blatz514: I prefer living in a city with multiple ALDI stores.

/pass me another North Star

Not a damn thing wrong with Aldi, even the shoppers have become a little more up scale lately.
I've found that anything they sell is just as good as the big names, and a darn site cheaper.

Was I the only one who initially read that as "top ten cities for cheesesteaks?"

Rip Dashrock: But feel free to look down your noses at those places, less people in line in front of me.

Yup but I also want them to explain to me what's the difference between the Gain I buy at a store like Dollar Genera or Family Dollar and at their store of choice. They have a good point if they're talking about electronics but otherwise it makes no farking difference.

Ken VeryBigLiar: Chigau: .. Eau Clair Wisconsin? Where they appear to have more bars and liquor stores than houses? Where the only major employer is Menards/Midwest Manufacturing?

The one and only.

/Not that there's any contest for the distinction
//And from all accounts the Menard family are kinda dicks; but $5B will do that

I can say from personal experience the they are, indeed, dicks of the highest magnitude
You can almost taste it when your around Larry Menard (as the actual owner John doesn't/didn't go out in public much.)
Extreme Dickocity abound..


/dick

cig-mkr: blatz514: I prefer living in a city with multiple ALDI stores.

/pass me another North Star

Not a damn thing wrong with Aldi, even the shoppers have become a little more up scale lately.
I've found that anything they sell is just as good as the big names, and a darn site cheaper.

In Germany, Aldi is a store like any other. Most of the stock in American Aldi is the same. They aren't bad if you're in the right neighborhood.

As for Kalamazoo being on the list-- Well, it's fine if you're a college kid, but since it's a college town you'd better get used to a new batch of kids showing up every four years with no respect for the town, your property, or anything else (like noise ordinances). They don't live there, so they don't care what condition they leave the town in when they're done at WMU.

Jerkwater: I once got a $50 Dollar Tree gift card as a Christmas present (another story). I took my 4YO there, spread my arms open wide, and said "pick out 50 things". She was in heaven.

Ran out of gas at $37, so we wound up with 13 rolls of aluminum foil as well.

We would like to hear the story behind a $50 Dollar Tree gift card.

Nice to see STL make a list for something besides murder rate. Of course those are skewed because the actual city of St Louis is only the downtown area and some of the surrounding area where there is a lot of poverty and run down areas. Always makes it sound like the whole St Louis county is one big shootout.

I can stand on my front porch, throw a rock, and hit a Dollar General, so I'm getting a kick out of some of these replies.

//If you are living in a city you are doing it wrong

downstairs: Strange... exact same list as the "top 10 cities that would bore the fark our of me in a suicidal fashion."

Guess you've never been to San Antonio.

cretinbob: //If you are living in a city you are doing it wrong

You mean big city right? I can be at a Dollar General,Family Dollar or a local 99 cent store within 10 minutes if I walk slow.

CFitzsimmons

Shouldn't it be "Dollars General"?


Thank you, William Safire.

Ambitwistor: St. Louis is awesome for the City Museum. I hope to get there someday.

QFT. This place makes kids feel like kids, and is the only place where adults acting like children is a *good* thing. It's like a gigantic alice-in-wonderland style maze where "if you can fit, you can crawl there". With various other cool stuff on the side. Bring knee pads.

/Wrote a paper comparing/contrasting the City Museum with the St. Louis Art Museum for college back in '01. Best paper I ever wrote.
//IB4CSB

I second whoever said thrift stores should be added to the metric.

We finally have a Salvation Army in my city. I don't like the SA view on gays but those stores are a service to the community. So until they install a Kinsey scale at the door with a sign saying 'you must be THIS straight to shop here' they'll continue to get my used book/Halloween costume/kitchen equipment we're not yet sure we'll really use business and donations.

/everything tastes better on a George Foreman grill that cost less than the meat you're cooking on it
//surprised Cleveland didn't make the list

St. Louis is the only one I would want to visit. I have a blast every time I go there. Although I usually spend the whole trip somewhere between "heavily buzzed" and "completely blacked out."

