Search Results: keeping in touch with an ex

I live in a small city. I've grown up here all my life. I have friends here but they seem to be deminishing. People gradutating, people moving, etc. I have A TON of friends in the big apple, mostly in LI.

I work a good job in upstate NY, but as I get older, I'll be 25 next year, I start to think about my future. My house, a wife? a family? all that kind of stuff. I don't have a girlfriend, I am in touch with my ex, but here is the thing. I don't make enough money to save for a house. I mean I make a lot more than a lot of my friends and I keep telling myself that but I also keep telling myself just because iwmake way more than my friends do, doesn't mean its enough for me.

I make about 17.50/hr, I get benefits, 401k, bonuses all that jazz. Its greay and I love the place I work. I only pya 300/month in rent plus cable/internet blah blah. I know that's INSANELY cheap and good. Well I still find it hard to save at all. I've been stuck at around 1,000 for YEARSSSSS and its very frustratin knowing at 17.50 an hour I should be pulling in about 33k AFTER taxes.

I know in LI the cost of living is WAY higher, prices are different for a lot of things. I saw some jobs down there in my field offering $30-40 an hour which is a HUGE increase, I also understand the cost of living iw as higher than wehre I currently live. I've done some calcuations keeping everything the same as far as my bills go, but upping my rent to about 1,000/month plus utilities. (if I live on my own). Anyways id be saving around 2k more a month AND id be closer to A TON of my friends.

Im just stuck with what to do, I feel like I may be happier down there but I'm scared I won't be. I love the job I haev here but I just need more money, I can't be getting %5 raise a year (being under $1) I mean that's nly $40/week, its not that much...

So do I take a chance and check out jobs down there and be closer to friends, meet new people, start a new life.

Or do I stay here, put it out for a couple more years and see what happens? I've ben at this company for 4 years about and its great, just with the bonuses and everything it doesn't even come close to what I would make at this other job.

Anyone who is from the big apple, specifically LI what can I expect if I move down there? Do people think I should be looking for another job, I mean I know money doesn't buy happiness, but I mean at some point I'm going to need a bigger raise than $40/week.

I know people will say what are youthinking the job market sucks you ahvef a good job, but I don't know I jsut feel I may be happier somewhere lse? its been on my mind for some time now and I know life is about taking chances and risks. I'm just afraid that I may lose everything if I take this chance but then again it could be the best thing I ever did. If I stay ehre I will most likely grow in this company but I don't know when? my boss is young and will probably be here till she retires. Ugh I just need some input/suggestions/opions.

Thanks