dylan&helen

Thanks to you guys, i have started making very serious moves.

Coming out for 5 weeks in Dec / Jan (anyone fancy a drink in Florida - i would seriously love to meet and talk about everything with anyone)

Can anyone tell me what the general cost of living is out there.... i know it will change from person - person & state - state. but i could kind of work out an average on your costs (i think lol)

I am 30 my wife is 24 and my son is 3

We plan to buy a business (with extensive research) on the Gulf side... live in a house worth around $250000 (mortgaged by about $150000 if possible) and own a car outright.

just love to know

Insurance costs (car and house etc)

do you think i would get a nice house for the money (with a pool?)

Food and utility bills etc

or anything else i could miss

Thank you Dylan,Helen&Oliver

(I am serious about the drink by the way - i am sure i could even stretch to a meal)

waxwabbit

Hi there

Cant help u as of yet, but my wife and i are planning on going to Florida around January, although first we will be in Maryland (hopefully) on 7 Jan!

We are looking at the east coast mind!

As for property, well ull have no problem with 250k for a house with a pool. I suggest you browse extensively on a virtual tour here:

http://list.realestate.yahoo.com/re/...deid=750007015

good luck!

Lee (& Brandi)

jaytee

Don't buy a house just because it has a pool. You can buy a house without a pool, have a pool construction company put one in and get a return when you sell it. Maintaining a pool also involves a monthly cost, but it is a lot of fun and good exercise.

Pulaski

You forgot the biggest single fixed monthly expense that you will have - medical insurance! :scared:

I get mine through my employer, but I'd guess that, for you, your wife and child you should start thinking at around $600 month minimum!

Patrick

Don't worry about insurance costs on the house, it is lumped in with your monthly insurance payment along with your taxes so and kept in escrow until they are needed then paid by the bank.

Insurance in general is very expensive in the US, if you cannot find an insurance company that will take your driving experience in the UK into account you are looking at anywhere between $2000 - $4000 a year.

Yes

On the whole food is generally more expensive, especially fruit and veg but savings can be made by using coupons and going to different stores with the bargains that week. For example this week Food Lion has 2 12 packs of coke for $5 this week and Win Dixie has buy one get 2 free on chicken. Because gas is so much cheaper and you drive everywhere for everything anyway it is acceptable (and necessary) to go to two or three supermarkets to shop.

You can get cheap stuff but you will soon learn that cheap is not always good - another way to save money is go to Sams club and buy a container of ketchup that feed the third world for a month for 89cents.

Water is expensive, the phone company is a rip off but you will find ways to lessen your bill, electricity isn't that expensive but you use an awful lot of it using air con in the summer so generally your bills are more expensive than the UK (bigger house to cool and you need to keep the house cool - no opening windows over here!)

Gas, clothes, white goods, CD's and cars are less expensive but the general day to day items are either more expensive or about the same. You usually get more for your money as far as houses are concerned as well (its a bigger country with more land, you would expect to get more!)

Hope this helps

Patrick

ps the beer is crap! offering to buy english people one is like making a threat!

Ray

The Gulf coast is a long one...So say you start at Naples at the most expensive to say Crystal River in the north which would be maybe half the price for the same property...Temperature the same.. the higher you get up the state the few degrees cooler it becomes..
Car insurance will depend on the car but think $1500 + for a very basic small one for 6 month cover..
House Insurance..Avoid properties that requires flood insurance..i.e keep away from water...But if you are anywhere near the coast not many Insurance companies are interested ..You will be only able to get an insurance of last resort.. i.e.. The state run Citizens Ins..
Utilities as other have said.. Food no idea..Not allowed in Supermarkets.. the wife can't take the aggravation..

dudleydowg

Join a Costco, you can do it in the UK there is about 20 branches nationwide and your membership is valid in the US, good savings to be made and you will have more space to store stuff in the US so you can buy in bulk. We went to our local one in Derby last weekend and my wife got over stimulated because of all the American foodstuffs. She now is the proud owner of a massive box of Reeces cups and I have a months supply of oreos.

NC Penguin

Since you intend to work for yourself, I forsee your biggest headache financially (aside from the business ) is medical insurance. This is very important especially since you have a young child. If you don't pick good medical coverage, you'll end up paying "through the nose" should anything major happen to you or your family.

As a newbie to the US, you and your wife will get hit with very expensive car insurance premiums, until you've lived in the US for 3 years (probably but this time may not vary from state to state).

I'm sure others with children will fill you in about costs relating to childcare and education...




NC Penguin

Taffyles

It depends on which city as to what you'll get for $250,000- generally the further South you go the more expensive- although Sarasota is more expensive than Venice and Naples - 250,000 might get you a house with a pool there (might) but it would either be very old (which you won't get insurance to cover it) or in a bad area.
Stay well away from Northport- houses are really cheap there but there is a reason - bloody wide spread flooding, you may be lucky and get 'dry' land, but aint worth the risk.

I would go for a house with a pool- as new construction will cost you about $20-25,000 for a basic small pool and the cage will be extra on top (more thousands).

Property taxes vary from county to county- as do utilities- the more expensive the area the more you pay for electricity, water and taxes, in a nutshell. Manatee County, for example is 25% cheaper in electricity and water than the neighbouring Sarasota.
Your bills are going to be bigger here- the Sun is free but keeping your house cool enough to live in is not- think of running the Air conditioning for 10 months of the year.

I think food is more expensive here- apart from beef and pork, eggs and bananas. A loaf of bread will cost you $1.75 - $2.50.

Child care averages approx $130-150 a week for full time.

Insurances are expensive- shop around for every insurance you need - because they all differ, and be sure to read the small print- that is vital!!

BrigieDarling

Make sure it is an the mortgage has an escrow account.... it is the best way like Patrick said... But we refinanced once and found out after 6 months that we had no escrow!

Pulaski

Strange; I think that now it is difficult to not have an escrow - we were told when we bought our house, earlier this year, that it would cost us several hundred dollars to go it alone (without an escrow).

whatever

OH YUUUUUUUUUUUM! (Dribble ) I LOVE those - (they are so sickly and will kill the sugar craving with just two cups!)
There is a new one that was built last year on the North Circular near Chingford that we could join but there will be no point if we are not near to one in the US. Is Costco EVERYWHERE in the US?

dudleydowg

Check out costco.com they have a store locator in the site and a link for costco.co.uk