So what do I need to do to SUCCESSFULLY move to Oahu?

Good luck, hon. I fear your post may not get you the info you so desperately need. Many folks who are already living in the islands can't find jobs in nursing... things are super duper tight right now. My advice (and I'm on the mainland right now but trying like crazy to get back) is to stack your cash like crazy. SAVE SAVE SAVE. You probably have an awesome standard of living in Indiana (I was born in Cincy) and that will not be possible on Oahu without winning the lotto. Start cutting your lifestyle back to something simpler NOW, so it won't be an unpleasant shock (esp. for your wife) when you do get out here.

Well I drive a car with 330K miles live in house with no washer and dryer or central heating/Ac and plumbing which will hardly flush with a good rain storm so I wouldn't call our current standard of living exactly excellent. Basically, I love swimming in the open ocean. I also like skin diving and hiking. It is my hope/belief (perhaps mistaken) that I can experience these pleasures to a greater extent on Oahu than Indiana. Plus, I hate the cold (plus my car has no heat/ac which makes it really unenjoyable). Essentially, I want to know what I can do in the next 4 to five years in order to give myself the BEST POSSIBLE prospects of finding a job on Oahu. Which specialties are likely to offer the best prospects? Do I need to leave PCU nursing for ICU or renal nursing? Is peds ICU the way to go?

^ Wow... sounds like you are living bare bones as it is. My recollection of the midwest was that the standard of living was excellent... especially compared to the pricier states (aka CA, NY, NJ, HI). I wish I could tell you what specialty areas to focus on in order to have a better chance. Heck, I even emailed a nursing program at UHH to ask that very same question: which areas of nursing have the greatest need in HI? They never even responded to my email. SMDH. Sorry to say that I haven't found many folks willing to help a mainlander get out to HI. I wish I could be more helpful. All I can tell you is to get an advanced practice degree and as much experience as you can... and pray a lot. I know I am.

Well we make decent money now with two nursing incomes. However, the problem is that we both have about 50K in school loan debt which we keep in deferment (basically forever) by taking at least six hours every semester online (with the plan being to die while in school eventually). Also, during the "leaner years" we borrowed, begged and went late on bills just to make ends meet so now we are "paying the piper". I figure that SOME sort of ICU experience will probably help and after that maybe a couple of years of ER might be useful. As for the advanced practice nurses all of the ones that I know (or know of since I know every few personally) make allmost NOTHING more than RN's for the work that they do. Example, a Med/Surg nurse I graduated from school with last year (1 year's experience) works about 60 hours per week and will pull down very close to 100K this year (if not a little more). On the other hand I talked to an ACNP who takes late night calls in our hospital for residents who is only pulling down 70K salary and said that she basically works about 60- 70 hours per week. But maybe it's different in the islands!

ceteris:

you're a guy, so i won't try to "sugar coat" this. i'll be direct and straight-forward.

listen to big island bound. make a choice. which is more important?

a. deferring student loans or

b. moving to hawai'i ?

or... you can choose option c.

c. move to hawai'i, rack up credit cards, then move back to the mainland after 6 months because you can't afford to live here.

it doesn't matter what you do for work. it doesn't matter if you can get a job here. if you are so racked with student loan debt that you can't afford to live here, you're gonna go home.

make a choice.

do you ever get patients with major health issues... and they say, "help me!" the doctor says, "if you want to get rid of your health problem, you need to eat right & exercise!" the patient says, "no, not interested, give me a pill instead!" what category are you and your wife in? financially, i mean? will you take the healthy option (pay off debt) or the convenient option (take classes)? again, your choice.

the #1 thing you can do for yourself, if you want to live long-term in hawai'i is to... and i know you're not gonna wanna hear this... is to get the monkey off your back. stop taking 6 credits of college, stop putting time and money into those classes... and start putting more time into work. work overtime. pay off the debt!!!

if you and your wife are both working and making good $$, can't you put $10,000 per year into your loans? if you're like most people... you can ... but you won't.

if you don't believe me, go talk to dave! www.daveramsey.com

i say this with compassion... pay off the debt. you'll be happier and your marriage will be stronger.

lisa ;-)

Lisa from Maui is giving it to you straight, no chaser, lol! Debt is the monkey on your back... I couldn't figure out why you were living so broke with two nursing incomes... OK, you gotta pay off the debt. Put in the hours and pay it off ASAP... I'd start saving cash, too. Dave Ramsey is definately a good source for financial advice, so is David Bach. I followed his Automatic Millionair Homeowner book and have since gone from being a renter to a homeowner AND a landlord! The thing is, and I say this with aloha, if you are having financial trouble in Indiana, ****, wait till you hit Hawaii. You will financially ruin yourself and end up coming back to the mainland with a broken heart and tail between your legs. Trust me, I know. Good luck, you can do it if you buckle down and work as a team.

