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If you have a paid volunteer position in the works in February, why not just stick it out until February?
You really don't have much money to be able to survive and I think if you move you will end up homeless.
I also was going to suggest moving to where I live, which is Toledo, OH. It is a Rust Belt city but it VERY cheap to live in and you can go to a temp service and find a job within 24-48 hours as long as you are not a drug addict and don't have a criminal record. We also have a lot of social services programs that help people who are down on their luck or homeless or need a job. You can get a 1bd apartment in a not-so-nice area for $300-$400 a month.
Also, if you are living in Memphis, I would think Memphis is rather affordable, why not just move out of the house you are living in with family and get your own place. UPS is hiring for seasonal help and they and FedEx are always hiring package handlers. One of my nephews who is your age works for one of them and makes over $14 an hour after 3 months. People don't last though at those places because the work is hard but if you are a hard worker, you should just keep your $700 IMO, get a regular job and rent a place, either on AirbNB or just an efficiency apartment in Memphis and stay where you are.
You have very valid points, residinghere2007, and I do believe you are right, but I am still looking to move. I want to serve in NCCC for the year, but I've been spending way too much of my life in my parents' home out in the middle of the country (I live just outside a small country town, Memphis is just where I went to school), and I feel like if I don't make this move soon, I may never make it. I know I will eventually, but it's just this weird paranoia thing.
I'm not a fan of the idea of living in Memphis. It's a pretty run-down town now, and I feel like it's way too close to home. Maybe I'm just being too cynical or am just fed-up at the moment, but I'd rather move outside the sphere of influence that is my family and college friends, and see someplace new. I'm also concerned about crime in Memphis in terms of where I live and getting to work safely, but I'm guessing that's unavoidable wherever I go, and is part of the risk in moving someplace new with little to own and no support. And by no support, I mean moving away from family and friends and denying their support to some degree.
Still, I'll try to stop being angry and hard-headed and keep your suggestion to go to Memphis in mind.
Quote:
Originally Posted by residinghere2007
Will note that Toledo is probably similar, but smaller to Indianapolis in regards to affordability and job prospects. It is also colder here than Indy but we don't get as much snow due to geography usually.
I'm not all that knowledgeable about jobs in Indy, but in Toledo there are a lot of entry level production/factory type of jobs that you don't have to have much of any experience in - just need to be drug free and not be lazy. We don't have good public transportation though so if you don't have a car, that would be an issue here. There are buses but most production/factory jobs are not in the city proper and you would not be able to take a bus to many of those locations.
Here's one of the temp agencies that I know hires people on the spot Jobs in Toledo.
Most production/assembly/general labor/factor positions start at $9-$12 an hour. Which is enough to live comfortably in this area by yourself if you get a cheap place and work full time. Also, I have relatives who got temp jobs via this agency who got hired into the jobs permanently within 6 months and got a $2-$5 an hour raise by being hired in.
I would see if I can manage with a bicycle. Probably not, but I have to try. I need a vehicle to effectively work in Memphis anyways because public transportation in Memphis is also unreliable, or at least that's what I've heard.
Honestly, I'm just happy to hear that there is such a thing as getting a job within that short amount of time. It really sounds too good to be true.
Oh, you know what? I was wrong, my aunt doesn't live in Atlanta, GA, she lives in Toledo, OH. I'm trying to think of who must I have been thinking of who lives in Atlanta, but now that you mentioned it, I think I'm going to see if I can spend some time with my aunt in Toledo either before or after Christmas just to see what it's going to be like, and see if I can find some jobs there while I'm at it.
Also, I have a friend in California, but I don't want to go there because I'm pretty sure every place in the state of California is extremely expensive to live in as an outsider, and I've gotten the impression that it's impossible to get anywhere without a vehicle. I'd rather just stick to Texas, Indiana, or Iowa.
It's tempting to return to Colorado, but I remember a librarian telling me that affording a place to live is an issue that everyone is having in Colorado, and that many people, including herself, are having to work two jobs just to afford their place, and I've met a few people who do that just to afford it. Still, a few people did get lucky and find their place there. I once met a guy who works at a snow cone shop who said that he lived out of his vehicle for awhile to stay in Salida just because he liked it so much, and I know a young 20-something-year-old couple who runs a hostel there. I also met some vagabonds who say they live out in the forest or something like that who like to hang out there.
Of course, those are special cases, and I'm not looking to live out in the woods or run a hostel at the moment.
Going to your aunt's place sounds like a good plan, and if you get a job while you're there, it'll look better on your resume than a long period without work. I think something will break for you soon.
I'm from Denver--I moved to Indianapolis a year ago. I don't know about all of Colorado, but housing in Denver is ridiculously expensive. In fact, that's the reason I moved. (California is even worse.) And AFAIK, you don't get a pay bump when you move there. I wouldn't advise a bright young person to go to either place except for a vacation.
Then it's settled, I guess. I'll go visit my aunt or see if I can stay with her after Christmas before I leave for a year, and if I like Toledo or even find work while I'm there, I may stay.
Then it's settled, I guess. I'll go visit my aunt or see if I can stay with her after Christmas before I leave for a year, and if I like Toledo or even find work while I'm there, I may stay.
Good idea. You'll be away from drama and not have the stress of figuring out how to pay rent every month (you may be able to kick her a little $ while you're there too). Removing yourself from a bad situation will give you perspective on what to do next you wouldn't have had otherwise.
Honestly, if you have an aunt in Atlanta who you can get some help from- thats best- not too bad in winter, and there are jobs in Atlanta- I say thats your best bet. You can move later for your volunteer stint.
Ah, I know what I want to do now. I've got an idea that lines up with my geography degree, my interest in a career with the NFS, AND lets me do hands-on work or live with my aunt or something.
I go do NCCC for a year, come back, find work in Cincinnati or Toledo using some of the skills I picked up in NCCC, finish my degree online whilst receiving EMT training at some point, and then after I finish my degree and EMT training, either go receive some horticulture certification, or begin taking a course in Mountain Medicine.
I have this odd desire to learn all of the sudden, but I'm not sure if I will be able to pull it all off financially or time-wise.
Does anyone know what Cincinnati is like when compared to Toledo? I'm going to go over to those forms real quick and ask, but since we already mentioned Toledo and other cities in this thread, I thought I might as well mention it here.
Don't move anywhere without a job. That $700 will evaporate in about 10 minutes.
With the way the market is, most landlords won't rent unless you can prove employment. $700 won't even cover a month's rent (without utilities) in most cities.
Honestly, if you have an aunt in Atlanta who you can get some help from- thats best- not too bad in winter, and there are jobs in Atlanta- I say thats your best bet. You can move later for your volunteer stint.
Wanted to state to the OP that I saw you post in the Atlanta forum. I own property in Atlanta and I lived in Atlanta for over 15 years. There are jobs there but it is a TOUGH job market. You would better in Toledo finding a job because there are less people and less competition and Atlanta is way more expensive.
I do think you have to trade off some weather though and if you come to Toledo since you are from TN you may be put off by the cold and snow around Christmas time. But if you go to some temp agencies they will find you a job and it is very good you have a relative here who you can stay with. Honestly, if you choose somewhere else and especially if you choose Atlanta since you are young with no marketable job skills, you would be at a huge risk for homelessness and they also have very limited social service to help young people when you fall on hard times and no immediate shelters if you need a place to stay, this is not the case in Toledo.
Also, I worked in housing in Atlanta primarily and housing cost are pretty high now there unless you live out in a far out suburban community and even then, it would be hard to find anyplace to live for $500 a month.
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