There is most definitely a trade off we have to make when it comes to finding a comfortable place to enjoy or own "standard of living". I too live in NH Irish, I own a home, a 2002 Jeep Liberty AND work in Massachusetts. $4,300 in property taxes, $450 for car registration, and about $2,000 to the state of Mass...not to mention the $6 for licensing my dog!!! I have many relatives in Mass who can't imagine spending $4,300 for property taxes, but I contend that if you do the math it is still cheaper to live in NH. In Mass they just get your $$ in 100 different ways. Plus, house prices in Mass are INSANE!!! Now my monthly taxes are slightly more than my monthly mortgage, but if I lived in Mass I'd be paying Three to FOUR Times as much in mortgage payments for the same house, but "only" about 2/3 the taxes...Ooooohhh, big savings, huh???Add to that the sales tax & high gas tax...I often wonder how TWO people can afford to live, forget just one little old me!
And I propose a NEW way to look at our good old "Live Free or Die"...add the word "Trying" to the end of it...it has a much better ring