I know many of you have noticed that I have been absent for quite some time. As I sit here this morning, this time away has given me ample of enough time to make many tough decisions and to breath easy and relax some, and I will state again, RELAX some. I haven't had a real vacation in 28 years and the past week and half has been great. Now, getting back on topic, we all are encompassed by many factors in life that affect our decisions for ourselves, our family, our finances, and our happiness. Since I graduated from college last September, I have been searching for new employment. Yes, I was in the commercial lawn management/landscaping in Florida and at the age of 43, it is taking its toll on me, mentally and of course physically. Go spend 6-8 hours in temperatures in excess of 90 degrees with heat index's well over 100 everyday for over 6 months at my age. If you can do it, well by God let me know and you can buy all my commercial equipment and go get heat stroke. My goal of having this business was to sustain me with a very comfortable lifestyle through school, giving me the flexibility to manage my business and learn as I went through school to obtain my business degree, and time with my boys. It was also good to have my own business as most of you know, the health of my father took a turn real quick and was able to spend time with him up to his death. Well yesterday, I accepted a position in Charlotte, NC and will start in two weeks.
Most of and some of you know that JUGM has been in SC for the summer with the boys, well now we can become a family again. This decision has not been very easy. JUGM's parents are not in the best of health, and I feel that I will be a crutch for her, her sister, and unfortunately, her brother as both of my parents are gone and they have someone to lean on and help with estate and probate issues. We talk every night about her parents, and I hear her pain in every breath. With that being said, I have an underwater house in Florida, thanks to the US government approving and giving houses to people who couldn't afford them or a house with property in SC that is paid for. So, the house will be rented out until I can sell and break even. Property taxes in FL, in excess of $1600 per year, and going up. Property tax in SC is $253 for the first year and after one year, I file my exemption as a disabled veteran and it drops to $10, yes $10 a year. Gas, roughly .30 cents cheaper per gallon here in SC, food prices are cheaper, utilities are 1/2 to 2/3 cheaper, and saving the best for last, my auto insurance will drop from $212 a month to $95 and some change, that's a $1404 a year savings.
Living in FL for the past 28 years has giving me a humbled opportunity to meet some great friends and that is what is stinging the most with this move. Yes, I have friends up here in SC, most I have known since I was running around this hill-top in Pampers with theml, but over the years we have maintained good relationships, even with me leaving for some many years. This community here is a very close knit group, we all know each other and have for a very long time and we all support each other. Not saying that I didn't have support in FL, I did and will always be a friend to my fellow group members there. Hell, now there is another place to relocate too if it hits the fan.
So, I hope this blog post shows that I am still alive, JUGM did not wax me and collect insurance money. I have had a lot of interviews here in SC and NC and it has finally paid off. I still am scratching my head why no business in FL that had open positions did not want to take a chance with a disabled veteran who is a college honor graduate? Oh, by the way, USA JOBS is a FUCKING JOKE!!!!!! Sorry for my french but the VA will continue to be screwed up until they let veterans in there to fix it, so stop with the diversity bullshit!!!!! In closing, I look back at this whole process, it took awhile but persistence does finally pay off.
Senior
Senior,
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on the new job in NC. I hope you're able to sell your commercial yard/landscaping equipment soon. Decisions are tough and painful however, when they benefit you and your immediate family then it makes the decision a little easier to deal with.
When you have a parent(s) who are ill, it's very hard when you reside in another state. I'm in the same predicament and I take it just one day at a time.
Sending hugs to you, JUGM, and the boys.
Sandy
Oh, I understand completely, but you are right, you have to be concerned with your immediate family. Like I said in my post, I was really surprised by the responses I got from NC/SC, I was amazed and dissapointed. I don't know if it had a lot to do with the flood of veterans in our area of FL all fighting for the open jobs.
DeleteI should have no problem selling my equipment, it will be dealing with the people who are looking for a steal of a price. Well I have all the time in the world to find the right buyer.
I know what you are saying with parents, I dealt with it driving from FL 3-4 days a week to SC to be with my dad. As an only child, I had to be there for him, even if it meant loosing my business.
Congrats on the new job, Senior! May God's blessings go with you.
ReplyDeleteThanks Rev!!!!
DeleteSenior, good luck with the new job. Prayers to you and the family on your move. If you can't post please have JMom keep us updated.
ReplyDeleteI should have time to post. Hey, you know what its like, you moved from FL to MN. It sucks moving doesn't it, but there are rewards.
DeleteGlad to hear things are looking up for you. The USAjobs site is terrible, but with my limited experience in the VA radiology department, As a student (read: unpaid), I found myself caring more about the vets than the "paid" techs. It seems a shame that I couldn't get a job there because I wasn't a vet. It's the government, what else can I say.
ReplyDeleteAgain congrats, and those other jobs really missed out on a great employee.
K, I saw that at the VA hospital when my dad was there. Most of their staff at DORN was all intern's from USC. They seemed to care more than any of the full time doctors, and I thank you for caring for the vets!!!!! I had one here in the county that I want them to feel the pain, the head had the impression that I was going to take his job, you can tell when someone is intimidated by you, it was ll over his face and actions. I am still waiting to run into him in town.
DeleteCongrats, and glad things worked out.
ReplyDeleteThanks shipmate. Things do work out with time.
DeleteThat they do... Sometimes we just have to be patient!
DeleteWell most of the time, I'm not very patient. I would say I have been disappointed that it took this long to find something I went to school for. It also doesn't help that we have a crappy economy too.
DeleteCongrats. Interesting to know about South Carolina taxes vs. Florida. My job search is just beginning, and there is a decent position up for grabs in SC.
ReplyDeleteYes, I received my assessment from the county and as a non-resident, the tax rate was 6%. When you are a resident, the state pays 75% of your taxes and it drops to 4%, so after finding this out at the assessors office and talking to them, they told me once I establish residence in SC, it would drop to $253, then after living here in SC for one year, I can file my exemption to drop it even more.
DeleteDaddy, I ran into two people in the assessors office, one was from Buffalo and the other from NC and we were all talking about how much we were paying in taxes. they were moving here because it is cheaper to live here. My dad always told me you can live here for very cheap. Yes, Im in a rural area, and town is about 12 miles away, but it is very quiet here.
Senior, you probably don't want to know what we pay in property taxes here in Texas. We don't have a state income tax. So, cities and counties get most of their funding from sales and property tax. Sales tax is capped at 8.25% and most places are capped out. Property tax is what bites most people in the butt. Our now former, modest, 2230 sq. ft. house on one acre had a tax bill of about $4600 per year with the homestead exemption. On the plus side, Texas has some pretty strong laws protecting homeowners from creditors and such. Still though, you can't hide from the taxes here.
DeleteDH, I can't imagine paying that much for property taxes. Holy Cow!!!! I know SC has a personal income tax but the majority of taxpayers get it all back. Maybe warlock in columbia or someone else here in SC can elaborate more into this.
ReplyDeleteCongrats to you all!!!
ReplyDeleteThanks MM.
ReplyDeleteI think the move to S.C. sounds like a great idea. I know it's a lot of turmoil but in the end you will all surely be better off than in Florida.
ReplyDelete