Should I move now? Or wait? I need advice!

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I say wait. 3 grand for relocating without a job is pushing it. If you can save up more money between now and March/April, I think you'll be in a much better position. But I also hear you on not wanting to spend another day where you are presently, I'm in that situation now.

[wtfci]

Just do it. Do the math. The road hazards are overblown. You can bypass it with a metro transit pass if you want to avoid any hazard.

Some math to ponder. Rents are much lower in the winter. Available units for rent are fewer in number in the winter. Waiting to save more for warmer weather may be a net wash when the rents go up. You can find holiday seasonal work right now. People are always looking for roommates.

[Kayekaye]

If you can afford to stay and not move here just now I still have the opinion of waiting. I drove to LeSuer today on 169 South from Minneapolis. 15 car accidents all sliding around in our new snow of 1". Standstill traffic for hours. The normal one hour trip took 3 hours. Delanoe had one death from a traffic accident. Lots of traffic stacked up all over today.

Let's hope people get used to driving in snow again.

[Big George]

Originally Posted by belkbelknap

I have been wanting to move to MSP for quite some time now. I was planning on moving here January 1st 2013. But now im having concerns. Im not sure what to do.

My concerns are:

I have limited financial resources. If I move Jan 1st, Id likely have about 3,000 in cash, and 1,000 available on a credit card. This includes money needed for gasoline to drive from Arizona. This money would have to be used for rent when I find a place to stay, and food / gas while im looking for work.

I know absolutely nobody in Minnesota. I would have to find a roommate who would let me move in and pay cash for rent up front.

I do not have a job lined up in MSP, and I would have to start looking ASAP as soon as I get there. Id be willing to take anything reasonable, just something to start an income flow.

Im concerned about the winter / cold. Im not very experienced in cold weather.

On the other hand, if I stay in Arizona (where I currently live), I feel that:

Im wasting my time. Wasting more months / possibly years of my life living somewhere where I am unhappy.

Not daring to DREAM. Taking the "safe road" by staying put, which is actually the most unsafe thing I can do, giving up on my dream to move.

I wish I was a teenager / early 20's again, where I did not think about all this kinda stuff and just had the carelessness to just GO and trust that it will all work out. Im 29 now, and thinking logically and carefully has its drawbacks at times!

I would appreciate any advice or help / support. Thank you.

Do not move to Minneapolis in the dead of winter. You will regret it. It's not the people, nor the job opportunities. It's the weather. If you are not familiar with Minnesota weather, the LAST thing you want to do is move up here during the worst of it - and to do so unprepared.

Wait until Spring.

[Mplsite]

I'll just chime in that it's only 5-6 "winter" months if you didn't learn to layer properly. I've seen people here visibly chilly outside in fall/spring months that are choosing not to wear gloves,hats, and I'm betting no thermals while I'm quite warm. 40s in October might as well be winter if you refuse to dress comfortably. In January (extnding a couple weeks into late December/early February), yes, you're going to be cold, but again layer like crazy and you'll do fine and remember we like to drink up here too, so you'll likely be near a bar at the very least to warm up.

And yes, move up in Spring and go with Mpls: dense, safe urban neighborhoods abound. I moved up here with a job lined up and ended up living at the hostel for a few weeks (under $30 a day). If I had an apartment secured but no job that would've been bad: at least at the hostel despite no apartment of my own for a while I had a stream of income.

[xandrex]

Originally Posted by Kayekaye

If you can afford to stay and not move here just now I still have the opinion of waiting. I drove to LeSuer today on 169 South from Minneapolis. 15 car accidents all sliding around in our new snow of 1". Standstill traffic for hours. The normal one hour trip took 3 hours. Delanoe had one death from a traffic accident. Lots of traffic stacked up all over today.

Let's hope people get used to driving in snow again.

When was this? I drove from Minneapolis to Mankato today (and back) and neither got caught in traffic nor saw any build-ups in traffic the other direction.