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Old 08-12-2010, 10:45 AM
 
8 posts, read 49,307 times
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People have made great suggestions for living in or near Pasadena but nobody's really mentioned anything about public transit. Would it be a decent option to find someplace cheaper/better, further away, and take a train or something to work? Or is that not really an option for Pasadena? (I'm from the Midwest and I have no idea what kind of transit you guys have!)

I'll be staying one year with my unemployed wife, no kids, earning $64k with good benefits, but with $500-$1000/month in student loan debt.
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Old 08-12-2010, 11:35 AM
 
Location: South Bay
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pasadena has the gold line which goes directly to downtown LA. however, pasadena is a great place to live, i would just stay in the area. it's not a cheap city though, but if you don't mind living in a 1 br apartment with your wife, you should be able to get by. you should be able to afford $1500 or so for rent, which will give you plenty of options in the area. and if you wife can find some work, you'll be just fine.
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Old 08-12-2010, 11:56 AM
 
Location: Planet Earth
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I'm not sure he'll be able to afford $1,500/month rent if he pays $1,000/month for student loans. That might be cutting it a bit close.
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Old 08-12-2010, 12:29 PM
 
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Yes, Pasadena has pretty convenient public transportation. I'd just live in or near there. Pasadena's a great city. The public transportation is best on or near Colorado Boulevard (lots of buses, and not far from the Gold Line stations) but there are bus lines going all over the city. You could live in or by Pasadena and drive to work, or live and work in Pasadena and take the bus/train or walk to work. Assuming you have just one car (or want to cut costs and only have one car) I'd go with the public transportation option to work so that your wife will have access to the car during the day.
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Old 08-12-2010, 04:40 PM
 
Location: Bella Vista, Ark
77,772 posts, read 104,174,179 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by citric View Post
People have made great suggestions for living in or near Pasadena but nobody's really mentioned anything about public transit. Would it be a decent option to find someplace cheaper/better, further away, and take a train or something to work? Or is that not really an option for Pasadena? (I'm from the Midwest and I have no idea what kind of transit you guys have!)

I'll be staying one year with my unemployed wife, no kids, earning $64k with good benefits, but with $500-$1000/month in student loan debt.
A lot will depend on exactly where in Pasadena you will be working and where you will choose to live. Yes, you can survive without a car, but depending on where in the midwest you are now living, you might find So Ca transit a little different.

Enjoy your year in So Calif and see as much of it as you can. Of course to see the sights you will need a car or need to rent one for day long and weekend trips.
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Old 08-12-2010, 04:44 PM
 
Location: South Bay
7,226 posts, read 22,106,899 times
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Originally Posted by nmnita View Post
A lot will depend on exactly where in Pasadena you will be working and where you will choose to live. Yes, you can survive without a car, but depending on where in the midwest you are now living, you might find So Ca transit a little different.

Enjoy your year in So Calif and see as much of it as you can. Of course to see the sights you will need a car or need to rent one for day long and weekend trips.
unless he's from chicago, i'm guessing our public transit will be much better than anything he has seen in the midwest.
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Old 08-12-2010, 06:44 PM
 
10,629 posts, read 26,634,547 times
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Originally Posted by BRinSM View Post
unless he's from chicago, i'm guessing our public transit will be much better than anything he has seen in the midwest.
Yes, I agree; plus (and this was a huge benefit for this native Minnesotan) you don't have to wait for the bus or train in the cold or snow! Public transportation is also pretty cheap in LA.
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Old 08-12-2010, 08:18 PM
 
Location: Bella Vista, Ark
77,772 posts, read 104,174,179 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by BRinSM View Post
unless he's from chicago, i'm guessing our public transit will be much better than anything he has seen in the midwest.
think you are right. or maybe Mn? Most of us don't realize what a broad section of the USA is considered mid west.

Nita
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Old 08-13-2010, 08:22 AM
 
8 posts, read 49,307 times
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Thanks for the answers!

Just to clarify, I was wondering whether it would pay off--in terms of more space, cheaper rent, lower cost of living--to live somewhere dumpy and take the train in to work in Pasadena. For example, in New York, most of the younger lawyers live in Brooklyn where they can have a little more space and take the train in to work in Manhattan.

Last edited by citric; 08-13-2010 at 08:34 AM..
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Old 08-13-2010, 09:26 AM
 
Location: Bella Vista, Ark
77,772 posts, read 104,174,179 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by citric View Post
Thanks for the answers!

Just to clarify, I was wondering whether it would pay off--in terms of more space, cheaper rent, lower cost of living--to live somewhere dumpy and take the train in to work in Pasadena. For example, in New York, most of the younger lawyers live in Brooklyn where they can have a little more space and take the train in to work in Manhattan.
I think you are going to find the Los Angeles area very different from NYC.

NIta
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