So you're dead broke and you wanna move. Impossible? (San Francisco: rent, how much)

[WannaBNorCal]

Originally Posted by music7lover

Just pack up and leave. Get some roommates and job and live your life. No need to overanalyze it. You can always go back to where you came from if it doesn't work out.

Love it!!! Thanks for posting this!
Funny how we humans tend to seriously overanalyze things--then look back and go, "WTH--I made such a big deal about that, and it was so trite"
--ya know?!


(I secretly wish this post was intended for me, cuz I needed to read it right lol---thanks for giving me some hope, you make a lot of sense here)

[Think (Freedom)]

Wow I just found this thread, and have to say I am truly inspired. I too have been wanting to move out to California for some time now, but things always come up that prevent me from doing it. I have been afraid mainly because of the cost of living in CA, and I dont have a college education. I do want to go back to school, and thought about doing it where I am now, but I just cant imagine staying here much longer. Because basically being in California first is all I think about.

It may sound silly, but I long to be in California. From the moment I stepped out of the plane on my first visit there, I felt like "wow, this is where I belong". I am now 24 and now its been 4 years and I'm still dreaming and hoping to one day be there. Yet circumstances and mainly fear keep stopping me. But no more. I have decided to take the plunge. I have a couple of distant relatives near Sacramento who have been nice enough to offer me a place to stay until I can find one of my own. I am only waiting a few more months so that I can save a little more money to make the long drive from South Florida.

I wish you good luck kindafedup, and thank you for starting this thread. It really is nice to hear some positive encouragement about moving to California.

Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails.
Explore. Dream. Discover.

- Mark Twain

[kindafedup]

Originally Posted by music7lover

If you feel this way about life, just move to San Francisco now. I just came back from vacation out there. There are all types of people there and obviously alot of them do not have tons of money. Just pack up and leave. Get some roommates and job and live your life. No need to overanalyze it. You can always go back to where you came from if it doesn't work out. From how it sounds, you are not giving up alot to go out there anyhow.

How tempting!! I have thought to do that many times but chickened out after overanalyzing. hehe. Funny thing is that with all the planning that I am doing now and frustrations I'm dealing with I'll bet I WILL ultimately throw my hands up in the air and just follow your advice. lol. But so far I'm on course and I can see the prize in sight. So onward I go!

And trust me I will be posting what happens in my journey if anyone cares to read it. I cannot wait until I post a 'I'm SAFE in SF, lets meet up!!' thread. lol


dragonofillfaith, I'm glad you got some inspiration from this thread. I know I've been pumped up since reading all the responses. I think one of the first questions I asked on this site was about the cost of living. And guess what I found out -- the jobs work themselves out-- you won't be homeless. The payrates generally adjust to the cost of living. So you'll expect to earn more there than you would for a particular position in another city. Also living below your means helps you save.

IMO, I think you are supposed to follow your longing. Congrats on finally making the plunge! I bet you are feeling like I was when I first decided that this is no longer a dream it will be a reality I AM MOVING. It's a great feeling to make that kind of a powerful decision in your life. But it's also a bit scary. That's why its awesome to have & hear such positive reinforcement that it can be done.

If you have made the decision that you need to go back to school then it is time. Some people go right out of high school whether they want to or not but when you feel the real desire to go, it's your time.

I think that you feel like you can't imagine staying where you are much longer because you know that you are supposed to be in California. Whatever school you end up in California, there will be a place for you. Thats why you can't get it out of your mind because you are supposed to be there. Your soul knows what it wants and what environment will nourish it. Our souls pay more attention to our desires than sometimes we do and they keep lifelong track of it too!

Lucky you having somewhere to stay when you get there . That's one less thing you will have to worry about. You are doing the smart thing, saving money until it's time to go. Save as much money as you can while you can tolerate where you are.

oh and LOVED the Mark Twain quote.

Good luck to you too!

[kindafedup]

OMG! Talk about a sign. I was typing in a friends myspace url and accidentally typed in the wrong username by a couple numbers and I came up to a strangers page. what a shocking surprise when I read the same MARK TWAIN QUOTE as their title! No less than an HOUR after I posted my admiration of you quoting it! If that isn't a sign that I'm on the right track, I don't know what is!!

[Wisteria]

Kindafedup: OMG! Talk about a sign. I was typing in a friends myspace url and accidentally typed in the wrong username by a couple numbers and I came up to a strangers page. what a shocking surprise when I read the same MARK TWAIN QUOTE as their title! No less than an HOUR after I posted my admiration of you quoting it! If that isn't a sign that I'm on the right track, I don't know what is!!

That's called "synchronicity," and it is often a "clue" that the Universe is tapping you on the shoulder (or it has been for me in the past).

Sounds like you are on the right track! Now, get moving!!

Good luck!

[Woof]

It's best to buy a van to move with, that way you can have a mobile bedroom if you end up homeless.

[music7lover]

Yes people....If you want to move to California, just do it. Of course you will probably need roommates and will probably have to work longer hours to make ends meet, but at least you are going for that dream. And yes, you can always come back. It will cost money, but money is not everything.

I pretty much believe that if a person rents, they can live in any major city in the world. If you are healthy, have a work ethic, stay away from drugs and don't abuse alcohol, you will be fine.

[Think (Freedom)]

And trust me I will be posting what happens in my journey if anyone cares to read it. I cannot wait until I post a 'I'm SAFE in SF, lets meet up!!' thread. lol

lol definitely keep us all up to date!!

And I've also got that quote on my myspace page, just to remind myself to press onward. Glad you liked it

It's best to buy a van to move with, that way you can have a mobile bedroom if you end up homeless.

You know I thought about doing this too. I talked to someone on here that lived in a conversion van with their boyfriend until they were able to find an apartment and job. But those vans can get pretty expensive.. plus I think I'm too short to drive a van lol.

[Woof]

I have a 1995 conversion van, Dragon, that cost $3500 and maybe another $1500 to get it back into shape for the road, for a total of approximately $5000. It's worked well so far.

[WesternSkyline]

Originally Posted by Tallysmom

Time to slash and burn -- frugalista style.

You need money to get out here, you need money to rent a place, you need money to live while you find a job. You come up with a figure (pad it a little! just in case) and look at how much you have left and come up with a figure to save. So I'd go back to work for a while.

Now -- slash everything in your budget that isn't necessary. This hurts. You want cable, but ditch it. You have a land line and a cell phone -- pick one. Cut your electricity spending but turning out lights. If you have internet at home and at work -- ditch the one you're paying for. Find an internet cafe with free wifi, or hit your local library for free internet access. You can't afford to be surfing net daily on your dime. That money is for getting out of there. You want to eat out, but cook and eat in instead -- that money is for getting out of there. This doesn't mean you can't have fun -- but you fun has to be cheap too. Look for lots of ways to cut your expenses to the bare bones -- but don't be foolish about it -- don't cut health insurance.

Keep your eyes on the prize of getting out of there. You have to think that every dollar you spend is another dollar you can't use to get out here.

And the burn part? If you have to pack it and ship it -- THAT costs you money. Sell off as much as you can of the stuff that you can replace out here. Don't sell off the stuff that has meaning, then again -- don't give meaning to all your stuff. And then stuff that money away.

I bet in a few months with some big time sacrifices, you can be out here.

Love this post! Excellent advice in my humble opinion! I need to cut back, and stop this crazy spending, Thanks for such great savings ideas! MK