Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
^^ I thank you both. Im thinking I will go there, dressed for Court from the bus, find some bearby restaurant to atay at until like 12PM or 12:30 (court time is 1:30PM) and go in and do what I have to do and get back on the bus.
Though Im loosely kicking around the idea of staying. Though, as mentioned, I have no place to live etc. So... Unless there is a job I can jump right into (temp?) and live at a shelter. Though, without a car that is almost impossible.. ?
^ debating starting a new thread about that, unless there is just no way. I like to think it ia about how determined I am...
Click that link and you will see the bus station. Swing around to the right and look north on Pearl and you will see the court house right past that parking garage. They are that close.
There are a couple small eateries between the bus station and the court house. A few blocks east of the court house is Hemming Park with a place to eat and the Main library is right there to hang out in as well as a used book store with a cafe close to it.
Depending on what kind of work, you could spend your time putting in apps at the various restaurants and shops and many professional offices in the downtown area.
^^ I thank you both. Im thinking I will go there, dressed for Court from the bus, find some bearby restaurant to atay at until like 12PM or 12:30 (court time is 1:30PM) and go in and do what I have to do and get back on the bus.
Though Im loosely kicking around the idea of staying. Though, as mentioned, I have no place to live etc. So... Unless there is a job I can jump right into (temp?) and live at a shelter. Though, without a car that is almost impossible.. ?
^ debating starting a new thread about that, unless there is just no way. I like to think it ia about how determined I am...
First off, congrats on returning to Jax to solve the legal issues; this is the first step toward getting your life back in order, and I suspect that it will actually help you in the long term with finding a job, place to live, etc when landlords and employers do a background check.
As for moving to Jacksonville, I tend to agree the best move is to stay where you are until you can build up some cash reserves, and try to find a job here before moving. That said, I also know firsthand how difficult it can be to find a job when you aren't local so if your heart is set on Jacksonville, you CAN make it work no matter how difficult it may be. Keep in mind though that initially, your quality of life may not be as comfortable as it would be elsewhere with a support group. Here is the plan I would try to follow to a "T", step by step.
1) Contact some of the various homeless shelters such as I.M. Sulzbacher, City Rescue Mission, Jacksonville New Life Inn, Clara White Mission, etc. There is a comprehensive list at the following website:
2) Contact various churches, synagogues, and other religious/charitable organizations and ask for assistance. Many have programs that will help you get back on your feet. And they are also great places to meet people.
3) If you do not have a resume, make one. Invest $10 to print out as many copies as you can. If you need help with your resume and cover letter, many of the above organizations can help. If not, send me a PM and I will help you prepare one. Even if you do not have any marketable skills, you should be able to find some sort of temp work. I actually read a fascinating article about a homeless man who handed out resumes instead of asking passersby for money -- and he ended up landing a job! Think outside the box.
4) Finding a job: Lots of online resources but check out SnagAJob.com and also google "Jacksonville Temp Agency" and call around. I saw a no-experience necessary warehouse job posted that, assuming you are in good health, would be a good place to start assuming if you have no skills. It pays $8/hour. If you do have skills, all the better! Spend $10 to print out a few hundred copies of your resume and hand them out (along with a friendly smile) to everyone who will take one. I read an article about a homeless man who passed out resumes instead of panhandling for cash --- and he ended up with a a job offer. Think outside the box and be resourceful. If you don't have a resume, one of the above organizations can help. If they can't, send me a PM and I will write you a resume and cover letter to print and use.
Budgeting:
Assuming you can find a job that pays $8/hr, you're looking at $1280 per month full-time, and your employer will probably pay for benefits. Let's take $280 off the top for taxes and health insurance, most of which should be refunded every April, and other expenses, and that leaves you with $1100/month income. It's not a fortune but you can make it work. Here's how:
Rent: Go on Craigslist and search for a room share; if you don't mind two or three roommates you can find a decent, safe room for around $400/month or less. Factor in another $50 or so for your share of utilities and internet.
Food: There are a number of food banks as a short-term solution. Long term, the dollar store will be your best friend for non-perishables like toothpaste, toilet paper, deodorant, candy, etc. If you go to the grocery store, look for sales, buy-one-get-one deals, and stock up on cheap, healthy, high protein food like peanut butter, eggs, a tub of greek yogurt, beans, milk, cereal, brown rice, lentils, bananas, and frozen veggies. Let's budget $150/month for food, which is probably high, but gives you an allowance for the occasional restaurant meal or Starbucks latte. Another option would be to pay the $50 fee to join Costco and buy in bulk for more savings. Groupon is also a great way to save if you do decide to eat out once in a while, or if you want to treat a friend to lunch or dinner.
Transportation: For $50/month you can get the Star Pass from JTA that allows for unlimited bus rides. Go on Craigslist and try to find a free or cheap bike as well that you can use to get from bus stop to final destination. That said, a car is really nice to have and if you can save/scrape up $1300 to put down, there are a few car lease options for around $99/month (Honda Civic and SmartForTwo). Assume with taxes and fees the lease will end up closer to $125/month, and factor in $50/month for gas and $50/month for insurance. So to lease a reliable, maintenance free car would cost about $225/month all-in. Scour Groupon for deals on things like $15 oil changes, etc.
Phone: You will want a local (904) number. MetroPCS offers a really good deal where the flip phone is $30 after rebate and unlimited talk/text for $25/month.
