[zeamaize]

Or... You know... Don't live in California.

We moved from the coasts to Iowa. I got a 14% salary bump. My wife got a 41% salary bump.

We have been socking away savings non-stop, just bought a house, and all of a sudden can afford vacations, furniture... Everything.

Life is better here, all around. Our commute dropped from a 1.5 hr drive to a 20m walk (5m if we drive). We went from shelling out $3,000 a month for a crappy one bedroom with no space to paying $1500 for a giant house.

We can walk to a swanky wine bar, and afford drinks rather than drive 45m to one where we just split a glass and grimace at the bill.

We can eat out, we can travel, the schools are good, the crime is non-existent, and our backyard has a trailhead in it!

[tdb7893]

Yeah, I always kinda laugh at people complaining about price of housing on the coasts. They would be able to buy a small mansion at the prices they are talking about if they looked in the Midwest / Texas

[1337biz]

... or you know, a palace, I say PALACE in Siberia!

[bane]

Even if you want to live near a coastal-like major city, Chicago is swimming in reasonably priced, perfectly fine houses: http://www.realtor.com/realestateandhomes-search/Chicago_IL/...

For example: http://www.realtor.com/realestateandhomes-detail/8622-S-Waba...

recently renovated, a block to the L, ~30 minute train ride into the Loop.

[bigie35]

That example might not be the best...http://crime.chicagotribune.com/chicago/community/chatham#?a...

[amyjess]

> We can walk to a swanky wine bar, and afford drinks rather than drive 45m to one where we just split a glass and grimace at the bill.

I didn't even know the regional differences in drink prices were so pronounced until I was talking on the phone with my cousin a few months ago. I live in Dallas, and she lives in NYC. I was talking about how I was about to go out for drinks with friends, and I ended up mentioning that how most of the bars here have one night a week where wells (and, at some places, U-call-its) are under $3. Her mind was blown. She didn't even know drinks that cheap were a thing anywhere.

That was one more entry in the "why I'll never live in a place like NYC" list.

[ElysianEagle]

There absolutely are places even in Manhattan where you can get at least beer for pretty cheap, like $3 - $4, depending on the night. Sure, there's more than enough expensive cocktail places around, but there's enough options for those not looking to blow too much on drinks.

[wiredfool]

On the other hand, you'll be somewhere else in the world and sweet corn just won't ever appeal to you, because you'll look at it and refuse to pay $1/ear for stuff that's probably been sitting around for days.

[parennoob]

> We can walk to a swanky wine bar, and afford drinks rather than drive 45m to one

To be fair -- if you live in Iowa, it is much more likely to be the other way round. People drive everywhere in the US countryside and there are no sidewalks or even unpaved foot-paths.

This is not even taking into account the weather.

[maxerickson]

Most people living in the Midwest still tend to live in higher density areas that do have sidewalks, not off by themselves in the countryside.

[api]

But you're not in San Francisco or New York, so nothing happens there right? /sarcasm

I'm getting the feeling that the city snob cargo cult is playing our.

[mrfusion]

Wow! Can you share what city? Or maybe email me if you don't want to post it?

[mjevans]

I am curious; what careers?