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re: Life in Louisiana - Considering moving home
Posted on 5/18/15 at 1:43 pm to ellis mike the tiger
Posted on 5/18/15 at 1:43 pm to ellis mike the tiger
quote:
Wife and I moved to Houston after graduating about 7 years ago. Since we've had kids, we've debated back and forth about moving back near Baton Rouge to raise our family. Closer to friends, family, just being back around our kind of people and preferred lifestyle in general. Our debate has been here we have higher earning potential and since I am an engineer in O&G, and my wife works in healthcare admin., more job security in general. I'm curious to get opinions from people who still live in Louisiana. With the state budget shortfalls, even though oil will eventually come back up, at least some, state of healthcare with closing some hospitals and ER's etc., what would you advise someone thinking about moving back? What end to the doom and gloom in the news about Louisiana do you see?
You can't compare life in Houston to life in Baton Rouge. It's apples and oranges. It all depends on what you value. I know plenty of people who have left Louisiana only to return years later. My best friend and his wife recently moved back to BR after over a decade of living in Austin. His wife is currently pregnant with their second child. Besides both being die hard Tiger fans, they said they just felt it was time to go home to their roots and their families. Both said they never identified with being Texans and found themselves making more and more frequent trips to visit family and friends back home. After spending the Christmas holidays in Louisiana they decided the time was right. They seem as happy as I've ever seen them, so for them it was the right choice.
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Posted on 5/18/15 at 1:44 pm to barry
quote:
especially in kingwood
No lie, between Aggies and LSU folks......
Posted on 5/18/15 at 1:46 pm to ellis mike the tiger
Moved back from Dallas to BR in 2004 for the exact same reasons. Took about a year of getting used to, but it was the best decision we could have made.
Posted on 5/18/15 at 1:47 pm to jampat
quote:
Drive through Baton Rouge for a week straight during 5 o'clock traffic and you will want to stay in Houston.
I honestly don't see where it's that much different in Houston, especially if you are in West Houston.
This post was edited on 5/18/15 at 1:47 pm
Posted on 5/18/15 at 1:47 pm to ellis mike the tiger
Except for 6 years I have lived away, the last 20 in S W Florida, there is no comparison. I love my City and State but will only visit.
Posted on 5/18/15 at 1:47 pm to ellis mike the tiger
i wouldn't advise it.
Posted on 5/18/15 at 1:47 pm to kingbob
quote:
2. Healthcare is in rough shape right now. This would not be the best move for your spouse.
Agreed. IT is a job she has always wanted, but she is skeptical how it's possible with the state everything is in right now.
quote:
crime is still terrible, and traffic commuting from the suburbs is worse than ever
While people may bitch about the traffic in BR, which I remember being terrible, I drive about 45 miles one way to get to my office.
Posted on 5/18/15 at 1:49 pm to ellis mike the tiger
Family is a huge draw. Parents to watch the kids etc...
Posted on 5/18/15 at 1:49 pm to jampat
quote:it completely bewilders me how I want to kms in br rush hour but Houston is like a Sunday afternoon drive
Drive through Baton Rouge for a week straight during 5 o'clock traffic and you will want to stay in Houston.
Posted on 5/18/15 at 1:49 pm to ellis mike the tiger
its pretty simple
how much do you value being close to your family?
because, obviously, Houston > BR, but time spent with family could make up for the things that BR lacks
how much do you value being close to your family?
because, obviously, Houston > BR, but time spent with family could make up for the things that BR lacks
Posted on 5/18/15 at 1:51 pm to ellis mike the tiger
quote:
I drive about 45 miles one way to get to my office.
You could move closer to your office.
I have an office in Geismar and the best thing about going there is that I know I don't have to stay that long. However, I do miss the Mecca when I leave but would not live there either.
Posted on 5/18/15 at 1:51 pm to Will Cover
quote:
, you'll pay both.
still going to be a lot cheaper in LA, TX is a ripoff in that dept., lived on a waterfront home in FL less than 10 minutes from the ocean(by boat,) I pay twice the property tax in TX to live in one God awful ugly assed place, auto insurance may be a different story though
Posted on 5/18/15 at 1:53 pm to Salmon
mandeville or madisonville would be worth it. BR is a nightmare.
Posted on 5/18/15 at 1:54 pm to 777Tiger
Maybe I'm in the minority here but screw Houston.
I wouldn't choose to live in BR but other options, on the outskirts, would be more than acceptable.
I wouldn't choose to live in BR but other options, on the outskirts, would be more than acceptable.
