Living in Pleasanton is putting me in the poor house! (San Francisco: sales, apartments)

[zezt]

Originally Posted by mayorhaggar

I could see it being tight if he/she had a lot of student loans, car payments, etc, though "ran out of food" seems a bit crazy. Even if OP moved somewhere like $300 cheaper that's not a lot more breathing room. I make a hell of a lot less than 70K and I have an $850 studio and I do fine, I don't have a car and just have to not be dumb about spending money.

That's the thing, $300 isn't much breathing room, and not particularly worth if I had to deal with a bunch of roommates. And after two bad experiences (one ripped me off for $2k, the other, well lets just say some things went missing as I was moving out)

I want to downsize, and I'm looking into it but its not easy to want to live with another person after my past experiences.

[gnomatic]

You need to really look at your budget, see where you are bleeding money besides the rent. You need learn to budget properly, differentiate between wants & needs, cut back on your flexible expenses, and build up a decent amount in savings. At that income, even that over price rent in Pleasanton shouldn't be an issue.

You are going to have a hard time finding a new place when you have no money for first/last & deposit. Most room mate situations will require you to put something down upfront.

[zezt]

Originally Posted by imcurious

Why in the heck don't you want to live in SF?

It's not that I don't want to live in the city, its that it has been my experience that living in the city is just as expensive even with roommates.

Add to that, I don't know the neighborhoods outside of North Beach very well so it is hard for me to gauge where might be a good (safe, quiet, etc) place to live.

[zezt]

Originally Posted by gnomatic

You are going to have a hard time finding a new place when you have no money for first/last & deposit. Most room mate situations will require you to put something down upfront.

And that's the problem I'm facing. To move out I'd need on average about $2-3000 for an apartment or room in/around SF (from the CL postings I looked at anyway).

Some of the cheaper options might be doable when they only require $1200 or so, but I wouldn't be able to do that until after I've stopped paying my rent here.

[imcurious]

Originally Posted by zezt

It's not that I don't want to live in the city, its that it has been my experience that living in the city is just as expensive even with roommates.

Add to that, I don't know the neighborhoods outside of North Beach very well so it is hard for me to gauge where might be a good (safe, quiet, etc) place to live.

OMG: Get on the Internet and do some research. There are so many cool neighborhoods: The Avenues, Noe Valley, SOMA, Bernal Heights, Potrero Hill, Dolores Park, Hayes Valley, Cole Valley, etc., etc.

And what don't you like about North Beach???

Get out of Pleasanton, NOW! Give your notice and find a place in the City. RIGHT NOW!!!! You will shrivel up and die in Pleasanton!

[imcurious]

Start looking and don't let "what you think you need" stop you!

[zezt]

Originally Posted by imcurious

OMG: Get on the Internet and do some research. There are so many cool neighborhoods: The Avenues, Noe Valley, SOMA, Bernal Heights, Potrero Hill, Dolores Park, Hayes Valley, Cole Valley, etc., etc.

And what don't you like about North Beach???

Get out of Pleasanton, NOW! Give your notice and find a place in the City. RIGHT NOW!!!! You will shrivel up and die in Pleasanton!

I loved North Beach! Nothing better than walking 2 blocks to some stupid awesome italian food (albeit kinda expensive)! I'd move back if I could afford to do so but there is one big exception:

Primarily the car, and parking is expensive. As I travel quite a bit I couldn't really do street parking (due to having to move it).

[gnomatic]

You have to cut your flexible expenses. Get rid of the car & insurance now, you said you are not using it anyways. Save up enough for the deposit and get a place with room mates.

Look, I am not trying to criticize...but I was at a slightly lower income when I was a new grad with student loans. I never had a problem as not having enough money for food. I identified my needs from wants...and prioritized the wants. I rented a room from a nice family, no car, no cell phone while still putting away money in savings, 401k and EESP. I paid off that student loan and send my parents to a well deserved trip aboard within a year. Even after I paid off the loan, I continued similar spending habits...I paid off my brother's student loan too. 3 years later, I had more then enough to put down 20% down on the condo I bought. And I do frequent trips domestic & abroad, because I love to travel.

[Radical347]

Originally Posted by zezt

It's not that I don't want to live in the city, its that it has been my experience that living in the city is just as expensive even with roommates.

Then don't be ripped off. Pay what you agreed to & don't lend them significant $. If someone steals your stuff, report them.

The Bay Area is expensive but $70K should be at least enough to make a living. How much do you make after taxes?

[Malloric]

Originally Posted by zezt

Because someone at some point in my life sold me on the idea I needed to go to college, and to pay for that college and other associated costs of living I should get student loans.

So now I pay over $600 a month in student loans. $370 for the car I don't use, plus another $160 for insurance. Tack on rent and other bills and that leads to where I am.

I have no lavish luxuries. I have my own apartment, my own car, and not much else.

And your after-tax income is around what? $50-55k? Tacking on rent, I see about $30k thus far. Where's the other $20-25k going? Stop blaming being broke on your student loans. They amount to 10% of your income, and there's nothing much you can do about them anyway. You don't even know what you spend approximately 30-40% of your after-tax income on. I suspected that is where your financial problem lies.

Moving from one $1450 a month apartment to another ~$1400/month apartment isn't going to save you anything. In fact, it'll cost you money (deposit, first and last, moving expenses). What are you going to do to save money?
Lose the car?
Stop spending some of the ~$1,800 you don't even know what you're spending on? *hint hint*
Move into an apartment that's $1,000 a month?

$70,000 is about the least I'd chose to live in San Francisco without roommates. Even ditching the car, I don't know that you'd be any financial better of in San Francisco than you are now. Discretionary spending in S.F. can get out of control very, very rapidly, much moreso than in Pleasanton. And to be blunt, that seems to be where your biggest problems are.