The only factor they left out that truly would make it useful, is how many brewpubs within a 30 mile radius.

mochunk: The only factor they left out that truly would make it useful, is how many brewpubs within a 30 mile radius.

You'd be in luck here in St. Louis. We're having something of a "brewing renaissance" here. Dozens of breweries, beer stores and beer bars have opened over the last year. It's crazy. 2nd Shift, Perennial Artisan Ales, Urban Chestnut, Six Row Brewing Co...

Funny how that sort of thing happened when the formerly locally-owned A-B got bought out by InBev...

Evil Kirk vs Bad Ash: Um, you really don't want to live in Spokane, regardless of the savings.

I work remote for a company in Cambridge and live in Mead. British high tech wages, Spokane cost of living and I can't even see the neighbor's house from mine. It ain't all that bad.

Actually, St. Louis is a great town for cheapskates.

Want to see a show at the Muny? Just show up early and sit in the back for free.

Want to go to the zoo or science center? Both free.

Art Museum (The St. Louis Art Museum is really nice)? Also free.

It it wasn't 10 in the winter and 110 in the summer it would be a great place to live.

TuteTibiImperes: natmar_76: Yeah, you go live in El Paso, and let me know how that works out for you.

Warm weather without humidity, easy to cross into Mexico, great Mexican food, affordable housing, and a large hispanic population to keep the hard right Texans at bay, it could be worse.

/Doesn't live there, but it looks like it could be nice

My mom used to work for a company with a plant in El Paso. When they went to test their buildings for asbestos, air test results were crazy high. Then someone thought to check the outside air. Turns out there was an active asbestos mine just across the border, and the concentrations were even worse outdoors. No idea if it's still operating.

vudukungfu: Strange... exact same list as the "top 10 cities that I wouldn't want to live in because the people there are boring as farkall and are wound up just tight enough to vote republican, go to church on a regular basis, and hold it against me for not following suit like a stupid little monkey who belongs in their incredibly shiatty gene pool ."

You sound jealous.

Kalamazoo Michigan is actually a very nice place - probably the best (and cheapest) place of all the listed cities.

GacysBasement: aka...The top 10 cities you would never visit anyway

I visited Wichita while on a road trip from Chicago to LA when I was 18. My friend and I stopped there for a night. We walked through downtown at about 8pm, and only saw about 15 people over the next two hours. Even the McDonalds was empty except for two employees. It was eerie.

/That was 16 years ago. Things may have changed.

oldbay4life: Was I the only one who initially read that as "top ten cities for cheesesteaks?"



NO!

Rapmaster2000: downstairs: Strange... exact same list as the "top 10 cities that would bore the fark our of me in a suicidal fashion."

Places with a low cost of living attract people who don't like to spend money which translates to nothing to do.

Of course, they would say that's not true and then list 10 things that you don't want to do.

Yep. People complain about the high sales tax where I live, but they all moved here for the hiking and biking and such, the land for which has all been bought with sales tax. Turns out nice things cost money.

\Not that they don't waste a ton of money on stupid shiat, too, like any other local government.

I've been to Kalamazoo. I didn't realize there was anything to see there besides Bell's Brewing's Eccentric Cafe.

/what else do you need?

Rapmaster2000: That is the dumbest methodology I have ever witnessed. Did you throw that together before lunch?

No. They had lunch and then threw it up later.

I live 30 miles from Jonesboro, AR. It may be podunk boring, but if I want excitement I can travel to it. There is no beating 550$/mo for a 3bdrm/2 full bath house in the country with enough parking for 10 cars, front and back yard. After 25yrs in LA, this is heaven. Leave my back door open all night with no worries, cars unlocked, chase fireflies with the kids, 5 minute drive to work... etc, etc..

Skirl Hutsenreiter: Rapmaster2000: downstairs: Strange... exact same list as the "top 10 cities that would bore the fark our of me in a suicidal fashion."

