Thinking about dropping the $230/mo crashpad expense...

[Trip7]

1st off, well said Josh.

There is no place in the US not worth giving up to avoid a cross country commute. $5000 to move? Ya better start eBaying some of that stuff. It cost me $400 bucks to move from DFW to ATL.

Lastly, I think Rich Dad, Poor Dad should be required reading next to Fly the Line I & II for newbies. Guys need to learn the true meaning of "hustle" There are plenty of opportunities out there for anyone in any field to make extra cash. Just got to open your mind up.

 

[ChrisH]

Some of us left the nest at 18 or 19 to begin to make a life for ourselves rather than being a breastfed adult.

At the same time I know people who left their parents house at 18 or 19 to start a life for themselves, and still haven't grown up, years later, and are horrible at being responsible with money.

Meanwhile, I know quite a few people who stayed with their parents until their mid twenties, while finishing school, and are now out in the world, with good careers, own homes, and are doing just fine.

I am sure there are plenty of stories to the contrary of above, as well.

I think it ultimately depends on the person. Some people are mature enough, and responsible enough to run their finances, and make ends meet, and others just never quite grow up in that area. I have a friend who is the perfect example of this. At age 19 he won a $160K+ settlement due to a wreck with an 18-wheeler. He moved out of his parents home, and two years later, at age 21, has blown through all of that money, he has not one cent to his name, and nothing to show for that money (i.e. house, etc).

 

[Hootie]

Lastly, I think Rich Dad, Poor Dad should be required reading next to Fly the Line I & II for newbies. Guys need to learn the true meaning of "hustle" There are plenty of opportunities out there for anyone in any field to make extra cash. Just got to open your mind up.

God I read that book like ten years ago, if I could only go back in time and burn it. It is alot easier in theory than reality. Rental property or any corny traditional business= mega headaches. Give me the stock market any day.


As for the original question...take the furlough and consider it a freebie to reevaluate what you want to do in life.

 

[stuckingfk]

God I read that book like ten years ago, if I could only go back in time and burn it. It is alot easier in theory than reality. Rental property or any corny traditional business= mega headaches. Give me the stock market any day.


As for the original question...take the furlough and consider it a freebie to reevaluate what you want to do in life.

Paid for rental properties are a much better investment than the stock market.

Obviously some will object to this but the security of owning a physical object free and clear is much better than the stock market with no value till it's sold (and in the last 10 years, the average lost money).

The book "Rich Dad Poor Dad" is a great book, but don't agree with using the kind of debt the author says to use.

to each one's own

 

[jtrain609]

1st off, well said Josh.

There is no place in the US not worth giving up to avoid a cross country commute. $5000 to move? Ya better start eBaying some of that stuff. It cost me $400 bucks to move from DFW to ATL.

Lastly, I think Rich Dad, Poor Dad should be required reading next to Fly the Line I & II for newbies. Guys need to learn the true meaning of "hustle" There are plenty of opportunities out there for anyone in any field to make extra cash. Just got to open your mind up.

B.S.

Let me say that again.

B.S.

You couldn't pay me enough to live in Newark, or anywhere near Newark, especially once I saw the furlough coming. Living in Park City was worth the commute, as much as it sucked.

 

[Nick]

B.S.

Let me say that again.

B.S.

You couldn't pay me enough to live in Newark, or anywhere near Newark, especially once I saw the furlough coming. Living in Park City was worth the commute, as much as it sucked.

I agree.

It depends very much on where the commute is from, to, and how often it needs to be done.

As CAL had a base in LAX, there are a bunch who commute from there to EWR (since IAH is more senior, might as well get a bigger plane or more seniority in base at EWR). That's a long transcon commute, but if an international flight schedule could be worked out most months so that only one or two trips per month were commuted to and from, it would not be so bad. Then one's off time is spent in nice weather in a nice place, possibly also closer to family and long-time friends, than New Jersey.

Life is too short to live someplace you hate!

 

[kellwolf]

I agree with John. I could NEVER live in MSP or DTW. If I got displaced to DTW, I'd actually pull up stakes and move to MCO. If I'm gonna have to commute anyway, I might as well live in a place I WANT to live. Besides, MCO-DTW is probably easier than MEM-DTW. Hub to hub on a DC-9, no thanks. You're competing not only with the other guys commuting, but all the positive space reserves getting moved around.

