Advice for first time mover (San Antonio, Austin: sales, apartment complex, lease)

[canfieldmolly]

Good evening everybody!

I am planning to move to San Antonio with my boyfriend sometime in the next year, and when we go:
We are both planning on having jobs secured by then (and I have already had a few job offers), so income will not be an issue.
We are planning on renting an apartment in the Tara Vista apartment complex because we are comfortable with the community, and also because we know somebody who lives in the complex who could potentially get a recruitment bonus if we sign a lease.
We will both have cars.
We plan to take nothing but sleeping bags, pillows, blankets, and a few other personal effects.
So for those of you who have done the whole moving thing, what would you recommend for us, the newbies? We have never lived outside of our parents' homes, and are very excited about living on our own.

[majormadmax]

First of all, welcome to SA!

Secondly, is there any chance of bringing more items with you? The things you listed will make some pretty austere living conditions until you get the essentials (furniture, kitchen utensils, electronics).

Thirdly, you may think you will be making a lot of money, but once you factor in rent, insurance, food, etc. it is amazing at how fast the cash disappears! I would strongly advise that you and your boyfriend create a budget and stick to it as much as possible. You can always adjust it once you get a better idea of your expenses, but at first you need to focus on the essentials which will take a large bite out of your finances.

Lastly, this isn't personal but it needs to be asked...how solid is your relationship with your boyfriend? Are you both signing the lease, or just one of you? I ask because if God forbid things take a turn for the worse with your relationship it could get quite complicated and one of you may end up in a pretty desperate situation! For example, if only one of you signs the lease, then they have the right to evict the other if you have a falling out. It will be a stressful situation, and it is not the same as if you were married, where the law would protect you. Just think about the arrangement and make sure you are protected in case things don't work out.

I don't mean to be a downer but it is better to plan for the worst and it doesn't happen than to not plan for it and it does!

And good luck, this will be quite the adventure for the both of you and I hope it all works out!

Cheers! M2

[skeet09]

Originally Posted by majormadmax

I don't mean to be a downer but it is better to plan for the worst and it doesn't happen than to not plan for it and it does!

Prepare for the worst and hope for the best!

[NaturalizedTexan]

An advance "welcome" to both you and your boyfriend!

By all means, consider getting just a few pieces of furniture after you get here - San Antonio has a wealth of wonderful furniture resale and consignment stores, where you can find furnishings to fit every taste and budget. I'd recommend at least a bed and small table w/chairs, if nothing else.

Echoing what has already been said, live well below your means: you never know what the future may bring. In all probability, things will be wonderful - if they aren't, though, you'll have more acceptable options open to you if you haven't made financial overcommitments.

You might also consider - since both of you are new to the game - establishing a joint account just for monthly expenses, in addition to each of you having your own bank account. I did this when my ex-husband and I first married: I was very careful with my money - and he, to put it mildly, wasn't - and I could foresee major arguments about finances. So each of us deposited an equal amount to our joint account monthly - enough for rent, groceries and utilities - and the remainder of each of our pay checks went into our individual accounts, which each of us used as we chose. And if we had any money left in the joint account, we'd use it to buy furniture or something else we needed for the house. It worked exceedingly well - as a matter of fact, the only thing my Ex and I DIDN'T ever quarrel about was money!

So good luck to you - and by the way, I think you're smart to be checking all these things out beforehand. Just hope all goes perfectly for you!

[kungfuftr]

I recommend a GPS for the car. I used mine pretty religiously when I moved down here. It came in handy when searching for a wall mart, drivers license facility etc.

[NaturalizedTexan]

Yeah, either a GPS or a grid map. I was given a MAPSCO map (spiral bound) when I first moved here, and I literally carted it everywhere with me during the first year!

[majormadmax]

Having just run up to two locations in Pflugerville and Austin yesterday that I had never been to before (and since one was new, may not have been on any maps), I can attest to the brilliance of GPS nav systems. They have come a long way since the basic devices we carried in the early-to-mid 90s; and not only help you find difficult locations but also increase the efficiency of your trip.

But beware, given all the construction on 410 even the most recent GPS maps are out-of-date. You still have to watch for exit signs that may appear earlier than what the nav system is telling you...but they are still worth their weight in gold!

Cheers! M2

[J1ndo]

My meager advice:

1. Get a bed, even if it's just a mattress on the floor. One night without good sleep can be an adventure; every night without proper rest is the cornerstone of a miserable life, at least in my opinion (and experience... with a cot).
2. For your first few months, make a hobby of going to garage sales every Saturday morning. It won't take long to furnish your apartment that way. Best yet, if you decide to keep moving (whether back home or off to yet another city) you won't have to worry about moving it. You can drop it off at Goodwill and be on your carefree way (also, more darkly, you'll save yourself some custody battles over the nice stuff, should the worst come to pass).
3. If you don't already know how, learn to cook, and cook simply. You'll save yourselves a lot of money and will keep yourselves better nourished with a simple diet of staples (pasta, potatoes, or rice), vegetables and whatever meat or bean suits your tastes.

[LovingSAT]

Originally Posted by canfieldmolly

Good evening everybody!

I am planning to move to San Antonio with my boyfriend sometime in the next year, and when we go:
We are both planning on having jobs secured by then (and I have already had a few job offers), so income will not be an issue.
We are planning on renting an apartment in the Tara Vista apartment complex because we are comfortable with the community, and also because we know somebody who lives in the complex who could potentially get a recruitment bonus if we sign a lease.
We will both have cars.
We plan to take nothing but sleeping bags, pillows, blankets, and a few other personal effects.
So for those of you who have done the whole moving thing, what would you recommend for us, the newbies? We have never lived outside of our parents' homes, and are very excited about living on our own.

You will love SA but like anywhere else, be aware of your surroundings. Lock your doors. Do not walk alone in unfamiliar areas. And if it sounds too good to be true it probably is.

^^^^ And call home at least every three days! I am a mom!

[xsa210tx]

Originally Posted by J1ndo

If you don't already know how, learn to cook, and cook simply. You'll save yourselves a lot of money and will keep yourselves better nourished with a simple diet of staples (pasta, potatoes, or rice), vegetables and whatever meat or bean suits your tastes.

Agreed!

At HEB 1 pound of pasta (Anatina's) can be had at my HEB for a dollar! Yes, one dollar. It's great pasta too. It's not some cheapo kind at all. I also buy the Hill Country Fare "Three Cheeses" pasta sauce for only .92 cents.

Also, HEB always has great deals on potato-sacks. They usually have a 5 pound bag of potatoes for about $1.97. I use them to make papa ranchera tacos, baked potatoes, and french fries (to go with a Fish N Chips meal).