moving from Tn, to cali (Glendale, Santa Monica: apartment, to rent, health insurance)

[b0dem]

I did a search on google and this place came up so I thought id ask some questions!
My wife and I have tossed the idea of moving to Santa Monica where her parents live but im afraid we wont be able to afford it. We are both in school for nursing, so we dont have a huge income at the moment. I make about 30k as a kitchen manager at a local rest, so I would probably have to continue that line of work if we did move.
my in-laws say they save more living there then they did living in TN which suprises me. I read someone saying something about the housing market being rid high in so-cali. Any advice or tid bit information would be gladly appreciated!
thanks in advance

[EscapeCalifornia]

On $30k in Santa Monica, you won't be saving any money unless you live in a cardboard box, dumpster dive for food, and walk everywhere.

[Think (Freedom)]

Is your total income 30K?? Because if it is, then no, you will probably not be able to afford L.A., especially not Santa Monica. Does your wife work?

I read someone saying something about the housing market being rid high in so-cali.

I think you probably read everyone say that about the California housing market. Its insanely expensive. And again, especially around the area youre talking about.

You could probably find a small studio for about 1100-1200 a month, but not in Santa Monica. Maybe further inland, like Glendale, Studio City, etc. The beach communities (like SM) are very expensive and I honestly dont see how anyone could make it on 30K. Heck, the reason why I havent moved to L.A. is cause I make about 35K, and I'm single, and I probably still couldnt make it. Remember you have to add in utilities, insurance, and etc.

How much longer do you have to go in Nursing School? Maybe it'd be best if you wait it out in TN until after you graduate. Unless you go and live with her parents. Then thats a different story.

[Charles]

Originally Posted by b0dem

I did a search on google and this place came up so I thought id ask some questions!
My wife and I have tossed the idea of moving to Santa Monica where her parents live but im afraid we wont be able to afford it. We are both in school for nursing, so we dont have a huge income at the moment. I make about 30k as a kitchen manager at a local rest, so I would probably have to continue that line of work if we did move.
my in-laws say they save more living there then they did living in TN which suprises me. I read someone saying something about the housing market being rid high in so-cali. Any advice or tid bit information would be gladly appreciated!
thanks in advance

Why do you want to move from Tennessee to Santa Monica?
Have you ever visited Southern California?
Are you familiar with the driving conditions on the freeways and streets?
Do you have kids now or do you think you will have them in the next five years?
If you have kids are you willing to have both parents work full time?
Are you familiar with the quality of government education (public schools) in Southern California?

[b0dem]

Well i make 30k here, and no my wife does not work. I figured with the cost of living change I would make more out there. I found some similar jobs in the 45-55k neighborhood around LA. Yes my wife and i just had our first child 2 months ago, and thats the main reason for moving. We want her to experience a different life then my wife and i have in TN. I think it would be a healthier lifestyle for our family.

[STLCardsBlues1989]

I think you can find a healthier lifestyle for cheaper than California. California's beautiful, but you would have a hard time making it from what I understand. If you just want to move away from where you are, I'd suggest somewhere cheaper. You could live in a different place and have enough money to actually enjoy things outside your own condo/apartment/loft.

[Charles]

My comments in danger red.

Originally Posted by b0dem

Well i make 30k here, and no my wife does not work. I figured with the cost of living change I would make more out there. I found some similar jobs in the 45-55k neighborhood around LA.

Will not compensate for the additional housing costs.

Yes my wife and i just had our first child 2 months ago, and thats the main reason for moving. We want her to experience a different life then my wife and i have in TN.

You will experience a different life in Southern California. I guarantee it. (Congratulations; we had our fourth girl three months ago.)

I think it would be a healthier lifestyle for our family.

This makes me nervous.

Are your expectations to afford a two bedroom home, two vehicles, auto insurance, health insurance, retirement savings, and college savings?

Please do some searching in the City-Data forums on schools, housing, and traffic. Investigate the neighborhoods you think you will be able to afford. For those neighborhoods analyze the school performance data (downloadable from the California Department of Education), the traffic, the crime, the housing density, and the % owner occupied (available from the US census).

[b0dem]

Oh no i dont expect that at all. I expect to rent a appt. Perhaps finish school out there. In june we are spending 2 weeks in Santa Monica with the fam, and we plan on doing some serious homework. At the moment besides rent and utilities, and a 120/month motorcycle payment, we are debt free. Also from what my in-laws tell me, they rarely drive there car anyway since everything is within walking distance.

[EscapeCalifornia]

Originally Posted by b0dem

Well i make 30k here, and no my wife does not work. I figured with the cost of living change I would make more out there. I found some similar jobs in the 45-55k neighborhood around LA.

California's the kind of place where you earn 20% more but it costs 100% more to live.

[STLCardsBlues1989]

I'm sorry, but I think it'll take a miracle to make your dream work. Maybe you could sit on cardboard boxes and eat ramen noodles in your cheap condo in a probably questionable neighborhood. Otherwise, I don't think it's gonna work.

Around where I live you could get a decent 2 bedroom apartment for $500-$600 a month and still have money to live outside your apartment. My sister's apartment is about $300/month for a 1 bedroom.

In the St. Louis area you can get a 3 bedroom house in St. Charles (a fairly nice suburb) for $1000 a month. The weather's not as nice, and there's not a beach right there, but I would rather live in a nice suburb in the midwest in a nicer house than in a condo in California that I can barely afford. Economically it makes no sense.

I understand you want to move to California, and it is nice, but it sounds like with your budget it doesn't make sense. Why get a 1 bedroom condo for $1000/month when you could get the same thing for $600-$750 a month in a lot of cities? Then you still have money for leisure things, like movies, sporting events, and maybe trips once you've saved enough. And you have more money to pamper your baby or put away some in a fund for college. Probably not a lot at a time, but it adds up after a while. It just doesn't make sense to spend that much on a condo.