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SarahTX Are you around?
Hi. Some nesties told me you live in Alaska and I had a few questions, if you don't mind. DH is looking at some job opportunities there that pay pretty well but we have heard the cost of living there is very high and that would pretty much cancel out his high pay. How do you like living there? Do you find it to be really expensive? Any info would really help. Thanks!
My email is: bonnie-n-clyde3@sbcglobal.net if you would rather email. Thanks again!
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Re: SarahTX Are you around?
hello!
just didn't know if you are still on. Give me a second, I need to type a lot. LOL. But know I am on and answering!
so...Alaska. That depends. Pretty much everyone up here LIVES for hunting and fishing. They are all outdoorsy, camping, fishing, hunting...as in have amillion animals on their walls hunters. haha.
I am a city and the beach girl. I want to be close to a city and love warm and sunshine. So Alaska to me is....eh. We're stationed here for 3 years, and only have one more year left. There are bits and pieces I like. The summer is truly wonderful. (well this last summer it rained every day, so that sucked) But if you get a nice summer you have perfect weather 70's, sunshine until midnight. It's great. You can get outdoors and do/see lots. There is a lot of touristy things to do. Whale watching, glacier cruises, wildlife viewing, however...it is VERY expensive. It's set for tourists, so it's not something you'll do all the time. i.e. a wildlife/whale/glacier cruise is around $300 per person. But, once in a lifetime oppurtunity, so nice to see.
the winter- SUCKS! I lived in NJ growing up, so I have been around snow. But it's not the snow that bothers me. It is the darkness. Right now our sun comes up around 10 am and sets at 3:30 pm. I mean sets, as in pitch black. That is the part that gets to me. It can get very very depressing. The winter lasts from mid oct until april, so it is a long long winter. That is the time period we have snow on the ground. During the winter, you can get out and go snow tubing, skiing, snowboarding. But...really that's it. So you need to take up that or else you'll go nuts.
Cost of living. It is on average 30% more expensive here than the lower 48. So that pretty much does cancel out your great pay. We are military, so I can shop at the commisary (base grocery store) and save some money, but still. For instance gas here is $2.53 as of today. I believe down south it is $1.50 or so. So that kind of gives you an idea.
The houses- IMO are ugly. Seriously, they are funky. Where are you coming from? I came from Texas, with big beautiful brick homes. You will not find that here, nor will you really find subdivions. It's is all kind of a cluster here. Plus the homes are very expensive for what you get. But that is if you live within anchorage. You can live a bit out, say Eagle River and save some money. But then you face a long commute, in the dead of winter. Just depends.
I think I may be jaded, because recently I am SOOO over Alaska. lol. I know this sounds horrible, but I'm not a redneck backwoodsy kind of person and that is what is here. lol. Hunting/fishing/ riding atvs, owning camping trailers and all that jazz is why people live here. They put up with the winter to get to the summer (which only last 3 months!!). So for me...eh. NOt my cup of tea. Plus I like the conviences of a big city.
No good resturants, we JUST got a a target and are getting a kohls. There is pretty much just one or two of every store. Anchorage is like a town in the lower 48., It is definetly not what I'd call a city. The population is about 200K I think. I don't know, it's just small and old school to me. I like a hip urban type place.
Can I ask what sort of job your dh is looking into? Have you looked into where you'd live? I guess my piece of advice is to not commit long term. If he could work for a few years with an OPTION to stay if he wanted that great. Because, it is not for everyone. It takes special people to live here.
Do you have any other questions?
I'm really sorry if I sounded super negative. Like I said, I'm pretty blah over alaska lately. haha
Thank you so much for your reply! You answered alot fo rme! I am thinking this probably won't work for us. DH and I are police officers and Anchorage pays really well for police. If we had moved there, I would probably stay at home and finish school (I want to get my RN/Bachelors degree). But, if the cost of living is that high, which we had been hearing, it wouldn't be any different than staying where we are (St. Louis). Oh, and I didn't think you were being negative. I heard that living there is like living in a different world. Beautiful, but totally different. We will probably keep looking at other states
I am just excited that DH is actually thinking of moving out of state! I had brought it up several times and he never wanted to. But, if he can find a department that pays more and cost of living is pretty good, he is interested! Take care and Happy Holidays! Thanks again!