Decision Making

Making the Move to Memphis

On October 1, 2009 I left my hometown to seek a better life for my children and myself. I had a plan to leave Arkansas where I had been born and raised, and start a new life in Tennessee with my children. It was the most difficult thing I had ever planned to do, but I was motivated and would not be stopped. Before I could make this big move, I needed a plan. I tried researching online but could not come up with any type of decent guide to explain how to move out of state. Instead of getting discouraged, I went ahead with my move and learned each step on my own along the way.

The first thing I did was tell my best friend I was moving. It was March 2009 when I sat down with my friend and made a goal to be gone in six months. Making a goal for myself and telling someone about it helped me to solidify my plans. We both came up with a list of places that would be good for a single mother of two school-aged children. Three months down the line, I moved out of my house and rented a storage area to keep my things. I also let my employer know the date I was to resign.

The next thing I did was decide where to go. I had three places in mind: Dallas, Texas, Memphis, Tennessee, and Norfolk, Virginia. I researched all three places online. The first thing I researched was the schools. Given that I had school-aged children, I needed to know the quality of the public school systems. The next thing I researched was the cost of living. When moving from state to state, the cost of living varies. The costs of groceries are higher in some states. The housing costs could be less, and the utilities could be more. I also research the weather. If I moved where the winter would be bitter-cold or the summers were very hot, I know I would stay indoors, which would increase my utilities. I had my own car, so I researched license fees and insurance. Some states, such as Arkansas, pay state taxes and some states do not. I researched the job market. I needed to know if there would be jobs available in my field or if there would be limited job opportunities. The last thing I did was decided how far I wanted to be from my hometown. I had to decide whether I be comfortable staying 14, five, or just two hours away. Realizing that I have never stayed away from my hometown, I decided to move two hours away to Memphis, Tennessee.

The next thing I did was turn to online sources. I had to find a place to stay. I was not buying the house I was living in, so I did not have to worry about selling. I used websites such as forrent.com, commercialappeal.com, and rentals.com. I started taking trips to Memphis to search for housing. I also looked at the neighborhoods. I wanted to make sure the neighborhoods were safe for my children and me. Once I found a place to stay, it was time to get the ball rolling. I researched how much it was to rent a U-Haul going from one state