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Old 08-19-2012, 03:12 PM
 
Location: Milwaukee, WI
145 posts, read 288,534 times
Reputation: 125

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Hello everyone on CD. A quick question... I am looking to start a new life for myself and plan on planting roots in a brand new place. I'll be honest here - I'm from Milwaukee, WI and my first choice is honestly Cleveland, Ohio simply because A) I love it there and B) The Cost of Living is ridiculously cheap!!! I have however thought of moving somewhere completely different. Like Charlotte* for instance. Please note: I have started this exact thread for other cities I am looking at as well. I am simply trying to cover all of my bases so I know I am making the correct choice financially as well as emotionally. So here is my situation (and this may very well sound stupid), I am single, 34 years old, and don't have a college degree. I do not have a vehicle, nor do I plan to get one as that will save me a lot of money. I will be moving with a total of $13,000 which is my total "Life's Savings". I will be coming with no job (unless I get one when I take vacation at work in April) and am willing to work ANYWHERE as long as it provides income. I work in a factory setting now and I make $11.92/hr and would like to match that (if not) exceed that. Also please note that I have very little debt. My range as far as rent goes is NO HIGHER than $600/month (insert laugh here). That's all I feel comfortable paying anyway. I am willing to go higher if needed (up to say $750), but I better have a job that can support the cost. I am open to living in a rooming house (Room For Rent) of sorts to begin my new life if need be. But I DO NOT want to do a Roommate situation. Now if this sounds completely insane and downright undo-able, than please let me know so I can scratch Charlotte off of my list. Also note: I need to stay within the city limits so all suburbs are completely OUT of the question. I need a "safe" area with a low amount of drug/violent crime activity. To give an overall idea of my "comfort level", I have lived in Chicago's Uptown as well as (where I now stay) Avenues West in Milwaukee.
So the bottom line questions are...
1) Is $13,000 enough? I would like to get a place right when I get to town, so I will probably pay 6-12 months of rent right off the bat. That will take a large chunk ($6k or so) of the $13k, but will give me up to a year to recoup that money.
2) How "transplant friendly" would you say Charlotte is?
3) Is Charlotte actually doable without a car, or is it simply better to have one? How reliable is the public transit? Especially late at night if I go out to a club or something?
4) City Life/Urban Decay: Does Charlotte feel like a real city? I'm not saying it has to be New York, but it has to have a “hustle & bustle” feel to it. High pedestrian/vehicle traffic, a nightlife, and overall feel of urban living is what I’m after. Also, I find Urban Decay/Ghettos to be beautiful (in a weird way), but I don't want to be engulfed by it (think Detroit). Are there a good amount of these areas to see in Charlotte?
5) Weather: I like it warm, but I don't like extreme heat with high humidity. How is the weather in Charlotte compared to the Midwest?
I don't know if this is coming across as a crazy idea or just simply a good plan. I will say one thing though... I NEVER want to return to Wisconsin again!!! That's ultimately the plan. I need to grow up, and start a life for myself somewhere completely new.

*Please Note: I have no family or friends in Charlotte as I have never actually been there before. Although not that big of an issue for me, this may play a small part in responses as I won't have any direct "support system". Please try not to factor this in too heavily.
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Old 08-19-2012, 03:30 PM
 
