Dave Says: Bicoastal is for the Birds

Dear Dave,

My husband and I have been living bicoastal since last October. He found a great job with great pay in Charlottesville, Virginia, after graduation, and we both agreed he couldn’t pass it up. I’m still in Portland, Oregon, with a good marketing job making $50,000 a year. We’re trying to get out of debt. If I join him now, I won’t have a job and we won’t pay off our debt as quickly. But being apart is so difficult. Should I go ahead and make the move now?

Danielle

Dear Danielle,

If he’s making great money, and you guys can make it on one salary while you look for another job, then I’d say go for it. There are things in life that are more important than money, getting out of debt in a certain amount of time, or a particular job.

Have you talked to your company about the possibility of doing your job remotely? If that’s not possible, maybe you could do some consulting on a remote basis. Even if you weren’t a traditional employee, they might float some projects your way.

Talk to them about these ideas, and start shopping for a position in Charlottesville. It’s a university community, if I remember correctly, so there are probably lots of opportunities in your field.

Go be with your husband, Danielle. You guys have been apart way too long already!

—Dave

*Dave Ramsey is America’s trusted voice on money and business. He has authored five New York Times best-selling books. The Dave Ramsey Show is heard by more than 8.5 million listeners each week on more than 550 radio stations. Dave’s latest project, EveryDollar, provides a free online budget tool. Follow Dave on Twitter at @DaveRamsey and on the web at www.daveramsey.com.