We decided to move across the country! Making a decision like that is hard because of so many factors: jobs, comforts, and finance.
The choice to move can be hard and scary because it is starting something new! You have to choose what is best for you! I know that can be hard because the question is "What is best for me?".
To help with our ( my husband and I ) decision, we asked ourselves these questions:
- What is your why? What is your purpose? Do you have a set of goals that promotes a move?
- Is where you are currently living serving you and your goals? Can you fulfill your goals where you currently live?
- Do you like the current climate and atmosphere of where you live?
- How can you sustain yourself if you were to move? Can you find a job or career there?
- Does the benefits of moving outweigh the costs and expenses?
We moved from New Orleans, Louisiana ( which is a wonderful, fun, and vibrant city) to the DMV area. We decided after asking ourselves all of these questions, because my husband was laid off, New Orleans wasn't the city for us to be specifically prosperous financially and for our careers.
My husband was laid off in October 2024 and had a hard time just getting an interim job anywhere in the state. This cut our income down to 1, which was doable but a big change as we were on our debt free journey and paying down our student loans.
We initially moved to New Orleans because our jobs transferred us, but with my husband no longer having a job, we decided to move somewhere we could have options and a support system near us! We decide to move to the DMV area.
My career path is in Cyber and my husband's career path is in business. We have close family members and business connects in the DMV area.
So what did we do? We got a Penske truck and drove from New Orleans, Louisiana to Maryland.
Questions & Answers:
1. Did we have a job at the new location before moving? Yes, I had a job offer and my husband did not; however, he did have 3 interviews in person lined up for an interim job.
2.Did we save money to move? Yes, my husband was given a severance for 3 months after he was laid off and we saved every dollar of his severance in an account we called 'LIFE'. It was fitting because life was and is changing.
3. Were we prepared for the life changes of moving to DMV? Yes, we visited multiple times and because we have family that lives there, we were able to get a real life account of their experiences. When we did visit, we were able to look at the specific area we wanted to stay in, it's proximity to places we love to frequent, like the park, grocery stores, and the library.
Tips to prepare to move:
- Ask yourself the necessary questions on if moving is worth it.
- Ask yourself why moving is even a topic of discussion.
- Look at the numbers and budget to move. It can get a little pricey.
- Look at the difference of living costs of where you are going to settle in at. Is car insurance cheaper or more expensive in that area?
- Look for your career field in the area you want to move and the opportunities or lack of.