Moving from Minnesota to Anywhere 'Down South'. Advice for a 21 y/o single male Please? (relocate, jobs)

[MNBro]

Hi!

As the title suggests, I am looking at the possibility of making a move soon, hopefully by July of 2013. Think you can help me out as far as advice, please?

I'm a 21 year old single male in preparation to leave the nest.. This will be my first move, and I want to be sure that my first move is one out of state, somewhere warm and welcoming. My sister has been saying the same thing since she was my age (She's almost 30 now), yet after 7 moves, she's STILL here in MN. With that being said, I want to be sure that my first move goes as financially smooth as possible. Speaking of finances.. I hope to save at least $5,000 from my current job as a stocker before I move. As far as education goes.. I have a highschool diploma with hopes of going to college (Am in a catch-22 so stuck with paying for college out of hand) for my bachelor's in Finance after I make my move. I am currently dating nobody nor do I plan to, until I relocate.

About me/What I'm Looking For in my Destination:

1.)Anywhere that's warm (60F+) All year around. I absolutely love hot weather
2.) I have nothing against either liberals or conservatives... I usually can get along with/tolerate anybody. This should leave open a few more options of destinations to consider
3.) Low crime area
4.) Affordable home: By home I mean room or apartments.
5.) ^ I don't own very much. I can fit all my possessions (Including bike) in my mid 90s Bonneville.
6.) Somewhere within 10 hours driving distance from the ocean.
7.) A decent amount of low-skill jobs which I could break into fairly easily as a hardworking young person.
8.) Preferably not a huge city.. I love the countryside and select suburbs
9.) I'm very, very stingy with my money.

States I'm Considering:
1.) Alabama
2.) Arizona
3.) Arkansas
4.) California (Southern)
5.) Florida
6.) Georgia
7.) Louisiana
8.) Mississippi
9.) Nevada
10.) New Mexico
11.) Oklahoma
12.) South Carolina
13.) Tennessee
14.) Texas



Any certain areas you would suggest? Also any line of work that's in those areas that I should look into? Any other general pieces of advice?


Thanks!

[cittic10]

I hate to break it to you but the only place on that list where 60 degrees or warmer year round is Key West.
I don't think there's a university there. Maybe university of margaritaville.

If what you want is to go to school, find a school you can get into and afford and that's a good school for your major. Then worry about where to move once you got that piece of paper. $5000 cash on hand might be sufficient for low cost student housing but for renting an apartment and other expenses you will have, it's just not enough. If you had a job lined up, that would be different. California... keep dreaming along with the rest of us.

You might consider studying abroad. Think Southern Hemisphere. It's cheap. It's hot.

[MrRational]

Stay in MN until after you graduate or otherwise acquire some useful and marketable skill(s).
At that point try to find someone who will hire you. Move to that job if/when that happens.

[MNBro]

Of course there would be a job lined up before I go. I've been seeing many rooms advertised at anywhere from $300-450/month. If the residence is close enough to my work then I can get rid of my car and just commute via bike, already been doing that here anyway during the summer. 12 miles each way every day. I can realistically bring my expenses down to 600-700/month, as I always run a fine comb through my finances every evening. No internet, no cable (That's what my phone's for.) Just gas, electricity, turkey sandwiches, oatmeal and water. School can wait honestly. The $5k is more a safety net.

[entourage8147]

Hey Buddy
I was born and raised in MN. I moved several years ago to North Carolina (not on your list) and LOVED IT! I think it would be a great place for you to live.

1. It is VERY hot in the summer months. Usually April to September are very warm and humid.
2. The winter's are VERY mild. I only seen snow a few times out of the year. It's not 60 everyday but MUCH warmer than MN in the winters. This last winter was beautiful and milder than most years.
3. The food is fantastic. Gotta love that southern food.
4. No joke, but the people are much friendlier than MN. I dont care what any MN native tells you.
5. Some fantastic colleges (Duke, NCSU, ext)
6. The ocean is only a 1 1/2 hour drive from either Charlotte or Raleigh.
7. It's VERY green and beautiful.
8. North Carolina has some beautiful mountains and tourist attractions.
9. Alot of younger singles
10. It's very affordable

It was a great place to live. I moved to Los Angeles recently because I'm a California guy at heart and I have some family here too. This is not a great place to move though with no plan. My advice is to check out North Carolina or even South Carolina. I guarantee you will fall in love! I miss it sometimes already. Best of luck to you guy! I'm rooting for you.

BTW - Moving away from family and friends is very difficult the first time around (especially during the holidays) but the journey is always facinating and exciting. If it doesnt work, you can always go back to MN.

[cfbs2691]

Cross Florida off your list.
You need 3X the rent just to get the keys to an apartment, and there are all kinds of deposits required that $5K wouldn't be enough for.
Additionally, it's a very expensive state to live in.
(I've been here almost 18 years and am moving out next year for this reason.)

I agree with the other poster in that you should finish school in MN and then move.

That being said, I think AZ might be your best bet.

Good luck!

[cittic10]

Originally Posted by MNBro

I can realistically bring my expenses down to 600-700/month, as I always run a fine comb through my finances every evening. No internet, no cable (That's what my phone's for.) Just gas, electricity, turkey sandwiches, oatmeal and water. School can wait honestly. The $5k is more a safety net.

Are you setting any aside for savings? Emergencies? Retirement? The health insurance we will all be required to buy 14 months from now if not provided by an employer?

Originally Posted by cfbs2691

Cross Florida off your list.
You need 3X the rent just to get the keys to an apartment, and there are all kinds of deposits required that $5K wouldn't be enough for.
Additionally, it's a very expensive state to live in.
(I've been here almost 18 years and am moving out next year for this reason.)

I agree with the other poster in that you should finish school in MN and then move.

That being said, I think AZ might be your best bet.

Good luck!

Cross off the entire state just because somone in "south florida" had to pay a deposit on their apartment? As if they don't require those anywhere else but in Florida?

There's plenty of reasons not to live in florida but the cost of living ain't one of them.

[rzzzz]

I am from MN and have lived in Tucson, AZ and currently live in Atlanta. I actually would prefer to move back to MN, so your situation is curious to me.

That said, everywhere on your list has worse job prospects than MN aside from Texas. With an interest in finance, North Carolina should probably be on your list but I admit I don't know much about it other than it is very pretty. I would not recommend moving to AZ or Georgia without a job in hand and $10K in the bank. It may sound counter intuitive since it's the most expensive on your list, but California hands down has the best community college system in the country and it is also one of the cheapest. If you get good grades at the CC level you can transfer into the UC system and by that time you will be paying in-state tuition. Also, everyone there your age shares apartments so you could find a shared place for $500. My girlfriend lives in LA and is doing just that. I don't think what she is doing would even be possible in Atlanta. If you are a stocker right now, what I would do is try to get a similar job at Trader Joes, then transfer to another Trader Joes in the state where you would like to move. They seem to be pretty good about that.

[clevergirl05]

Stay away from Beaufort, SC. I visited a friend there and discovered that areas of SC close to the coast, like Beaufort, have lots and lots of "water bugs," which is just a fancy name for large flying cockroaches. I haven't been back since.

You should consider Smyrna, GA (just outside Atlanta); San Antonio, TX; and Niceville, FL (just outside Eglin Air Force Base and near Ft Walton Beach). All 3 of those places were budget friendly, had great weather (nice and hot in the summer and most of the Fall), and the people were very friendly (we Southerners call that "Southern Hospitality").

[totsuka]

Why set yourself up for failure? Stay at home at least till you get a degree. You are not "missing anything" that won't be there in four years after you have a degree with some earning power.