Thinking about retiring in the south!

[DDD]

In Florida (and I think Georgia ?) there are Whole Foods in major cities but the number one supermarket is Publix. Just for the heck of it you can pull up their website and see how they compare to what you are accustomed to buying. Of course, we have the low end stores and Walmart is everywhere, lol. At the moment I am having a love affair with Publix (yes, I've shopped there since the 70's) but bless their hearts they are now expanding their organic food selections which means we don't have to go out of town to get food that I can pig out on! Yeah, I know that sentence is not an example of good grammar! DDD

 

[Kathy813]

Another big fan of Publix here. They have awesome baked goods and I am picky about my bread.

I don't think you can describe the "south." It is so different depending on the state and area of the state that you are looking at. I live in a northern suburb of Atlanta and I can assure you there are no trailers next to mini mansions. If anything, it is gated community after gated community. However, when you go outside the metropolitan Atlanta area you do see a lot of that.

Metro Atlanta has a lot of diversity and I would say overall a more progressive mind set (not liberal by any means . . . but not "redneck" either). I would say that the education level plays a big part of that. There are lots of different kinds of dining options and and you can go to the symphony or a ballet. We also have major league sports teams. The downside would be the traffic.

My husband grew up right outside of the Okefenokee swamp in south Georgia. I hate to go visit his relatives because there is absolutely nothing to do where they live. I used to volunteer to go to the local grocery store (Piggly Wiggy) several times a day just for something to do. LOL

Oh, and did I mention the gnats? When you go below the gnat line (south of Macon), you are constantly swatting them away from you face. I hate it.

I have never been to Savannah but my easy child just got back from there and loved it. I forgot to ask her if there were gnats there.

Outside of Georgia, I have spent time in Charleston, Myrtle Beach, Birmingham, Greenville, and I lived in Florida for two years. I went to Charleston with easy child's 7th grade class as a chaperone so I don't have great memories but I can't blame Charleston for that. Myrtle Beach was fun but too crowded to want to live there. Birmingham seemed like any other big city but husband was there a lot on business and said there were some really nice areas to live in. I thought Greenville was a cute little city but easy child went to school there and said that it was extremely conservative which I guess would be good or bad depending on your point of view.

That leaves Florida. I lived in Tarpon Springs and Tampa and taught in New Port Richey for two years. I was only 23 at the time and it seemed like every man was 65 or older and had a heart condition. It didn't help that I was living in my parent's retirement community at the time. Let's say that I didn't have a lot of dating options. LOL

I also didn't like the weather. I really like having all four seasons like we have in Atlanta. I moved to Atlanta when I was 25 and have been here ever since.

Recently, we spent time in the Boca Raton/West Palm Beach area. I could see myself living there except for the weather.

Flutterby, have your parents been back to Dahlonega lately? It has really boomed in the last ten years. It is not the quiet little mountain town it used to be but it is still pretty. husband and I thought about moving there a while ago but someone warned us that as we got older we would probably want to stay closer to the awesome medical facilities in the metro Atlanta area.

~Kathy

 

[HaoZi]

My Dad still lives in North Florida where I grew up (Big Bend area). He's about sick of it at this point with the high cost of living and disgusted with the governor. He retired a little over a year ago. Said if he ever moves again he's moving north a bit, just over the Georgia line, where the cost of living is a whole lot lower. As a retired vet, he's not that far from an AF base if he wants to go there now, and he'd be even closer there.

 

[everywoman]

I am from the coast of SC---actually, RE, Georgetown is my home and except for a few years here and there, I have lived here my entire life. As you know, we are a coastal town, surrounded by oceans and rivers. Water, water everywhere! We are a historical town dating back to colonial America and we are rather proud of our heritage. Redneck is a word that we really don't find offensive---in fact very few things offend us-lol. The cost of living compared to other coastal communities in this country are relatively low. Taxes are cheaper---but in SC we do pay property taxes on our home, vehicles, boats, etc. The seafood here is the BEST! And it is always abundant. All produce we use is locally grown. The beaches in Georgetown County are MUCH nicer than the ones in Horry County--Myrtle Beach. We are not developed, no hotels or resorts, no amusement parks or other touristy attractions. I'm glad you stopped "downtown" and talked with the locals. I hope you had lunch down there as well---we have some really awesome restaurants.

 

[DDD]

Boring...but necessary. Don't forget to compare homeowners insurance premiums including flood and hurricane coverage. easy child/difficult child has a $4000 deductible for hurricanes and his home is worth $50,000. Lord help him if he should have big damage because he does have the bucks to cover the deductible and likely never will. I "think" that SC and Fl are considered better regarding taxes than Ga. or NC but could be wrong. DDD

PS: H I agree with your Dad....about the Governor and about N Fl.

 

[busywend]

Maybe you should rent a RV the first year and travel and stay at multiple towns! I know RV living is not for everyone, I am not sure I could 'camp' every day for a year....but some find it very relaxing.

 

[witzend]

Well, if your idea of a good time is Walmart, then no, Charlotte doesn't close down early. on the other hand, if you'd like to go out for dinner and entertainment, 9 PM is about it unless you want to pay $40 a plate. Generally if you are looking for a bakery, you will be sent to a place that makes cakes and cupcakes, but not bread. My thing about bread is very West Coast - and maybe NYC - specific. Any grocery store that you walk into has a bread bakery in it, and you can go get (our favorite calamata olive, or whole grain walnut) ciabatta bread fresh baked every day and they'll slice it for you. They sell something call ciabatta bread here, but it's just white bread.

Atlanta is very cosmopolitan.

 

[DDD]

LOL, I don't tell my wonderful easy child daughter this because I'm dedicated to letting my children live their own lives BUT I would be happy in Marietta or Alpharetta or plus, on the outskirts of Atlanta. husband and I are having severe financial problems and we could "walk away" and lease an apartment on the "outskirts" BUT, alas, I love her to death and know if I am too close she won't feel comfortable just living her life. Heck...I am not absolutely sure that I could be that near to her and just leave her alone to live her life. Weird things happen when you get old and sick. Sigh! DDD

 

[Kathy813]

DDD, I would love for you to move to Alpharetta. We would be a short car ride away from each other. We could do lunch.

~Kathy

 

[DDD]

If I ever get up that way I imagine you can deliver my Meals On Wheels, Kathy. Just bring some Cutty or a Margarita when you come....OK? DDD