.

[capitalcityguy]

why would you really want to move to Des Moines? grew up in and around DSM, left for 5 yrs, (including 1.5 yrs over seas) came back to ankeny (family moved there in 2000) for 2 yrs for DMACC and couldn't wait to get the hell out of town again. now live in a town of 1,200 with no stop lights at all and absolutely love it. but if you really need to, I'd go with Bondurant, Norwalk or one of the other smaller but still closer communities. you can get that same community involvement as you have now but have the amenities of DSM still close by.

Translation: I’m going to dismiss everything the OP said they were looking for and instead of being helpful, I’m going to suggest he should do exactly like me instead.

This screams – I need to validate my life choices by suggesting anything otherwise would be crazy talk.

There is a reason that so of us that grew up in BFE towns across Iowa/Midwest have purposely chosen to move to larger cities. If you open your mind, you’d see the reasons ( doesn’t mean they are for you, but shows you can appreciate different perspectives). That is fine that you don’t share that same desires, but at least appreciate people have different goals/desires. FYI…you are in the vast minority whether you are talking Iowa, the US, for the world for that matter. The entire global population continues to move toward urbanization…this is nothing new or unique to Iowa.

 

[ArgentCy]

Translation: I’m going to dismiss everything the OP said they were looking for and instead of being helpful, I’m going to suggest he should do exactly like me instead.

This screams – I need to validate my life choices by suggesting anything otherwise would be crazy talk.

There is a reason that so of us that grew up in BFE towns across Iowa/Midwest have purposely chosen to move to larger cities. If you open your mind, you’d see the reasons ( doesn’t mean they are for you, but shows you can appreciate different perspectives). That is fine that you don’t share that same desires, but at least appreciate people have different goals/desires. FYI…you are in the vast minority whether you are talking Iowa, the US, for the world for that matter. The entire global population continues to move toward urbanization…this is nothing new or unique to Iowa.

But it can and likely will reverse in the future. There are cycles to everything.

 

[capitalcityguy]

They still drive fast.

You might think that, but this has been studied and tracked. It isn't theory.

The most recent local example would be Grand Ave in Des Moines. In the East Village, they removed lanes from each side and added bike lanes and narrowed the driving lanes. The accident reduction over the period of time this has been in place, has been measurable. The same can be witnessed when they did this to Ingersoll Avenue several yrs ago.

Traffic calming measures really do work.

 

[capitalcityguy]

But it can and likely will reverse in the future. There are cycles to everything.

True it can reverse. I guess you'd have to make the case that is is "likely".

Short of a dooms day scenario, I don’t see what factors would suggest a reversal but I'm all ears.

 

[ArgentCy]

True it can reverse. I guess you'd have to make the case that is is "likely".

Short of a dooms day scenario, I don’t see what factors would suggest a reversal but I'm all ears.

Economics change. These dense structures require complex support and dynamics and aren't really sustainable long term.

 

[capitalcityguy]

Economics change. These dense structures require complex support and dynamics and aren't really sustainable long term.

Link to something? I’d be very interested as I do a lot of reading on this topic. Haven’t seen that theory floated out there. (again…I’m assuming no doomsday scenario).

We’ve been inhabiting cities…very dense cities for thousands of years. We’ve had a lot of trial and error to figure this out to determine what works and what does not.

One the flip-side, we’ve only done the suburban experiment for about 50-60 yrs. This is where the concern for fragility is best placed.

 

[CYEATHAWK]

Translation: I’m going to dismiss everything the OP said they were looking for and instead of being helpful, I’m going to suggest he should do exactly like me instead.

This screams – I need to validate my life choices by suggesting anything otherwise would be crazy talk.

There is a reason that so of us that grew up in BFE towns across Iowa/Midwest have purposely chosen to move to larger cities. If you open your mind, you’d see the reasons ( doesn’t mean they are for you, but shows you can appreciate different perspectives). That is fine that you don’t share that same desires, but at least appreciate people have different goals/desires. FYI…you are in the vast minority whether you are talking Iowa, the US, for the world for that matter. The entire global population continues to move toward urbanization…this is nothing new or unique to Iowa.

And this posts screams of Lynn Richards and the CNU. Maybe you should take some time, sit back and listen to a song by some old school hippies "out in the country" and stop shoveling that organizations BS propaganda.

 

[Cyched]

Death, taxes and cap city pontificating in a thread about moving, finance, etc

 

[AgronAlum]

Narrower streets mean people naturally drive slower so it is safer for kids playing, bicyclists, etc. The big wide highway wide suburban streets we wee so much of these days gives drivers the impression it is not only safe to drive faster, but that they should.

 

[motorcy90]

Translation: I’m going to dismiss everything the OP said they were looking for and instead of being helpful, I’m going to suggest he should do exactly like me instead.

This screams – I need to validate my life choices by suggesting anything otherwise would be crazy talk.

There is a reason that so of us that grew up in BFE towns across Iowa/Midwest have purposely chosen to move to larger cities. If you open your mind, you’d see the reasons ( doesn’t mean they are for you, but shows you can appreciate different perspectives). That is fine that you don’t share that same desires, but at least appreciate people have different goals/desires. FYI…you are in the vast minority whether you are talking Iowa, the US, for the world for that matter. The entire global population continues to move toward urbanization…this is nothing new or unique to Iowa.