Posted on 5/18/15 at 1:54 pm to Sparkplug#1
quote:
mandeville or madisonville
yep, and Lafayette isn't too shabby either
Posted on 5/18/15 at 1:55 pm to Paige
quote:
it completely bewilders me how I want to kms in br rush hour
I really don't find it that bad and I have to cross the MRB everyday. Maybe some of the surface streets are really bad but as for my commute it takes 13 minutes without traffic and maybe 25-30 with terrible traffic. I say that and this Friday afternoon will be the worst of the year.
Posted on 5/18/15 at 1:55 pm to Paige
quote:
it completely bewilders me how I want to kms in br rush hour but Houston is like a Sunday afternoon drive
Its called competent city planning
Posted on 5/18/15 at 1:57 pm to Sev09
quote:
4.) Cajun Food
definitely a great reason to uproot your family and take on more financial stress
Posted on 5/18/15 at 1:57 pm to ellis mike the tiger
I've been where you are. After Katrina, my wife and I took our insurance money and moved to Houston. We both quickly found jobs there (I'm a CPA and my wife is a teacher). For us, though, it was New Orleans, not Baton Rouge, but I think the issues are similar. Both our girls are Texas natives.
We made the move back in Jan 2012, so it's been a little over three years.
I would say the big draw for us was being closer to family and to the culture we knew. We had no family in Houston. I often said that if one or two of the grandparents or someone would have moved to Houston, we never would have left. Having to try to find a babysitter and pay for them every time my wife and I wanted to go somewhere got old. We wanted the grandparents and family to be able to go to dance recitals, softball games, school ceremonies, etc. As they get older, that's going to be harder to make that trip for them. We were in a situation where, the time was kind of now or never. Being near our families, being able to see the kids in Mardi Gras parades at their schools, having access to cheap crawfish, etc, has been worth it.
That's not to say there haven't been days (a lot of them) where i seriously wondered if we made a huge mistake. At the time, child care costs were destroying us (child care for two kids in Katy is insane compared to NOLA) but eventually the kids would have gone to Katy ISD schools. Here, we pay tuition. (Although the tuition for Catholic school here is still cheaper than child care in Katy, so we were used to paying that cost).
As far as salary, yes, it's a big difference. My wife and I, in 2015, are making about what we made in 2011 in Houston. And it's taken a couple of payraises to get back there. We took about a 15K hit, combined.
It's all about what you value. We valued family and having the kids grow up around family and the culture we grew up in. We had great jobs and great income potential in Houston, here, we have good jobs and good income potential. But I'm not the type of person that needs to make as much money as possible to be happy.
As far as the budget / hospital issues are concerned... we always are going to need medical professionals, and none of the doctors/nurses/techs I know in NOLA are suffering. Unless you are working in higher ed, I'm not sure the budget issues would really effect you. Taxes may go up a bit, but not extreme.
I'd be happy to share more thoughts with you via e-mail if you like.
We made the move back in Jan 2012, so it's been a little over three years.
I would say the big draw for us was being closer to family and to the culture we knew. We had no family in Houston. I often said that if one or two of the grandparents or someone would have moved to Houston, we never would have left. Having to try to find a babysitter and pay for them every time my wife and I wanted to go somewhere got old. We wanted the grandparents and family to be able to go to dance recitals, softball games, school ceremonies, etc. As they get older, that's going to be harder to make that trip for them. We were in a situation where, the time was kind of now or never. Being near our families, being able to see the kids in Mardi Gras parades at their schools, having access to cheap crawfish, etc, has been worth it.
That's not to say there haven't been days (a lot of them) where i seriously wondered if we made a huge mistake. At the time, child care costs were destroying us (child care for two kids in Katy is insane compared to NOLA) but eventually the kids would have gone to Katy ISD schools. Here, we pay tuition. (Although the tuition for Catholic school here is still cheaper than child care in Katy, so we were used to paying that cost).
As far as salary, yes, it's a big difference. My wife and I, in 2015, are making about what we made in 2011 in Houston. And it's taken a couple of payraises to get back there. We took about a 15K hit, combined.
It's all about what you value. We valued family and having the kids grow up around family and the culture we grew up in. We had great jobs and great income potential in Houston, here, we have good jobs and good income potential. But I'm not the type of person that needs to make as much money as possible to be happy.
As far as the budget / hospital issues are concerned... we always are going to need medical professionals, and none of the doctors/nurses/techs I know in NOLA are suffering. Unless you are working in higher ed, I'm not sure the budget issues would really effect you. Taxes may go up a bit, but not extreme.
I'd be happy to share more thoughts with you via e-mail if you like.
Posted on 5/18/15 at 1:57 pm to barry
I gotta add competent drivers
I swear people from br are taught not to merge
I swear people from br are taught not to merge
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