What Happened to New Jersey...

Things are always changing here in good ol' Jersey. As of lately... for the worse.  Over the past few years it has become increasingly tough to maintain a life in New Jersey. For those of you that think it's all Guidos and nightclubs on the beach, well.. that's one reason it's been getting tougher. It seems that businesses here and landlords alike are only interested in satisfying the needs of the summer crowd that plagues, yes...plagues, our lovely little oasis. Not only are there no places to live year round but the cost of staying here is ridiculous. It seems to me that landlords want a chunk of that New York money that is no longer enough to sustain a life in the big city and its surrounding areas. I have seen the rent go up in our area at least twice a year for the past few years and there is no knowing when it will stop. I am sick to my stomach with knowing that it is only a matter of time before we go broke and are flat on our asses and forced to vacate the state.

WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED!

We used to be able to live on the salary that I have. It is barely cutting it now. With jobs as scarce as affordable rentals it is a scary reality to face. New Jersey has changed too much. In an area where once you were able to be the man of the house and provide for your family is now the area where both parents MUST work or you suffer. I still stand by my words about never leaving our daughter with a stranger to look after her while one salary pays the bills and the other pays the daycare, that's a joke in itself. What used to cost $1200 a month a couple years ago, now costs between $1600-$1900 a month. This is being considered with the job market either. I am finding that a 4 year degree from a University will only open the doors for you to make $15-$17 an hour which is under 40k a year. With landlords requiring a minimum salary of $52-$56k a year. Something is not adding up.

The cost of living in the Garden State is not the only thing squeezing us out. Our new governor is trying to turn our state into a copycat of California with the luxury lifestyle the west coast has been enjoying for years. One part of this change is the vaccination policy for children. He is trying, and probably will, to pass a bill mandating that we MUST vaccinate.. errr, sorry, allow big pharmaceutical firms stick our children with poisonous cocktails in hopes of preventing illnesses that have been long gone for generations. We will not allow this, but it isn't up to us anymore. In California this is a must. In California, marijuana is legal, I have no issue with this, just don't think it is ever OK to bring it around me or my child. I have lived and seen the dark side of weed despite what supporters will tell you. Remember, there is a dark side to everything, even puppies, they shit on your floor and that's not cute. With this change looming over the state we are seeking what we can call refuge in neighboring states. Only the parent should have the right to dictate what gets stuck in their kids, not the government. I can barely sleep at night knowing that we will need to make a jump soon.

When it comes to leaving New Jersey, for me anyways, I am all for it. I grew up on the beach and can honestly say that I've had my fair share. I just want a simple life without having to worry about what the state will say about my child and make enough money to be satisfied. If you have read my original posts from a while back then you are aware of how many cut-backs we have made to accommodate the change in our finances. Funny thing is, I make more money now and it's nowhere near enough.

I am over Jersey and I know many others are too.