 

[jtrain609]

Hey, hey! What's wrong with DTW!?

 

[flyingmaniac]

Hell at 18 I moved out and joined the military. It sure woke me up about reality in life of paying bills and responsibility. Glad I learned that stuff early than too late. Now I'm furloughed and still HUSTLIN'.

 

[surreal1221]

At the same time I know people who left their parents house at 18 or 19 to start a life for themselves, and still haven't grown up, years later, and are horrible at being responsible with money.

Meanwhile, I know quite a few people who stayed with their parents until their mid twenties, while finishing school, and are now out in the world, with good careers, own homes, and are doing just fine.

I am sure there are plenty of stories to the contrary of above, as well.

I think it ultimately depends on the person. Some people are mature enough, and responsible enough to run their finances, and make ends meet, and others just never quite grow up in that area. I have a friend who is the perfect example of this. At age 19 he won a $160K+ settlement due to a wreck with an 18-wheeler. He moved out of his parents home, and two years later, at age 21, has blown through all of that money, he has not one cent to his name, and nothing to show for that money (i.e. house, etc).

So long as you realized I was responding to the judgment that I was one of those who had mommy and daddy helping them in their second career change at the age of 23.

Since I was responding to that assertion, I'm really not too concerned with the fact that here are kids out there who are successful at being breastfed adults or that they are failures when they leave the nest at 18. I'm concerned with me.

I'm not going to have pity (and it appears I'm not alone) for are those who took the first airline job that came to them, that then required them to commute cross country, which then required them to purchase a 230/mo crash pad.

Sorry, no one but yourself to blame.

Then, within the same posting, to hope for the furlough while a couple thousand pilots are out on the street so that the individual could move on. . .well. . .

People leave their professions regularly. . .so sure, without the furlough, you can't claim unemployment or take advantage of WIA funds. . .but damn. . .if you're having trouble paying a work related expense of 230/mo, then perhaps one needs to evaluate the decisions of the past that lead them to this point. Otherwise they're bound to make the same mistakes in the future.

Which after all, is what we're trying to prevent. Other people making the same silly mistakes.

What I'm noticing is that a large portion of my peers within the "entitlement generation*" seem to think that they won't need to evaluate their decisions. They just make them. Whatever happens happens, and if it doesn't work out they'll complain. Okay, that's cool. . .but don't expect those of us who are not hard up for $230/mo to be able to relate especially if we made prudent decisions about our financial future.

*as defined by fellow members on this very forum who tend to not like those of a younger age bracket

 

[mikecweb]

I don't know josh, another one of your posts I completely agree with! What the heck?!?!

 

[Stone Cold]

I don't know josh, another one of your posts I completely agree with! What the heck?!?!

I never thought I'd say this, but you have a couple of beers coming your way Surreal for some good posts!!! One of these times I'll have more than a 45 minute layover in ATL!!

 

[kellwolf]

Hey, hey! What's wrong with DTW!?

Me, Florida. You, Michigan. Me no like the cold.

 

[JaceTheAce]

I'd sell it off and only the neccessities when I move to wherever his destination may be. He could store whatever he can't/won't sell at his parents house. Ask your husband's best man about that. It's one of the many philosophies we had in common. If you can't fit it in your car, you don't need it.

I've moved 6 times since 2006 and I doubt I've spent more than a grand in moving expenses for all of them put together.

That is your moving situation. Mine is by far different. My last move from ND back to CA cost me over $2000. Most of it was consumed by the Penske truck with a car trailer, two nights of hotels, and $400 of gas for the truck.

Store my stuff at either my mother's or father's houses that are 650 miles away in another CA city? I laughed at that. None of them have room for my two-bedroom apartment that is completely fully furnished with a piano. I'd have to pay for that move too. $600-900.

So, for you guys suggesting that he move - have you looked into the cost of moving lately? If he's barely making ends meet there's no way he can afford to move. It's going to cost us $700ish for a Budget rental truck + $300ish in gas + a couple of nights in a hotel since those trucks can only go 55 is another $200 (this is Park City, UT to Ann Arbor, MI), and then on top of that you have to be able to front quite a lot of money for a new apartment (first and last month's rent, + security deposit).

moving is an incredibly expensive option

Thank you for pointing this out. People on this thread are recommending "just move". It's not as easy as you think.

1st off, well said Josh.

