How Much Should I Save to Prepare to Move to NOVA? (fit in, rent)

[VM1138]

I've posted various threads from time to time over the years, inquiring about different aspects of Northern Virginia, and it's taken me a long time to get to this point. I am not preparing to move to Virginia by the end of the year, so I'll probably be asking a more concrete answers in the coming months.

First, my reason for moving: I live in the middle of nowhere in Michigan. I (as of two months from now) hold an MA in History and a BS in History and Political Science (Comparative Politics and International Relations). I would like to find work in a history or politics-related field. As in, historical research and writing, policy advising, etc. Naturally, there is hardly any opportunity for this in Michigan. But if I don't want to work retail the rest of my life, I need to leave the state and head for the East Coast. I have a particular preference for Virginia (obviously).

Second, I hardly make any money. I work part-time retail (about to be promoted to full time lead which will make me about 11 an hour...terrible, I know. My wife will be getting a dental assisting job in about a month. We are getting our debt situation under control in order to reduce costs, so I think we should be able to start saving money this month. This is all just to point out that we won't be able to afford a townhouse/condo, etc.

Third, I don't know where I will find a job. I think I have the best odds in NOVA, but my plan is to save money, move to the cheapest (but still safe) place I can find for a few months to get my bearings and find work while working retail most likely. My wife will be a dental assistant, so that will be a much larger income than we're used to, but still not great for living in NOVA. This is all assuming I can't find a real job in NOVA while I'm in Michigan (bias towards in-state applicants), though I will still try.

So my question is this: Is there a bare minimum I will need to have saved to be able to make this plan work? I am assuming I will be able to find some retail work and she will be able to find dental assisting work, but let's say we need to survive for four or five months without decent income. People often put it in terms of 6 months salary or whatever, but considering I don't make much that's not all that helpful. I need some sort of actual number to aim for for surviving in NOVA.

Thanks again for your input!

Oh, and we don't have any kids. Just looking for a fresh start where there are better career options.

[CaliTerp07]

Originally Posted by VM1138

People often put it in terms of 6 months salary or whatever, but considering I don't make much that's not all that helpful.

It's usually "6 months living expenses". I would make a spreadsheet of what you expect rent/car insurance/grocery shopping/etc to be for a month, and multiply it by 6. Then I'd add a couple thousand dollars to cover security deposits, interview suits, unexpected costs, etc. I have no idea what moving costs would be, but i imagine that's fairly significant as well.

If you're willing to live farther out, you could probably find a 1 br place for $1000/month. Add a few hundred a month for utilities and cable/internet (since I imagine you'll need that for job hunting), a few hundred a month for groceries, a variable amount for transportation depending how far out you are, and my really rough ball park estimate would be $15k.

[oneasterisk]

Check out this member's thread on his move: http://www.city-data.com/forum/north...a-no-full.html

He created a budget that gave him an idea on what his expenses would be. Read it all the way through because he came back and updated it with items that cost more/less.

Good luck!

[Cosmic Artifact]

don't forget protection for you and your family, Bear spray in the least... it should not be too much more to factor in.

[FSBox]

A big city offers much more opportunity, I agree. The cost of living in NoVA will be tough to accept when you start, but it's possible. I would take a phased approach:

1. Get rid of as much stuff as possible, bringing your personal belongings down to clothing, and not much else. This greatly reduces the cost and simplifies the logistics of your move.
2. Interview for and find a job. When asked why you are looking for a job in VA, just say your wife/husband is changing jobs, so you are moving. You can find something retail to start with, but while you are working this part time, you can look for opportunities more inline with your experience. I do not think it would be too difficult for anyone with a master degree to find a job making $40k/yr in NoVA, even if it is in History. Intelligent, capable, and dedicated people are always in demand. Your income potential will be much higher than your wife's.
3. Find a temporary place to live for 6 months to a year. There are affordable parts around NoVA that can be a reasonable commute to a job. I would say you need at least 3 months of rent plus living expenses as a safeguard against a case where your first job doesn't work out. If you cannot find another job in 3 months, you are doing something wrong.
4. After 6 months to a year, look for new opportunities - it's okay to change jobs every 1-2 years, especially when you are rapidly expanding your capability/experience. DC area employers are used to it. Of course, the reverse side of this is that new hires are expected to be productive almost immediately within 1-2 weeks of being hired.
5. If after 6-12 months you are confident that you've established your family in this new environment, and the financials are improving, you can then look for a more permanent place to live.

[FindingZen]

Originally Posted by Cosmic Artifact

don't forget protection for you and your family, Bear spray in the least... it should not be too much more to factor in.

I've found the need for protection to be the exception rather than the rule in NOVA. Unless one is already inclined to carry, it's probably not necessary.

[LynchburgLover]

I don't know much about the community colleges in NoVa, but have you looked at adjunct teaching positions as you look around for something more permanent? There's also quite a few colleges and private schools that might have part time positions.

Good luck.

[VM1138]

Thanks for all the input! Everything has been really helpful. The community college idea is a good one, and one I was considering, at least as a temporary fix. I was thinking about applying for one around where I live now to get some experience since we still have months before we would (in prospect) move. FSBox's phased approach was also really helpful. It was sort of what I was thinking of already, but it's nice to get some confirmation and more specific detail. Everyone else was helpful too, these boards have done a lot for making me feel more confident about moving over the last months.

As far as moving, we don't have much. Everything can fit in our two cars pretty much. Luckily (in a way) our bed is worn out and old so we're holding out until we move to just buy a new one in our new town.

[Cardiff Kook]

if you don't have any family living here that you can stay with until you get work lined up, I think you are going to need at a minimum 10k. More likely 15-20k though

[Caladium]

Originally Posted by Cosmic Artifact

don't forget protection for you and your family, Bear spray in the least... it should not be too much more to factor in.

Would that be the Koala Bear Spray or the Polar Bear Spray? (If you have to choose, go for the Polar Bear--it's minty fresh.)

OK, enough with the silliness--OP has asked a real question and deserves real answers. So, here's a real answer: you're going to have a tough time, but it's doable if you're very frugal. As one asterisk pointed out others have done it and shared their experiences. Do check out that thread, it might be very helpful for you. If there's any way you can get a job for some sort of chain store in MI and then transfer to a job in the same store here, that would help, in my opinion.