[quickguide90012]

Hello everyone. I'm 25 years old and live in the New York City area. I go to casinos but pretty much its Atlantic City in New Jersey though i probably go once every 2 months or so but not much. I will be heading to Vegas later next month for the first time ever to see how it is. I have no job whatsoever and never did. I graduated college with a finance degree but have no offers whatsoever because I never bothered looking. I never had any job experience or even interned before. I have some health problems that i had to take care of the last few years so i did not really get to do much besides play poker online at my computer and go out on occasion and to casino. I still live with my parents and you people know how high rent is here in nyc. However, the rent for my family is rent controlled so it is really low compared to other people for our apartments.

I only play poker online at the moment. I have about $20000 saved in my bank account from the last few years. I spoke to a person that went to Vegas and he tells me the rent is not that high there compared to NYC. Now, i live in an area in nyc that is not so good but not real dangerous so I am pretty sure some areas in Vegas would not worry me but i would like to live in an okay area.

A person recommended me Henderson and its a good area but the problem is he said you need to drive. I don't have a car let alone a drivers license or permit. To people in the NYC area, you don't really need a car because we have the Subway and the Bus. But he told me i should be able to find places for $600 a month that is decent for 1 person. Isn't this number way to low? I would like to live in a place where its 1 bedroom, small kitchen, small bathroom and small living room. I just want a place where i can stay and sleep. I don't think i would spend much on food besides eating healthy foods like chicken breast, broccoli and eat out on occasion. I heard rent of $1000 and up were considered "balla" as some people put it. Would i be able to find apartments for $800 or so per month?

I also like to bet on sports but I'm pretty sure you guys know how hard it is to get money online into those online sportsbooks. I think the idea that i can just go to a vegas sportsbook and give them cash to place a wager is so exciting and i can even watch the game there even though the lines are -110 and you can pay less juice online but you can cash the tickets instantly after the game is over. I don't know but the idea of being in Vegas and earning my income playing online on my computer for Double or Nothings sit and go sngs... yes i know you can't make much money out of it to those people who play poker on pokerstars.... and then heading out to the casino within 25 minutes time and play live poker or go to the table games or bet sports sound so exciting. I know i can average about $1500 at online poker per month though that is not much to you guys. If i feel tired and don't want to go out, i can just play online poker just like i do right now here in NYC but i feel it would be so exciting and thrilling being by myself because i never had this experience. I really want to make a change in my life and start a new life because I'm still young and don't want to regret it later on.

Can someone here give me some advice or words of wisdom? If i don't have a car, how would bus/transportation service be? How much is it per month? Do they have unlimited rides that you can per month like in nyc? Here we pay $89/month and we can ride the subway to anywhere in nyc as many times as we like for 30 days. Someone told me there are buses but they take 30 minutes to come? But can someone estimate if i can make it or not in Vegas? I don't mind just paying every single bill i have and then have no money saved for the month because i really want to move out of my parents home and see if i can go on my own. Now if i lose most of money, i wouldn't mind because i can always head back home and then go and look for a job even though i am probably not qualified for anything even with a finance degree since i have no job experience whatsoever.

I just don't want to sound like I am going in the wrong direction. I have no GF, job or any duties that i need to take care of at the moment and feel like this is a good time. I don't care if i stay there for 2 months even and then lose my money and then say guess its time to come back home. Anyone can suggest what area in Las Vegas would be ideal for me? Would it be impossible for me to get around without a car? I won't be spending much on entertainment or clothes etc because i have a ton of clothes that i bought the last few years. Its rent, food, transportation, internet, electricity, cell phone that are the expenses that come to my mind. I just need the basics. Would $1500 be enough to pay for all these expenses? I would be going by myself because most of my friends either work full time jobs or they don't have a permanent job but they are not those type of people who like gambling etc and they also like living at home with their parents and they are same age as me. Again, i would not mind losing my entire $20,000 and then come back home.

Can someone give me some advice? I am at home everyday the year and a half or so wanting to get out and make a change in my life and try something new.

[Willy702]

Learn how to drive and get a license would be my advice. There was another woman posting here who moved here from NYC without a car and she's miserable about how slow the bus is and lack of service.

[yellowsnow]

You could move into Siegel Suites close to the strip and have a ball for a while. Under $800 a month and that includes utilities, cable, and HS internet. Cell phone would be about another $50 or so. You would be close to public transportation as well. However, I will also warn you the public transportation here is nothing like what you are used to in NYC.

[Robustus]

Hey... I currently live in Jersey City, used to live in Brooklyn, and am moving to Vegas next month (bought a house on the edge of town). I also supported myself via online poker for a few years back in the poker "boom" period (04-06). Could make a killing 4-tabling $0.5/$1.00 cash games on Party Poker back then.

Anyways, you can definitely rent a one room place in Vegas in a not-scary neighborhood for $600/mo. The cost of living compared to NYC is sick low.

I personally wouldn't be happy in Vegas without a car, though, even if I lived on/near the strip. It's not like NYC - I'd feel pretty trapped without a car. I think I've rented a car all but one of the times I visited/vacationed-in Vegas. But that's me - I like a change a of scenery every now and then.

If you had a car in Vegas, there'd be lots of cheap nice places to live that could be recommended, which would be a short drive (10-20mins) to the strip. If you want convenient strip access without a car, that limits the really cheap options, but I'm sure others will have some recommendations.

[sdreloc]

You can look at bus schedules and routes online to see where the buses go and how long it takes to go where you want to go. You will just have to plan on living very close to where you work and spend time. Limit your choices of where you live to places that are within very short walking distance to a grocery store and to buses that go directly to where you want to visit.

[lyra33]

If you are going to use public transportation consider you may be waiting outside in the 100 degree plus weather and that buses are often late due to traffic. Take a week long vacation and check it out first so you can get a better perspective and see what it is really like. I have never lived back east but it will be completely different. Also the economy is really bad here and our unemployment is at 15 percent. It's a tough time to move to Vegas.

[NickatNite]

My advice as a former NYC resident who just moved out here, and as a just turned 50 (I'm a senior citizen at the station casinos!), is not to come out here unless you have a backup plan. It sounds like you're looking for an easy route, and my life experience is that those don't work 99.9% of the time. If you do come out here then you're going to need a car unless you want to live a miserable life style.

If you're ok trying it and moving back with your folks if it doesn't work out, and you think your poker skills AND STAMINA are that good, give it a try. Successful poker to earn a living is a tough job and bad beats will test your fortitude.

Good luck with your health situation and look repeatedly before you leap. My god I sound like my parents

[jfkIII]

Las Vegas will welcome you with open arms, son. And if your parents are willing to take you back if it doesn't work out...do them a favor and let them hold a grand for your safe return, so they don't have to pay for it out of their own pockets.

[quickguide90012]

Anyone else?

[alisonkw]

The economy is horrible here, my parents moved here from the east coast a year ago and have still not been able to get jobs. Stay in NY. Locals hate New Yorkers anyway.