Young man has some questions about moving to Chicago (Phoenix: cheap apartment, for rent)

[ghostface13]

Hello, I went to Chicago in June and I loved the hell out of the place. I currently live in Phoenix, Az but I have wanted to get out of here for years. I want to know how easy it is for a waiter to make a living in Chicago and how easy it is to find a job as a waiter. I also want to know where to find a cheap apartment in a at least relativley safe neighborhood (crime isn't that big of an issue I just don't wanna have to fear for my life). I am not pickey at all when it comes to living conditions, as long as I have a place to sleep, heat, and water I'll be fine. So if you could let me know these things that would be great, Thanks.

[jessiegirl_98]

Make sure to check out the first post in this thread

[sharkylittleton]

The restaurant scene in Chicago is huge. I think financial comfort depends on how desirable of a neighborhood you choose and how much you pay for rent... But unless you work at a 5 star restaurant, get ready to work alot of hours. I have a few friends who work in the industry and they both regularly work 50-60 hours per week.

[MrRudy3]

Originally Posted by ghostface13

Hello, I went to Chicago in June and I loved the hell out of the place. I currently live in Phoenix, Az but I have wanted to get out of here for years. I want to know how easy it is for a waiter to make a living in Chicago and how easy it is to find a job as a waiter. I also want to know where to find a cheap apartment in a at least relativley safe neighborhood (crime isn't that big of an issue I just don't wanna have to fear for my life). I am not pickey at all when it comes to living conditions, as long as I have a place to sleep, heat, and water I'll be fine. So if you could let me know these things that would be great, Thanks.

Your in my exact situation lol.

Im young, from phoenix, have been wanting to get out of arizona for a long ass time and want to move to Chicago.

Are you moving alone?

[Drover]

If you've lived in Phoenix or a similar climate all your life, you might want to re-visit in, say, early February and see if you still love the hell out of this place. The reason 1/3rd of your neighbors used to live here but now live there is the weather, particularly winter weather. If life-long Chicagoans can get fed up with it, who knows how well someone who's never lived in it can deal with it.

You should have no problem finding a bare-bones place studio or very small 1-bedroom) with heat and water for $600/mo, most if not all utilities included, in a relatively safe neighborhood. It may not be a sexy or even particularly convenient neighborhood, but there are places out there that will do the trick.

[welder]

Hey Drover, the winter in Chicago is WAY more tolerable than the Phoenix summers. Chicago does have nice winter days. Phoenix's summers are long and RELENTLESS! People who go out there and spend a week or two, and say "Oh, it aint that bad". But after 3 or 4 months of it ,day in and day out, alot of them, change their oponins about it. If you TRULY dress for the winter, u wont get cold. Most people dont though. Keeping warm, with clothes is alot easier than trying to dress for HOT weather. You can run around in Phoenix with a THONG on during the summer. It wont COOL you down ONE bit!

[Drover]

I absolutely, positively do not want this to become yet another "Phoenix weather versus Chicago weather" argument. We've already done that 8,723 times here, and oddly enough it gets no less tiresome with each iteration. My only intention is to let the OP know that he's probably in for a shock if he's never experienced a northern Midwest type winter in much the same way you say people are in for a shock if they've never been through a Phoenix-type summer. Visiting Chicago in June, arguably the most pleasant month of the year here, doesn't begin to paint the picture for what kind of seasonal weather one should expect here.

[Steve-o]

Originally Posted by Drover

If you've lived in Phoenix or a similar climate all your life, you might want to re-visit in, say, early February and see if you still love the hell out of this place. The reason 1/3rd of your neighbors used to live here but now live there is the weather, particularly winter weather

Meh. Cold winters here or blazing hot, elongated summers there. Choose your poison I guess. People who leave an amazing city like Chicago just because of the weather, and then take 2 gigantic steps backward by moving to PHX are simply shallow. Theyd rather give up a world class city just so they dont have to shovel again. Frickin hilarious and sad at the same time. Then these idiots move to PHX and whine "why dont you guys have this" or "why dont you guys have that" or "this is hte way we do things in Chicago". No wonder native Phoenicians dislike outsiders.

Sounds like the OP just wants a true urban experience, something PHX fails at. To him I say, COME ON UP! There are umpteen thousands of restaurants in Chicago, some of the best in the nation, so there is no shortage of jobs in that field, thats for sure!

And as Drover says, I also recommend coming in January though, when temps can be brutal at times. The good thing is that the sub zero temps dont last for more than a few days. Be prepared for a lot more clouds in winter than in PHX, too. But youll probably love our late spring, summer and fall weather, its gorgeous for the most part.

Best of luck!

[aragx6]

I'll say this: Without experience, and solid experience at that, serving it's hard to get a job doing it in Chicago because of the constant influx of new residents (and thousands of new Chicagoans coming of age all the time)

Moving up here without a job is also a scary proposition, so make sure you have plenty set aside in savings in case you don't find a job the moment you arrive.

[ghostface13]

Well I'm not sure if or when I'm moving, but probably alone if it happens