Questions about Ft Lauderdale and SoFla in general? (Miami, Orlando: low income, cheap apartment)

[DavieJ89]

I have grown up most of my life in Orlando, and I have NEVER been to South Florida. My family has been in Central FL since 1995 and NEVER been to South FL

I just moved back Orlando 4 months ago from Las Vegas after spending 2 years out there. Part of me wants to continue to explore and South Florida is an option because I can transfer my job with me (Deli Clerk at Publix)

I'm a 22 year old single white guy, no kids, a reliable car thats nearly paid off, and no real major expenses

Some things I already know about South FL

-COL is MUCH higher than Orlando
-Traffic is MUCH worse
-The Latino population is slightly higher than Orlando

Could a guy like me make it in South FL on my salary (about $1150 a month take home pay but that will increase with time, $1150 is current, will be higher by next year) I'm considering attending school in South FL as well, though I'm not sure what to study

Is it also true that in South FL, if you don't know Spanish you will in a sense "not survive" In the sense that finding a job is a LOT harder, and that I would run into a language barrier with a majority of people?

What is the dating scene in South FL like? Is it like Orlando where single men outnumber single women 4-1 or are my odds better?

Anything else I should know

[2ForTheSea]

$1150 is going to be hard to get by on. If you want to live alone you're not going to really find a thing for under $650-$700 anywhere in the area let alone anything with any sort of amenities. Going the roommate route or renting a room in a house you might be able to eke it out. If you keep your expenses to an absolute minimum you might be able to go out a couple of times a month as long as you don't go too crazy. It's unfortunate that there isn't a cost of living increase for living on the southern end of the state.
That said, if you really want to live here, you'll find a way. There's always overtime or getting an additional part time job.
You're young and unencumbered so there's not a better time than now to give it a try. Good Luck!

[Nolefan34]

$1150 is below the poverty line. That won't get you by here. Its impossible to find an apartment anywhere down here that's decent for under $800 for base rent. That leaves you barely over $300 for other expenses. Car insurance alone will bankrupt you. You will also need to pay for food. I don't see how on your budget it is possible to live down here.

What line of work are you in?

[vigo]

He mentioned his job in the first post.

I can transfer my job with me (Deli Clerk at Publix)

But you're right, there's no way he can live on $1150 a month without a roommate and a cheap apartment. And by the way, the worst traffic I ever saw in Florida was in the Orlando area. I don't think it's any worse down here.

[THX 1138]

I agree with what's been stated, if you can find a room to rent for a cheap rate it may be possible, probably won't be anything nice look on Craigslist for starters, forgot owning a car and just use Mass Transit you will save plenty. If you live in the city, you won't need much but a bike if you want to ditch mass transit.

Don't worry about traffic, if you don't own a car, Miami's traffic is bad, but I4 is way worse than anything I ever experienced down here. 595 in Broward is close. You can always take the train north back to Orlando to visit family if you don't have a car.

As far as Spanish being a requirement, the further south you go in South Florida some jobs list bilingual Spanish/English required, but it's not a requirement across the board. Since you work in the Deli at Publix, it may help but they usually have staff on hand that are Latinos, so don't' worry about it. You will probably have to deal with more crabby old people who want their Boar's Head sliced thin.

[compelled to reply]

Well, if you are moving to Miami, the traffic would be on about the same level as Orlando, and it could be difficult to "get by" in a few areas without knowing Spanish, but if you are posting in the Ft. Lauderdale forum, then that isn't relevant. You will probably find traffic to flow better here than Orlando, as we have better highways and tons of alternate routes to get places. The proportion of Hispanics is very similar to Orlando, but the dynamic is very different. In Orlando you have mostly working class Puerto Ricans, and in Broward County you have mostly middle to upper middle class (sometimes affluent) South American families, with smaller numbers of Cubans and working class Central Americans. They are mixed all over the county, and don't really make up anything close to a majority of the population in any area except for western Pembroke Pines and western Miramar, which are far flung suburban communities known for gated subdivisions. Almost all speak English, therefore virtually all business is done in English. The thing is, you can't really live here unless you have at least 800 a month to spend on rent. You could maybe get by on 700, if you are willing to compromise your neighborhood, or could maybe find a room for around 600. I wouldn't do it.

