hours per week with a vague promise of future compensation.
No thanks. I live by the creed "Make as money much as you can while doing as little as you can". That's one of the main reasons I decided to work for myself.
I got this advise for some life decision I was struggling with. I don't even specifically remember what it was now.
Make a list of all the pluses and minuses. Then sit and really let it simmer in your mind for a decent period. Then just throw the list away and do what seems like the right thing.
That said, the older I get the more I appreciate my Iowa roots. And family nearby. And being alone again there's something to be said for having people around that will be there for you when the going gets tough. Granted, not all families are like that, but most are, I guess.
I live 6 months in FL and 6 in IA. I always tell people I look forward to going south when winter is approaching and I look forward to going north for the spring and summer. So I must be doing it right.
Make a list of all the pluses and minuses. Then sit and really let it simmer in your mind for a decent period. Then just throw the list away and do what seems like the right thing.
That said, the older I get the more I appreciate my Iowa roots. And family nearby. And being alone again there's something to be said for having people around that will be there for you when the going gets tough. Granted, not all families are like that, but most are, I guess.
I live 6 months in FL and 6 in IA. I always tell people I look forward to going south when winter is approaching and I look forward to going north for the spring and summer. So I must be doing it right.
As I was starting my career I was told that I should never relocate for less than a 30% increase. That first move proved to work out well. And with each successive company and relocation, in an ongoing improving real estate market through those years and with each company paying the realtor fees and closing costs I banked a lot of money. BUT...
I miss being near Ames. I always have. As I've gotten older my friends seem to have stayed in the DSM, Ankeny, Ames area and I really miss being near friends/family/ISU. It's been great getting to go to games in OK, and TX... but it's just not the same as ISU game days.
Each professional move has been an amazing step in my journey and I'm making far far more money than I would ever have made staying in central Iowa. And the weather is nicer nearly anywhere else. But one thing you'll realize quickly is that once you've moved... you can move ANYWHERE. That first move brings a pretty amazing sense of new found freedom.
I miss being near Ames. I always have. As I've gotten older my friends seem to have stayed in the DSM, Ankeny, Ames area and I really miss being near friends/family/ISU. It's been great getting to go to games in OK, and TX... but it's just not the same as ISU game days.
Each professional move has been an amazing step in my journey and I'm making far far more money than I would ever have made staying in central Iowa. And the weather is nicer nearly anywhere else. But one thing you'll realize quickly is that once you've moved... you can move ANYWHERE. That first move brings a pretty amazing sense of new found freedom.
We have only lived in a Minnesota and Iowa the past 20 years, and aside from smaller town Iowa we have liked where we lived (are now in Ames). We are an hour away from one side of the family, the other is a bit further. Our oldest just started high school and our youngest will start school next year. It would take a significant amount of money and perfect location for us to move right now. My husband's local office closed at the end of last year and he actually runs an office out of Pennsylvania, but for now he is able to travel out there once a month and stay where we are.
