Just a thought about moving

No, it is not outlandish. Yes, it could be feasible. People do it every day.

Have you researched your specific concerns on this website?
There is a lot of info that you will find useful.

I wouldn't even consider a move of this magnitude without at least one of you having a job waiting for you when you arrive or have about $20,000.00 in the bank because it will be expensive to relocate that many people and animal, not to mention cost of living on the Island. Trying to find a large enough place to live under $2000.00 a month will be a tough one. But when you get ready to come down or are on Island and your choice is St. Thomas, PM me and I can check with some of my in laws to see if they have any apartments available. It would be on the North side of St. Thomas.

There is always an opportunity for a registered nurse to get a job on the Island, now a substance abuse person might be a bit more difficult although the Island is full of substance abusers of one form or another.

mike

Sent you a PM. I moved here in May, and absolutely love it. It isn't a vacation paradise when you live here thou. It's paradise with warts.

It you and your family are adaptable, not Type A, and able to let things go. Don't sweat the small stuff is my new life motto.

Moved here from Mass, so understand moving from Maine will be a real adjustment.

Good luck.

Sent you a PM. I moved here in May, and absolutely love it. It isn't a vacation paradise when you live here thou. It's paradise with warts.

It you and your family are adaptable, not Type A, and able to let things go. Don't sweat the small stuff is my new life motto.

Moved here from Mass, so understand moving from Maine will be a real adjustment.

Good luck.

Very well said!

I wouldn't even consider a move of this magnitude without at least one of you having a job waiting for you when you arrive or have about $20,000.00 in the bank because it will be expensive to relocate that many people and animal, not to mention cost of living on the Island. Trying to find a large enough place to live under $2000.00 a month will be a tough one. But when you get ready to come down or are on Island and your choice is St. Thomas, PM me and I can check with some of my in laws to see if they have any apartments available. It would be on the North side of St. Thomas.

There is always an opportunity for a registered nurse to get a job on the Island, now a substance abuse person might be a bit more difficult although the Island is full of substance abusers of one form or another.

mike

20K is what I recommend for a couple. They need more like 100k IMO. Trying to find a house for 5 and pets? I agree on the housing.. thats gonna be a $3k mo. rental for that big of a place. First last and security is $10k BOOM gone. Plus I am accusing the nav veto pay a pet fee. 2 cars 10K boom gone again. So yea 20K isn't enough for a family of 5. I think you can do it for $40K but $75K would make it super smooth. This would include one way tickets back to the mainland for your entire family... INCLUDING your pets. The odds are not in your favor for staying long term.

I still attribute my personal success here to the money I brought. 20K for my me and my man. Spent every dime within three months but never freaked out about money and had everything we needed which made the whole thing so less stressful. And I moved without a job.

You will be hot AF for the first year. I was from AZ and I still think its hot here. I have friends who visit from Maine... they melt.

You REALLY need to do a PMV. Some people who are single and carefree don't need to but in your case you have a MASIVE commitment here. If you don't like it in 6 months you're in trouble. That happens a lot.

I moved here with my family of 4 about 13 years ago. Everything AandA2VI suggests is very true. Plus, your wife will hate it here for the first few years and want to move back.

I know some of these posts sound discouraging, but they all are coming from experience. Yes, it's doable, and you have professional skills, which is a pro. But it's a huge change in culture, budget, and environment. Especially when moving with kids.

Doing your homework, spending more time here before you decide to make the leap, and a heftier-than-you-think-you-need savings account all contribute to a successful move. Ignoring any of them usually contributes to the short stays we so often see.

Good luck on your research and preparation.

Thank you!!!

Thank you

Thank you!!

Thank you. This is very eye opening and good information.

We were relocated to St Croix for my wife's job this past July. We moved from Philly where we had everything that we could want just a short distance away. The slower pace of everything can be a major adjustment. Limited availability of "stuff" is at first frustrating. You can adapt if you are willing. An open mind is your most important asset. Come down and "live here" for a little while. As stated earlier, this is not a permanent vacation. This is life. The island is beautiful but as I saw described on another post, it has warts. Adapting is most important. If you come here and hear yourself saying things like "back home we did it like...", you are not going to do well here. When you move here, this IS home. Roll with it. Embrace it. Enjoy it.
I wish you luck with this new adventure that you might embark upon.

Okay, so here is something most people don't consider when moving here: http://stthomassource.com/content/news/local-news/2016/11/14/delayed-cargo-ship-causes-empty-grocery-shelves

It was jarring walking into Cost-U-Less on Monday and seeing the produce down to lettuce and potatoes. Okay, not really, but lots of empty shelf space. I haven't been back to see what I'm going to have for dinner tonight...

The saying goes "if you want it buy two, if you need it buy four"

True.
If you like it, buy it, now.
If you really like it buy 2 or more as likely you'll never see it again.

If you're doing flooring renovations, always buy more tile/grout color that you need as you'll probably run out or need more at some point and you'll never find it again.

food town was the same here the other day

Okay, so here is something most people don't consider when moving here: http://stthomassource.com/content/news/local-news/2016/11/14/delayed-cargo-ship-causes-empty-grocery-shelves

It was jarring walking into Cost-U-Less on Monday and seeing the produce down to lettuce and potatoes. Okay, not really, but lots of empty shelf space. I haven't been back to see what I'm going to have for dinner tonight...

The saying goes "if you want it buy two, if you need it buy four"

So I spent $200 on BACON last week. HAHHAHAHHAH! I have to have the Applegate stuff so I ordered a case since they've been out for two months. I should be good now... no bacon gives me anxiety.

True.
If you like it, buy it, now.
If you really like it buy 2 or more as likely you'll never see it again.

That's so true. You better hope you don't like the same items as my spouse & me. If we like something it disappears from the shelves forever.

Or there is always the VI retail response when you go looking for a product you have bought there before.

" we don't stock that anymore - we couldn't keep the shelf full - it was always empty and sold out - we carry this product now and we always have full shelves so the store looks better."

Or there is always the VI retail response when you go looking for a product you have bought there before.

" we don't stock that anymore - we couldn't keep the shelf full - it was always empty and sold out - we carry this product now and we always have full shelves so the store looks better."

That too is so true. Instead of placing larger orders they stop ordering "hot sellers" all together.

Another (true) story - a dentist friend needed a pair of shock absorbers for his car and went to the auto parts store which had only 2 in stock. The proprietor would only sell him one shock saying he had to keep the other on hand in case another customer needed one. My friend bought 1 shock and then the next day had his gardener go to the store to purchase the 2nd one on his behalf. A week or so later my friend went back into the store for something else. The proprietor said: "Hey Doc, I'm glad I didn't sell you both shocks because the very next day someone else came in and purchased the other one."

These kind of things can happen only in the Caribbean.

I

It truly does boggle the mind when you encounter this phenomenon.
And it not as random as one would imagine!

I bought some excellent green grapes for a good price at Cost-U-Less the other day, better than what I'd been getting in the states recently and for about the same price. Stopped in a few days later and they were all out, had plenty of red and black grapes though.

On the other hand with the new hardware store just 1 minute up the street I don't need to guess how much thinset to get. I get a bag and when I need more I just go and get another one from the pallet. And theirs from PR is half the price of the equivalent from HD. Oh yeah, and HD was out of the stuff I got there last time.

Similar story....I was in Panama and i found a grocery store that had Flor De Cana Rum. One of my favorites. We bought a few bottles, went back a few weeks later and tried to buy more, they were all out. When I asked the owner he said and I quote " We stopped ordering it because people kept buying it and we were always out"

Lol that would so be me. Great tip!