Location: Up above the world so high!
45,218 posts, read 100,359,138 times
Reputation: 40196
Quote:
Originally Posted by RatKing216 View Post
Hello everyone on CD. A quick question... I am looking to start a new life for myself and plan on planting roots in a brand new place. I'll be honest here - I'm from Milwaukee, WI and my first choice is honestly Cleveland, Ohio simply because A) I love it there and B) The Cost of Living is ridiculously cheap!!! I have however thought of moving somewhere completely different. Like Charlotte* for instance. Please note: I have started this exact thread for other cities I am looking at as well. I am simply trying to cover all of my bases so I know I am making the correct choice financially as well as emotionally. So here is my situation (and this may very well sound stupid), I am single, 34 years old, and don't have a college degree. I do not have a vehicle, nor do I plan to get one as that will save me a lot of money. I will be moving with a total of $13,000 which is my total "Life's Savings". I will be coming with no job (unless I get one when I take vacation at work in April) and am willing to work ANYWHERE as long as it provides income. I work in a factory setting now and I make $11.92/hr and would like to match that (if not) exceed that. Also please note that I have very little debt. My range as far as rent goes is NO HIGHER than $600/month (insert laugh here). That's all I feel comfortable paying anyway. I am willing to go higher if needed (up to say $750), but I better have a job that can support the cost. I am open to living in a rooming house (Room For Rent) of sorts to begin my new life if need be. But I DO NOT want to do a Roommate situation. Now if this sounds completely insane and downright undo-able, than please let me know so I can scratch Charlotte off of my list. Also note: I need to stay within the city limits so all suburbs are completely OUT of the question. I need a "safe" area with a low amount of drug/violent crime activity. To give an overall idea of my "comfort level", I have lived in Chicago's Uptown as well as (where I now stay) Avenues West in Milwaukee.
So the bottom line questions are...
1) Is $13,000 enough? I would like to get a place right when I get to town, so I will probably pay 6-12 months of rent right off the bat. That will take a large chunk ($6k or so) of the $13k, but will give me up to a year to recoup that money.
2) How "transplant friendly" would you say Charlotte is?
3) Is Charlotte actually doable without a car, or is it simply better to have one? How reliable is the public transit? Especially late at night if I go out to a club or something?
4) City Life/Urban Decay: Does Charlotte feel like a real city? I'm not saying it has to be New York, but it has to have a “hustle & bustle” feel to it. High pedestrian/vehicle traffic, a nightlife, and overall feel of urban living is what I’m after. Also, I find Urban Decay/Ghettos to be beautiful (in a weird way), but I don't want to be engulfed by it (think Detroit). Are there a good amount of these areas to see in Charlotte?
5) Weather: I like it warm, but I don't like extreme heat with high humidity. How is the weather in Charlotte compared to the Midwest?
I don't know if this is coming across as a crazy idea or just simply a good plan. I will say one thing though... I NEVER want to return to Wisconsin again!!! That's ultimately the plan. I need to grow up, and start a life for myself somewhere completely new.

*Please Note: I have no family or friends in Charlotte as I have never actually been there before. Although not that big of an issue for me, this may play a small part in responses as I won't have any direct "support system". Please try not to factor this in too heavily.
I don't want to be discouraging, but I do want you to be cautious about coming to Charlotte.

IF you decide to do it, do it with a time frame in mind and sign a short term lease, just in case.

See, your lack of a degree will hinder you in this mostly white collar city. And in addition, the unemployment rate in Charlotte is much higher than the national average. Coming here without a job is pretty risky.

Now, that being said, you are young and single with no debt, so it may well be worth a shot for you to give it a try. But again, I'd do it for a specific amount of time then be ready to pull up stakes and move on before you run through all your life savings on the unemployment line.

Public transportation is limited in Charlotte compared to larger cities. And your price range won't exactly get you in the best parts of the city either. But if you could live along the light rail line or a bus line you could manage without a car in Charlotte. I will send you a link to one apt complex you could consider that fits that description.

And I hate to say it, but from looking at some of the other cities you have posted these questions in, I'd have to say you are not being completely realistic about where you can afford to live.

You need to look at smaller cities with better prices on apts and lower unemployment rates - Oklahoma City, Greenville, SC, Richmond, VA or maybe Greensboro, NC.

Best of luck with your decision!
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Old 08-19-2012, 03:39 PM
 
Location: The 12th State
22,974 posts, read 65,292,087 times
Reputation: 15075
To be honest I dont think Charlotte will meet the needs of your criteria. Safe renting at $600 dont exactly go together.
Since you dont have a job line up you may be blowing the little savings while your waiting on prospective for employment.
You need to factor in first month rent, security deposit and utilities.

With no car you want to live near your job preferably on same bus line. Have you look at sites like indeed.com to see if you even qualify with what limited work is available?
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Old 08-19-2012, 04:50 PM
 
Location: The Triad
34,090 posts, read 82,528,650 times
Reputation: 43648
Quote:
Originally Posted by RatKing216 View Post
I am looking to start a new life for myself and plan on planting roots in a brand new place.
Like Charlotte* for instance.
Are you just throwing darts at a map?

