Lauren's Next Chapter

  Lauren, hear me out on Fort Collins . I know I've thrown a LOT of cities at you at this point. 😂 But Fort Collins caught my attention because it checks quite a few of the boxes you've talked about—not just finding somewhere cheaper or somewhere with jobs, but finding somewhere that might actually feel good to live in . 🌲 First of All...It's Beautiful Fort Collins sits in northern Colorado, about an hour north of Denver, right along the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains. So we're talking mountain views, trees, trails, lakes, changing leaves, snow in the winter and actual seasons. And there's Horsetooth Reservoir practically in your backyard. This is much closer to the kind of scenery I picture when I think about you getting out of Phoenix and saying: “Oh my God. I can actually go OUTSIDE.” 😂 You'd still get sunny Colorado days, but you're not dealing with Phoenix's endless months of extreme desert heat. 🏡 But Lauren...It's Not Cheap-Ch...

  Okay Lauren, hear me out: Sacramento, California. Not Los Angeles. Not San Francisco. Not some tiny California town where we'd be wondering where everybody is. 😂 Sacramento is a real city , it's diverse, it's the state capital, there are plenty of jobs and healthcare, and you can get to some absolutely beautiful parts of Northern California without having to LIVE in the Bay Area. I actually think this one deserves a look. 🌳 First — Sacramento Is Pretty Sacramento has something Phoenix simply doesn't have enough of for me: TREES. Big, mature trees. Green neighborhoods. Parks. Rivers. Older homes. Established communities. You also have the Sacramento and American Rivers , and you're within driving distance of Lake Tahoe, the Sierra Nevada mountains, Napa, San Francisco and Northern California's forests. So we'd finally have some real weekend-trip possibilities. 🌎 And It's VERY Diverse This is one of Sacramento's strongest selling points for me. Yo...

Okay Lauren, here's another option I think is worth putting on the list: becoming a teacher in Georgia. Since you're already working in education, this wouldn't necessarily mean starting your career completely over. Depending on your education and experience, there are pathways that allow people who didn't originally major in education to become certified teachers. And the salaries in Metro Atlanta are better than I expected. 💰 What Do Teachers Make in Georgia? There isn't one single Georgia teacher salary. Individual school districts have their own salary schedules , and your salary increases based on experience and education. In many of the larger Metro Atlanta districts, a new teacher with a bachelor's degree can expect to start somewhere around the $50,000+ range , with experienced teachers earning considerably more. Teachers with additional education and experience can reach the $60,000s, $70,000s and beyond , depending on the district. And teaching comes ...

Okay Lauren, if you're even slightly considering becoming an LPN (Licensed Practical Nurse) , this is actually one of the better options I've found in Arizona — mainly because it's fast, affordable, and you don't have to spend years in school before you can start working as a nurse. Here's what you need to know. You Have Three Campus Options First, this isn't just at GateWay like I originally thought. Maricopa offers the Fast Track Practical Nursing Program at three colleges: GateWay Community College — Phoenix Glendale Community College — Glendale Mesa Community College — Red Mountain Campus So depending on where you're living, you have some flexibility. How Long Is It? This is the part I think you'll like. Once you're actually in the nursing program, the core LPN training is roughly two semesters . It's called "Fast Track" for a reason. Maricopa is also rolling out a revised program beginning Spring 2027 , so we'd need to mak...

  Petosky, MI If your dream includes beautiful water, four distinct seasons, a charming downtown and a peaceful lifestyle , Petoskey, Michigan is hard to overlook. Located on Little Traverse Bay , Petoskey is one of northern Michigan's prettiest small cities. The community is known for its historic architecture, waterfront parks, Victorian homes and incredible sunsets over Lake Michigan. 🌊 Beautiful Is an Understatement Petoskey delivers the classic northern Michigan experience: blue water, wooded surroundings, beaches, fall colors and snowy winters . Downtown is filled with locally owned shops, restaurants and historic buildings, while the waterfront is just steps away. It's the kind of place where you can have genuine small-town living without feeling completely cut off from civilization. 🏡 What About a 3-Bedroom House? This is where Petoskey gets tricky. For a 3-bedroom single-family rental , I'd plan on roughly $2,200–$2,800 per month , although availability can be li...

Peachtree Corners, GA If you're looking for diversity, good schools, beautiful neighborhoods and suburban peace without being disconnected from Atlanta , Peachtree Corners deserves a spot on the list. Located in Gwinnett County, Peachtree Corners has about 40,000 residents, giving it a smaller-city feel while still providing easy access to the enormous Atlanta metro area. 🏡 What Does a 3-Bedroom House Cost? For a 3-bedroom single-family rental , a reasonable target is approximately $2,400–$2,700 per month , with occasional listings closer to $2,200 depending on the neighborhood, size and condition. It's not the cheapest Atlanta suburb, but you're paying for a desirable location with excellent everyday conveniences. 🌳 Peaceful, Green and Convenient Peachtree Corners is filled with mature trees, attractive neighborhoods, parks and green spaces , including access to the Chattahoochee River. The city also has excellent shopping and dining around The Forum and Town Center , so...