Big Isle Bound: Loved your post!

You wrote, "if you are having financial trouble in Indiana, ****, wait till you hit Hawaii."

I was laughing so hard my abs hurt. (big big smile) Gee, and I thought it was just me.

THANK YOU for the laughter. Yoo be... e komo mai!

Lisa ;-)

P.S. BIB, what island you from?

Well, I don't disagree with the paying off the debt (in fact I essentially have no debt save for the student loans and a mortgage) BUT I am also working on my BSN! Also, I plan to keep going to school until I have an family practice NP degree or CRNA degree. However, what's wrong with staying in school until I die? It only costs me about $1,500 per year to take enough online classes to keep the loans in deferral essentially forever. We do spend ALOT of money eating out and going to Kings Island, the zoo et al (maybe 2K per month). I have a hard time believing that we couldn't make on Oahu for the $6500.00 per month that we currently earn per month and that's without ever working even an hour of overtime after taxes if we cut way back on the eating out and went down to one vehicle (personally I prefer the bus/biking anyway, but currently we have to commute about 25 miles each way to our jobs way out in the boonies). By the way I wan't kidding

Big Isle Bound: Loved your post!

You wrote, "if you are having financial trouble in Indiana, ****, wait till you hit Hawaii."

I was laughing so hard my abs hurt. (big big smile) Gee, and I thought it was just me.

THANK YOU for the laughter. Yoo be... e komo mai!

Lisa ;-)

P.S. BIB, what island you from?

Glad I could make you chuckle, Lisa. I'm actually from the mainland. I moved out to Oahu in '04 to go to HPU. I came back to the mainland and it was the biggest mistake I ever made in my life. Now I am trying like mad to get back. If I can get into this PA program I'm hoping I'll have a chance to save serious cash and move to the Big Island.

Well, I don't disagree with the paying off the debt (in fact I essentially have no debt save for the student loans and a mortgage) BUT I am also working on my BSN! Also, I plan to keep going to school until I have an family practice NP degree or CRNA degree. However, what's wrong with staying in school until I die? It only costs me about $1,500 per year to take enough online classes to keep the loans in deferral essentially forever. We do spend ALOT of money eating out and going to Kings Island, the zoo et al (maybe 2K per month). I have a hard time believing that we couldn't make on Oahu for the $6500.00 per month that we currently earn per month and that's without ever working even an hour of overtime after taxes if we cut way back on the eating out and went down to one vehicle (personally I prefer the bus/biking anyway, but currently we have to commute about 25 miles each way to our jobs way out in the boonies). By the way I wan't kidding

Ok, now I see where all the money is going. My god, 2k a month of frivolous stuff... only a millionaire can live like that in HI. I'm not joking. So, in spite of your home being in poor condition and your car being old, you ARE spending lavishly, just not on your home or car.

OK, when I was talking about the midwestern standard of living, THAT is exactly what I was talking about. Spending 2k a month of extras is something that is simply not possible without bringing down six figures per year in Hawaii, or in the other pricey states that I mentioned earlier. The fact that you didn't even mention this massive spending when I brought up the standard of living earlier tells me a lot.

Plus you alluded to what sounded like some credit issues (late payments, debt). So this is the lifestyle that you and your family (sounds like you have kids?) are accustomed to... spending lavishly on extras when you are in debt. This is a recipe for disaster when you hit the islands. Even if YOU are happy living in a postage stamp sized house (smaller than anyone in the midwest could DREAM OF) with your neighbors so close they can literally look you in the eye when you use the john in your own home.... how do you think your family will like that? Going from spending like crazy to spending NOTHING but bare bones... and being cramped up in a tiny house, having to wait for the bus in the rain.... it's a big adjustment. You can expect lots of marital strain as you fight over money, as the kids whine and complain about living so frugally, as cultural differences cause discomfort... for most people this results in a hasty trip back to the mainland.

