Hello!
I'm 32, I work in Canadian healthcare and I'm recently married (yay!) to someone who shares mustachian ideas. He moved across the country for me, and now I have a job offer to live in my fave city that is a 1.5 hour ferry ride away.
The financials: before I knew about mustachian ideas i filed for bankruptcy. That's done now but my credit is still shitty, and I still have $35,000 in student debt. My husband has $10,000 in consumer debt. The difference between us is that I have a masters degree and decent job prospects and he has a high school diploma.
Currently, I make $41 per hour and I work with a colleague who makes life difficult at times...and pay $850 in rent for a 1 bedroom. We need to upgrade to a 2 bedroom before next summer because his 3 kids will be flying across the country for the summer, every summer. Plus I want a baby :)
My car is paid off and I drive to work (about 10km) - something I plan to change. I still want to keep the car for trips (it's worth nothing) and bike more but the city we live in isn't pretty, more of a suburban sprawl.
The job on offer is in a great city (Victoria) but that comes with substantially higher rent. We are looking at ~$1700 for a 2 bedroom. It would be about $1300 in the current city. I can make $45/hour.
Victoria has an awesome climate, great neighbourhoods, lots of local initiatives, and generally a friendly island vibe. Tons of beaches and mountains nearby to explore. My husband lived on an island before and loved it so I'd like to keep him happy as well (he doesn't drive - yet) and the current city just isn't very pedestrian friendly. However it's been nearly impossible to find a dog friendly rental near work and in budget. There are 2 bedroom apartments for $2500.
The job is more or less the same (same company) but the new job seems slightly less secure because of a less established referral pattern (as a clinician I would try to change that). I'd work with a better team in Victoria.
Between student loans, child support payments, and higher cost of living, im nervous about the change but I think my job and life satisfaction would go way up in Victoria.
Any advice?
