Moving to Chicago for work at Chicago Ave

[brianjb]

Originally Posted by marothisu

I know many people over the age of 25 with very good records (no accidents, no speeding tickets or 1 speeding ticket) who pay that price. Even if you only paid $50/month for insurance, it's still a lot of money to park downtown everyday and insurance at that rate + gas > CTA still. Just depends on where you live, work, etc to keep a car.

I agree with you. You also have to take into account the amount it will cost to maintain a car (tires, batteries, oil changes) and the cost to buy a new or used car when it is time. I know a set of tires can easily cost $500-$600. A beater of a used car is $3K. It can add up.

[goodman3]

Originally Posted by ChiNaan

Unless you're in a high-risk category (i.e. under-25 male or poor driving record) or are paying for comprehensive on an expensive car (which I wouldn't recommend keeping in the city anyway unless you have garage parking), this is way too high of a rate for auto insurance.

I recommend shopping around online for a better deal. I pay $320 ($53/mo.) to insure my 5-year-old car, even with low-deductible comprehensive, street parking at home in the city, and a long daily commute distance for work.

All of that being said, I'd gladly sell my car if I could commute by train. That's the way to go.

Hi, I am sure many of the readers here would like to know the insurance company you are referring to where you pay $53/mo. I'd like to check myself what rate they can give me. Can you please share the name or agent? Thanks.

[goodman3]

Regarding Broadway Supermarket, I was there recently. I was not that impressed with the store probably because I have to much better Asian Markets in other cities. One thing that stood out is their meat and seafood department does not clean/dress their fish. For a store that size thats the least they should be doing especially in a big city. Their prices are also on the high side considering that Chicago is the hub of distribution for Asian goods.

The only other Asian Market I have been to in Chicago is Joong Bo located in the Avondale area (3333 N Kimball). It is mostly Korean/Japanese goods. Although quite packed with items, I would say that I prefer them over Broadway.

I am sure there are many other Asian markets in the city waiting to be visited.

[emathias]

Originally Posted by goodman3

Hi, I am sure many of the readers here would like to know the insurance company you are referring to where you pay $53/mo. I'd like to check myself what rate they can give me. Can you please share the name or agent? Thanks.

I have State Farm and the bill I just got was $258 for 6 months, or $43/month. That includes comprehensive for two 30+ year-old drivers, a homeowner's discount, and is for a 2001 Infinity I30 parked off the street in the same neighborhood the original poster will be working.

[Vlajos]

Golden Pacific Market (asian market) on Broadway north of Foster is really good.

[jgardener]

Besides the previously mentioned Broadway Market, there are several other Markets nearby.
Golden Pacific (Vlajos mentioned), Viet Hoa, Tai Nam, and Sea World Market (fish ). You could live near the Lawrence, Argyle, or Berwyn Red Line stops and be within walking distance of any of those markets. To get to work, there is a Red Line stop at Chicago ave. and State St. There is also the 147 express bus which goes from Foster and Sheridan (not far from Argyle St. area) down LSD to a stop at Chicago Ave. and Michigan ave.

Other options would be South Loop, Chinatown, or Bridgeport to shop at the stores in Chinatown. Joog Boo, the previously mentioned Korean Market, is right near the Belmont Blue Line stop and the Kennedy Expressway. You could always live near the Chicago Ave Blue Line stop, take the Chicago Bus to work (or walk down Chicago), and take the train or drive to get Groceries.

[Fieldriver]

This will sound a tiny bit silly perhaps, but if you have it all ahead of you to choose, and a decent budget (you do), I would say this: since you will be working in River North, I'd choose to live north or northwest (Bucktown, Logan Square for northwest, and I have never lived in neighborhoods that are simply north but Lakeview is certainly quite popular, especially for those who are new to Chicago). If you were going to work in the South Loop, then I would suggest living in that same neighborhood or Hyde Park. Why? Just getting through the Loop from one end of it to the other can eat up a good 15-20 minutes of your commute! I tend to bike to work, and I live in Kenwood and wish! that I could stop my ride in the South Loop.

