Justin Wright » Hawaii

What $100 Worth of Groceries Looks Like – Florida vs. Hawaii

Justin Wright — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 15:37:41 +0000

The main reason I decided to migrate down to Florida is because I am a sucker for tropical climates. I love palm trees, warm weather, and beaches more than anything. While Hawaii is the perfect place for this, I didn’t want to return to the high cost of living that Honolulu had to offer.

After doing a few cost of living checks, I learned the most of Florida is relatively affordable. However, it wasn’t until the other day when my girlfriend and I were grocery shopping that the cost of living difference between here and Hawaii really hit me.

Below is a side-by-side comparison of what $100 will get you in each state:

Hawaii

This photo was taken in 2007, so the prices may be a tad outdated. Everything in the picture was purchased from a Sam’s Club in Honolulu for roughly $100.

Items included:

1 Bag of Mixed Fruit
1 Box of Cereal
1 Bag of Beef Jerky
1 Package of Deli Turkey (Double-pack)
2 Loaves of Whole Wheat Bread
1 Bag of Frozen Strawberries
1 Bunch of Bananas
1 Bag of Frozen Vegetables
1 Bag of Frozen Broccoli
1 Bottle of Mrs. Dash Spices
1 Bag of Tilapia

That’s it…

Florida

This photo was taken a few days ago and most of the items were purchased at a local produce stand or natural food market. Everything came in at roughly $93.

Items included:

2 Bottles of Organic Lime Juice
2 Bottles of Olive Oil
2 Bottles of Organic Soy Sauce
1 Bottle of Orange Juice
1/2 Gallon of Organic Milk
4 lbs. of Organic Oatmeal
3 lbs. of Organic Chickpeas
1 Dozen Eggs (Free Range)
3 lbs. of Frozen Blueberries
2 lbs. of Carrots
7 Bunches of Broccoli
4 Sweet Potatoes
7 Zucchinis
1 Piece of Fresh Ginger Root
3 Cloves of Garlic
3 Bags of Spinach
7 (Huge) Apples
1 Bunch of Strawberries
1 Bunch of Bananas
1 Gallon of Vinegar
1 Bottle of Hydrogen Peroxide
1 Rolling Pin
1 Bar of 100% Cocoa

A Clear Winner

It is pretty crazy when you can see the cost difference side-by-side. Not only was I able to buy a lot more stuff (and better quality), I was also able to support a few local businesses at the same time.

***
Just curious…do you think you could get more or less where you live?

A Few Photos From Hawaii

Justin Wright — Wed, 09 Jul 2008 18:29:09 +0000

As promised, here are a few pictures I took while I was out in Honolulu. I wish I would of taken more, but I realized I already took over two thousand pictures while I lived there. That and I cannot find my charger for my digital camera, so I ran out of juice before the trip was over.

Anyways, here are a few new pictures. (Click the picture to see it in full size)

Now That’s A Mai Tai

On The Side of Diamond Head

View Down The Ala Wai

Honolulu from Diamond Head

Honolulu from Tantulus

Hawaii Trip Comes to An End

Justin Wright — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 17:02:57 +0000

Aloha Everyone, I am now back from my little 3 day vacation out to Honolulu. I thought I would share the trip with you, along with the story on what lead me to book the trip a day before I took off.

What To Do For the Fourth of July?

That was the question I was trying to answer Thursday night after work. My girlfriend and I had no plans whatsoever for the weekend so we were thinking about driving to New Mexico to see the White Sands National Monument. It would of been about a 6 hour drive and we most likely would have ended up camping.

Earlier in the day I had mentioned the idea of saying screw it and just flying out to Hawaii for the weekend to go watch the fireworks on the beach. I went to them a year ago when I lived there and thought they were a blast.

So we ended up drinking a few margaritas, and BAM! The next thing I know I was on Expedia booking the flights that departed at 8:15 am on Friday morning. Talk about a quick vacation idea!

Arriving in Honolulu

I landed in Honolulu around noon on Friday and was picked up by my friend, over at TheHawaiianLife.com. He was nice enough to let us crash at his place for the few days we were there.

It was nice to see the city again, and I was surprised how well I still new my way around. The city was still very familiar to me, especially once I could see Diamond Head crater off in the distance.

Ala Moana Fireworks

Once it got dark outside and I had already consumed 4 rum and Cokes and split a fish bowl Mai Tai with 3 other people, we headed down to the park to find a spot. We sat right on the beach for the fireworks and could see them very well.

I was surprised how everyone was lighting fireworks off on the beach and the police didn’t do anything. There were fountains spraying everyone and spinners going off everywhere. Some kids even gave us a dozen of them so we had something to light.

The firework show was amazing, much better than I had seen in the past. The finale lasted a lot longer than I remembered. You could also see the fireworks from Pearl Harbor off in the distance.

Renting Mopeds

We thought it would be cool to rent mopeds Saturday and cruise around the island. I had driven a moped in the past and I recall it being a lot of fun.

