single mom and kid moving to TEXAS! but where in?? (Dallas: waterparks, job market)

[CClovespell]

Hi, So I'm a young single mom whos moving with her son to Texas. Im currently living in california (bay area) and have so my whole life! This is definetly will be a change for me, but thats one reason im moving, but mostly, The job market and the price of living is just terrible! Ive had no luck finding a job so far and i cant afford to live out here anymore.
SO what I really need is just some advice as far as what to expect to be different when i arrive no matter how small/ big any native californians or texans please help me out.. Im interested in one of the cities..Dallas (probably start in dallas i have a family memember there) or houston, san antonio, austin etc all the cities ..a good place as far as.. and what they have to offer..and of course most inportant where the jobs are!!!!! somewhere where is it easy to find a decent place.
which major city is the least expensive?

family friendly? or just friendly! I also want a place that is culturally/religiously and racially diverse

fun things to do and places to go with my son, he also loves the water ( im terrified of it) ill miss the beach=( a place where theres things to do!!!

good schools..? my son will be attending public school..thanks for reading/answering

[FarNorthDallas]

There are a lot of Californians in the suburbs north of Dallas - Frisco, Allen, McKinney, Little Elm. The Little Elm schools aren't as good as the others, but some of Little Elm feeds into Frisco's school district.

[TexasVines]

nowhere

if you can't afford to live where you are now then you certainly can't afford to waste time and money uprooting yourself from where you are now and moving to somewhere that you clearly know nothing about

Texas is not the land of cheap easy living filled with millions of jobs for the unskilled and unemployable in other areas

Jobs in Texas are competitive, we do not have the social welfare system that is dragging other places down in Texas which is part of why we are not quite as broke as other places (but we soon will be if the unskilled and unemployable flood here because they THINK it is cheap and easy), and Texas does not have a massive public transportation system

your best bet would be to move back in with your parents or parent or any other relative that will have you, get some job skills, get a job where you are, save your money, and then see if you can find a job somewhere you want to live BEFORE you move there

anyone that tells you different is just a fool and setting you up for further failure

do not move to Texas there is nothing here that is going to make your life any easier or better than where you are now period

[momof2dfw]

Originally Posted by TexasVines

nowhere

if you can't afford to live where you are now then you certainly can't afford to waste time and money uprooting yourself from where you are now and moving to somewhere that you clearly know nothing about

Texas is not the land of cheap easy living filled with millions of jobs for the unskilled and unemployable in other areas

Jobs in Texas are competitive, we do not have the social welfare system that is dragging other places down in Texas which is part of why we are not quite as broke as other places (but we soon will be if the unskilled and unemployable flood here because they THINK it is cheap and easy), and Texas does not have a massive public transportation system

your best bet would be to move back in with your parents or parent or any other relative that will have you, get some job skills, get a job where you are, save your money, and then see if you can find a job somewhere you want to live BEFORE you move there

anyone that tells you different is just a fool and setting you up for further failure

do not move to Texas there is nothing here that is going to make your life any easier or better than where you are now period

I agree.

Right now is NOT the time for ANYONE to move unless they have a lot of money in the bank for emergencies and those unexpecteds that do come up AND..... most importantly........ A JOB!

Now is the time to buckle up where you are and tighten things up even more. Moving costs money and if you have to move back because you wasted a little bit of savings moving half way across the country without a job........... you are going to be in even a worse position than you are now.

I love Texas but right now is NOT the time to go chasing dreams or rainbows. Remember that saying, the grass is not always greener on the other side. It is VERY TRUE right now across this country.


I have to say that when I read this post yesterday I just shook my head. A couple of weeks ago we had a thread going about this very subject how it's always a single mom looking to move here because they think they can easily get a job and it's "cheap" to live here. Someone did not believe us and it wasn't long when there were several posts by people inquiring that fit the m.o. to a "t". This is just another one. Right now Texas is in a budget crisis just like many other states. The last thing we need are MORE single parents moving here that are going to be needing assistance and even married families moving that will. All that does is drain the system even more.

