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I've been wondering this for a while. I've always thought that it's easier to make it in a smaller market like Oklahoma City, Texas or South Carolina rather than a large market like NYC, la, DC, etc. I feel this way because I think the competition is much tougher in thse cities(more educated people, driven people, higher costs of living, worse unemployment in a lot of cases, etc). Where is it easiest to make some money and have a good life if you didn't start out with that much and dont have that much education or experience? What do you think?
Midwestern cities are easiest. Hardest is NYC. Everyone I know that made it in NYC worked very hard. Almost no play and that would be hard considering how fun and exciting NYC is. DC too because everyone there is highly educated. I am from there and seems like everyone I meet has like 2 degrees or more!
I've been wondering this for a while. I've always thought that it's easier to make it in a smaller market like Oklahoma City, Texas or South Carolina rather than a large market like NYC, la, DC, etc. I feel this way because I think the competition is much tougher in thse cities(more educated people, driven people, higher costs of living, worse unemployment in a lot of cases, etc). Where is it easiest to make some money and have a good life if you didn't start out with that much and dont have that much education or experience? What do you think?
Are you, in other words, asking where is it easier to stack up with the average and not feel like a have not holding only a modest job and education?
I would agree with smaller market cities and cities that lean more conservative, places that are more humble overall. OKC, Tulsa, Wichita, Springfield, MO, and I'm sure a whole host of other places. Basically any place that has a large healthy and functional working class that are considered people too and not snubbed. I would stay away from huge, segregated places that are absolute bastions of white collar and trendy, and dare I say, that lean more liberal? Places where college-educated teachers and nurses or office workers will still marry non-college educated men.
Are you, in other words, asking where is it easier to stack up with the average and not feel like a have not holding only a modest job and education?
I would agree with smaller market cities and cities that lean more conservative, places that are more humble overall. OKC, Tulsa, Wichita, Springfield, MO, and I'm sure a whole host of other places. Basically any place that has a large healthy and functional working class that are considered people too and not snubbed. I would stay away from huge, segregated places that are absolute bastions of white collar and trendy, and dare I say, that lean more liberal? Places where college-educated teachers and nurses or office workers will still marry non-college educated men.
Yeah that's what I'm asking. I hear people always saying you have to go to big cities because they make more money and "people go there to make money" and all that. On the other side I've heard people say they cant make it in smaller cities because if you don't know people in those places it's very hard. So that's why I was asking this. In my mind I always thought smaller was better but I haven't experienced it so I don't know for sure.
Yeah that's what I'm asking. I hear people always saying you have to go to big cities because they make more money and "people go there to make money" and all that. On the other side I've heard people say they cant make it in smaller cities because if you don't know people in those places it's very hard. So that's why I was asking this. In my mind I always thought smaller was better but I haven't experienced it so I don't know for sure.
Smaller cities are best. If you don't have the education and competitive nature of folks who go to large cities, and don't care to make a huge salary. You'll get more for your money in smaller cities and won't be relegated to the ghetto as if you're a second-class citizen. In my city, Kansas City, you can still buy a house in the best neighborhoods in the low $100K's if you keep your eye open or condo for $60K-ish. A new(er) house in the suburbs for the same or condo for about half that price. And you can get into safe, decent neighborhoods with good schools for under $100K. With sacrafices, you can find property much cheaper. I mention real estate because that's the biggest expense most people ever face. Kansas City is middle-of-the-road, so anything bigger is going to be out for being "easy", and many smaller places will be a lot better. However, some smaller cities, like college towns, such as Lawrence, KS, can be expensive. Some cities the size of Kansas City that are growing much faster can be much more expensive as well. If you figure $100K = $700 per month in mortgage/taxes/insurance, that should give you an idea of what's affordable to you.
What sort of salary range is in your potential? That might help those who post here guide you.
Also, there's a "frugal living" forum in the "economics" section where all people talk about is getting by with less. If you need any other advice, it's worth checking out.
I've been wondering this for a while. I've always thought that it's easier to make it in a smaller market like Oklahoma City, Texas or South Carolina rather than a large market like NYC, la, DC, etc. I feel this way because I think the competition is much tougher in thse cities(more educated people, driven people, higher costs of living, worse unemployment in a lot of cases, etc). Where is it easiest to make some money and have a good life if you didn't start out with that much and dont have that much education or experience? What do you think?
That's a bit of a stereotype. DC and Boston for example have unemployment rates hovering around 5% versus the national average of 8%. In terms of competition being tougher that's another baseless comparison, as sure there are more people there competing, but there are actually many more jobs. If one thinks Oklahoma City offers as many jobs as DC or Boston and is less competitive, they're clearly delusional. Lastly the cost of living is higher in the big cities, but so are salaries. How else do you suppose people manage to live there? From my experiences those with lower self-esteem play the "big, bad, expensive city with too much competition" trump card when they feel they couldn't hack it and opt for the "safer" (in their mind) bet. Whatever works for you, but it's not the reality....even with less formal education or experience. Big cities offer more variety and more opportunity for experiences and ultimate success if one wants to work for it, always have and always will.
I never understood the whole mentality where you have to be tougher to make it in places like NYC. Having worked there in the past, it is no different than any other place I've worked. My job was just as easy there as it is where I live. My friends that live in places like NYC, Boston, DC, etc, don't have to work any harder than they did in the smaller places they came from.
Where is it easiest to make some money and have a good life if you didn't start out with that much and dont have that much education or experience?
Not that much education or experience? Then I recommend staying away from high COL cities such as the ones you mentioned.
You'll be much more successful in smaller cities and markets.
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