Before You Move to California, Be Prepared... (Merced, Laguna Niguel: real estate, apartment)

[Ingamar1960]

I used to live in So. Cal, when rent was affordable, and you could actually pay it on a low salary, i've never made over $20K/yr. and it was just getting impossible for me to stay there, rent or no, so I've moved to North Cal, Far north, Redding area, it is a lot cheaper, but not...as with the lower prices you get lower wages, less jobs, and the weather makes the utilities skyrocket, i paid more in the winter and summer in utilities than i used to in rent in So. Cal, and i feel it's about time to leave this state also, as it is no longer worth it to me to pay exorbitant prices to live...Heck i've never wanted to pay exorbitant prices, but now that they make laws so you have to pay this, and that, and everything else, i'm almost ready to go incognito...Oh well, just thought i'd ad my 2 cents for what it's worth...moving costs too...so you might think twice about things, if you can't get a really good job...

[aopoet04]

California is hardly all it's made out to be-- gunshots across from libraries, every other gas station robbed... you can't go anywhere at night, and nevermind what the schools are like. A boy at Mira Loma managed to get a gun on campus and shot himself during third period. Imagine if he had want to take someone with him!

[Ima.K]

If you are looking for good schools, be aware that past public school performance will not be accurate. The funding bubble has burst and 2009 will begin much bigger class sizes, fewer and less motivated teachers, only required classes. You might want to scout private schools, instead.

[BearLaker]

Originally Posted by Donn2390

I saw suze on Ophrey, and you are taking what she said way out of context. You can live very well on less than $100k a year in OC. It's all how you manage your money. My wife and I lived throughout our working careers in OC, with our highest combined income just over $100k. We retied as multimillionaires. We drove old cars with no payments, didn't spend money on anything unnecessary. We invested every cent we made. We probably went too much the other way, and were basically cheapskates, but it paid off in the end. We now own two paid off homes worth roughly a mill and a half, and over a million in liquid assets, so it can be done. My biggest problem in retirement is how to spend all of the money we accumulated before we pop off. and have to leave it all to the kid..!
The couple that was advised to move had no clue how to manage money. The lady was a shopaholic that bought everything she saw. they had three new expensive cars with sky payments, and a home they no way in Hell could afford. They were way upside down in their home. They lived like they made millions a year.
There are two extremes. We went all the way to one extreme, that couple went to the other extreme. I dare say our end results were much better. If you walk the line between the two of us, you will live quite nicely in OC
It doesn't matter where they live, if they continue their habits, they will remain in debt. One has to live within their means.

We like Suze too! It is very possible to live comfortably on 100K in CA BUT so many CA families fall into the trap of "keeping up". That's where they seem to over-extend their budgets...especially the ones with kids (who want EVERYTHING they see!) If you are sensible about your purchases you CAN live, (and live WELL) in CA.

[Morphous01]

Originally Posted by Axiom

I believe the correct link is California Budget Project

The OP just flipped the bp/pb



Edited to add:

I just watched yesterday's Oprah Winfrey show with Suze Orman giving advice to some folks in BIG financial trouble.

The first thing she said to family #1 (making $100,000 a year) was sell your house and get out of California NOW!

Given the fact that CA is one of the most expensive states to live in, and has one of the highest state income tax rates, along with the financial mess they've gotten themselves into; she felt in order to even attempt to dig themselves out they MUST leave CA

I would not trust the "Oprah Winfrey show" or Suze Orman to make any sound financial decision.

[Avalon08]

Well, first, this thread (and that Oprah show) was a year and a half ago, so it's kind of irrelevant now. Secondly, I don't agree that every area of SoCal is unsafe, and I do think that OC is beautiful, regardless of whether it's over-populated or not. That said, as soon as I came back to PA, the first thing I noticed was the green wide-open spaces -- didn't realize how much you miss that when there is hardly any open space and what's there is brown. But then again, in PA I missed the hills, ocean and even a view of the mountains on a clear day.

Regarding the comment about not taking financial advice from the TV -- boy, do I second that! Back in August, my "gut" told me to move my 401K out of stocks -- it had already lost $20K. But noooo, all the "experts" were saying not to panic, and certainly not to make a move based on emotion. So I listened to them, and you know what? Since that time, it's lost almost $100K more. I may not be a financial guru, but sometimes it's all about gut instinct.

[nmnita]

Originally Posted by Morphous01

I would not trust the "Oprah Winfrey show" or Suze Orman to make any sound financial decision.

agree with you, I may not like Ca anymore, I hate what is happening to our money right now, but what is said by anyone on Oprah's show, would certainly not faze me.

Nita

[Donn2390]

I never watch Oprah, not my kind of show, but I do watch Suze, and I agree no one should make financial decsions based on what you hear there, but it is a good guideline, and you can mix it with all of your other sources of advice to make decisions. There is no perfect answer for everyone, or we'd all be rich and happy...!

[Morphous01]

Originally Posted by Humanoid

Sure, but being good at ones finance often means crunching the numbers and not using your emotions. Making financial decisions from an emotional perspective will more often than not get you in trouble.

Anyhow, owning is tied to one's social status and that is why its such a big deal to people here.

You are sure despising some good advice Human. As far as a home; this American dream seems more then a dream to me as i feel the pressure to "own a home." It's funny, everybody seems to be playing a kind of musical chairs to "buy a home."

I will admit tho, if there is one thing about a home that I do like it would be the fact that I'm not throwing money away. Renting property just sucks as you never get that money back via the appreciation of your property or see the money go to good use via passing the home down to your children in a will.

[Huckleberry3911948]

since unlimited compulsive spending is a family tradition here, there is never enough income to raise a family, ever. god of the home, harmony at absolutely any cost.