[DavieJ89]

I guess this is an 'Orlando' attitude but I refuse to give up my car for public transport. I would much rather come and go according to my own schedule rather than adhere to a public 1

If I decide I love South FL THAT much and if a second PT job is what I need in order to survive that's fine. I know I won't have to work 2 jobs forever

School is an option too, financial aid would help somewhat with living expenses

[brad23]

Davie,

Yes you can. I have gone the roommate route and I actually paid $350 a month in North Miami. The further west you go, the cheaper it is. Margate, Lantana, Tamarac- you can find great 2 bedrooms there under $700 and split them with someone. You don't really have to speak spanish, though it is definitely a plus.

I'm making the opposite move (going to Orlando) but I survived the past two years on low income as well. I am a student and financial aid helps HUGELY; you can live almost solely on Finaid. I went to FIU (now UCF) and I recommend taking 12 credits wholeheartedly.

Car is the hardest thing to keep up.

So:

Find a roommate
Live somewhere reasonable and live near your work
Go to school and get financial aid
Get a second PT job or use a skill you have to hustle (maybe you're built- do some training, maybe you're smart- tutor, maybe you're tech saavy- do some graphic design or something, club promoting, whatever)



You will be perfectly fine that way. Good luck

[1908WAGY]

Originally Posted by DavieJ89

I have grown up most of my life in Orlando, and I have NEVER been to South Florida. My family has been in Central FL since 1995 and NEVER been to South FL

I just moved back Orlando 4 months ago from Las Vegas after spending 2 years out there. Part of me wants to continue to explore and South Florida is an option because I can transfer my job with me (Deli Clerk at Publix)

I'm a 22 year old single white guy, no kids, a reliable car thats nearly paid off, and no real major expenses

Some things I already know about South FL

-COL is MUCH higher than Orlando
-Traffic is MUCH worse
-The Latino population is slightly higher than Orlando

Could a guy like me make it in South FL on my salary (about $1150 a month take home pay but that will increase with time, $1150 is current, will be higher by next year) I'm considering attending school in South FL as well, though I'm not sure what to study

Is it also true that in South FL, if you don't know Spanish you will in a sense "not survive" In the sense that finding a job is a LOT harder, and that I would run into a language barrier with a majority of people?

What is the dating scene in South FL like? Is it like Orlando where single men outnumber single women 4-1 or are my odds better?

Anything else I should know

I don't know your standard of living, so I cannot comment on your salary. If you find a room mate you will be better off. In terms of the Spanish, you will survive, but you may not get the favor you may used to in other places without it. The closer to Fort Lauderdale the better for non-Spanish speaking people. South Florida is a strange place to be sure....and I'm a New Yorker

[SierraDog]

Originally Posted by Nolefan34

$1150 is below the poverty line. That won't get you by here. Its impossible to find an apartment anywhere down here that's decent for under $800 for base rent. That leaves you barely over $300 for other expenses. Car insurance alone will bankrupt you. You will also need to pay for food. I don't see how on your budget it is possible to live down here.

What line of work are you in?

I fully agree that $1150 won't allow you to live in South Florida with any kind of acceptable lifestyle (much less go on dates or have a social life). You will have to work more than one job. And keep living costs to a bare minimum.

If you can take another job (bartending, pizza delivery, server, landscape maintenance or pool maintenance, all may be options for a younger guy like you), AND get a roommate, you could make it work. Share a Costco membership and buy all your beer and ramen there

You will probably want to go ahead and get signed up for Broward College (the local Comm. College which is well-regarded), which will be the only really affordable option for higher education for working people. Ignore all the ads for the overpriced "for profit" colleges (Everest, AIU and the like). From what I hear, Broward College does have a waiting list so it may be a while before you can enroll. In the meantime, work your tail off and build up a savings.

Be careful with school loans - I'm in my 30s and still paying mine off, so ESPECIALLY be cautious about taking out school loans for living expenses. I wish I have taken out extra jobs in school instead of extra loans!

The party scene is big in South Florida, probably more so than Orlando, so you'll need to resist temptation to go out and spend $. Dating can consist of beach evenings, picnics, free movies or concerts in downtown Fort Lauderdale (I always liked a guy who had creative ideas for dates anyway, other than the typical movie-and-Cheesecake Factory standard date *yawn*)

Oh, and the traffic I have experienced in Orlando can be worse than South Fla.

Another idea is maybe considering Palm Beach County. I think the rents may be lower there, and Palm Beach Community College is likely cheaper and easier to get into than BC. Plus, there are lots of college age kids in the Boca area, with FAU there.