We rented them from Waikiki, and set off on an adventure outside of the city. I lead the way towards Diamond Head, and eventually drove inside it. It was much hotter once inside the crater and it reminded me a lot of Phoenix on the inside.

The hike to the top of the crater took about an hour total and the view from the top was amazing. I had hiked it in the past but it was over 8 months ago and I sort of forgot how nice of view it was.

From there, Hanauma Bay was the next spot. We drove down near the lookout point and looked at the bay from a distance. The water is so clear it reminds you of a pool.

Once we made it that far, we decided to not go much further before turning around. The seats on the mopeds really make your ass sore…

The Drive Up Tantulus

Yesterday, before heading to the airport we took a scenic drive up Tantulus. It is a stretch of road that goes up into the mountains and has a lot of cool things to see. It takes you through a rain forest with bamboo and tons of vines to swing from.

It really is the real Hawaii, much different than what it feels like when you are downtown Honolulu. Near the top of the drive, we found a state park that had an amazing lookout point over the city. I had never been there before and did not know it was even there.

A Great Trip

Overall, it was a great trip and it felt like a week long vacation. I managed to see a lot while I was there and I was happy to see my old home again.

I took some awesome pictures and I will be posting them tomorrow once I have time to download them off of my camera. So stick around for those!

Hawaii…Why Not?

Justin Wright — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 12:28:41 +0000

Well everyone, I once again managed to keep things interesting. Last night I booked a flight to Honolulu this morning and will be there until Monday afternoon.

I used to live there so I was thinking about visiting, I just did not know it was going to be this soon. My friend from TheHawaiianLife.com lives there, so it will be a good time.

I will try and make a post from Hawaii, otherwise stay tuned until next Tuesday.

Mahalo everyone, and have a safe 4th of July!

Moving To Hawaii, Should You?

Justin Wright — Fri, 18 Jan 2008 17:37:55 +0000

Many people dream of one day moving to Hawaii. Why not? It is paradise after all. But there are a lot of differences from life here on the mainland.

Well, I would like to share my thoughts on the idea since I have personally done it. Upon graduating college in 2007, I decided to load up a few suitcases and venture off to Honolulu, Hawaii with no plans what so ever. I booked a hotel room for 3 nights prior to flying out so I would have a place to stay.

Getting to Hawaii was easy, but once I landed there I had a lot of things to take care of. I had to find an apartment, land a job, buy tons of stuff you never think you need (basic necessities, groceries, etc.).

However, I was able to find an apartment within the 3 days I was there and signed up for a 6 month lease in Waikiki. The rent was $1200 a month and the place was around 600 square feet so the housing cost much more in Hawaii than a lot of other places.

Getting a job was also not that difficult. I was able to get an IT job in a matter of a couple weeks and start working as soon as I could. There are also tons of tourist jobs that would hire you ASAP on case you want some income to start out until you find a better position.

Transportation was something I did not worry about either, since I could literally ride my bicycle to work everyday. This made it much easier for me to save money since I did not have a car payment, car insurance, or any gas to pay for. I would highly suggest this based on where you live. There are also lots of city busses you can ride for a reasonable price.

Hawaii’s culture is different than it is here on the mainland so this is one thing you must consider. There are lots of different types of foods, especially Japanese, and Chinese. I had to learn how to use chopsticks while I was there because I had never used them until I went to Hawaii. I also had to get used to seeing menus in both English and Japanese and a lot of restaurants.

The one main factor that eventually made me decide to leave Hawaii after 6 months was the cost of living. Rent is extremely high, especially if you live in Honolulu. Groceries are also very high. Here are some prices of common things I bought:

Gallon of Milk – $8.00
Box of Cereal – $6.00
Wheat Bread – $5.00

As you can see, these cost much more in Hawaii than they do most places on the mainland.

On a positive side, Hawaii offers tons of things to do that you cannot get anywhere else. Surfing, snorkeling, boating, boogie boarding, hiking, biking, and tons more. The weather is unbeatable and is always in the 70-80’s range almost every day of the year. It is also one of the most beautiful places to see.

So you must ask yourself, am I willing to pay the price to live in Paradise? If anything, give it a shot. You can always return to the mainland like I did. I still had a great experience while I was there and am glad I gave it a try.

Hawaii Comes To An End…

Justin Wright — Thu, 22 Nov 2007 20:02:00 +0000

This is one of the hardest blog posts I have had to write in a long time. I have decided that it is time for me to move on an experience some more of the world. My lease is up in a few days so I have decided to fly out tomorrow.

This was not a spur of the moment decision, I have been thinking about it pretty much the entire time I was here. I think things would have been different if my friend had stayed and I at least had someone close to me. Do not get me wrong, I have met some of the nicest and coolest friends ever here, but it is hard to make friends like you have at home that you grew up with.

