* Well, I hope no one from UBS is reading this.... I don't know howlong he'll stay. He HATES the hours. For those of you unfamiliar with his hours I will briefly explain. Usually he leaves before 8:30 am and returns home between 11 - 2 am (16-18 hr days) on average -- Monday to Friday. On the weekends he works 10 -25 hours from home or office depending on the deal. To compensate for the long hours they are usually paid pretty well, but Dan is too low in the pecking order to get the crazy bonuses you hear about but high enough for them to cut the bonus he does get when times are tough. If you average out how much he works with how much he is paid (or will be paid) it is sad. On the up side he still has a job and in the NY market that is a blessing. We took this job thinking he would stay long enough to pay down our student loans, but that is proving harder than we anticipated due to current conditions. So we are contemplating our options...any suggestions???????
*As for NY...hmmm. I am torn. Surprisingly, Dan really likes NY and our neighborhood. We both think:
Negatives:
- we hate that we pay the highest property taxes in the US (#1 or#2 is Westchester county). It is really obscene.
- paying to go to stores like Target. (I have to pay to park almost everywhere and it is annoying.)
- NY state Taxes! (taxes in general are a big complaint around here)
- Babysitters that cost $10 or more per hour. This limits our ability to have "date night" very often when you know you have to fork out $40-60 just for the sitter.
- The weather...I don't like cloudy weather and it is cloudy here WAY to often.
- everything is just SO expensive.
- our house..too small, too old, too expensive
+ We love the great schools the high taxes pay for.... Both the kids have fabulous programs and teachers.
+ the beautiful, green landscape out here.
+ being able to have NYC so close...I don't get in as often as I would like, but just knowing it is there is great.
+ having so many airports so close - you can go anywhere from NYC
+ our neighbors...they are amazing and dote on our kids/ward...love the wards we've been in outside UT/ID (nothing against the others, but our other wards have just seemed closer.)
+ our house...you kind of love it like a prisoner becomes enamored with his captor ; )
As you can see we are split here too...I guess much of it depends on the first question - his job. So I guess I haven't actually answered anything have I? Well, we are open to suggestions...
Thanks for the questions Molly... We miss the Philly days too. We loved our time spent there and think about it all the time. Funny, because Dan is at Wharton recruiting tonight as I type.
I'll tackle #2 tomorrow...
11 comments:
Great post! I wonder how you are doing out there...I think you should come move to ID...I NEED YOU!!! :) housing..cheap...babysitters....cheap...
If you moved here it would make my ward awesome :) Then I can have the best of both worlds.
I am looking forward to tomorrows answer! I may not be able to sleep because of the anticipation!!!!!!!!!!
Thanks for the update-- good list of negatives and positives. It would be super fun to have NYC at your backdoor!
I can't imagine how you do it, I mean you are practically a single mom! I hope someone has a good suggestion for you, because we are in a rather sad position ourselves! Oh well, you know what they say,"If you can make it here, you can make it anywhere!"
I think most everyone is torn about NY. I really like it here (even the weather!) but am always so depressed that we can't afford to live here. Who knows where we will all end up, huh?
So sorry for those ridiculous hours!! I know what you mean about the Wards out east. People who go to church there tend to be the most committed and if the Ward is smaller then it is always warmer!
I'd tell you come to Seattle, but if you hate cloudy weather forget it. We love it here and the schools are good. But talk about green beauty, mountains and ocean...sorry you can't beat Seattle for that, all with mild weather so you can go all year!
My next suggestion is Texas. If you can take the heat & humidity, San Antonio. Then we would see you often cause our son Mathew lives there! I also hear Austin is the best place weather wise in Texas and is pretty. Texas' economy is booming and housing is cheap, cheap, cheap. It's a bit closer to your family too, cheaper flights with SW Air.
Love you Jen!
Well, Brian and I are happy you are here. As for babysitters if you want to bring the kiddos to the city we would be happy to watch all three our rates are quite fabulous especially for NYC...free!
michelle,
we LOVE TX. we lived there a few years ago and loved it...not the most beautiful state, but everything else was great...it is on the list.
I can' t commit...there are things we love about the East, too.
Business consulting at PwC... a solid rock, no matter what the economy is doing. Hours are great, work/life balance DOES exist, salary is competitive... and you can't beat the short walk from GCT.
Oh Jen, I can just relate - of course we were in a different situation when we lived there, but I understand so much the sentiment.
Be happy for the Target in White Plains! Even though the parking is annoying (my friend Tara used to refuse to pay for it), In the old days, before it was built we had to drive all the way to Palisades mall *just* to get to a Target - a travesty!
I also agree about the ward - my NY wards were some of my favorites ever. We used to meet in the Scarsdale ward, and the drive to church from Rye was insanely beautiful. It really is so pretty (even if the winters are much too long).
ALso the proximity to the shore! So nice to have the "beach" so close right? ;)
The house next door tAo us is for sale, if you want to move to Dallas (free babysitting included). ;)
Jen, does it make you feel better that Wisconsin has the 5th highest property tax in the country??
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