Moving to Colorado with little to no money. Need programs or services that'll help me get on my 2 feet. (Denver: student loans, live in)

[Mach50]

Originally Posted by roadhogHR

That was fun!

Gotta agree with the guy though, these boards are great for the same old established "family of engineers looking for a 500k home with 10/10 schools".

Not so good for the young and non-established.

Let's hope an illegal immigrant never comes here for advice....

[Dontworryboutit]

Originally Posted by Mach50

Keep in mind that anonymity allows people to be even more opinionated.

You can choose to disregard it and move here anyways, I doubt you meet confrontation like this person to person.

Of course but I just don't have the money man. I've been told that Williston, North Dakota is booming right now thanks to oil but Virginia is the best state that I can get a bang for my buck on. ND is way too far, it nearly borders Canada, Richmond, Virginia is a mere 1 hour and 40 minute flight away from Boston and a trip up and back is an average of $150, imagine how much a one way ticket would cost? I know where I'm going now. It has some rather shady Cannabis laws but I can easily make good money and move elsewhere, who know's, maybe even Colorado!

[NW Crow]

Hope something in my post or others will help.

Might have brought more heat on yourself than average with some of your opening but shake it off and focus on refining your search.

Williston was booming for years but I don't think it is near as good now as it was.

[Dontworryboutit]

Hey what can I say? I have a pair and I'm legit with it. I ain't afraid of no angry commenters!

[Mini-apple-less]

I don't know where people got this idea that the West was super laid back and forgiving. You're going to be in for a big shock. Generally speaking people in Colorado and other western states absolutely hate those who live on welfare. Even people with disabilities and those who have no realistic chance of finding a good job (ie, people who don't have a lot of friends and can't afford to go into college debt).

I think people misunderstand the western US. It's not a land full of super open minded, laid back, lazy hippies. That's just a few percent at most of the people who live here, unfortunately. It's the Wild West. There's a huge bootstrap mentality and I would argue a sense of denialism about the reasons people become poor. It's very conservative in an economic sense and the social services are not good.

You'd be better off in New England which is much more left wing in a true sense than Colorado, Washington or Oregon. The fact you know people who care about you there helps a lot too. Coloradans and Pacific Northwesterners (in general, not me personally. I think the culture here is too unforgiving) hate people like you and would leave you dying in the street.

The Wild West mentality has hung over to the point that idleness (ie unemployment) is seen as being up there with murder as far as sins go in states like Colorado and Oregon.

[jwiley]

Wow, OP I think you are in for a world of hurt if you move here. I hate to be the one to tell you but even retail stores require college degrees here, construction you better be able to speak Spanish for most jobs. People from throughout the country seem to want to come here, even for a $12 an hour temporary job I hired for in January I had people as far away as Maine applying for online, just for the chance to come to Colorado and get a chance to establish themselves.

I have a drivers license but once upon a time I did not have a car, although my roommate allowed me to use his when he was at work or not using it. It was a nightmare.

You want to be in the marijuana field, good for you. You have to pay $130 or so for the license, and jump through all the government hoops, then you make a whole $10-11 an hour if you can get a job. Which is difficult for a guy unless you have a vast knowledge of marijuana. From my understanding they usually only hire good looking younger ladies if they have to teach them about weed.

Government support, good luck with that. Last I heard you cannot qualify for any of the social programs and homeless shelter options are limited if you are a young man with no kids.

[Mini-apple-less]

Originally Posted by jwiley

You want to be in the marijuana field, good for you. You have to pay $130 or so for the license, and jump through all the government hoops, then you make a whole $10-11 an hour if you can get a job. Which is difficult for a guy unless you have a vast knowledge of marijuana. From my understanding they usually only hire good looking younger ladies if they have to teach them about weed.

Government support, good luck with that. Last I heard you cannot qualify for any of the social programs and homeless shelter options are limited if you are a young man with no kids.

That's true about the marijuana industry. My roommates are women my age (mid-20s) and they work in the marijuana industry here in Oregon, which is now legal. If they hired guys they probably would have suggested I try working there by now. They work LONG hours and it's very tedious, they do smoke a lot and get to take some home (I imagine they have to pay, but perhaps they get a discount) but if you think they would pay you just for sitting around while others trim you're wrong.

[Good Red Road]

I've always suspected, but now I'm convinced.
When site traffic gets slow, City Data hires creative writers with fake profiles to reel us in.

Instead of "Ashley's Angels" it's "City Data's Dudes"

[convextech]

Originally Posted by Dontworryboutit

Once again I thought I mentioned that there should be no rude comments or anyone making fun of me. I was born in the 90's and got stuck in a sticky situation. Sue me over the fact that I wish to change do what I want with my life.

Sure doesn't sound like you want to change anything other than your geographical location. You are still talking about cultivating weed; being a stoner, you'll wind up smoking your profit. Exactly how is that changing your life?

[Sunderpig2]

This country tends to support people "doing what they want" as long as they are supporting themselves and are not a burden on society. Once you expect society to take care of you, all bets are off. Everyone who could support themself - but doesn't - is drag on society. And saying "I got stuck in a tricky situation" is just a feeble excuse. People since the beginning of time have gotten into troubled situations, but they correct them, learn from them, and move on.

Some states are more okay with that lazy, low-aiming approach to life, but CO is definitely not one of them. Even people who work hard and "do everything right" still often face an uphill battle here.