38 replies to this topic

[Mary Ellen]

Congratulations on your one year mark HK70! Many more!

HK...are you aware you can get a broadband modem thru all Mexican telecom's and it's less expensive than in the U.S.?
Also if you have a landline you can also get WiFI as well.
I live midway between both garitas south of the airport and my Cricket broadband works O.K. as well as the cell phone.

[HK70]

HK...are you aware you can get a broadband modem thru all Mexican telecom's and it's less expensive than in the U.S.?
Also if you have a landline you can also get WiFI as well.
I live midway between both garitas south of the airport and my Cricket broadband works O.K. as well as the cell phone.

I never really looked into it because I have 3 cell phones and I really did not want a land line. If I really needed it for work then I would investigate it more but I only use the computer to goof around. Plus it gets me out of the house if I want to surf the internet. So far it has not been a problem. Thanks for the info though.

[Cyanide41]

So HK,
now that it has been a year, anything change? I see that you meant it literally that when it rains TJ stinks. (at least on Ave Internacional).

Why do you carry 3 cell phones? 1wk, 1 us personal, 1 mx personal? I just carry one US cell with AT&T's viva mexico plan. I also have a cablemas phone for the house.

[HK70]

So HK,
now that it has been a year, anything change? I see that you meant it literally that when it rains TJ stinks. (at least on Ave Internacional).

Why do you carry 3 cell phones? 1wk, 1 us personal, 1 mx personal? I just carry one US cell with AT&T's viva mexico plan. I also have a cablemas phone for the house.

I will have to review my orginal post later and see if I have anything new to add or change. I have enjoyed my time the past year in TJ. It works out well since I work one day a week in my companies TJ office and four days in SD. I really like where I live since I can walk to pretty much everything in zona rio. My commute to downtown SD is the same at one hour even when I lived in Chula Vista (45 minutes on the trolley). As long as I have sentri life is good in TJ. I am looking forward to another year in TJ. The only reason I would move would be if something changed with my job and I had to find a new one.

My apt. is not hooked up for cable so everyone has satelite dish.

1 SD cell for work
1 SD cell for personal
1 TJ cell for personal

[mzTag]

HK...are you aware you can get a broadband modem thru all Mexican telecom's and it's less expensive than in the U.S.?
Also if you have a landline you can also get WiFI as well.
I live midway between both garitas south of the airport and my Cricket broadband works O.K. as well as the cell phone.

Have you ever been to Rosarito with your Cricket phone? Does it work? I soooooooo want their new phone!

p.s. I've been living in Rosarito for three years and simply LOVE it!

[HK70]

Wow I was just looking at this thread again.  Just hit the four year mark living in TJ.  Some things have changed from my orginal post.  About a year ago I stopped working one day a week in the TJ office so I have been commuting five days a week to SD for work.  My electric bill has doubled to about 400-500 pesos for two months.  I still love living in TJ but I wish I had more time to spend in TJ than the weekends since I am gone all day working during the week.     

[Buen Amigo]

I read this entire post again HK.  And since I last replied things have changed as well.

 

WE are on 5.5 years here in TJ.  And now have 2 kids. 4yr old and a 2yr old. 

 

You still gonna stay long term in TJ?

[HK70]

Yes buen amigo.  I have no plans to move from TJ.  I like my apartment and the commute is perfect using the trolley.  The only way I would move is if I had a change in jobs but as long as I am working at my present employer living in TJ works great for me.  Besides a side benefit is I am saving alot of money on rent which I am investing for retirement so hopefully I will be able to retire earlier than if I was living in the states. The funny thing is there is plenty of TJ that I have yet to explore so I am still a newbie in many ways.   

 

What about you?  Any chance to get the wife and kids visas?

[Buen Amigo]

The kids are U.S. Citizens.  Got that taken care of as soon as they were born.  Child Born Abroad.  So, no problem there.  They got dual Citizenship, and they got nothing to worry about.  Oldest one is in Kindergarten, and the youngest loves to wrestle.

 

The wife is another hurdle.  But the company I work for offered to help.  They are hooking us up with some good attorneys, and willing to pay for all the expenses to get my wife on this side.  And if there is a fee for expediting the process the will pay that too.  I was floored by that.  I accept that as our x-mas present I guess.  Keeping our fingers crossed and hopefully some good comes out of this. 

 

No more cars have been stolen.  That's a plus......talk to you later. take care

[tijuanahopeful]

Today is my six months anniversary of living in TJ.  The only problems that I've had are making three trips to CFE to have the bill transferred into my name, and my next door neighbors from hell. 

[Cyanide41]

  My electric bill has doubled to about 400-500 pesos for two months.

 

 

Whoa! What the what???? Even for TJ that sounds way too low. My bill is like $2000 for 2 months. I know that my refri was sucking down power and that was recently replaced, so I am curious to see what this months bill will be.  Does anyone else think $500 sounds low??

[Zoe J.]

Mine in Rosarito is about $240 for two months..PESOS. Depends on what is in the house as my last place two blocks over had bills of about $2500 for two months! It was all electric and this house is all gas...almost. '-)

[HK70]

My last CFE bill was 375 pesos for two months.  It is normally above 400. 

[Buen Amigo]

My electric bill for 2 months is about $450-$500 peso range.  2bed 2 bath 2 story house.  And the tv is on all day...... So $500 sounds reasonable to me. 

[Rubiobello]

2850 for us 5 bedroom home it's crazy how expensive it is compared to US as far as electricity goes

[HK70]

I can't believe it will be five years next month living in TJ.  Time has flown by really quick.  I would not change anything.  Walking across the border and taking the trolley to work downtown works great.  I love my lifestyle in TJ.  The low rent allows me to allocate more money into retirement investing so hopefully I can retire earlier than normal.  I am hoping once the SY border crossing construction and new ped crossing entrance into TJ are finalized then crossing the border will be much easier.  For the bad rap and all the shocked faces I see when I say I live in TJ..............if they only knew.  Granted TJ is not for everyone but it works just fine for me.          

[tijuanahopeful]

I'm actually saving much more since I moved back to San Diego, plus I can now work during the day, which I was unable to do living in TJ.  I was spending so much time, money and gas to cross the border, that I couldn't save. Now that I'm back in San Diego, I don't have to drive unless I actually WANT to drive, and that's a savings right there.

 

I'm glad I moved back, TJ just wasn't for me. Plus, it's really nice to get up in the morning, and the water is ON, every day.

[Miggiesmallz- TEXMEX]

I can't believe it will be five years next month living in TJ.  Time has flown by really quick.  I would not change anything.  Walking across the border and taking the trolley to work downtown works great.  I love my lifestyle in TJ.  The low rent allows me to allocate more money into retirement investing so hopefully I can retire earlier than normal.  I am hoping once the SY border crossing construction and new ped crossing entrance into TJ are finalized then crossing the border will be much easier.  For the bad rap and all the shocked faces I see when I say I live in TJ..............if they only knew.  Granted TJ is not for everyone but it works just fine for me.          

Good to hear HK, good to hear!  How is the crossing these days?  I haven't crossed SY in over 3 years, Otay Ready Lane has been much faster plus I live in East SD so crossing at Otay is not out of my way.

[HK70]

December just hit 5 year mark living in TJ..........yahoo!

 

Well I cross 6 days a week but I walk across for 5 of those days and take the trolley downtown.  Walking across is the same old situation with sentri just cut the line up front.  I normally cross Sunday afternoons to go shopping and it can take 20 to 40 mins in Sentri car lane to cross.  I think there have been improvements since the middle of 2014 with opening up some of the normal and ready lanes at SY.