The cost of living here is another major factor in my decision to leave. With the money I currently make, it is just not enough to be able to actually do the things I want to do. I miss having a car, and just being able to drive around instead of relying on my Schwinn all the time, especially when it rains

I gave my two week notice awhile back at work and the other day I had my going away party with my coworkers. It was very hard to say goodbye to all the people I have been working with the last 6 months. These are the people that pretty much made up my family while I was here. And the reality is, I may never see any of these people again. Luckily, the internet makes it pretty easy to stay in touch with people. I wasnt sure if they would be mad that I decided to leave but it seemed like they were happy for me. I am young and just need to go out and do my own thing and figure things out. I am really not ready to settle somewhere and call it home for the rest of my life. I prefer the 2 suitcases and ready to fly mentality. Someday, I will have a family and it will not be this easy to bounce around.

Is this the right decision…I have no idea. I guess there are no wrong decisions, just different options. I may return to Hawaii someday, who knows. At least I can say I lived here for 6 months and had some of the greatest times ever. I surfed a ton, snorkeled, hiked, biked, and just about everything else. I partied with some friends and just had a blast while I was here. I also became more cultured which is what I was hoping for. I met a lot of foreigners which has opened my mind up to possibly moving outside of the US for awhile. Australia maybe?

So where is the next stop?

Phoenix, Arizona is next on the list. I am actually flying directly there so I will not actually be going home. So it looks like seeing the family will have to wait some more. The reason I chose Phoenix wasn’t because of the city, but mainly because two of my friends live. One of them is my best friend that originally moved to Hawaii with me. So it will be nice to move in with two close friends and have some people to hang out with as soon as I get there.

I am hoping to work at Arizona State University because I have always wanted to work for a large school. I have applied for a position there and hope it goes well and I land the job.

Once again, another chapter in my life gets closed and another one opens up. I always wanted to live in a bunch of different places so I guess I am on the right path.

So hold tight, things will continue to be interesting!

Road Trip to the North Shore

Justin Wright — Sun, 09 Sep 2007 00:45:00 +0000

Today Jeremy and I decided to take a road trip up to the North Shore. It is nice to get out of the city once and awhile and see what Hawaii is really like. Our main goal was to try some of the world famous shave ice. We got there and stood in line for about an hour! I could not believe how many people are standing there waiting for shave ice. But, it was worth it. It tasted great and left me wanting more.

The beaches on the north shore are amazing. Not to mention the surf is ridiculous. Pipeline has some of the largest waves in the world.

The drive is very scenic as you can see in this picture. I have been here for awhile and the beauty of Hawaii still amazed me. Where else can you see what like this and have temperatures in the 80’s pretty much every day of the year.

I am not sure what my plans are for the rest of the weekend but I am sure I will find something to do. Stay tuned this week I am hoping to get some more blog posts done.

Arnold’s Tiki Bar, I love It!

Justin Wright — Sun, 26 Aug 2007 18:34:00 +0000

Last night was one of the funnest nights I have had in awhile. Jeremy and I headed to Arnold’s for like the 5th weekend in a row. Ha Ha. It is one of the only places that does not have a 10 dollar + cover and drinks are cheap. Blue Moon Pitchers for around 10 dollars is a great price in Hawaii.

Now if only we didnt drink like 6 of them…

Anyways, we met these girls from Germany that were awesome to party with. They just arrived here and were looking to party hard and we did.

Another great thing about Honolulu is that we can walk just about everywhere. I do not own a car so I never have to worry about drinking and driving which is always a good thing.

Well stay tuned to some more crazy stories, I am sure there will be plenty.

The 3 Month Mark

Justin Wright — Mon, 20 Aug 2007 18:29:00 +0000

It has been about 3 months since I found my way out here to Hawaii. It has been a fun summer that is for sure. I have managed to meet a few great friends (Nancy, Jeremy, you know who you are).

I have not been writing in my blog enough and that is something I hate myself for. I have done so many fun things I just have not been spending enough time posting them. I have been going out a lot on the weekends with Jeremy. Are place of choice, Arnolds Tiki Bar. Its a small outside bar that is hidden from the main drag but it has Blue Moon on tap for 8 bucks a picture, I cannot complain about that.

Work is still going good and I hang out with a lot of my coworkers after work. I even sang Karaoke with some of them Ha Ha.

It is hard to say if I am homesick yet or not. I think I am a little bit but I have been staying so busy that I haven’t really thought about it much.

Partying With The Crazy Girls

Justin Wright — Mon, 16 Jul 2007 16:57:00 +0000

Last night was a rough one, so is this morning I am battling a hangover from doing a tad too much drinking last night. It was fun though so it was worth it in the end.

I partied with a couple of my friends and had a blast. We ended up getting drunk in a “dorm” room and then decided to head out to the clubs even though none of them were 21…

So of course we did not even get in anywhere so we ended up walking around drunk in Honolulu. It is always fun and games though.

Life is short, live it up