[CClovespell]

okay..I appreciate everyones time ...but my question diddnt get answered.. I never said Texas was some dirt hole cheap place.. or that i was going there to apply for welfare..if that was the case i would of asked that question. or that im too stupid to find even a simple job. and figure i diddnt have money saved up... if you think my moving is a bad idea just say so. dont add some bull cause you only make yourself look stupid

[TurtleCreek80]

Where should you consider moving in Texas? Wherever you get job offers! Then, come back and we can discuss pros & cons, schools, COL, etc in those specific areas.

[Westerner92]

Originally Posted by CClovespell

if you think my moving is a bad idea just say so.

I don't think they could have made that more obvious than if they had dropped a cinder block with those words inscribed on your head.

[VonHuffenHausen]

It depends on what career field you are in. If you do something that has some job availability and you apply and get something before you move, then it would be okay.

If you move without a job and have no skills or education, you will be in the same situation in Texas as a single mother with no job or prospects.

If you can tell us what industry you are in perhaps people could suggest places that might have some jobs in your field. The market is really tight and unemployment is high and will be even higher as the economy continues to dwindle just like California.

Texas schools are nothing like California schools. If you do not have the money to live in a really nice area, the schools are bad. Other states with a decent standard of living like Texas are Georgia and Louisiana, which telling from the Texas budget deficit might be a good choice if you are blue collar.

[momof2dfw]

Originally Posted by CClovespell

okay..I appreciate everyones time ...but my question diddnt get answered.. I never said Texas was some dirt hole cheap place.. or that i was going there to apply for welfare..if that was the case i would of asked that question. or that im too stupid to find even a simple job. and figure i diddnt have money saved up... if you think my moving is a bad idea just say so. dont add some bull cause you only make yourself look stupid

1. You already mentioned you do not even have a job in California. Do you have any college? What kind of job are you going to be looking for? What skills do you have that 1000's of others already here do not possess that makes you more employable?

2. No, you didn't call it a "dirt hole cheap place" but you are insinuating that it is a lot cheaper to live here than in California. Without a job NO PLACE is "cheap". No, Texas is not "cheap" and it does cost a good deal of money to live here and if you are like everyone else wanting to live in an area w/ good schools......... those areas cost even more to live in.

3. You want to live "where the jobs are". I have to laugh at this....... sorry but my 16 year old and all of her friends have been hitting the pavement everyday after school going to all of the typical places that USED TO BE where teens worked part-time jobs. NONE of them are hiring. What they have been told most often, "we are not hiring and we have more people coming in from an older age bracket looking for jobs and can work fulltime". This past week and weekend even the area waterparks held their job fairs as did Six Flags. Typically they hire high school kids. What are they seeing and it was even mentioned on the news last night here in Dallas? They are FLOODED w/ people in their 30's and UP looking for ANY job at all and even a TON of senior citizens looking for a part time job to help make ends meet. Again, as we have all said......... the jobs here are NOT abundant. You are not going to be able and just pick up and move here and expect to find a job. GET A JOB FIRST that can support you and your family and THEN move. As I told a friend the other day with a 15 year old also looking for a job.......... when was the last time you saw a "Now Hiring" sign even in a McDonald's? WE HAVEN'T SEEN ONE IN YEARS!!!!!

Originally Posted by TurtleCreek80

Where should you consider moving in Texas? Wherever you get job offers! Then, come back and we can discuss pros & cons, schools, COL, etc in those specific areas.

Yes, find the job first and THEN come back and seek info about the area.

Originally Posted by Westerner92

I don't think they could have made that more obvious than if they had dropped a cinder block with those words inscribed on your head.

Ya think that will work

[hound 109]

Originally Posted by CClovespell

okay..I appreciate everyones time ...but my question diddnt get answered.. I never said Texas was some dirt hole cheap place.. or that i was going there to apply for welfare..if that was the case i would of asked that question. or that im too stupid to find even a simple job. and figure i diddnt have money saved up... if you think my moving is a bad idea just say so. dont add some bull cause you only make yourself look stupid

Moving is a bad idea.

Lots of smart people are getting laid off, they already live here & will have trouble finding a job.

Don't move here w/o a job.

& what's welfare?....is that something that Texans should be aware of?


hound <----looks stupid with or without adding "some bull".