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Old 06-21-2011, 05:17 PM
 
Location: Des Moines, IA
219 posts, read 624,001 times
Reputation: 80

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Heyyy everybody!! This question is going to seem off the wall but I am going to just be blunt and get right to the point: California is EXPENSIVE. Los Angeles is expensive. Gas prices, parking, food, etc. And above all, the rentals. I am NOT letting this truth discourage me from moving to CA and possibly LA, but it is something that I would like to come to terms with. How do you guys do it? I would consider myself an average renter. (I will not be looking to buy a house, BTW.) Here in Des Moines my household makes about 2,500 a month and we get by just fine. So I am assuming I am going to need to be making about twice that amount to live in LA the same way that I live here. But as I look at jobs, I see that the wages paid out there for what I do, definitely do not make up for the up in prices out there. So how does a regular middle class girl like me make it out there? Find an extra roommate? Get a second job? How do you guys get by? Let me hear your tips! You've all been awesome so far, and I really appreciate it! Any input you have would help me out a lot.
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Old 06-21-2011, 05:27 PM
 
Location: South Bay
7,226 posts, read 22,199,581 times
Reputation: 3626
i'd say the majority of the people getting by on $2500/month are just out college in entry-level positions sharing an apartment with friends, in the distant suburbs of LA commuting hours to and from work every day, or living in inner city neighborhoods with high crime and poor performing schools. i wouldn't move here with that income unless you don't mind falling into one of the categories I listed above.
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Old 06-21-2011, 05:47 PM
 
Location: Las Flores, Orange County, CA
26,329 posts, read 93,771,454 times
Reputation: 17831
Quote:
Originally Posted by TygrrEyzz View Post
So how does a regular middle class girl like me make it out there?

How do you guys get by? Let me hear your tips! You've all been awesome so far, and I really appreciate it! Any input you have would help me out a lot.

Marry a rich guy.
Moderator cut: image removed

Last edited by picmod; 01-10-2014 at 11:37 AM..
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Old 06-21-2011, 07:01 PM
 
Location: California
37,135 posts, read 42,214,810 times
Reputation: 35014
Lot's of young people double up in the bedrooms, dorm style. And I know some people share studio apartments.
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Old 06-21-2011, 07:17 PM
 
Location: Des Moines, IA
219 posts, read 624,001 times
Reputation: 80
Well I mentioned in my first post that I make 2500 a month where I live now. And I'm pretty sure I'll be making quite a bit more with the wage increases that I have researched so far. So I'm thinking I might be living more off of 4000 to 5000 a month. Would that make more of a difference?
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Old 06-21-2011, 08:14 PM
 
Location: California
37,135 posts, read 42,214,810 times
Reputation: 35014
Quote:
Originally Posted by TygrrEyzz View Post
Well I mentioned in my first post that I make 2500 a month where I live now. And I'm pretty sure I'll be making quite a bit more with the wage increases that I have researched so far. So I'm thinking I might be living more off of 4000 to 5000 a month. Would that make more of a difference?
Yes but it all depends on how much you are comfortable paying in rent. And where you are working of course.
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Old 06-21-2011, 08:26 PM
 
11,715 posts, read 40,455,391 times
Reputation: 7586
People making decent money live like poor people compared to those making the same money in Des Moines. People here also tend to spend a much higher percentage of their income on housing.
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Old 06-21-2011, 10:59 PM
 
Location: Los Angeles
5,864 posts, read 15,246,328 times
Reputation: 6767
The one thing I find shocking is the price of homes. Tiny stucco pill boxes on tiny lots for $700,000. Seattle (where I came from) homes are a little less but wages seem higher with a much healthier economy. So I wonder too, how do they do it here? Apartments are about the same. I was reading in the paper the other day the average price for a home in LA is $325K. Where? How?
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Old 06-21-2011, 11:03 PM
 
83 posts, read 156,944 times
Reputation: 140
I'd recommend staying where you are and saving your money. This tax and spend state is going bk and has the highest unemployment. The standard of living is going down and inflation is just getting started. It's going to get a lot worse before it gets better... many will end up on the street when they can't make the rent when the next wave of layoffs begin. But if you believe we're in a recovery come on down!
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Old 06-21-2011, 11:04 PM
 
Location: Los Angeles, CA
1,045 posts, read 1,978,417 times
Reputation: 690
Quote:
Originally Posted by pwright1 View Post
The one thing I find shocking is the price of homes. Tiny stucco pill boxes on tiny lots for $700,000. Seattle (where I came from) homes are a little less but wages seem higher with a much healthier economy. So I wonder too, how do they do it here? Apartments are about the same. I was reading in the paper the other day the average price for a home in LA is $325K. Where? How?
That figure was probably reported for LA COUNTY as a whole. As you know, LA County is VAST and includes high desert communities where homes are well below the median.

But you are right tiny homes in well located areas are prohibitively expensive...even with the bad local economy.
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