KirstenL4W

Well, now that I know what I don’t like about Vegas and what I’m missing a bit, what exactly is it that I am looking for?

1. I’m pretty sure I want a much smaller town. Not a little podunk town, but not a huge city either. I would like if there were some shopping options beyond the Podunk General Store, so I don’t have to drive for hours to buy socks and underwear. I want the small town values of community.

2. I’d like to find a place with less crime. That part won’t be hard, because as I stated above I’m not looking to move to a large city.

3. I’m looking for a lower cost of living. That was one of my goals moving out here in the first place, and I missed the boat on that. True cost of living stats are hard to come by. I know there are calculators online, but they’re often a bit outdated, so this will take a bit more research.

4. I’d like to be somewhat close to a larger city, a few hours drive at most. This will make travel options more attractive and give me more options for culture, shopping and other resources. But I don’t want to live within the suburban sprawl of this larger city.

5. I’d like a place with some character, not just endless rows of tract homes punctuated by strip malls. Homes that have some history to them, and attics and basements would be nice.

Now let’s address the cost of living issue a bit more. As I stated before, I can’t afford to live on my own. I’m not married or in a relationship, so that leaves roommates. I have a good roommate, but I’ve had my own place in the past, and I like my own space. And as for my income, I work 2 jobs to be able to afford this place with a roommate, along with all my other bills. I’m not spendthrift and I don’t gamble, so pretty much all my money goes to basic living expenses. Why don’t I get a better paying job? I really like where I work, and I think I get paid pretty well for what I do, in this town anyway. A different career is out of the question because that requires school and school costs money. So if I were to move to a place with a lower cost of living, I could get back a certain sense of independence that I don’t have here, and probably will never have without a major financial windfall. That’s the main motivator behind this. And I know what you’re all saying - wages and salaries are lower in places with a lower cost of living. Well, wages and salaries are pretty low here in Vegas too, especially considering what the cost of living is. I’m pretty sure I could make a comparable salary to what I make here, and I don’t mind having to work 2 jobs to do that. I’ll just be happy to go home to my house without sirens blaring down the street all night and be able to watch TV alone without my roommate constantly interrupting me.

Now, considering all this, many of you are wondering why I don’t just go home, back to where I came from. I don’t consider this an option. Besides the cost of living, I just don’t feel like I can live that close to my family again. I like not being near them. Plus there’s the landscape. I really like the wide open spaces here, being able to see for miles. When I go back east with all the trees around, I feel claustrophobic. I like trees, but I like to see more than a few feet in front of me.

I think I’m aiming towards the middle somewhere, to the Mid-western, corn-fed friendliness. I’ve never been there before, so once I get a few financial things taken care of, I’d like to take a road trip to meet the people of a few communities out there in the middle of the country. Get a feel for the places and find the one that feels right.

If anyone has any ideas on where to go, leave me a comment. I’d love to hear your ideas.

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