my city is #1 for "cheapskates!"

[iris lilies]

http://www.kiplinger.com/slideshow/real-estate/T010-S001-10-best-cities-for-cheapskates/index.html

St. Louis ranked #1 in this kiplinger top ten article for best places for cheapskates to live. I love this city, it has tons of things to do and great architecture at low prices.

[Float On]

Someone who recently moved here was just asking me if they should spend part of spring break exploring St L or KC. I said "St L for sure" and I listed off 12 things that I could think of right off the top of my head that were free/low-cost to do around St L.....I couldn't think of anything free in KC.

[Rosemary]

Hmm... Springfield, #3 on the list, has incredibly expensive grocery prices compared to Mpls/St Paul. Housing is the only thing that I think is inexpensive there.
Cost of living was really low in Tucson when we lived there. When we moved here, everything from food to utilities (and of course housing) seemed to cost at least 25% more.

[peggy]

Ooo...here are some other rankings for St. Louis!
http://www.stlmag.com/Blogs/SLM-Daily/December-2012/St-Louis-Ranked-Third-Most-Dangerous-City-Again/
http://www.stltoday.com/lifestyles/health-med-fit/health/suicide-depression-stds-are-higher-in-st-louis-region/article_6da74cfe-b8e3-5eb2-8762-0c4b709a0fd4.html
http://stlouis.cbslocal.com/2012/07/18/st-louis-ranks-highest-positive-drug-testing-in-u-s/

However, it is the highest bike friendly city (go figure)
http://www.stlrcga.org/x629.xml

Sorry IL, just couldn't resist! I do like St. Louis. Fun place. The botanical gardens and zoo are my favorite!

[cx3]

Interesting.
St. Louis is only 260 miles from me and I have never been there.Sounds like I need to plan a weekend getaway for the family.

[pinkytoe]

I don't know how all these various lists are generated but our city keeps coming out on tops for way too many things. It is causing way too many people to move here - hundreds every week according to local sources. I love to look for houses online in other places as a comparison. The housing stock in StL is at the top of my list for its wonderful architectural details - all for a very reasonable price. I think it is probably one of those best kept secrets - sshhh!! I wouldn't wish living in a boomtown on anyone.

[Spartana]

I don't even need to look to see that my city (in Orange County, Ca - "The O.C.") is NOT for the frugal. Housing costs are very high even in crappy areas - and that alone would make it unaffordable for many. Plus it's a serious car-culture with long heavily traffic commutes and high fuel prices. Public transit exsits but is almost useless and there are few bike routes for biking.

On the cheapskape-plus side is the good year round weather for free sports and activities outdoors, close to beachs and about 100 miles from mountains, forests, lakes, rivers, desert, etc... You can bike rather than drive (if you are very very brave!!) and garden year round, and there can be very low utilities bills (rarely need heat or A/C).

[redfox]

Interesting.
St. Louis is only 260 miles from me and I have never been there.Sounds like I need to plan a weekend getaway for the family.

It's a fabulous city.