Relocation is one of the greatest stressors that most people experience in the twenty-first century. Often people move specifically to reduce expenses, especially in difficult economic times.
However, as a career consultant, I urge my clients to be very suspicious of cost of living reduction promises. Many people decide to scale back their expenses by moving to a small town with lower housing costs. However, there is usually a reason for the lower cost of living.
“Bob” thought he could establish his career as a freelance writer by moving to a state with a lower cost of living. However, his new city did not have a strong public library and the nearest large bookstore was 100 miles away. He would spend time and money driving and invest considerable sums in creating his own private library.
“Christine” planned to retire in a charming mountain town. She found she had to drive 200 miles or more to get medical services, such as appointments with a contact lens specialist who could get her prescription right the first time. She realized if she had serious problems requiring a specialist, she would have to get someone to drive her to a big city hospital or hire an ambulance. Some rural towns don’t even have medical services; residents have to be flown to a facility by air ambulance when they have heart attacks.
These challenges may not bother you at all. Many people live happily in these towns. But do your homework first.
The most expensive part of a move isn’t the moving van. It’s the realization that you made a mistake and need to move back.
Learn more about relocation in my Amazon book (free to Kindle Unlimited readers).