Places with a low cost of living attract people who don't like to spend money which translates to nothing to do.

Of course, they would say that's not true and then list 10 things that you don't want to do.

Yep. People complain about the high sales tax where I live, but they all moved here for the hiking and biking and such, the land for which has all been bought with sales tax. Turns out nice things cost money.

\Not that they don't waste a ton of money on stupid shiat, too, like any other local government.

I see you're from what I've heard referred to as Taxorado. You're right about that. I love business trips to Denver because I can hike every evening on a decent trail within 20 minutes of my hotel.

Mrtraveler01: WE'RE #1! WE'RE #1!

/St. Louisian

#1 #1 #1

Mrtraveler01: TheGreatGazoo: Actually, St. Louis is a great town for cheapskates.

Want to see a show at the Muny? Just show up early and sit in the back for free.

Want to go to the zoo or science center? Both free.

Art Museum (The St. Louis Art Museum is really nice)? Also free.

It it wasn't 10 in the winter and 110 in the summer it would be a great place to live.

We are real spoiled when it comes to free attractions.

I remember going to the museums and zoos up in Chicago when I was little and being surprised that I actually had to pay to go inside.

Don't forget the HUMIDITY.

umad: Evil Kirk vs Bad Ash: Um, you really don't want to live in Spokane, regardless of the savings.

THIS

It's hell on earth, don't come here.

My front yard, 3 minutes ago:

Mrtraveler01: I remember going to the museums and zoos up in Chicago when I was little and being surprised that I actually had to pay to go inside.

Yeah, but they're worth it. Sharks and submarines and all sorts of cool shiat at the Chicago museums.

largedon: Nice to see STL make a list for something besides murder rate. Of course those are skewed because the actual city of St Louis is only the downtown area and some of the surrounding area where there is a lot of poverty and run down areas. Always makes it sound like the whole St Louis county is one big shootout.

This right here. When you compare full metro area vs. full metro area, St. Louis is actually mid-pack.

\It really is a nice city.

vudukungfu: Strange... exact same list as the "top 10 cities that I wouldn't want to live in because the people there are boring as farkall and are wound up just tight enough to vote republican, go to church on a regular basis, and hold it against me for not following suit like a stupid little monkey who belongs in their incredibly shiatty gene pool ."

Actually, El Paso, Springfield, Kalamazoo, San Antonio and South Bend are Democratic strongholds. I don't know about the rest. They're not quite a liberal as Madison or Berkeley, but they are definitely liberal compared to some of their neighboring counties.

I've lived in Spokane, terrible place. STAY AWAY.

(psst- you're welcome)

My beef with the incredibly retarded article is that they stated that Forest Park was in STL. Forest Park is in Portland Oregon. It's where all the local aspiring serial killers go to dump their prostitutes. And its a lovely place for a day hike.

Balder333: Kalamazoo Michigan is actually a very nice place - probably the best (and cheapest) place of all the listed cities.

This. I don't live there, but I could readily imagine it. Nice to see Michigan getting some positive press for a change ...

Who keeps voting Eau Claire on these things, anyway? Of course places made up of dumpy college housing and not much else are cheap...

hstell: The important thing to remember is that some of these places have truly awful, truly long winters. You're going to be spending $$$$$$$ for heating costs, winter coats, warm socks, sturdy shoes, missed work, prescription drugs, cold lozenges, and boxes of tissues. I'm not being dramatic here, it's the literal truth. Been there, done that.

Obviously you never been to El Paso. You ain't been there or done that

Grew up in EP....its not an uppity East Coast city, but at least you can go outside in the winter...its not cold. And go outside in the summer...its not real humid. And, if you need to see some trees...you are 100 mi away from the mountains.

And, for the Fark Liberals....it is the strong Democrat region of Texas.

Chigau: Where the only major employer is Menards/Midwest Manufacturing?

I applied there. Nicest phone interview with rejection I've ever experienced.

If that's one of the criteria, VA Tidewater has that locked.