While reading a post called “East Coast Living – Is It Really That Bad?” at the ever popular pf (personal finance) blog site: Financial Samurai, Sam pretends to try and justify the reasons that people would choose to live on the East Coast instead of the West Coast (and in particular San Fran), all the while really identifying why the West Coast is a superior place to live.

Like most articles Sam writes, it was a cleverly controversial piece and is designed to make you think hard about the reasons you do live anywhere else other than California (or the West Coast).  While reading it, my mind wandered like it sometimes does… and I started thinking perhaps the Sunshine state really does have a financial advantage over the other states on the East Coast (and the midwestern states too for that matter).

Advantages of the perfect weather in California (in particular San Francisco):

• More sunlight during winter months which may induce a more pleasant state of being.  There has been studies that promote the idea that winter blahs are caused by the reduced sunlight, which leads to a form of temporary depression.
• They have less rainy days, so the residents can be more active and get more done.
• Reduced heating and cooling utility bills, since they have perfect weather.
• A consistent temperature!  Since San Francisco has the optimal weather, logic would dictate that the people living there would also be operating optimally.

Or maybe I’m wrong, perhaps this environment is so pleasant that the perfect state of being is a distraction with all of the great things to be done in such a perfect, consistent climate?  Perhaps it’s easy to forgo doing work and instead go out and enjoy the endless supply of perfect days?

Since California has the most millionaires of all the states, I’d would say that the theory that the perfect weather aids in your financial success might be plausible!  Or is it a spurious correlation?

Without the seasons, I wonder if time seems to slip by more quickly for those living in a perfect climate?  I hope it’s not like you move to Cali when you are in your 20s, and then the next day your are in your 60s and retired?  Maybe life isn’t as fulfilling without a bit of hardships (or nasty weather) to overcome?  Or perhaps people work harder to create their own challenges?

Does this make sense or am I way out in left field?

-MR