Moving to San Clemente/Oceanside area, looking for advice ASAP (San Diego: fit in, apartments)

[AnnieB85]

My husband is being transferred to OC next month and will be getting a boost to 105k. Based on the cost of living calculator we would need another $30k to live similarly to how we live now so I am pretty worried. Is 105k enough to live well? I can make anything work but I'm really tired of barely scraping by. So living well is key. Like go to the zoo whenever well, not renting a yacht and buying Gucci well.

Things to consider:
Family of 3, 1 toddler. I will stay home to save on child care. It would take a while for me to get a job anyway.
We will rent for sure, preferably under $2000/mo. Need 3 rooms, hubby works from home.
We have student loan debt, dental debt (braces) and major home repair debt from selling our stupid house. We are currently able to stay out of the red on our salary here (80k), but it is definitely tight. Thanks to the repairs mostly. It wasn't always tight, we were doing fine before everything broke.
Our cars are paid off, we generally only pay cash so CC debt isn't our go to form of payment.
I haven't bought shoes in like 3 years and mine are falling apart. Obviously I've learned to go without.
I don't want to live in a gang infested area- any suggestions on decent cities within 30 minutes of San Clemente?
Is this even a good idea? I'd rather not live paycheck to paycheck. I could really use an updated shirt or two. I lost a bunch of weight so I don't fit in anything I own (boo hoo I know).

We're moving next month but can still opt out if it's just not doable. What do you guys think?

[LuvSouthOC]

San Clemente and Oceanside are not neighbors as they are separated by Camp Pendleton. San Clemente is significantly more expensive than Oceanside. You might consider posting in the San Diego section if interested in moving to that county.

[pacific2]

I would not suggest moving to SoCal if you are a family of three expecting a salary of $105,000 and are already burdened with debt. Things would only worsen.

Even if it takes many years, why not first wait until you are debt free with a nice financial safety cushion?

[AnnieB85]

LuvsouthOC: I know San Clemente and Oceanside are not neighbors. I would live anywhere between the two, assuming I can find anything under $2000

[AnnieB85]

Pacific2: I wouldn't be moving there so soon because I want to. It's a transfer. Declining it would mean no raise and possibly a strained working relationship. Like I said though, we can opt out but I would need a little more to go on. His company seems to think 105 is doable... Is it not then? We ran numbers and it still works but that's based entirely on our current budget plus added for housing. I'm concerned about expenses other than housing, since it's already budgeted (2000/mo).

[pacific2]

Originally Posted by AnnieB85

Pacific2: I wouldn't be moving there so soon because I want to. It's a transfer. Declining it would mean no raise and possibly a strained working relationship. Like I said though, we can opt out but I would need a little more to go on. His company seems to think 105 is doable... Is it not then? We ran numbers and it still works but that's based entirely on our current budget plus added for housing. I'm concerned about expenses other than housing, since it's already budgeted (2000/mo).

Ah, that certainly complicates things. In that case, I would look for an apartment in Lake Forest, Laguna Hills, or possibly Mission Viejo. Also check Laguna Niguel since, although SFRs are expensive there, apartments seem to be more reasonable.

Housing would take the biggest bite out of your income. I don't know if you live in a cold climate, but you could expect to save on utilities if you live near the coast (That includes Lake Forest, Laguna Hills and Mission Viejo) since heat is rarely needed, as is a/c( except during heat waves). Try for a first floor apt unit to escape rising heat. A location with lots of trees would be even sweeter.

Produce is cheap. You could shop at a big box store like Costco and, if you avoid most processed food items, save there. You could also save on produce by going to Grower's Direct in Aliso Viejo. They have high quality, but incredibly cheap produce.

Gasoline is expensive, but it won't be much of a factor since your husband works from home.

On the upside, there are parks everywhere and the ocean is nearby.

How could I forget? There is also plenty of sunshine and warm weather.

[AnnieB85]

Thank you! This info helps a lot. It's hard to get a reliable estimate for utilities. I know 2000/mo isn't much at all for SoCal and I definitely don't want to be in a gang or drug neighborhood (been there done that). Oceanside looks nice too and is pretty affordable but I've heard there are gang issues.