It might be worth considering finding a share in the West Loop, and then Zip Car-ing it to the markets once every couple of weeks for the big haul and biking/bus-ing to nearby Asian stores for the day-to-day fresh items.

And if you choose Logan Square, there's a very large market at Kimball and Belmont that brings in customers from the metropolitan area.

[ChiGuy2.5]

It would be silly to keep your car just for travel to and from the grocery market. You could literally save money by ordering out Asian cuisine everyday. Cars are very expensive in Chicago. I park mine for free up in Lincoln Park but most people don't have free parking with their unit. My free parking is gonna be gone soon too.

[eating while walking]

ZXRen, I'm new to the city and no expert, so I can only tell you about my own situation which seems similar to yours.

I live in the Northwest neighborhood of Avondale, near the Blue Line Belmont Stop, and take the Blue Line to work downtown everyday. Rent is $700-900 per month for a one-bedroom, which saves me a bundle compared to my friends in Lincoln Park and Wicker Park. Street parking is free and easy up here and I do have a car, but the only time I use it is for eating out on weekends. My day to day routine does not require driving at all.

Joong Boo Korean Market has been mentioned already and I'll add my own recommendation. It is located right under the highway on Kimball within easy walking distance of the Belmont stop, so I stop there after work a lot to buy dinner ingredients.

The neighborhood seems safe to me. It's got a very working-class family feel, with kids playing soccer in the streets in the summertime. It feels about 80% Mexican, 19% Polish, and 1% everybody else. There's no nightlife to speak of except old-school Polish bars, but just a short distance southeast on Milwaukee is Logan Square which is a hipster district with lots of nightlife. Lakeview is another nightlife district that's easy to get to from Avondale; the Belmont bus gets you there in about 30 minutes most of the time, wait included.

If you work on Chicago Ave the Blue Line will get you most of the way there, but you'll have to transfer to either the Chicago Ave bus at the Chicago stop or the Lasalle Ave bus at the Clark/Lake stop.

[ChiGuy2.5]

Originally Posted by eating while walking

ZXRen, I'm new to the city and no expert, so I can only tell you about my own situation which seems similar to yours.

I live in the Northwest neighborhood of Avondale, near the Blue Line Belmont Stop, and take the Blue Line to work downtown everyday. Rent is $700-900 per month for a one-bedroom, which saves me a bundle compared to my friends in Lincoln Park and Wicker Park. Street parking is free and easy up here and I do have a car, but the only time I use it is for eating out on weekends. My day to day routine does not require driving at all.

Joong Boo Korean Market has been mentioned already and I'll add my own recommendation. It is located right under the highway on Kimball within easy walking distance of the Belmont stop, so I stop there after work a lot to buy dinner ingredients.

The neighborhood seems safe to me. It's got a very working-class family feel, with kids playing soccer in the streets in the summertime. It feels about 80% Mexican, 19% Polish, and 1% everybody else. There's no nightlife to speak of except old-school Polish bars, but just a short distance southeast on Milwaukee is Logan Square which is a hipster district with lots of nightlife. Lakeview is another nightlife district that's easy to get to from Avondale; the Belmont bus gets you there in about 30 minutes most of the time, wait included.

If you work on Chicago Ave the Blue Line will get you most of the way there, but you'll have to transfer to either the Chicago Ave bus at the Chicago stop or the Lasalle Ave bus at the Clark/Lake stop.

That seems very high for Avondale. I have seen 1bedroom apartments for rent in Lincoln Park for the higher end of that price range. I have also seen 1bedroom apartments in Wicker Park for that price (though limited). You must have one of the fancier places out there.

To the OP, you can find a 1 bedroom or at very least a studio for that price almost anywhere except River North, Gold Coast, the Loop, or Old Town.