I was asking OP if moving to the DSM area was really the best move or option, and that if that's really what they want, that the smaller surrounding communities might make more sense form what they said they were looking for and to save a little bit of money. As I said I grew up in Ankeny basically and have seen the problems it currently faces like many of the other surrounding suburbs. they are no longer the quite little places they were before that brought a lot of the families in to begin with. Some of the people I went to school with have either moved or want to move away from the area because of the unchecked growth going on.

 

[capitalcityguy]

And this posts screams of Lynn Richards and the CNU. Maybe you should take some time, sit back and listen to a song by some old school hippies "out in the country" and stop shoveling that organizations BS propaganda.

I'd love to dialogue about this. We might be able to learn something from one another. Before we can do that however, you have to offer something worth responding to first.

 

[capitalcityguy]

Death, taxes and cap city pontificating in a thread about moving, finance, etc

....and the fact that Wiggington needs to start at point next year (which I was validated by DSM Register article today which confirm Prohm has now said as much....assuming Wiggie is back).

I'm here to help!

 

[Tailg8er]

Heads up. Everyone excited to get out of daycare, don’t spend the extra cash right away. Come HS, you will be spending it again.

What in HS costs $1,000/month?? So far at 4th grade we've dabbled in dance, cheer, & soccer - haven't even spent a quarter of that I don't think. And my kids will be expected to have a job in high school, at least in the summer. I can't imagine the costs being the same, and probably not close.

Unless this is some joke about our kids having kids by then.. lol.. in which case, ignore what I posted.

 

[BCClone]

What in HS costs $1,000/month?? So far at 4th grade we've dabbled in dance, cheer, & soccer - haven't even spent a quarter of that I don't think. And my kids will be expected to have a job in high school, at least in the summer. I can't imagine the costs being the same, and probably not close.

Unless this is some joke about our kids having kids by then.. lol.. in which case, ignore what I posted.

A vehicle, gas, insurance, clothes, sports equipments and camps or AAU clubs and private lessons. Band instruments. Medical bills, acne treatments and chiro visits. Can keep going if you want.

 

[BCClone]

What in HS costs $1,000/month?? So far at 4th grade we've dabbled in dance, cheer, & soccer - haven't even spent a quarter of that I don't think. And my kids will be expected to have a job in high school, at least in the summer. I can't imagine the costs being the same, and probably not close.

Unless this is some joke about our kids having kids by then.. lol.. in which case, ignore what I posted.

If boys, grocery bills like you’ve never seen.

 

[CycloneDaddy]

Yeah

Heads up. Everyone excited to get out of daycare, don’t spend the extra cash right away. Come HS, you will be spending it again.

Yeah $50 an hour math tutors.

What in HS costs $1,000/month?? So far at 4th grade we've dabbled in dance, cheer, & soccer - haven't even spent a quarter of that I don't think. And my kids will be expected to have a job in high school, at least in the summer. I can't imagine the costs being the same, and probably not close.

Unless this is some joke about our kids having kids by then.. lol.. in which case, ignore what I posted.

$50 an hour math tutor.

 

[Walden4Prez]

My grandpa used to say...”Once you have kids, that’s all you have.”

 

[motorcy90]

If boys, grocery bills like you’ve never seen.

yeah my mother always jokes that the food bill at home dropped $800 after I left. I was and still em a constant grazing style eater..

 

[Tailg8er]

A vehicle, gas, insurance, clothes, sports equipments and camps or AAU clubs and private lessons. Band instruments. Medical bills, acne treatments and chiro visits. Can keep going if you want.

I'm not saying you can't spend $1,000/month on a high schooler, but I also don't think it's as common as you make it sound. Some of your items are things we already pay for the pre-schooler in addition to the daycare - while I'm sure many will increase in teenage years, it won't be as drastic as you propose. And not everyone does the AAU/non-public school music/tutor things every year, let alone every month.

Even if it's close in high school, so far from K thru 4th grade with our oldest we've saved a ton EVERY month, and it's not close.

 

[BCClone]

I'm not saying you can't spend $1,000/month on a high schooler, but I also don't think it's as common as you make it sound. Some of your items are things we already pay for the pre-schooler in addition to the daycare - while I'm sure many will increase in teenage years, it won't be as drastic as you propose. And not everyone does the AAU/non-public school music/tutor things every year, let alone every month.

Even if it's close in high school, so far from K thru 4th grade with our oldest we've saved a ton EVERY month, and it's not close.

In youth a 50 buck bat that lasts 3-4 years works. In HS, those composite bats are 300-400 and you pray it lasts 2 . We didn’t buy expensive cleats yearly until HS and in youth it was cheaper ones that would go two years. Football is the nastiest sport to outfit, so different than I was in school.

If your kid has a vehicle in 4th grade that eats up gas and insurance, he’s the coolest in his class.

If you think what you spend on clothes for a 4th grader compares to a HSer, just give it a couple years. You are on the edge. Our youngest, 5th grader, has now became conscious about clothing brands and styles. Heck, socks now are like 30 bucks a pair. They don’t last any longer.

My daughter quit dance after 8th grade and that was 250/month for lessons and costumes. The expenditures haven’t went down. Amongst the people I know and my sisters and their kids, I wouldn’t say we aren’t way above them. My sister probably spends more than we do.

Next year one goes to college so that is 2k/month right there.

Our daycare was probably 1000/month for 2 kids for comparison. (Or 500/kid)