Are there many free child-friendly things to do? Things that don't require special equipment purchases like bikes and all that (we'll get to that point someday). Animal care? I've got a small dog. Hubby will drive in to the office 2-3 days a week so we don't want to be too far from San Clemente for gas reasons.

I really appreciate the advice. I either hear/read things like "you'll never make it on only 105" or "there are people who make it on 50 so you'll be fine if you live in a 1 Br apt." Neither of those things are comforting or very helpful. And the people I know who love the area and are encouraging us to go are extremely wealthy so I can't really trust their worldview- a bit out of touch if you know what I mean. Chances are we're going so I just want to know what I'm getting into and plan accordingly!

[BuckeyeAtHeart]

I don't understand. If this is a job transfer, why also mention that your husband works from home? What city is your husband's job? If it is even remotely close to Oceanside, I wouldn't even look in southern Orange County. As someone already posted, there is Camp Pendleton between Oceanside and San Clemente -- there are no other options that I know of between the two.

I have to disagree with the poster above in regards to the cities suggested. There are certain areas within Laguna Niguel and Aliso Viejo that do enjoy the ocean breezes, but those are not the areas that you are going to find a 3BR for $2000. Actually, I'm not even certain you can find a 3BR for $2000 any more in any of the cities mentioned.

It is hard to know what to suggest to you since you mentioned the debt you are under. Only you know how much of your income will need to be designated right off the top for those payments. Depending on where you are moving from, housing will be higher, gas for the cars will be higher, auto insurance will probably be higher, utilities may be higher (maybe you can provide numbers on how much water, electricity, gas your family currently uses a month and someone here could provide an idea of what that would cost here).

For sure, produce is cheap and there are a variety of places to find the best prices (Growers Direct, Wholesome Choice, Sprouts would be just a few). You will also probably save on clothing as you won't need to buy much in regards to heavier clothing (especially for your toddler).

Do some checking on rental places and we can give you a thumbs up or down in regards to the area. Once you get that big ticket item out of the way, you will have a better idea of the rest of your budget.

[pacific2]

Originally Posted by AnnieB85

Thank you! This info helps a lot. It's hard to get a reliable estimate for utilities. I know 2000/mo isn't much at all for SoCal and I definitely don't want to be in a gang or drug neighborhood (been there done that). Oceanside looks nice too and is pretty affordable but I've heard there are gang issues.

Are there many free child-friendly things to do? Things that don't require special equipment purchases like bikes and all that (we'll get to that point someday). Animal care? I've got a small dog. Hubby will drive in to the office 2-3 days a week so we don't want to be too far from San Clemente for gas reasons.

I really appreciate the advice. I either hear/read things like "you'll never make it on only 105" or "there are people who make it on 50 so you'll be fine if you live in a 1 Br apt." Neither of those things are comforting or very helpful. And the people I know who love the area and are encouraging us to go are extremely wealthy so I can't really trust their worldview- a bit out of touch if you know what I mean. Chances are we're going so I just want to know what I'm getting into and plan accordingly!

I don't see why utilities should be a problem, but maybe you could start a separate thread and ask for average monthly expenses for people who are in a similar situation: South OC apt with two adults and a young child.

South Orange County is very family-friendly with tons of either free, or very low cost activities for kids. It varies by city, but there is no law against participating in events held by neighboring cities. It just might mean paying a fee on occasion, or not having top priority when tickets and advance registration are required. BTW, South County cities are so close to one another that people regularly drive from one to another.

Animal care should not be a problem as there are plenty of vets around. There are also dog parks and reputable kennels (for when you need to travel). I know you are on a budget for the time being, but If you're ever interested in boarding your dog for the day for whatever reason, I would highly recommend PetSmart Pets Hotel in Aliso Viejo.

As far as travel is concerned, all of the cities I mentioned are in South OC, as is San Clemente, and your husband should have no trouble commuting down there.

[pacific2]

Here's something else to consider when trying to decode between Oceanside in SD and South OC cities: the Border Patrol Checkpoint.

Your husband would not drive through the checkpoint travelling south to San Clemente, but he would frequently have to stop there if going north from Oceanside to San Clemente, and the lines can be extremely long.