Hello everyone I have been a poster here for awhile. I am using this alias just for this thread for personal reasons. I am a single mother that will have to move out of my town soon. I have two children and am looking in NC and VA for a place to move to that has a low cost of living that is a safe place for us to be. Does anyone have any ideas? Thank you, Momma
WOW, okay, well... uh... My first thought is to check into what HSLDA and other similar organizations have to say about homeschooling in those states. My brief check just now has revealed that both are moderately regulated; require a minimum of a high school diploma or GED and annual standardized testing. VA has a religious exemption with NO regulations, but it doesn't explain how to obtain that exemption. My next thought is to low cost. I have found that HometownLocator has been a fantastic resource for us in our various moves (and researches for moves which never happened :lol: ). Click on state, then county, then city - it even has the teeny tiny towns. That page has links for everything, including job listings and housing listings. There is a google map, with zip code. If you scroll down far enough, there is a category titled "Data and Demographics". The second link here is "neighborhood demographics". This takes you to Sperling's best places site. To the left are links about the demographics of the area. There is an overview, but also info on the people, housing, economy, crime, education, cost of living, and more. Compare it to where you are NOW to understand what the difference is number-wise. Do you have any work lined up, or is your work something you can take with you? No family or anything there? Are you OKAY??
First of all, I'm praying for your family's safety. DaLynn gave you some excellent online resources. The Sperlings site has a Cost of Living calculator that you can enter your current income into. It will tell you how much your income needs to increase/decrease to live in the new area (at the same level of lifestyle). The www.city-data.com site was a also a great resource for us when moved. The site has message boards, so you can ask locals questions. I would also suggest contacting a local YWCA or church. The help you receive will be confidential. They will be able to give you resources that will help you and your children move safely. If safety is of concern, do not be afraid to ask for help. There are people out there to help. If you call HSLDA, they may even be able to link you to people who can help. Many prayers for you...
Wow....my heart is going out to you. I will be praying for you and your kids. That you will be safe, and find a grat place to call home, where you will be safe and secure, and find many friends you can trust and lean on for help. God bless you.
