When our daughter graduated from college and took a job in another state, we had a brief chat about money. And, of course, being me, I had to give her some articles about money. (These kinds of offerings are known as ‘Dad’s resources’ and are sometimes welcomed with an eye-roll!)
Having grown up as a poor kid, I was fortunate to learn a few money lessons early in my work life that have made a huge difference for me and my family. One of those is ‘It’s not how much money you make, it’s how much you keep.’
I was reminded of that yesterday by a story in BizWest. Titled “Greeley tops state for most discretionary income”, the story is about a study on discretionary income by a group called Trove Technology.
The BizWest piece, of course, focuses on Colorado and the how the cities in Northern Colorado compare. But it’s worth visiting the website to look at how Colorado compares to other states. Unclick the box that says “Big Cities Only” to see more communities. When you do, the results are jolting. Colorado earns a “Good” score but California, by comparison, is rated as “Poor.”
Click around on the site and you’ll find information about various occupations that fare better or worse in specific places.
So, it you are a recruiter looking for talent, this is a tool to have in your tool kit to share with prospects. Yes, in some states you might earn a bigger salary, but after taxes and housing costs how much do you really get to keep?