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Old 04-27-2013, 01:23 PM
 
19 posts, read 30,269 times
Reputation: 26

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I'm in a low-paying industry (education), and we hire a ton of entry-level, recent college grads. Those positions in our office usually start at 35-40K.

Our staff who earn this kind of salary complain endlessly about it. Not that I blame them! But, they do get by. None of them, as far as I know, have cracked under the extraordinary emotional strain of living here They do all have roommates or significant others splitting the rent, though. In fact, I really can't think of a single exception to that rule in my office.

There are lots of jobs here relative to just about everywhere else in the country. So it may be worth it for the advancement opportunities alone - if the OP can deal with having a roommate. If all she sees are dead ends in Atlanta, that's not going to magically change if she just stays there and keeps on doing what she's doing. And if she hates it here, she's young enough that picking up to leave is not going to be a big deal.

Personally, I found roommates on Craigslist once upon a time. Gosh, that was over 10 years ago (!!!) Anyway, I was kind of in the same situation as the OP. I had a low-paying job in an expensive area (Boston) and couldn't afford it on my own. They were great roommates and though I never saw myself as the "roommate type" (I'm shy and quiet and like my privacy) I don't regret having moved in with them at all. It was the right thing at the time and I even met a lot of great new people through them.

Last edited by foursixtwo; 04-27-2013 at 01:24 PM.. Reason: typo!
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Old 04-27-2013, 03:19 PM
 
Location: Springfield VA
4,036 posts, read 9,247,771 times
Reputation: 1522
I'm from Columbus GA and my first job out of college was up here. Boy was there some sticker shock! Honestly if you have a good job I say stay in GA.

With that said one can not deny the opportunities here. I got laid off on a Friday, had an interview on a Tuesday and was hired on Thursday. That type of story might not have happened in Atlanta and would never happen in my native Columbus.

If you move up here use craigslist. I've moved 5 times in the past 4 years and always used craigslist. Just go to room for rent. Also be sure to put up an ad yourself saying you're looking for a room.

Either way good luck!
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Old 04-28-2013, 06:06 PM
 
15 posts, read 22,790 times
Reputation: 13
Look at local churches in the area like McLean Bible, and see if there is a community board where other single females are looking for roommates. I moved here from Atl in 2001, but I moved in with 3 other roommates in Herndon. It is a great area, very similar to Atl. I love it here.
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Old 04-29-2013, 10:34 PM
 
4,361 posts, read 7,080,567 times
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Some practical information: If your worksite's address is McLean, it is PROBABLY actually in Tysons Corner, a very busy area with 80,000 employees, which is described here Tysons Corner, Virginia - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia . Just giving you a heads-up what to expect, traffic and environment-wise.
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Old 04-30-2013, 09:12 AM
 
1,259 posts, read 2,258,846 times
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OP I moved here from Ga several years ago and yes it was definitely sticker shock. 45k is not rolling in dough but YES you can make it here on that salary. I moved here several years ago when the economy was still doing decent and the housing market was out of control here. And I was only making 37k a year right out of college. I started with 3 other girls and we all started on the same income. Two of them lived in Nova, one in Alexandria, and the other Arlington. We all had roomates, but were still able to live decently. I traveled, went out to eat, and saved money all on that income.

It might be worth it to take a chance. The job market in Atlanta is tough right now. It can be hard to move around careerwise down there.
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Old 04-30-2013, 03:16 PM
 
31 posts, read 45,773 times
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I appreciate everyone's suggestions and advice!

I've decided to accept! I was offered 5K more, so now im looking for places to live.

Finding a roommate/affordable housing has been rough. Its hard for me to figure out how much rent I can afford.

I've set a budget of about $1200-$1300 but it seems so low. Is $1400/mo rent doable?

I've been looking in Fairfax, Centreville, Herndon, and Alexandria.
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Old 04-30-2013, 03:22 PM
 
31 posts, read 45,773 times
Reputation: 46
Quote:
Originally Posted by Missingatlanta View Post
OP I moved here from Ga several years ago and yes it was definitely sticker shock. 45k is not rolling in dough but YES you can make it here on that salary. I moved here several years ago when the economy was still doing decent and the housing market was out of control here. And I was only making 37k a year right out of college. I started with 3 other girls and we all started on the same income. Two of them lived in Nova, one in Alexandria, and the other Arlington. We all had roomates, but were still able to live decently. I traveled, went out to eat, and saved money all on that income.

It might be worth it to take a chance. The job market in Atlanta is tough right now. It can be hard to move around careerwise down there.
How did you find roommates? I've reluctantly gone the Craigslist route with no real responses.
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Old 04-30-2013, 07:02 PM
 
3,850 posts, read 4,155,400 times
Reputation: 7868
Quote:
Originally Posted by atlien2010 View Post
I appreciate everyone's suggestions and advice!

I've decided to accept! I was offered 5K more, so now im looking for places to live.

Finding a roommate/affordable housing has been rough. Its hard for me to figure out how much rent I can afford.

I've set a budget of about $1200-$1300 but it seems so low. Is $1400/mo rent doable?

I've been looking in Fairfax, Centreville, Herndon, and Alexandria.
Congratulations. In terms of your expenses, can you get your car insurance rate lowered? My jaw dropped when I read $120/month in your original post. It might be time to price-shop. Plus, that may go up in Nova. A lot of things will be more expensive and it really will be best to stick with low rent. Don't be so quick to discount Craigslist, you should be able to find a good situation there. I second what some other posters said about getting a second job. When I lived in Nova, I worked 2 jobs when my FT job paid in the $40s and $50s (which was through 2006). Even being frugal, you have a lot of expenses already, not to mention all those that living in Nova will add. Be sure to factor in commuting costs. I hope your new employer is paying relocation expenses. Good luck!
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Old 04-30-2013, 07:46 PM
 
99 posts, read 190,305 times
Reputation: 95
Woodbridge is your best bet for that salary
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Old 04-30-2013, 10:09 PM
 
1,784 posts, read 3,460,387 times
Reputation: 1295
Quote:
Originally Posted by atlien2010 View Post
I appreciate everyone's suggestions and advice!

I've decided to accept! I was offered 5K more, so now im looking for places to live.

Finding a roommate/affordable housing has been rough. Its hard for me to figure out how much rent I can afford.

I've set a budget of about $1200-$1300 but it seems so low. Is $1400/mo rent doable?

I've been looking in Fairfax, Centreville, Herndon, and Alexandria.
Where exactly is your office located? (more specific than "McLean")

This determines what your commute will be like, which will then determine the places you would want to do consider in your price range. Don't underestimate trying to minimize your commute (or finding public transit) - it can eat at both your pocketbook and your sanity.

For example, if it's in Tysons Corner, you will be able to take advantage of Metro Silver Line at the end of this year, plus a whole bunch of bus options. If it's downtown McLean, it's a different story.
And if you have to drive, having 495, 66 or 267 be your major route in will give you different experiences.
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