Does anyone live in Hawaii, or have made the move to HI from the lower 48 states?

diane4

diane4

Member
Does anyone live in Hawaii, or have made the move to HI from the lower 48 states?
I searched the forum first to see if this question has been asked before and I didn't see it asked.
I am curious if anyone here has made a move from the lower 48 states to HI?
If so, was it difficult to do?
Did you have fish and fish tanks before you made your move to HI? And if so, how did you transport them?
Did you move furniture?
Did you have other pets, likes dogs or cats?
I am asking all these questions because my husband and I have a pipe dream fantasy of moving from central NJ to HI and we have no clue if the concept is feasible or not. Or are we really dreaming?
I have been to HI on vacation and it is just gorgeous there. However I do know that it is expensive to live there because everything is shipped in. Gas is high, very high - food is sky high and most jobs, I think involve selling tourist T-shirts or surf boards. But maybe I have no idea what I am talking about. I figured it would be worthwhile to ask my friends on SWF forum.
In advance, thank you.
 
ruaround

ruaround

Active Member
my cousin just moved to Hawaii about 3 weeks ago... she said it was going to bo too expensive to move her stuff so she sold it here... she took all her clothes and that was it...
do some major research if you are planning on moving there... i am not sure how it works but i know it is very very difficult to buy land there... not to mention it is very expensive and rent is just as bad... i would highly reccomend not moving to oahu... it is sooo expensive because it is where the majority of the tourists go...
i have a buddy that received a one way ticket to Hawaii for graduation... he lived in Honolulu for about 10 years... if your young and single and dont my the resturaunt or hotel industry i guess its not all that bad...
 
diane4

diane4

Member
Yup, I think it is going to take a small fortune to make that kind of move.
As for Island fever, not sure what you mean. I think I could easily live in that beauty as a way of life, however, I think I would become annoyed with all the tourists.
 
vanos

vanos

Member
Do you both work? If so, are your occupations available in Hawaii? There are differen't websites that can give you a cost of adjustment of what it would cost in one city vs. the cost of another city.
 
swlover

swlover

Member
Originally Posted by diane4
Does anyone live in Hawaii, or have made the move to HI from the lower 48 states?
I searched the forum first to see if this question has been asked before and I didn't see it asked.
I am curious if anyone here has made a move from the lower 48 states to HI?
If so, was it difficult to do?
Did you have fish and fish tanks before you made your move to HI? And if so, how did you transport them?
Did you move furniture?
Did you have other pets, likes dogs or cats?
I am asking all these questions because my husband and I have a pipe dream fantasy of moving from central NJ to HI and we have no clue if the concept is feasible or not. Or are we really dreaming?
I have been to HI on vacation and it is just gorgeous there. However I do know that it is expensive to live there because everything is shipped in. Gas is high, very high - food is sky high and most jobs, I think involve selling tourist T-shirts or surf boards. But maybe I have no idea what I am talking about. I figured it would be worthwhile to ask my friends on SWF forum.
In advance, thank you.
Hey a Jersey girl...I'm from NY originaly. I've always wanted to go there myself. I would plan a trip first and make sure thats what you want. And if you decide sell everything but bare essentials and your pets, it would probably cost alot to have large amounts of funiture and stuff shipped over there. Boy your lucky to have a hubby willing to do that. Sounds like you two would be happy just about anywhere. Let us know what you find out!
 
hot883

hot883

Active Member
I was in the miltary and they moved me to Hawaii twice and back twice. I lived there a total of 10 years. It is a very special place. Very expensive, but special. When I had to leave there the first time our daughter decided to stay. We moved back 6 yeras later and she was still there happy as could be.
We stayed there another 3 years and retired there but my mom and dad both got sick so I moved back to help out with the family business which I now own.
You quickly learn where to shop and the places to avoid. The aprtment that my daughter lived in started out at $800 a month for a rat hole and within 3 years went up to $2,500. There are people that rent out their CLOSETS for people to live in. Cost of housing is rediculous. Most familes have 3-6 people living in one house and all of them having jobs and all of them contributing to the bills. Mom and dad usually have 2-3 jobs.
And don't forget about the QT for the animals. 6 months is the normal.
 
