Young man moving to Bay Area (in need of guidance). (school, college)

[2sleepy]

I think Chick-fil-a pays around $8.50 an hour to start, your net weekly pay would be around $280. BART fare San Leandro to Fremont is $3.70 a day. I looked on Craigslist and there are rooms for rent in San Leandro for around $650-$750 a month. Paying for BART and your room will leave you with around $300-$400 a month. You will need to pay for food, laundry, incidentals, health insurance, transportation outside of your commute and everything else you need with that..And that is assuming that your job even gives you 40 hours a week, in fast food 25-30 hours a week is far more typical.

I just think it's an awful idea, please stay where you are and go to college or trade school.

[bmw335xi]

Originally Posted by 2sleepy

I think Chick-fil-a pays around $8.50 an hour to start, your net weekly pay would be around $280. BART fare San Leandro to Fremont is $3.70 a day. I looked on Craigslist and there are rooms for rent in San Leandro for around $650-$750 a month. Paying for BART and your room will leave you with around $300-$400 a month. You will need to pay for food, laundry, incidentals, health insurance, transportation outside of your commute and everything else you need with that..And that is assuming that your job even gives you 40 hours a week, in fast food 25-30 hours a week is far more typical.

I just think it's an awful idea, please stay where you are and go to college or trade school.

Great post!

[Mrdogs]

Why not try? You move, you survive, if not find better job, if not move back. Better to try and fail when you are young and can rebound.

[Ruth4Truth]

Originally Posted by Mrdogs

Why not try? You move, you survive, if not find better job, if not move back. Better to try and fail when you are young and can rebound.

Move back on what money? Hitch-hike back across the country? Then pay first month's rent back home with what money? Or move back in with parents until money for rent is saved up?

Doesn't sound like a plan to me.

[jade408]

Move to a bigger city in the south. Chickfila pays well for fast food, but here in the bay area even the managers probably qualify for subsidized housing.

If you must do it, live in Fremont, kedep in mind you will be poor. And get comfortable riding a bike in the suburbs in all weather. Mind rain in the winter, sunny and 90s in the summer. It'll take you a few months to save enough for a night in the city.

You will live paycheck to paycheck and not be able to save. 75% of your take home pay will go to housing. Do the math to figure out the rest. You'll likely need food stamps.

It is not a good move honestly. Housing costs are about 3-4x those in Chapel Hill for lower quality of life. You'll likely make 20% more only.

Fremont has no transit to get you to things like the grocery store and so on in a timely manner and is not walkbale. BART does not have discounts or monthly passes.

[Mrdogs]

Originally Posted by Ruth4Truth

Move back on what money? Hitch-hike back across the country? Then pay first month's rent back home with what money? Or move back in with parents until money for rent is saved up?

Doesn't sound like a plan to me.

Valid points. Hold back enough for bus ticket maybe

[justinbro2002]

Originally Posted by 08grad

Whoa Fremont got a chick fil a?!?!?

yes and they are building another one in pacific commons. I don't know what Fremont needs with two.

[justinbro2002]

op you will have a very hard time coming here on your own knowing no one and not having family or friends to live with. Fremont is fairly expensive a room is probably gonna set you back $700 to $850 on the cheaper side. I know you want to move to California because you think it is exciting here but the streets aren't paved with gold (unless you get hired at a major tech company like Facebook or google) making minimum wage is going to be a miserable existence. Are you gay or have an aversion to living a gay lifestyle because maybe you could find an older chicken hawk to take care of you.

[mysticaltyger]

Originally Posted by bmw335xi

Honestly, you won't be able to make a living working at Chick-Fil-A. Chapel Hill or Charlotte is a much better environment for you. You will end up living in a ghetto in Oakland and hate your life because you can't afford any of the fun stuff the Bay Area has to offer. You will see the other side of the Bay Area that is depressing. I would work where you are now, build your savings, get work experience and then move here when you can actually land a real job. I honestly can't give you the answers to your questions in good-faith because I really don't want to have any responsibility for you moving here. Your life I think will be quite miserable considering working at fast food and only having $1,500 in the bank.

I second this.

The only thing I'll say is if you insist on moving here, rent a room in a house within walking/biking distance of where you work. This is all you can afford. Survival mode and not much else.

[Ceece]

You don't want to commute for a CFA job. If you can't live in Fremont and walk to work AND live for free with someone you can't swing this.