Sometimes you see a place online and wonder: How did we allow people to live like this? That was Forest Cove, a federally subsidized apartment complex in Atlanta's Thomasville Heights neighborhood. For years, residents reported rats, roaches, mold, sewage and plumbing problems, broken windows, damaged buildings and serious safety concerns. Eventually, conditions became so severe that a judge declared the property a public nuisance and ordered it demolished. But what makes Forest Cove heartbreaking isn't the abandoned buildings. Families lived there. Children grew up there. Why Didn't People Just Leave? For extremely low-income families, leaving isn't always an option. A housing voucher doesn't automatically produce an available home. Families still have to find an affordable property with enough bedrooms and a landlord willing to accept their assistance — preferably near their jobs, children's schools and transportation. And Atlanta has faced a serious shortage...

  If you're dreaming about mountains, four seasons, cooler nights, beautiful scenery and enough city amenities to make everyday life easy , Colorado Springs deserves a serious look. Located about 70 miles south of Denver, Colorado Springs has something many beautiful Western cities struggle to offer: you can still find a 3-bedroom single-family rental without automatically paying $3,000 or $4,000 a month. For families who want natural beauty but aren't ready to give up shopping, healthcare, schools and employment opportunities, Colorado Springs offers an unusually attractive combination. 🏡 Let's Talk Rent: What Does a 3-Bedroom House Cost? This is one of Colorado Springs' biggest advantages. A realistic target for a 3-bedroom single-family rental is approximately $2,100–$2,500 per month . Depending on the neighborhood, age of the home and amenities, houses can sometimes be found below $2,000, while newer or more desirable properties can easily climb above $2,500. Compa...

Tucker, GA Neighborhood If you're searching for a place that offers diversity, affordability, mature trees, access to good schools, healthcare, shopping, jobs, and Atlanta culture — without actually living in the middle of Atlanta — Tucker, Georgia deserves a serious look. Located in DeKalb County , Tucker is an established Atlanta suburb that feels noticeably different from some of the newer, master-planned communities farther north. Instead of endless new subdivisions, you'll find older brick homes, large yards, mature trees, quiet residential streets, parks, and a small downtown area — all while remaining convenient to Decatur and Atlanta. 🏡 3-Bedroom Houses Are Still Reasonably Affordable One of Tucker's biggest advantages is housing. For renters looking for an actual 3-bedroom single-family house , Tucker can offer considerably better value than some of Atlanta's more expensive northern suburbs. A reasonable target is approximately $2,100–$2,500 per month , with ...

Lake Superior, Michigan For the kind of relocation we're researching, Michigan has a LOT going for it , but there are some very real drawbacks. I'd look at it this way: Michigan — Pros & Cons ✅ PROS ⚠️ CONS Affordable housing — One of the biggest advantages. 3–4 bedroom houses are still attainable in many metros. Long, gray winters — The cold isn't necessarily the worst part; weeks of cloudy skies can wear on people. Four REAL seasons — Spring, warm summer, gorgeous fall and snowy winter. Snow/ice — Snow tires, scraping windshields and winter driving become part of life. Generally not brutally hot — Summers are warm but nothing like Phoenix. Humidity — Summer can be humid, especially compared with Arizona. Incredible freshwater access — Great Lakes, inland lakes, rivers and beaches everywhere. Some cities have struggled economically — Neighborhood selection matters enormously. Beautiful nature — Forests, dunes, beaches, waterfalls, islands and fall foliage. R...

  Toledo, OH Yes — this is the list I actually want for Lauren , because I wouldn't equate “most affordable” with “best fit.” I filtered toward places that combine affordability with four seasons, moderate summers, LGBTQ acceptance/protections, racial diversity/Black community, healthcare, jobs, schools, natural beauty, and realistic family-sized housing . The Midwest/Great Lakes comes out VERY strong. Current 2026 affordability research continues to put Michigan, Ohio, Illinois and Pennsylvania among the coun try's strongest affordable housing markets. And importantly, research on LGBTQ housing affordability specifically identifies Detroit and Rochester among the country's most affordable metros in states with LGBTQ protections.  My 20 strongest matches Rank City/Area State Black community 4 seasons Affordability Lauren fit 🥇 Lansing / East Lansing MI 🟢 Good ❄️ Excellent 🟢 Excellent ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 🥈 Kalamazoo / Portage MI 🟢 Good ❄️ Excellent 🟢 Excellent ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 🥉 Rochester...