sugarfox03

sugarfox03

Member
Not sure if someone mentioned this, but if you have dogs or cats, they have to be rabies quarantined for a length of time. It is shorter if the animal has had rabies vaccinations for two consecutive years prior to moving there, or something like that. Also, you pay for the animal to be in quarantine. HI is a rabies free state, and they plan to keep it that way. Not worth it, if you ask me, if you have a dog or cat. I'd go nuts if I had to keep my dogs in quarantine for any length of time.
 
diane4

diane4

Member
WOW, you folks on this forum are great friends. Loads of information and great advise. I can't thank you all enough who posted to my question.
Vanos, do you have an example or two of websites that show the cost comparisons for cost of living between states etc. Those websites sound interesting and I would like to check them out, but I am not sure where to find them, or how to search for it.
Moving to HI
, it does sound like a nice fantasy idea, but due to cost and quarantine, I think sometimes they make it intentionally expensive to discourage to many people moving in.
We went there for a vacation a couple years ago and we had a blast. Just loved it and none of us wanted to go home. Some people who do live on the island said that it is great at first, but then you get used to it and it is like anything else. I don't think I agree with that, I don't think I would EVER tire of the sites, the clean air, the simple beauty.
Yes, even if the quarantine period is only 6 weeks, I would not be happy with that. That is an awfull long time not to have our dogs with us. We have 4 of them. My hubby said that they have facilities where you can visit during the quarantine, but still that has to be painfull to visit your dog and not be able to take them back home with you.
I have also heard that getting work that earns a decent living is tough. And further, many companies and stores have hired only part timers because they can escape the law that requires the employer to provide health insurance for employees. So people wind up having to have 2-3 or more jobs to make a living.
I think the other thing that would bother me is being so far away from family. It sure would make a nice place for people to visit us, but the distance would be tough.
I think when you put all facts together, including the most imiportant all mighty dollar concern, we will keep it as a fantasy.
Yes, I do have the best husband in the world. I love him more than life itself. Moving to HI is something that I know he would like to do - if it were an option and wasn't so difficult to accomplish.
My hubby and I met and was married 6 months later. We had our daughter 2 years later. In December of this year, we will be married the silver 25 years. I love my guy so much. I wish I could afford to marry him again in HI to celebrate the 25th.
Anyhow, there I go again rambling on. Thank you for the posts. I don't know what I would do without you folks as my friends.
And, the other thought in moving to HI, how the hell would I transport 8 aquariums and their inhabitants. I wonder if HI requires that you quarantine fish. I would not hear of it. Not my guys.
 
diane4

diane4

Member
Thanks friends. The online calculators were very enlightning.
Thanks.
I think we will eventually move to PA or FL someday.
 
tankyou

tankyou

Member
I've lived in Hawaii since 1980. Came over in the navy met and married a local girl twenty years ago with whom I am still raising a family. I love it here and would probably have stayed whether I'd met my wife or not. That being said, I believe that I am the exception rather than the rule. In my experience most mainlanders are not very happy living here. I believe to live here and be happy requires a very special set of circumstances, you have to have something which will root you here. In my case it was love of the ocean first and later on love of family. But thats not all, you've got to be adaptable. You have to appreciate things like different foods and cultural nuances which take time and sensitivity, you have to be open, yet savy. Fact is most mainland folk just can't adjust, they have neither the patience or the will.
As far as cost of living goes yes it's expensive here but it can be done. Bringing nothing more with me than a seabag and raging hormones I've managed to buy a house and raise a family solely on my modest income. My wife stays at home and homeschools the kids (my oldest is now in college) because the schools are so bad, yet still we get by. The reason a lot of locals choose to live under one roof has a lot less to do with expense than it does the culture. Most would rather make the payments on their brand new monster trucks, than on a house or rent.
If you are hell bent on coming here sell, leave or perhaps store your possesions. It will be a lot cheaper to buy what you need here than shipping everything. Also if you have any pets they don't have to be quarantined anymore, they just need their shots and a vet certificate. The information you need I believe is available at hawaii.gov.
Hope this answers your questions.
Oh, and for the record I was born and raised in south Florida, never lived farther than a mile from the beach my whole life, and in most circumstances that place is a pale comparison to here.
 
