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Old 12-22-2009, 04:23 PM
 
28 posts, read 69,574 times
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You're a single, straight, 41 yo male with a about 70k annual salary and have narrowed your choices of cities in California to San Diego, Santa Monica, Santa Barbara, or Santa Cruz (Looking for a nice beach city). Which city would you choose and why? I've got only a couple of months to decide!

Thanks in advance!
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Old 12-22-2009, 04:26 PM
 
11,715 posts, read 40,449,173 times
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San Diego

$70k doesn't cut it in Santa Barbara.

Santa Cruz isn't SoCal by the way.
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Old 12-22-2009, 04:40 PM
 
Location: Central Coast
2,014 posts, read 5,521,589 times
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Do you surf? Santa Cruz is great, Santa Barbara is near great surfing, and life is good there, even for those who are not rich. Santa Cruz and Santa Barbara have another plus, you can travel to the rest of the state without having to transit LA.
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Old 12-22-2009, 04:59 PM
 
Location: The High Seas
7,372 posts, read 16,014,058 times
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Good points made by my colleagues. But...Santa Barbara is the place!
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Old 12-22-2009, 05:29 PM
 
Location: RSM
5,113 posts, read 19,763,289 times
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San Diego. Hands down.

For a single professional, San Diego has the benefit of being one of the most educated cities in the US(high number of college grads)
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Old 12-22-2009, 07:00 PM
 
Location: Everywhere and Nowhere
14,129 posts, read 31,251,117 times
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Interesting that no Orange County beach towns made your list. I'd take Dana Point or Capo Beach over any of your final four.
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Old 12-22-2009, 08:18 PM
 
Location: Central Coast
2,014 posts, read 5,521,589 times
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Reinforcement of Santa Barbara. The harbor is a great spot to hang out, maybe meet that girl from Montecito. State Street is a world class shopping street. Montecito is world class, some mighty rich folk live there, and are not all snots.

A home up in one of the canyons can be quaint, woodsy, or spectacular, if it hasn't burned down yet

Just over the hill is Santa Ynez, and Solvang and Los Olivos, cute little towns to visit and hang out in, and some fine wines to be had.

The San Rafael Wilderness is 200,000 acres of wild land for hiking, camping and some deep swimming holes.

Ojai is a short drive away, a knock your socks off resort town.

Jalama Beach, is, well, Jalama Beach, not much like it in the south half of CA.
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Old 12-22-2009, 08:31 PM
 
28 posts, read 69,574 times
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Okay - if we were keeping score (perhaps I should have selected the poll option), it would be Santa Barbara 3, San Diego 2 (so far). One for O.C.

Sounds like the real question at this point is whether or not 70K is enough to live on in Santa Barbara...EscapeCalifornia says no. Anyone else who can provide input? Would I be able to keep my head above water in the SB Bay, so to speak, on only 70 thousand/year?

Clarks, I love your idea regarding meeting the "girl from Montecito!"
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Old 12-22-2009, 08:44 PM
 
Location: Central Coast
2,014 posts, read 5,521,589 times
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70k, breaks down to, $5833 per month, Rent should be no more than 25% of your income, that gives you $1458 for rent, craigslist shows rentals for much less and much more, here is your start; santa barbara apts/housing for rent classifieds - craigslist

As far as other costs, they are not out of line with other areas, not everyone in Santa Barbara is loaded, there are thousands of college students, and lots of blue collar. I knew a guy that lived on his sailboat in the marina.

Speaking of girls, or more properly young women, I have know men who worked at riding stables, sometimes just shoveling, but, their date books were generally full. Sailboats work much the same way.
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Old 12-22-2009, 08:56 PM
 
Location: The High Seas
7,372 posts, read 16,014,058 times
Reputation: 11867
I have 17 distinct personalities (yeah, serious case of multiple personality disorder!) and they all scream: "Santa Barbara!". Damn the torpedoes and full-steam ahead! 70K is a good salary and you won't starve on the streets.
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