[Mamalion54]

I currently live in a very small Oregon coast town, rents are getting very high here and work is very seasonal (we get a lot of tourism in the summer, 3-4 months of really good money but the rest of the year we are pinching pennies) I'm tired of struggling and want to go some where new and a little more consistent year round. I am an esthetician and nail tech and Nevada is one of the state's that it would be relatively easy to transfer my licenses and just judging by craigslist there seems to be an abundance of salon and spa jobs and the rents look much cheaper than where I'm at. I am a single mom, my son is only 4, we don't need anything big or fancy, a 2 bedroom apartment or condo under 1000 a month would be perfect, is that realistic?
What areas of town are more family friendly?
Are there specific neighborhoods that are really bad that I should stay away from?
How is the public transportation in LV, is it plausible to live there without a car?
Is there a tourist season or is it pretty much year round?
Thanks in advance for anyone who takes the time to read and answer!

[LRWalker]

.The schools are some of the worst in the U.S. I would not recommend that anyone come to live here without a car. Can you imagine waiting for a bus in 110 degree summer weather with a small child?

The tourist season is 52 weeks a year. Las Vegas always has tourists.

The rent you are considering is doable but you would have to research areas.

If you would like your child to have a good education however, I would check other states.

[lvoc]

Originally Posted by LRWalker

.The schools are some of the worst in the U.S. I would not recommend that anyone come to live here without a car. Can you imagine waiting for a bus in 110 degree summer weather with a small child?

The tourist season is 52 weeks a year. Las Vegas always has tourists.

The rent you are considering is doable but you would have to research areas.

If you would like your child to have a good education however, I would check other states.

The good schools are just fine the trick is to get one at $1,000 a month. Possible but you have to work at it.

The schools are easily judged by looking at their achievement reports which are all available at the CCSD web site. There are places like the NW and SW where it will be reasonably straightforward to find a small house or townhouse for $1000 with pretty good schools. You might start out at the Equestrian in Henderson where you can get both a good school, reasonably safe apartment and maybe even walk to work.

It is possible to live without a car but quite difficult and you will swiftly find the places with good schools you need a car.

[GinaWeenie]

las vegas isnt for raising kids!

[lvoc]

Originally Posted by GinaWeenie

las vegas isnt for raising kids!

There are roughly 288,000 students whose parents are proving you wrong.

[Caltovegas]

As your child is 4 you have time to get established and then go for the top tier schools. I would think a single parent would need a car especially if babysitting might be requirement.

[BBMW]

Is it plausible to live in Vegas without a car? No.

[Mamalion54]

Thank you all! I really appreciate all the info! I'm not too concerned about the quality of the schools because I would probably not make las Vegas a permanent home for us, I was thinking a year or two just to get some money saved up and get back on my feet. And yes I do have a car I'm just trying to think of ways to cut expenses, the goal is to make more money and spend less so I can get ahead and build up my savings instead of having to dip into it every winter.
If there is anyone else out there that might know of another place that is easy to find affordable housing plus an abundance of jobs in the beauty industry I would love to hear your thoughts the only decision I've made so far is that I want to move away from where I am!

[GinaWeenie]

According to the BLS, nail technicians earned a median salary of $19,620, or approximately $9.43 per hour, in 2014. The best-paid earned about $32,100, while the lowest-paid earned less than $17,200. The top-paying metropolitan areas for this occupation include Naples, Florida; Brockton, Massachusetts; and Burlington, Vermont.

[AA702]

Originally Posted by GinaWeenie

According to the BLS, nail technicians earned a median salary of $19,620, or approximately $9.43 per hour, in 2014. The best-paid earned about $32,100, while the lowest-paid earned less than $17,200. The top-paying metropolitan areas for this occupation include Naples, Florida; Brockton, Massachusetts; and Burlington, Vermont.

I know someone who does nails for a living. If they are only doing nails then the pay isn't spectacular but they do take home a good amount of tips. But some also do other services that pay much better such as skin care etc... The person I know actually does this out of her home and she has a large client list that is very loyal to her. She does ok as far as I can tell.