What Would You Do?

We are like every other household in the nation. We talk about the economy. We talk about tightening the belt (even though I never shop). One weird thing about our situation is that Husband works for the state. Since The Big City is not our state's Capitol, Husband spends a lot of time in Small Town State Capitol.Today, he comes home and says "well, if we sold our town home and moved to small town state capitol, we would be rich. We could buy a castle with the equity we have in Big City town home, and have no mortgage."
Ummm...I don't want to sell Big City town home and move to Small Town castle. I love living in the city. I have been a city cat for almost 20 years. I can see downtown from my window. I can walk to the lakefront. I can walk to Michigan Avenue. I never have to drive. I really don't think I can wrap my head around the idea of leaving the city. I highly doubt it will happen, but still it makes you think.What would you do if you had the opportunity to not be concerned about money, but you had to leave where you love to do it? I mean seriously, we would have money to burn if we left. The Big City is EXPENSIVE...What would you do??? It makes me think...

33 comments

  1. If you will not be happy after the move, the extra money will not be worth it. If you can afford to stay, stay where you are happy! That is what matters for you and your family. (just my opinion)

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  2. i'm a city girl at heart...who got stuck in the burbs. if you are able to make ends meet. and you have enough money to do what you want...within reason...and that is enough...
    stay in the city.
    that's what i would do.

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  3. Some things are more important than money. Like loving where you live. Like being happy. Content.
    Money is just money. If you have enough to get by and be happy than I would stay where you are.

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  4. I would need to live close enough to a city that I could be there within an hour or thereabouts. And would I work? Not if I didn't have to. If I didn't have concerns about money, I would move to a different house, put my kids in private school (even though I'm in public education), and save, save, save for the future!

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  5. I think about this problem quite a bit... And I don't think I could do it. I'd have to get into a position where it was necessary to move. Otherwise I'd feel like I sold out, or something.

    That's a tough one that will require lots of time to stew over.

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  6. We did leave. We didn't necessarily end up with money to burn, but with what we made from selling our house in the west burbs of Chi-town, we were able to buy a home twice as big on a gorgeous plot of land.

    But, I'd give it all up if I could go back. I love the beautiful hills and the serenity of country living, but the energy of the city . . . there's just nothing like it.

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  7. I'm a city girl myself... and in fact have been nagging my hubby that when we finally do move back to the States, I want to move to Chicago. Love that place... after NYC of course.

    Anyway, we did "give it all up"... indefinitely ... and after living in places that were picturesque and interesting, I can honestly say that it doesn't really matter where you physically live. You'll find stuff to do, make new friends, search out culture, and call wherever you hang your hat, a home.

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  8. We did it by moving here to Palembang. It took awhile to get used to but it you get into a different rhythm of life.

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  9. I'd move. It sounds like you're close enough to the Big City, if DH commutes. So, you could still GO to the city but you'd have more money. I like the idea of more money!

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  10. What a quandary! I have always wished to live in the big city! The suburbs are so boring! Then again, I'm quite sure that if I lived in the city, then I'd long for the peace and quiet of the suburb.

    I also love MONEY. I LOVE the idea of not having to worry, although I'm not sure there's too much that I'd do differently. I think I'd still be frugal. I'd save more, maybe travel more...

    OMG, I'm boring. Maybe the suburbs are the right place for me after all? ;)

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  11. If you love it then stay put.
    I love small town life myself. I grew up on a farm so this is big city to me. I wouldn't leave if you paid me.

    Beautiful pictures btw. Did you take them?

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  12. Rent the Big City place for enough to pay rent and taxes, move to small town, get a 4 per cent loan on small city place or even rent for a while and see how it goes. You want to be in the city for when the kids start school, with owning the house you can always move back.
    Key here is can you get enough to cover all city house expenses?

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  13. I am a country girl at heart so I would move in a heartbeat. But my brother loves the city, when he moved out here, he was miserable. He was only here for a few months before he packed up and moved back to town. I am glad the decision is not mine to make. Best of luck.

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  14. Stay where you are happy. The money fluctuates but it's hard to be happy if you live somewhere you hate. If you're ready for a change and a new challenge, then by all means, move. But if you're just doing it because the grass seems greener (with money) you'll just be dissappointed.