Entertainment: This is where you will have to make the biggest sacrifice. My advice is to get a Netflix account for $10/month and utilize the library system for free books, movies, etc. Also, join Meetup.com to find others with similar interests and to make friends. Go to parks, the beach, etc. Using Netflix and other free resources will lessen your desire to spend excessively on entertainment. Join YouFit or PlanetFitness for $10/month ($99 upfront fee but you can sometimes get it waived) to meet people and kill a few hours getting healthy.
Charity: Give $5/week (a dollar a day) to someone else in need. Karma is a blessing and there is always someone who is in a worse spot than you are.
Miscellaneous: Factor in another $45/month on incidental costs like laundry, haircuts, razors, annual car registration etc.
Put whatever is leftover into a bank account, or better yet, open up a TD Ameritrade or TradeKing account and read all you can about investing. Invest this money in a few conservative stocks that pay dividends and reinvest those dividends. Don't worry about the short term price.Even if you're just buying one or two shares per month, it will add up in due time. And if the money is invested you are less likely to spend it.
Overall Breakdown:
Income after taxes, health insurance, etc: $1000/month
----------------------------------------
Rent, Wifi, and Utilities: $450
Food: $150
Transportation w/Gas and Insurance: $225
Cell Phone: $25
Entertainment: $25
Charity: $5
Other: $20
Savings: $100 (10% of your post-tax income, which you should always strive for as a minimum no matter what your income is)
Keep in mind you can get by with less. You can probably spend significantly less on food, for example, and you can save about $175/month if you forego a car and buy an unlimited ride monthly "STAR" bus pass from the JTA, and find a free or cheap bike on Craigslist to get you from bus stop to final destination.
Here are the initial upfront costs you might face:
$10 for 250+ copies your resume
$75 for a Driver's License; much less if you just want an ID card
$30 (after rebate) for a cell phone: see MetroPCS.com for details
$50: Costco membership -- highly recommend because it will save you a fortune over the year, but not necessary if you utilize dollar store and grocery store sales
$50-$75: Thrift store suits, ties, shirts, belt and dress shoes for your job interviews
$1300: upfront cost for a car lease if you decide to go that route
As you can see, you won't be living like a king but you'll be getting by. If you can get promoted at work, or find a better job after you have some experience, all the better. And don't forget to look into various education programs -- lots of ways to take courses at night or online (beware of scam schools though) and get grants or scholarships or loans if you decide you need more training to find a job you really want.
It'll take time and it won't always be easy, but if you are willing to suck it up for a year or three, I have no doubt you can land on your feet. Jax is relatively affordable compared to other large cities where $1000/month is impossible to live on, and there are enough decent people who care about others who will help you get to where you need to be.
Apologies for the typos and repetition above. I was writing this in pieces over the past hour and I repeated myself in a few places. Hopefully the info/advice helps if you do decide to stick around Jax! Good luck!
Apologies for the typos and repetition above. I was writing this in pieces over the past hour and I repeated myself in a few places. Hopefully the info/advice helps if you do decide to stick around Jax! Good luck!
Those numbers are very optimistic IMO. I can not see how anyone can live on $8.00/ hour and pay for rent, food, utilities, transportation, health care and all the other expenses of live like buying clothes without support from Govt or friends. You might qualify for food stamps. When you go to work everyday you are going to eat lunch out every once in awhile more than likely.
Coming to an area with no family or support is very tough. You might look into being a waiter as you can make some pretty good tip money or if you have bar tending skill a bartender would be better. That is part how I worked my way through college.
It is impossible to give advice with out knowing a lot more. If possible I would look into getting a Govt guaranteed student loan and go back to a 2 year school and in 2 year or less come out with a skill that is marketable and you can make a living wage or better. Best investment is an investment in yourself. And from reading his post he seem intelligent enough to go well in school.
Apologies for the typos and repetition above. I was writing this in pieces over the past hour and I repeated myself in a few places. Hopefully the info/advice helps if you do decide to stick around Jax! Good luck!
Good concrete advice given... as you said it is living very frugally and not a lot of "fun". Another think with the gym membership, you can shower there as well
Those numbers are very optimistic IMO. I can not see how anyone can live on $8.00/ hour and pay for rent, food, utilities, transportation, health care and all the other expenses of live like buying clothes without support from Govt or friends. You might qualify for food stamps. When you go to work everyday you are going to eat lunch out every once in awhile more than likely.
Coming to an area with no family or support is very tough. You might look into being a waiter as you can make some pretty good tip money or if you have bar tending skill a bartender would be better. That is part how I worked my way through college.
It is impossible to give advice with out knowing a lot more. If possible I would look into getting a Govt guaranteed student loan and go back to a 2 year school and in 2 year or less come out with a skill that is marketable and you can make a living wage or better. Best investment is an investment in yourself. And from reading his post he seem intelligent enough to go well in school.
I agree, RWBIL, the numbers are probably a bit optimistic. A lot of times people who work minimum wage jobs are forced to take 2nd jobs in the evenings, or weekends, to supplement an income.
That said, there are lots of stories of people who somehow do manage to live in $8/hour. It isn't easy and it is one of the many reasons why there is a big debate for raising minimum wage (but this isn't the right forum for politics).
I hope the OP figures out a plan. While it is certainly possible to live in Jax for $1000/month post-taxes, I don't know if the quality of life here will be better than where he is currently at.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