I'm not telling you not to come to HI. Every single day I wish I was back there. EVERY SINGLE DAY I regret ever leaving. I wish I'd done like a friend I had who lived in an empty container on Sand Island... while his parents lived in a mansion in CA. I know how Hawaii can touch your soul. But there is a hefty price for paradise... and it's a lot harder to make that change when you have been accustomed to living lavishly while you owe money and have poor credit. I wish you nothing but the best. But salaries are lower in the islands than on the mainland PLUS the cost of living is much much higher. It's just not easy. Best of luck to you.

Thanks for the info. You will note my "sample" budget below. Clearly, any "successful" move is predicated upon certain "key" elements:

1. A significantly improved economy/job market.

2. Improved experience (time and effort will take care of that).

However, what I was looking for was more subtle (and hence harder) to ascertain. For example I've noticed that Renal/dialysis nurses tend in many markets to be in demand when allmost no other nursing positions are to be found. Were I to learn that this was my "ticket" I would work on becoming a renal dialysis nurse and getting every credential in that area that I could. Other's areas that seem to be in consistent demand include pediatric/neonatal ICU, but are these the "hottest" areas on the islands as well?

As for pay at least until recently most salary comparison sites listed HA to pay SIGNIFICANTLY more than areas such as Indiana (where we live) or Florida (where we hope to move in the SHORT term). Do you mean that salaries are lower than California, NV, and Arizona which have the reputation (again at least until recently) for having really good nursing pay or the mainland in general. Currently, we earn $22.00/hr and $24.50/hr respectively before night and weekend shift differentials (and we work nights).

a great big hug to you, and 1000 ccs of aloha!

you wrote, "every single day i wish i was back there. every single day i regret ever leaving. i wish i'd done like a friend i had who lived in an empty container on sand island... " please, show yourself some compassion.

things are really hard here right now. when i see what other people are going through, i thank my higher power that my husband has the job he has. the economy isn't bad here. it's horrible. absolutely horrible. tourism is at a 20 year low. it's affecting every one and every thing. hawai'i state just announced a second round of layoffs. and they're expecting a third round sometime in the next year.

everyone i talk to - all the working folk at least - all their hours are getting cut back. i can't help but laugh at the new grad who wants so bady to live here that she'll work as a waitress. what she doesn't realize is that there are 10 people in line for that one waitress job, and all 10 people have lived on maui for years, and a local will get the job first.

you wrote, "i came back to the mainland and it was the biggest mistake i ever made in my life. now i am trying like mad to get back. if i can get into this pa program i'm hoping i'll have a chance to save serious cash and move to the big island." again, show yourself compassion. there are many nurses on the islands who have been laid off & can't find jobs.

stay on the mainland, make yourself strong. get the education. get the work experience. pay off the credit cards and the student loans. learn from past experience. come back strong. with the economy the way it is, if you had to make a "mistake," this is probably the best time to do it... the best time to be on the mainland, in a stable environment.

you wrote, "if you are having financial trouble in indiana, ****, wait till you hit hawaii. you will financially ruin yourself." believe it or not, you showed me compassion when you wrote this. it's been sooooo hard. my husband and i are sacrificing soooo much! i don't have a car, only a bicycle. my life consists of... being at home, taking care of my husband (no ka oi !), cleaning the condo, going to community college, doing my volunteer work.

i have been beating myself up the last 6 months because i'm not working as a nurse. after reading your post, i realize that my honey and i are doing fantastic. we are buckling down and working as a team. we are paying off the credit cards we charged up when we moved here. we're putting $$ into an emergency fund, in case he loses his job & we have to move back. we are getting our bodies in good shape; he's getting fit on the job, i'm getting fit on my bike.

so yeah, thank you for the kind words. life is not going according to my plan (as g*d laughs), but we're doin' okay. we're not ruining ourselves financially; we're making healthy decisions instead. every single day i thank my higher power for what we have. if my husband lost his job, we would be in the same boat as everyone else. there but for the grace of g*d go i...

again, thank you for the kind words. be kind to yourself! -- lisa ;-)