There is no place in the US not worth giving up to avoid a cross country commute. $5000 to move? Ya better start eBaying some of that stuff. It cost me $400 bucks to move from DFW to ATL.

Lastly, I think Rich Dad, Poor Dad should be required reading next to Fly the Line I & II for newbies. Guys need to learn the true meaning of "hustle" There are plenty of opportunities out there for anyone in any field to make extra cash. Just got to open your mind up.

I'm not eBaying my stuff. I have a lot of stuff that makes my apartment very comfortable. I won't give it up. Personal preference.

Living in San Diego is worth the cross country commute. I've been doing it for almost two years. If I've done it this long, it's worth it to me to live in San Diego and commute to the east coast. Again, it's a personal preference that works for me but may not work for most people.

Another reason why I cannot move is the uncertainty of where I will be at in 6 months. Being furloughed after moving across the country in a town with little alternative job opportunities leaves me no choice but to hold off any plans for moving. It would not be smart of me to make a drastic move from a city where I have an alternative non-aviation job opportunity lined up if the worst [furlough] were to happen.

Capiche?

 

[Trip7]

B.S.

Let me say that again.

B.S.

You couldn't pay me enough to live in Newark, or anywhere near Newark, especially once I saw the furlough coming. Living in Park City was worth the commute, as much as it sucked.

Well that's just a difference of personal preferences for both of us then. Its these little personal preferences that goes a long ways in determining whether this career is going to be hell for someone or not. I don't know how someone can enjoy a great city when they got to go thru hell and back to live there.

Living in San Diego is worth the cross country commute. I've been doing it for almost two years. If I've done it this long, it's worth it to me to live in San Diego and commute to the east coast. Again, it's a personal preference that works for me but may not work for most people.

Another reason why I cannot move is the uncertainty of where I will be at in 6 months. Being furloughed after moving across the country in a town with little alternative job opportunities leaves me no choice but to hold off any plans for moving. It would not be smart of me to make a drastic move from a city where I have an alternative non-aviation job opportunity lined up if the worst [furlough] were to happen.

Capiche?

Gotcha. If you're willing to do what you need to do to make commuting cross country with no crashpad work, more power to you. This sounds eerily familiar to FO Shaw's situation, especially since you fly a Dash 8 as well.

Me personally, I love ATL. I rent a nice furnished condo up here as well. If I got displaced to for example, KSEA, most of my furniture would be on eBay or craigslist(im lazy when it comes to moving), and I would pack my Volvo up, and drive to Seattle. I'm just the type of person that likes to make life as simple as possible. Helps with the QOL and the paycheck dramatically. But like you said...Personal Preference.

 

[kellwolf]

Well that's just a difference of personal preferences for both of us then. Its these little personal preferences that goes a long ways in determining whether this career is going to be hell for someone or not. I don't know how someone can enjoy a great city when they got to go thru hell and back to live there.

Sometimes it's not really the city, but WHO'S there. If I have to go through hell to spend time with my family, so be it. Sometimes it's cost of living issues. I could afford to move back to Orlando, sure. But right now, I don't have the days off to do the commute to reserve. If I got 13-14 days off, I might do it since I'd actually have 10 at home. It's a lot of factors and isn't as black and white of a situation as some people seem to make it. Sorta like "long overnights are just as good as a day off."

 

[Polar742]

Josh is 2 for 2...

 

[KTRN]

I don't get it. You have a 2 bedroom apt., why not get a roommate & you'd have enough $$ for a crashpad. You'd hardly see the roommate so if I were you, do it & you'll save some extra money. You seem to have a lot of discretionary spending & maybe it's time to be a little frugal.

 

[MikeD]

I don't get it. You have a 2 bedroom apt., why not get a roommate & you'd have enough $$ for a crashpad. You'd hardly see the roommate so if I were you, do it & you'll save some extra money. You seem to have a lot of discretionary spending & maybe it's time to be a little frugal.

....personal preference....

 

[flyingmaniac]

I don't get it. You have a 2 bedroom apt., why not get a roommate & you'd have enough $$ for a crashpad. You'd hardly see the roommate so if I were you, do it & you'll save some extra money. You seem to have a lot of discretionary spending & maybe it's time to be a little frugal.

That's right. If you can't afford it, don't buy it, or put it on the CARD. Instead of eating out every weekend (or more), learn how to cook.