12 months in Ventura - some thoughts

[S.S. Lazio]

Originally Posted by Cyanna

After being back in California for 5 years now, the Ventura County specifically, we are ready to move to Arizona or Idaho, with AZ being the preferred state since I am also familiar with the Mesa area. Northern Idaho is beautiful, but too cold in the winter.

We are finding that no matter how much money we make it just is not enough to do more that just get by. As soon as a pay raise or promotion comes along the taxes, gas, food and rents go up as well. Now that I am self-employed and working mostly from home we are looking for opportunities for my husband so that we can get out of here.

Why do you feel a need to instantly increase the rental size or gas consumption as soon as a raise comes in?

If your cost stays the same, add in a raise, there should be relief. In your description though, you get a raise, rent a more expensive place, drive more and eat more ultimately nullifying the raise into a wash.

Sounds like your problem is self induced. Not ventura's problem.

[Steve97415]

Originally Posted by S.S. Lazio

Why do you feel a need to instantly increase the rental size or gas consumption as soon as a raise comes in?

If your cost stays the same, add in a raise, there should be relief. In your description though, you get a raise, rent a more expensive place, drive more and eat more ultimately nullifying the raise into a wash.

Sounds like your problem is self induced. Not ventura's problem.

I think what she's saying is that cost-of-living adjustments in the form of pay raises are, at best, barely sufficient to keep up with cost-of-living increases, i.e., you need to get regular pay raises just to stand still on the the economic ladder.

[movistar26]

Originally Posted by Daveydoe

Thanks for the observations. You obviously have different priorities than me if having a drivethru SB is a priority. I prefer going to an independently owned non-drivethru coffee house myself (I haven't moved yet but there is a nice one next to the fresh grill on Main E of downtown). Overall, the less drivethrus and chains the better. This is what appeals to me about Ventura -- a nice, renovated DT with (what appear to be) lots of small, independent businesses. Also, consider cutting back on the $5 coffees if $ is a concern?

Im not sure if your reply was in reference to my post, but I definitely did not say I was looking for any "drive-thrus" or "chains"...quite the opposite, which is why I love Ojai.