Can anyone point me in the right direction?


Debs
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Hi guys

I am in the process of moving from the uk to utah (salt lake city) with two of my children, 12 and 4. Naturally this is a long drawn out process and not cheap, so in my process of financial planning I am wondering if anyone would be kind enough to point me in the right direction with a few things?

1. I'm looking at renting an apt to begin with, what would i be looking at paying out? Are the gas/electric/water included in rent or are they separate?

2. Do you have to pay any kind of taxes that are distributed towards local forces such as fire dept/police etc?

3. Is it cheaper to get a cellphone or a landline phone?

4. Do apt's come with basic furniture already in?

5. Do you guys have buses? If so do they use bus passes?

6. What is the average cost of living? Just the basics like bread, milk, potatoes that kinda thing and perhaps meat.

I looking to going to the Washington Terrace area as I have friends there who will make it easier in learning my way round etc. Is anyone familiar with the area? I am trying to make contact with the bishops/RS presidents in that area (cos I dont know what ward we'd be in) so hopefully they can help too.

One last thing, does anyone know how long it takes to get a visa/work permit?

We have lived in the states before so we know this is a good move for us at this point in our lives so we are now just eager to get on with our planning and get outta here and over there!!

Thanks for any help anyone can offer!

Debs

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1. I'm looking at renting an apt to begin with, what would i be looking at paying out?

Pretty wide range. For Ogden/Washington Terrace area you should be able to get something around 500-600 a month.

Are the gas/electric/water included in rent or are they separate?

I’m not sure if all apartments are the same. Some have utilities as extra. Some have it part of the cost. I think most of them have it as part of the rent.

2. Do you have to pay any kind of taxes that are distributed towards local forces such as fire dept/police etc?

I think that is done mostly through properties tax. Because you don’t own the property you don’t pay that tax. There could be a smaller tax that you do pay. Or its part of the rent.

3. Is it cheaper to get a cellphone or a landline phone?

Its probably cheaper to get a landline, but I assume you are going to get a cell phone anyways for convenience. Basic phone line is $20. That without calls and no long distance. A Cheap cell plan (even pre-pay) would be worth it.

4. Do apt's come with basic furniture already in?

Not really. They well have a stove, dishwasher, and Refrigerator but that’s about it. Beds, and setting and anything else you would need to buy. (And a washer and dryer or go to a laundry mat).

5. Do you guys have buses? If so do they use bus passes?

Yes Utah has one of the best Bus systems in the country. UTA! You can get pretty much anywhere with the bus system.

6. What is the average cost of living? Just the basics like bread, milk, potatoes that kinda thing and perhaps meat.

I wouldn’t know. I know my brother who is single with a God. Said he pays about $200 a month for food. I would think it might be a little more then that (maybe 250). But that’s just one adult.

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Yes Utah has one of the best Bus systems in the country. UTA! You can get pretty much anywhere with the bus system.

And don't forget TRAX. In case you are curious the website for the Utah Transit Authority is Welcome to UTA . Don't know if it'll be useful, but it may help you know where you want to live if you have a job already lined up or something and want to use public transportation.

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Yes Utah has one of the best Bus systems in the country.

That's a relative statement, of course. I don't think it will stack up to what you have in the UK--not by a long shot--and the local newspapers are filled with letters to the editor bitterly railing about the lack of bus coverage in certain areas of Salt Lake Valley.

Furniture rental is always an option, if you prefer.

As for groceries, my wife and I and one kid were able to make it on around $150-$200/month back in the day (this was in south Salt Lake valley). Since we had a 2nd baby and my wife took over budgeting, I have no idea what we're spending nowadays.

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1. I'm looking at renting an apt to begin with, what would i be looking at paying out? Are the gas/electric/water included in rent or are they separate?

A few such as the Conquistador apartments have utilities included. Most do not. Have no idea what rents are nowadays.

2. Do you have to pay any kind of taxes that are distributed towards local forces such as fire dept/police etc?

Yes, although renters do not pay a direct property tax.

3. Is it cheaper to get a cellphone or a landline phone?

Landline by Qwest.

4. Do apt's come with basic furniture already in?

Some do. It is always noted in the rental ads or rental booklet you can pick up for free at the local supermarket.