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  15. I'm a very small town girl, myself (2,500). So I think even Small Town State Capitol would be a big jump for me. I'd just look into it more, and think about the pros & cons. If you're not going to be happy there, the move isn't worth it. That said, sometimes the things that make us happy are surprising even to us.

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  16. The temptation of not having a mortgage is really huge. When I think about all the wonderul things I could do with that extra money...oh my.
    That being said, I can only echo the other comments about happiness. If you & your family wouldn't be happing in Small Town, then the money isn't worth it.
    I'd want to spend some time visiting Small Town, like a long weekend or even a week, to try & get a feel for it before sitting down to make a list of pros & cons.

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  17. I would rather live where I was happy.

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  18. That's a tough one! Change is difficult. You are such a city gal, but YOU could always visit the city if you moved, although it wouldn't be the same, I know. It does make you think, a decision best made between you and your hubby! I'm sure big city to small town moves have been done by many...and a happy success, on the other hand I'm sure it could go the other way too. Enough rambling... but I will say those pics don't help any with the thought of moving!!! I too love the city;)

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  19. I'm no help here. I'd love to have a mini-ranch or small farm and we've talked about moving "out." And we're not in downtown (where you are is nothing short of fantastic and I'd have a very hard time leaving!) we're in suburbia, which is very convenient but I'm not in love with it at all.

    I think you'd have to fall in love with a specific new place to be able to seriously consider it.

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  20. Love the new header!!!

    I would stay. It's where you know and love. Money isn't everything! ;)

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  21. Well let's see...I did leave the city, Chi-town in particular, I lived all over the burbs and commuted to work in Evanston forever and grew to hate the city unless I was acting like a tourist downtown.

    Since leaving I am much happier and though we didn't get to be completely free of a mortgage, we are in a more spacious place and much further away from Chi-town in the city of Fort Worth, TX. My SIL and BIL lived in small town State Capitol and it's rather busy there, so not much different from the burbs of Chi-town. One big thing to keep in perspective while you ponder this is not just being mortgage free, but you will not have to see hubby leave for his trips and wait for his return, I would do it just for that reason, but that's me.

    Good luck on the decision making...on a side note we love to visit the city and I no longer loath the drive and such, but you don't really have that problem being in walking distance of it all. Change is hard regardless of where you go, so...wish I could be more help, but it's all about weighing the options and realizing you can be happy anywhere as long as you are open-minded about the new environment.

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  22. I'd rather be poor and happy than rich and miserable. Not saying that's the usual pairing, but I wouldn't give up a place I loved if I could make it work.
    Then you have to think of possibilities and growth by trying something new and scary... Yeah, glad this isn't my decision.

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  23. I'm a little town girl with a big city heart. If I could live anywhere it would be D.C. Any where in that area where I could walk or bike to the metro. I live in a suburb of little city. I can walk to the bus, but the bus system doesn't get me to every where I want to go. I have plenty to do in my little city and plenty of friends. I'm happy here.

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  24. Money has never and will never buy happiness.

    Stay where you are happy.

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  25. Tough call. I think I'd be tempted. But money doesn't buy happiness either. It depends on if I'd hate the burbs or just hate leaving the city, kwim? I think I could be happy anywhere, so I'd be temped to consider it. But if you'd be miserable, money wouldn't make that worth it.

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  26. I'm just gonna say that money doesn't buy happiness. you need to be where your heart is.

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  27. Stay in the city! I am the exact opposite, a country girl who couldn't stand moving to the city for any amount of money. I don't care about money. I do care about loving my life. It sounds like you are the same way...and I personally think that is a great way to be. So tighten your belts in the city-I personally think this is a wonderful thing to do anyway, for you, for the environment, etc.-and continue loving your life and honoring who you are!

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  28. I have always wanted to live right in the center of a large city but it has never happened. If you love the life and the lifestyle and can afford it then I say stay.

    However, if you have debt and no emergency fund then I would strongly consider moving. You could always move back.

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  29. Stay where you are happy.

    I am a suburbs girl, through and through. We tried a small town and did NOT fit. If I can't fit into a small town, I shudder to think what a true city girl would feel there...

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  30. See I have the exact problem I live 8 miles from where I want to be. I would stay where you love, it's not about the size of the house, it's all about location, location, location.

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  31. I think you need to be where you love it and are comfortable.

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  32. You have to do what makes you happy. If living in the city isn't putting a financial strain on you and you don't need to sell, then stay.

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