When I finished with my bachelor's degree in psychology, I worked in a credit union for about 6 months while I tried to find out what I actually desired to do with the rest of my life (I have not figured it out yet, honestly), then I chose to go to grad school and get a task in Cincinnati. I transferred to the city over Self-reliance Day weekend in 2014. Ever since, I resided in two different areas within the city limits. One was two miles beyond downtown in a trendy apartment or condo constructing a short walk from an amazing park, and the other was 7 miles from downtown in an extremely desirable community in a home where I might hear my upstairs neighbor sneeze (among other, less innocent things * shudder *). Then I transferred to a rural location right outside the city limitations, in an apartment building right on the bike trail where I could ride into town to grab a beer or an ice cream cone.
In autumn of 2017, my hubby and I bought our very first house in my small hometown-- a 50 minute drive to 3 significant cities (choose which direction you're in the state of mind to drive: north, south, or west), but definitely a backwoods. The high school I went to was actually surrounded on all sides by cornfields. We live "in town" now, however that isn't saying much. There are also cornfields in the area.
THE PROS
I love our home. I love our lawn. Among my friends lives a block away, and there is an extraordinary homemade tough cider place that's lacked the basement of a household house, and there are a few excellent local shops and dining establishments. There are a lot of positives about where we live now. There were also a lot of tradeoffs included with choosing to move out of the city.
I'm going to begin with the pros list, the great things about where we live and why we chose to move here. When I lived in the city in a very popular neighborhood, every time I walked my dog I would look up the details on any home I would see with a for sale indication out front. That's a substantial cost savings from a home mortgage in the city, and is substantially lower than our lease in the city or suburban areas.
Another pro is that we live closer to household. We live in the same town as my moms and dads, and are a brief drive from my grandparents and in-laws. We have much more outdoor area than we might have gotten in the city on our budget, including a big, fenced-in yard.
Creekin'
I matured going "creekin,'" catching amphibians, riding 4 wheelers, and having the day of rest school for the very first day of open season. It was a truly terrific youth.
THE CONS
There is absolutely an expense to moving out here, too. For starters, it feels like everyone knows everyone else! And in some cases I just want to go to the supermarket in my sweats for red wine and cookie dough and not a fantastic read encounter among my former teachers or pals' parents, ya know ?? Bear with me as I go through these cons; I'm not trying to complain (much), but the truth is that there is a lot to think about when considering moving from a city you like to a lower cost of living area in order to save loan.
Maybe among the most obvious downfalls of residing in a little, rural, low expense of living area is that it's far from things. Much of my pals live in or closer to the city, and it requires more preparation and driving in order to see them. It's also further from home entertainment; there is a small selection of excellent restaurants close by. When I remained in the city I could stroll to numerous locations and drive to an essentially unlimited list of dining establishments and bars. Cincinnati is a very foodie-friendly city with a fantastic brewery scene. I have actually said this before and I'll state it forever: food is life. Places in my town also close previously. Now, I'm not much of a celebration animal anymore, however if I want to be out later on than 11 p.m. there is really just one choice here. And it's terrific, however in some cases I wish to be out at a bar where I'm not going to see any of my previous teachers, good friends' moms and dads, or anyone I went to high school with. When it pertains to getting house safely, Uber and Lyft aren't a thing here. You need to find a great old made designated motorist, or walk. (Once, my buddy who lives a block away and I pop over to these guys got a bit toasted at the local red wine store and strolled 2 miles to get to the hard cider place. Luckily we found a pal from high school there with his moms and dads, who offered us a flight back. Pros and cons of knowing people everywhere you go.) When I lived in the city, an Uber would be available to pick me up within minutes any time of day, and it was a cheap ride anywhere, usually under $10.
Another obstacle of living in this area is that nearby task prospects are slim. I presently work for the only significant mental health provider in the county. I really work one county over (my company remains in two counties) and have a thirty minutes commute. If I were to get a different task in my field, I would have to drive to among the major cities, a minimum of about 40 minutes each way. I'm utilized to these kinds of drives, as I commuted 45 minutes to school throughout undergrad, but it does take a great deal of gas and time in the vehicle. There are less resources all around in my town. When I lived in the city, there were MANY alternatives for mental health tasks, along with other resources including a number of grocery options, yoga studios, pet stores, and so on. And not to sound too minor here, but the grocery store in my town does not offer the good brand of goat cheese that I like, and I have to drive thirty minutes to the nearby Kroger that does. THE HUMANITY!
I loved living in a city filled with variety and with a range of social and political views. There is a church on every corner, on your way into town no matter which route you take, and quite much a stone's throw from any place you may happen to be standing in town. We went to a fantastic church in the city that I enjoyed, and finding something that compares is important to me however it's something I'm still browsing for.
While I enjoy my home and there are a lot of things I love about my town, I do miss living in the city. I don't see myself residing in this town permanently, and today returning to the city is in the medium-term plan. For now, little town and low cost of living life is managing us the capability to pay off our trainee financial obligation more rapidly in order to get there. If you have actually made a comparable relocation or have ever thought about it, let me know.