5. Do you guys have buses? If so do they use bus passes?

Yes, the UTA sells monthly passes - good for buses and Trax. Would be advantageous to rent near the Trax line. Some new apts. on 100th South were advertising free Trax passes.

6. What is the average cost of living? Just the basics like bread, milk, potatoes that kinda thing and perhaps meat.

Petrol is cheaper. Basic staples are affordable.

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Debs,

I noticed that most everyone has pretty much answered alot of your questions except for one. When you find the area that you are going to be living in and have an addres you can look online at this website LDS Maps after you enter you adress and such it will give you a list of wards in your area. Also it will list the assigned ward. The assigned ward means that you live within those particular ward boundries. When I did that when I moved I was lucky enough that my Bishops phone number was there and could call about meeting times. WORD OF WARNING some of the times are a bit off :) I found that out when I called and asked about the meeting times. Good luck with everything and let me know if we can be of any help.

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thanks guys!!! you have all helped so so much!

ghost, i noticed that when i was browsing round the chapel locator, some start at 1pm! I have my sunday roast at 2 so either they gotta change the time or im eating in sunday school!!! LOL

looks like i can set a date to move soon, i'm SO excited now i have more information!!!

debs

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Debs,

The thing about meeting houses here in Utah is that you might have 4 wards in the same building. It took me awhile to get used to it. Most start at 9am 11am or 1pm. We also have a spanish branch within ours so it kinda gets a bit confsing with time changes and such here. But it is pretty easy when you find out where you will be moving. Just have you friend help ya with the Chuch locator stuff. I am in a very small town in Utah and there are like 10 wards here. :) kinda took me awhile to adjust. the place i moved from only had 2 and that took up most of the county.

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wow ghost, where did you come from?

we have one chapel/ward in almost every medium/large town, never more than one per town and definitely no 2nd/3rd wards etc!!

i'm happy with a 9am start, i'm used to that as ours starts at 9.30.

i found an apt complex in roy, orchard cove that i am interested in so at the moment that could be the landing place!

i'm dreading the wards tho, cos i know i am going to get so confused. knwoing me i'd prob end up in totally the wrong place!!

debs

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Debs,

I just moved to Utah from Ohio. The area that i was raised in had very few LDS members. It wasnt untill after I moved out of state for about 13 years and moved back that I found that there was a chaple built. I was like wow!!!

As for the getting lost no worries...I get lost all the times. I am used to streets having names...not numbers. Honor says its easy to figure out but i just dont get it.

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Guest Alana

Pretty wide range. For Ogden/Washington Terrace area you should be able to get something around 500-600 a month.

Wow. I need to move to Utah. My $1275 for a two bedroom (actually one but we use the living room as a bedroom and the dining room as a living room) is a steal here in good ol' california.

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lol what does honor know?? :D lol i owed her that for teasin me just now!! Lol

thats what i'm going to struggle with too, we have street names here and as i have the number version of dyslexia (spelt something like dyscalculia) i am going to have to mentally find a way round it!

how are you finding utah? isnt it busier than ohio? i have a friend who was a sherrif there for a while and he said it was a quiet kinda place, but then he did compare it to maryland! lol

debs

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Wow. I need to move to Utah. My $1275 for a two bedroom (actually one but we use the living room as a bedroom and the dining room as a living room) is a steal here in good ol' california.

hiya :)

i am convinced that you pay for the name of california when you live there! everything seems a lot more expensive! either that or you being charged for all that sun!!! lol

debs

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Re LDS meeting times: Not sure if this came up earlier, but where multiple wards share a chapel (I've seen this both in Utah and in California) they usually trade off meeting times annually. So your ward might meet at 9 AM in 2009, and at 1 PM in 2010.

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Re LDS meeting times: Not sure if this came up earlier, but where multiple wards share a chapel (I've seen this both in Utah and in California) they usually trade off meeting times annually. So your ward might meet at 9 AM in 2009, and at 1 PM in 2010.

hi, thanks for the reminder! i know a friend in utah who was telling me about the way they change the times yearly, probably a good thing really. at least one year i'll get to eat my sunday roast at a time i'm accustomed to!! :)

debs

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