Re: Too Many Jobs?!?!?!?!?

[Scott Wilson <scottw -at- HARLEQUIN -dot- CO -dot- UK>]

At 10:59 04/12/98 -0600, Tracy Boyington wrote:
>> I wouldn't say that there are only a few places in the country where
>> TW pays well (at least for the area) and there are jobs available.
>
>One problem is, people on the coasts tend to forget how much lower the
>cost of living (mostly housing) is in many of the states in the middle.
>No, you probably won't make $100,000 as a TW in Oklahoma. But you'll
>live well on half of that, and you won't have to pay $200,000 for a
>2-bedroom home 90 minutes away from work, either. So if you're only
>seeing smaller salaries, you're comparing apples and oranges. Obviously,
>many people just *prefer* to live in California, no matter how much it
>costs, and that's wonderful. But if you think you can't afford to move
>because you can't make the same salary in Kansas, you may be surprised.
>

Time for one of us non-US folks to chip in, with the merits of the
long-distance commute.

I live in a small town on the coast of Gwynedd in North Wales, and commute
each day into England.  It takes me about two and a half hours on the train
each way, but it means I get to stay in an area where I can actually afford
to live reasonably well (and within easy reach of some great mountains,
beaches and forests.)  The commute may be a bit intense for some, but I
don't mind, as I like the combination of English wages with a Welsh lifestyle!

(Quick comparison: House in North Wales=~£30,000, equivalent house in
Cheshire (England)=~£60,000.  With no sea or mountains anywhere nearby.
Average graduate salary in North Wales: about £9,500.  Average graduate
salary in Cheshire: about £13,000.  I rest my case..)

- Scott Wilson

 From ??? -at- ??? Sun Jan 00 00:00:00 0000