diane4

diane4

Member
Thank you (Tankyou).
The information you provided is great and very insightfull.
I appreciate it.
Ahoha!!!
 
K

kiapolo

Guest
I grew up in Hawaii, moved to the Mainland for ten years, then moved back. I married a girl from Arizona, then moved back to Hawaii.
A move from NJ to Hawaii will be a HUGE culture shock. Visiting is one thing, actually living here is completely different. Unless you are SUPER rich, and can afford to live the "rich version of Hawaii life" you'll adjust. There are communities of very rich "mainland haole" living in Hawaii (Lanikai, Kailua, Kohala, etc) and their vision and life in Hawaii is a universe away from the middle class life. If you are middle to upper-middle class in NJ, you will probably not be in that group that can afford a place in Kailua, and hang out with your PTA buddies on the weekends, sipping on Mai-tai's, BBQing with your new found friends.
Middle class here means that you will work like a dog. you live among local who may or may not look favorably on a mainland tranplant. Things are very different, culturally, and by that I mean in everyday life (from driving customs, to being neighbors). If you are not Japanese, Chinese you will be the minority here. Please understand what that means, you will be a minority in Hawaii. That comes with everything being a minority means. This may be hard on you and your wife...and if you have kids...well, be prepared for your kids to face problems because of the color of their skin (white or black).
If you complain about how Hawaii is different from NJ or the mainland, your friends, neighbors will resent you. Most likely they've lived here their whole lives, and are struggling to make ends meet. Someone complaining about how great they had it on the mainland gets under their skin (including mines) very fast. Trust me, you will want to complain.
There is more, but, that helps paint the "culture shock" picture.
Money. Things are expensive, but once you start making your house/rent payments, it actually isn't that bad. If your wife worked in NJ, she'll have to work in HI if you plan on maintaining a similar lifestyle (of course unless you're super rich, living in Lanikai). Really, money issues aren't that bad. You might get sticker shock every once in a while, but that'll pass quickly.
Moving. Leave as much as you can when you leave NJ. It will be cheaper to buy furniture here (Craigslist!). That includes your fish. You can't bring live rock/corals in, so get the most you can for it before you leave. Then once you get here, visit Modern Fish Store (near Walmart in Honolulu), they'll get you set up with the fish tank.
Once more thing. being from NJ, I'm sure you might be used to Traffic. If you move to Honolulu/Oahu, be prepared for traffic. everywhere you go, almost all times of day there is traffic. 15 minute trips without traffic will take an hour and a half in rush hour. You'll need a good car here because of it and a lot of patients. People here complain about mainland drivers...one thing will make it a lot eaiser...if someone lets you cut into their lane (merge), a simple wave thanks will go miles to maintain aloha in the frustration of bumper to bumper traffic.
Okay...if you still want to move to Hawaii...sweet! Come, bring your money and your good attitude. Before long the frustration will melt away and you will love your island home, and want to cry anytime you have to leave. There is a spirit and sense of Aloha here in Hawaii that is found nowhere else in the world! The food...unbelieveable!!! Any kind of exotic food you want, you will get the best of it in Hawaii. I love living here, and didn't realize how much I missed it once I moved back.
Lastly, purchase or borrow the book: So You Want to Live in Hawaii (only like $2 on Amazon). It gives a very honest and straigt-forward guide and what to expect about living in Hawaii. A must read for anyone wanting to move to Hawaii (made my wife read it).
 
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