05-24-2013, 11:57 AM
[:p]
Electric bills are much less than Illinois because there is no need or very little need for A/C or Heat. I live in Iowa, but I know Illinois has some of the highest utility rates in the Midwest, so you will not be too shocked when your net bill goes down by a bunch in Hawaii. I spent 3 months from Augtust to November in 2008 and ran the window A/C for nights when it got to 88 degrees for those days and the humidity was high, it cost about $3 a day extra to sleep comfortably. A bargain. Your home in Illinois probably costs $8 or $10 a day to cool when it is over 90 for 60 days in a row in those same months.
I usually visit Hawaii for 2 or 3 months a year, the last 3 years has been cut short because of Cancer, but I am almost over all the complications now. So soon to return to my pattern.
Actually I would have been moved by now except for the health issues kept piling on since 2009. [
]
Seriously, if you have to worry about the cost of gas and utilities you probably need to stay put. Hawaii is expensive in some ways and cheap living in others. If you eat like the locals do it will cost you less, and you will live longer in Hawaii. I love fish, and grass fed beef, and veggies, so I am good to go. And Spam, I love Spam....and pineapple, and rice. Just be prepared to change.
Things are close in Hawaii also, and it seems most cars are smaller overall so I feel safer driving a mid size there -vs- here.
And I walk, to get the mail, to the market (Pahoa) and to eat. When I stay in Leilani I share a ride usually to Pahoa or Hilo and consolidate trips.
So what is the cost of Paradise? Usually no more than the mainland in Pahoa, but other areas it can cost bunches more.
Our retirement income is around 100K, and that is probably twice what we actually need to be comfortable renting or buying a 200K house and all that goes with it.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leilani_Estates,_Hawaii
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hawaiian_Pa...rk,_Hawaii
Check the demographics of these 2 very nice areas to live in and you will see what the incomes really are for people living there. I am only using these as examples, there are a whole bunch of good subdivisions, so please don't take offense of me only mentioning 2. [:I]
I started out with nothing and I still have most of it.
Mahalo
Rick
Electric bills are much less than Illinois because there is no need or very little need for A/C or Heat. I live in Iowa, but I know Illinois has some of the highest utility rates in the Midwest, so you will not be too shocked when your net bill goes down by a bunch in Hawaii. I spent 3 months from Augtust to November in 2008 and ran the window A/C for nights when it got to 88 degrees for those days and the humidity was high, it cost about $3 a day extra to sleep comfortably. A bargain. Your home in Illinois probably costs $8 or $10 a day to cool when it is over 90 for 60 days in a row in those same months.
I usually visit Hawaii for 2 or 3 months a year, the last 3 years has been cut short because of Cancer, but I am almost over all the complications now. So soon to return to my pattern.
Actually I would have been moved by now except for the health issues kept piling on since 2009. [
]Seriously, if you have to worry about the cost of gas and utilities you probably need to stay put. Hawaii is expensive in some ways and cheap living in others. If you eat like the locals do it will cost you less, and you will live longer in Hawaii. I love fish, and grass fed beef, and veggies, so I am good to go. And Spam, I love Spam....and pineapple, and rice. Just be prepared to change.
Things are close in Hawaii also, and it seems most cars are smaller overall so I feel safer driving a mid size there -vs- here.
And I walk, to get the mail, to the market (Pahoa) and to eat. When I stay in Leilani I share a ride usually to Pahoa or Hilo and consolidate trips.
So what is the cost of Paradise? Usually no more than the mainland in Pahoa, but other areas it can cost bunches more.
Our retirement income is around 100K, and that is probably twice what we actually need to be comfortable renting or buying a 200K house and all that goes with it.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leilani_Estates,_Hawaii
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hawaiian_Pa...rk,_Hawaii
Check the demographics of these 2 very nice areas to live in and you will see what the incomes really are for people living there. I am only using these as examples, there are a whole bunch of good subdivisions, so please don't take offense of me only mentioning 2. [:I]
I started out with nothing and I still have most of it.
Mahalo
Rick
I started out with nothing and I still have most of it.
Mahalo
Rick
Mahalo
Rick