domestic partner benefits? cost of living in CT?

CT Pixie, BSN, RN · Jun 25, 2008

Connecticut is a very expensive State to live in. As of right now we have the highest cost per gallon of gas, housing prices are insane for what you get. Its getting very difficult to live here. Prices are insane, taxes are crazy (property tax on your vehicles and house, sales tax, State income tax), insurance rates are through the roof and its only getting worse. People are leaving the State as fast as they can. Businesses are letting people go left and right, our bigger companies are sending a lot of work down South. I am not trying to be a downer, but CT isn't the place most are coming to find the American Dream, they are LEAVING it before they go bankrupt!

Sure 45-50K sounds great to a person who lives in an area of the Country where the cost of living isn't as high as ours. But when you are paying $4.30 (average cost) per gallon of regular gas, that money goes quickly. Add in heating oil (most homes are heated with oil here) and we normally start heating the house around October and goes right through until sometimes in April.

You might want to do a search online for house prices in Connecticut, you might reconsider this State. Its not very financially friendly so to speak.

I'm out of here as soon as I finish up my RN. Can't come soon enough for me and the family!

MagnesiuM · Jun 25, 2008

Miami gas is 4.20 per gallon usually, and housing is NOT cheap here either.....we could never afford to own a home here, with property taxes, etc.....but florida has no state income tax, so that probably keeps the cost of living down. otherwise, food, gas, AIR CONDITIONING (9 months out of the year at least) keeps the cost of living quite high.

thanks for the info!

MagnesiuM · Jun 25, 2008

BTW, where are you planning on relocating to? staying in new england? don't move to florida!!!!!!! you'll hate it.

CT Pixie, BSN, RN · Jun 26, 2008

Nope not staying in New England. We are heading to North Carolina. I actually love Florida and lived there when I was younger. My cousin relocated there from RI and lives in Kissimmee. She loves it and has no plans to ever come 'home' Too hot for the hubby though, I personally love hot and humid LOL.

Thornbird · Jun 26, 2008

Although CT is quite expensive, my family lives in the Naples, FL area and the cost of living is much better here than there. I find the major difference is in the price of commodities like food and clothing. That said, if relocating to CT, avoid the southwest part of the state - way too expensive to live decently as a nurse. Also, I don't really like living here either. Maybe you should try a travel nurse position first, plenty available, and see what you think.

Regarding your 2nd question, CT recognizes "civil unions" between same-sex couples. Most employers now offer the same benefits to "civil partners" as to spouses. I have found a few hospitals that give benefits to all "members of household" which also covers domestic partners of any gender. Nearby Massachusetts recognizes gay marriage and also has a decent standard of living for nurses throughout much of the state.

MagnesiuM · Jun 26, 2008

What don't you like about it? My partner and I are looking for seasons (yes, that means snow too....), good job market, closeness to large bodies of water, and states (like CT) that allow second parent adoption, where my partner can legally be the mother of any children i give birth to as well, and vice versa. i wouldn't mind throwing in that it would be nice if our children weren't the first children of gay parents the county has ever seen.....i'm sure they'd appreciate that :-) LOL

so that's why we're looking at new england, mainly. States like MI and IL have seasons and second-parent adoption, but not so much the progressive politics and the oceans of new england.

i don't think i would be able to do travel nursing as a new grad RN.......would i? i'd reeeeally rather not stay in miami one or two more years, just to gain experience. we don't speak the language here fluently, and it's way too crowded and hot for us.

thanks for your tips/advice! poor CT...no one's representin' :-) LOL

CT Pixie, BSN, RN · Jun 26, 2008

And New Haven and the surrounding areas are in the southwest part of CT. Thornbird gave the correct info.

But I like this area of CT as opposed to other areas.

SoxfanRN · Jun 27, 2008

If you want the shoreline, look into the southeast corner of CT in New London County. It gets touristy in the summer but it's pretty relaxed overall compared to the rest of the state. Cost of living isn't terrible and taxes are manageable. I have lived in a couple of different areas in the state, and I like this area the best.

Thornbird · Jun 28, 2008

I agree that the southeast of CT is the best area of the state to live. You are also close to RI which has much nicer beaches. Remember that CT is not really on the ocean. It is on Long Island Sound and does not have the sandy beaches you are used to. Boating is nice though. You could check out Lawrence and Memorial Hospital in New London or Backus Hospital in Norwich. The sub base in Groton hires civilian RN's for their hospital. There are also two large Indian Casinos in that part of the state which have a lot in the way of entertatainment. They are moving toward having their own healthcare programs. You could check out towns such as Niantic, Waterford, Pawcatuck, Ledyard and Stonington for decent housing. Mystic is lovely but a bit pricier. The New London Day and the Norwich Bulletin are newspapers that cover that area. Ri hospitals are close enough fpr work also. But, you would probably not want to live there due to lack of recognition for non-traditional partnerships.

I don't like living in CT because overall the state is slanted towards corporations and against the individual. Almost all services are based on town real estate taxes with not much coming in from the state. If you plan to have children, you should know that public schools, as a whole, are surprisingly inferior. People come here from Mexico complaining of how far behind we are! Most towns do not have police departments. We do not have county services, as FL does. If your town has no police you are dependent upon the state police. Outside of large cities fire and ems are mainly volunteer, so service varies. Child and youth services are far less than in other places. Such things as youth centers are practically non-existent. Services for kids with issues such as learning disabilities or emotional problems are difficult to get. Remember, nobody plans on having a child with special needs.

I lived in Mass before CT and thought that although taxes seemed a little higher, you got more for your money. CT taxes seem lower, but they hit you with a lot of "hidden" taxes passed on the prices of consumer goods. Mass is also on the "real" ocean and has more coastline which I liked. It's also expensive to live there. The whole Northeast is expensive really. But, you are already used to a high cost of living. Our crime rates are also a whole lot better than the Miami area, doesn't take much, though :).

The shortage of RN's is acute enough that a new grad will have no problem getting a hospital position. There are lots of hospitals, many of them teaching hospitals and big medical centers where you find a lot of very interesting cases. All of the hospitals try to avoid use of LPN's so it's easy for a new RN to get a staff position and work your way up. You can expect starting pay to be at least $30,000 without differentials or overtime included. Since there are so many schools here, it is easy to advance your career that way also. MSN programs are readily available and NP's have a good scope of practice.

All in all, New England is a better place to be a nurse than FL. Best of luck!

MagnesiuM · Jun 29, 2008

30,000? i make 27,000 as an aide (13/hour)....i hope that was a typo!!! LOL LOL LOL thanks for all that info!!!!!