Is it possible for me to make it in L.A.? (Los Angeles: credit, house)

[Emilee232]

Originally Posted by theraven24

OP, it looks like you're used to Alabama prices. You will not find an apartment in Los Angeles for just four hundred dollars a month. If that was possible, I wouldn't be living with my parents right now lol. You need to expect to pay way more than what you're thinking.

Besides your cost of living, your expectations aren't far-fetched.

I don't expect to pay $ 350 - 400/month for my own apartment. I mentioned that I plan to rent a room in an apartment with other girls.

[theraven24]

Originally Posted by Emilee232

I don't expect to pay $ 350 - 400/month for my own apartment. I mentioned that I plan to rent a room in an apartment with other girls.

How many other girls? That's still pretty low for Los Angeles. When I lived in Anaheim, I was paying close to $600, and I lived with four other girls... That was Anaheim. We're talking about Los Angeles. You should expect to pay more.

[AlohaFriday]

I'm not sure what the jobs are like in LA, but I can bet that you can easily find a gig making more than 1K a moth. Especially in LA where the opportunities are far more plentiful than Alabama. Yes, your cost expectations are Alabama-esque, but your wage expectations are too.

You have retail and waitressing experience, and it seems like you're a hard worker with a great attitude. You'll be able to find a job making enough to pay the bills if you're smart about your money, which it seems like you are. You don't save $6k off Walmart and hostessing blowing money all over the place.

For an apartment, check out Craigslist. Look for shared rooms. Also check out jobs to see how much you could make. You could also try scoring a receptionist job in a medical office to experience that vibe. You might even send out some applications, just to put out feelers.

Even if you're broke at first, who cares? Once you're in town, you can get experience, make connections and work up to better paying jobs. Focus on that, and then worry about school. You might get there and not even like LA and want to try somewhere else.

If you're resourceful, you can make this happen.

[seain dublin]

Originally Posted by Emilee232

I don't expect to pay $ 350 - 400/month for my own apartment. I mentioned that I plan to rent a room in an apartment with other girls.

That's still not enough money. I posted on thread #19 some rentals I saw just by looking on Craigslist.

The cheapest one was renting a room in South Central(you don't want to live there) and that was $450.

The next one came in at $550 and you had to share a bathroom with 3 other people.

You're going to be looking at around $600 a month with a roommate in any halfway decent area.

Sorry, you're way under budget for LA.

[timtemtym]

Originally Posted by Emilee232

I don't expect to pay $ 350 - 400/month for my own apartment. I mentioned that I plan to rent a room in an apartment with other girls.

You can do 500 or so to share an apartment if you're in the valley or Long Beach to get you started. There seems to be a lot of negative posts on here and I'm guessing it's due to your age. at 18, you don't need the comforts you do at 30,40,50. So I doubt you'd be weirded out by sharing a bathroom with 3 other girls. Same as a college set up. Follow your dreams, it can be done.

[timtemtym]

Originally Posted by Emilee232

Thanks, I know my numbers may be a little low but how much should I expect to pay for a one room rental in L.A. I am thinking about possibly living in Koreatown?

I don't think I will need more than 30-40/week for food as long as I cook most of my own dishes at home.

Koreatown has great metro access. It would really be better here to ditch the car and live in a transit area like K-town or North Hollywood, you'd be by LA City College/ LA Trade-Tech and a ton of places to retail or waitress. Plus you get discounts on metro fare for buses and trains if you're a student with a valid ID.

Monthly pass is $36, that means no gas, no registration, no wear and tear, no insurance, nothing needed! That would be worth registering for a few classes at city college.
http://www.metro.net/riding/fares/collegevocational/

[LBNative]

I advise you to get your nursing license out there before you make the trip. ALL of the nursing programs out here are impacted. I'm sure it would be a lot easier and cheaper for you to spend a couple of years getting your license and coming out here looking for a job. Even with a license in hand, finding a job can be tough.

The best route to land an RN gig out here is to enter a hospital a few steps below. Become a phlebotomist. Be bad ass, be friendly, be smart and be motivated. Work your way to a full time position and then the hospital will pay a large sum of your tuition because it's a "career enhancement" move. While you are working you can be taking the pre req classes and waiting on the list for the nursing program. I personally know 5 people that have gone this route. They landed a job before anyone in their graduating class did. It's a good route. Good luck.

CA will change you... for good or for worse. I know a RN that came out here from the south. She was on the heavy side. I guess she felt out of place and then all of a sudden started working out, got skinny, got a higher position and is now smoking hot and running things. As funny as it sounds, it's a true story lol. Good luck again.

[timtemtym]

Originally Posted by LBNative

CA will change you... for good or for worse. I know a RN that came out here from the south. She was on the heavy side. I guess she felt out of place and then all of a sudden started working out, got skinny, got a higher position and is now smoking hot and running things. As funny as it sounds, it's a true story lol. Good luck again.

That cracked me up! I never felt fat until I moved here. Now I visit home (Houston) and feel pretty great about my body! When you move to California, you discover how great tasting fruits and vegetables can be and out here I find them everywhere. At work meetings, someone always brings a tray or bowl of some fruit or veggie they grew or found at a farmer's market to share with everyone. It woke me up to how much processed food we ate in Texas. Now I go home and it just doesn't taste the same.

[greggd1]

Originally Posted by LBNative

I advise you to get your nursing license out there before you make the trip. ALL of the nursing programs out here are impacted. I'm sure it would be a lot easier and cheaper for you to spend a couple of years getting your license and coming out here looking for a job. Even with a license in hand, finding a job can be tough.

The best route to land an RN gig out here is to enter a hospital a few steps below. Become a phlebotomist. Be bad ass, be friendly, be smart and be motivated. Work your way to a full time position and then the hospital will pay a large sum of your tuition because it's a "career enhancement" move. While you are working you can be taking the pre req classes and waiting on the list for the nursing program. I personally know 5 people that have gone this route. They landed a job before anyone in their graduating class did. It's a good route. Good luck.

CA will change you... for good or for worse. I know a RN that came out here from the south. She was on the heavy side. I guess she felt out of place and then all of a sudden started working out, got skinny, got a higher position and is now smoking hot and running things. As funny as it sounds, it's a true story lol. Good luck again.

Excellent Advise!

[seansean]

Skip retail, entry-level retail pays nothing here. the best money will be waitress/bartending for you. L.A. is a shallow town; If you're a good-looking girl, you'll have no problem at all. Your budget numbers are off; L.A. is very expensive. Koreatown is a good spot, you can find your own studio apt for $8-900 a month, or, get roommates etc. $400 a month for a room isn't gonna happen. the cheapest you'll find is $500 a month, and that will be for one of those "shared-bedroom, bunk-bed rooming houses" that have popped up here in the last few years. avoid these unless you like roaches, bedbugs, and random freaks doing every kind of drug.

last thing: young lady, this town is NOTHING like what you've read. an 18-year old girl, coming here solo with no backup(friends/family nearby) is a potential tragedy waiting to happen. sorry to be dramatic, but I don't think you understand how dangerous L.A. can be. think long and hard about coming out here. at the very least, come out here for a few days on a scouting trip to feel it out before making the move. Also, have a car. don't even think of trying to get by with public transportation out here, seriously..