Move ONLY where you have a job offer in advance of arrival...
or KNOW that you have a place to live for six months in advance of arrival.

This applies to any of the many cities you might consider.
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Old 08-19-2012, 06:32 PM
 
Location: East Bay
701 posts, read 1,421,805 times
Reputation: 1420
You might be better off pursuing a degree rather than moving to Charlotte (or any other city you're considering). Making $12 an hour at 34 years of age is just a dead end situation. I can tell from your post that you're better than that.
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Old 08-19-2012, 06:47 PM
 
55 posts, read 149,514 times
Reputation: 40
Cleveland? Thats pretty much one of the top armpit cities in America. I dont think I've ever heard of anyone "wanting" to move there.

I'm from Ohio and have been here for three years. I'm a 33 year old single guy. Virtually everyone I have met is a transplant here. Charlotte is a much better/cleaner/nicer city than Ohio cities seem- mainly, I think, because downtown seems so new and clean- as opposed to old Ohio cities. Also, its hot and humid in summertime, but I think Ohio summers are much worse. Winter is infinitely better down here. Not even close how much more comfortable winter is. Overall, Charlotte beats Ohio in every weather category, in my opinion.

Anyway, if you can get a job in sales, often you wont need a degree. Some sales positions you can make a ton of money- just have to find the right ones. You can also live along the light rail line to get you around, and there are plenty of buses. There is basically one north/south line, unlike larger cities that have "branched" light rail... so its not the most convenient, but it is do-able if you absolutely had to. Taxis arent too expensive, and there are plenty of entertainment areas around in the different areas... you dont have to taxi it 30 miles to find something fun, find the right neighborhood and walk. You may be interested in these for a craigslist apartment search: Noda, Plaza Midwood (both slightly transitional), Elizabeth, Dilworth, SouthEnd, Uptown. I tried to list these in order of affordability.

Still can't believe you actually WANT to move to Cleveland.. not picking at you, I literally have a blown mind right now that I read that.

Good luck man.
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Old 08-19-2012, 07:48 PM
 
6,321 posts, read 10,262,290 times
Reputation: 3835
Quote:
Originally Posted by MrRational View Post
Are you just throwing darts at a map?

Move ONLY where you have a job offer in advance of arrival...
or KNOW that you have a place to live for six months in advance of arrival.

This applies to any of the many cities you might consider.
I doubt anyone is going to be offered an hourly job from long distance with no degree. OP's situation is certainly doable, as long as he has some family or something somewhere else to go back to if he moves for a year and it doesn't work out. $600/month is only about half of his savings.

That said, I don't think Charlotte would work because $600 most likely won't put you in a good area and it's tough to get around town without a car as the city is pretty spread out. It also gets pretty hot in the summer.

I haven't looked at where else you've posted this but one place that somewhat came to mind for me was Harrisburg PA.
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Old 08-19-2012, 08:26 PM
 
Location: The Triad
34,090 posts, read 82,528,650 times
Reputation: 43648
Quote:
Originally Posted by GoPhils View Post
I doubt anyone is going to be offered an hourly job from long distance
That said, I don't think Charlotte would work...
The point (perhaps not clear enough) was to limit any move to where a job is waiting.
OR to where somehow or other the OP would know they had a place to stay.
Someone they already know (out of town relative, old HS friend, etc) with a room to use or rent.
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Old 08-19-2012, 08:57 PM
 
15,363 posts, read 12,559,912 times
Reputation: 7571
The OP is willing to work anywhere... that really opens up his options in Charlotte. The car situation could be a problem but if he/she is familiar with public transportation it could work.
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Old 08-19-2012, 09:46 PM
 
6,321 posts, read 10,262,290 times
Reputation: 3835
Quote:
Originally Posted by MrRational View Post
The point (perhaps not clear enough) was to limit any move to where a job is waiting.
OR to where somehow or other the OP would know they had a place to stay.
Someone they already know (out of town relative, old HS friend, etc) with a room to use or rent.
But he can survive for a year if he finds a place for $600/month. I'm just not sure he can find a good place for $600/month in Charlotte.
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