Need advice again... Sac or Phx? (Phoenix, Tempe: fit in, lease, credit card)
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Well here I am again. I've posted here before asking for advice on the Phoenix area and got plenty of great and helpful responses. I visited Phoenix last September and while I didnt love it, I thought it was a decent place, and could possibly live there for a while.
I am a pet groomer, (though I am not currently doing that), and can make about 32-35k doing so. I'm single, have no kids, no car payments, and no credit card debt. Only 2 small dogs.
I currently live in South Florida, where I am stuck until April because of my lease. My mom and stepdad have actually considered making the move with me to Phoenix, for various reasons. I had planned on going back to school and living in Phoenix for a couple of years while I get a degree of some sort, and then eventually move to California, which is where I really want to be.
Now, as I just said, I want to move to California. And the main reason why I even considered moving to Arizona was because of its closeness to the California coast. I know I wouldnt be able to make weekly visits, but 2-3 times a year would be sufficient until I'd be done with school.
And then I came across Sacramento. While not the most desirable area in California, its fairly affordable by California standards. And also close enough to the coast, and to a major city. But my main problem here is that I have not visited. I've read and researched plenty, but I know theres nothing like visiting a place and seeing it for yourself. But I do not have the time or the finances to make a trip to Sacramento before April, so if I did choose Sac, I'd be making this decision blindly. But it doesnt really scare me, I'd be staying with relatives until I find a place, and etc. And if I dont feel like I fit in, then I'd just go back to Phoenix. I have relatives in both cities, who are both willing to help me temporarily with housing and etc.
I'm not a partier, I'm not looking for wild and crazy night life, I can have that where I'm at now. I am looking for something fairly affordable while I go back to school, and both of these cities seem to have that. Except that one is actually in the state where I want to live. I just know for a fact that I want to move to the West.
But I am torn between the 2. I'm not sure which one would be 'better' for me so to speak. And while I know that the decision is ultimately in my hands, I'd like everyones opinions. I love that Sac is relatively close to the coast, as well as San Francisco. I love the hustle and bustle of big cities, and Phoenix didnt give me that big city feeling. But if my parents do acually decide to move with me, then I'm mostly likely going to go stay in Phoenix, because I would probably go back to living with them while in school. But if they dont, I still need to decide what to do, before April comes along (which is again, when my lease is up). As far as cost of living, schooling, and job opportunities, which one would be the wiser choice, whether its by myself or not?
If California is your true love, I would move to Sacramento. It's only two hours from San Francisco-- can't beat that! And two hours the other way from some beautiful snowcapped peaks in the Sierras, with world class skiing and Lake Tahoe! Phoenix has nothing like that within two hours; the Mogollon Rim is nice, but it doesn't compare to the Sierra Nevada. True, Sac is not the most exciting town, but then again, neither is Phoenix. If you're thinking about going to college in California, you need to move there ASAP so you can start establishing in-state tuition. I'm not saying Phoenix is a horrible place, it's not, but only move there if you love Arizona. If you love California, move to California, otherwise you'll turn into one of the thousands of wanna-be Californians here.
You need to be in the state you think you will be happiest in. We left the Sac area for AZ 4 years ago and have not looked back. I did not like anything about Sacramento except the airport. The city is gummy, congested and the homes are very expensive. The oldtown section is dismal, peppered with cheesy stores and homeless along the riverbanks. Go and visit before you make a final decision. The income you mentioned would not get you very far in CA, so after school is a good idea.
In theory, Sacramento makes a lot of sense. In reality it doesn't. Sacramento is a lot smaller and feels smaller than Phoenix. San Francisco is about 3-4 hours from SF when you account for traffic. And you won't find many times in which there isn't traffic. So how often are you really going to go to the city of SF? Also, northern California doesn't have the nice beaches and water like southern California. I know a lot of people in northern California that have never been to beach or swam in the ocean. They go to Napa and the other wineries but you don't really experience SF living in Sacramento. I know quite a few people in Sacramento and they go to Lake Tahoe more than SF because it's far away. If you just want to live in California and are into the outdoors, I think Sacramento is a much better choice than Phoenix. But if you like the ocean and the style of living associated with the Southern California, I would move to Phoenix. Remember that Phoenix is a lot closer to LA and San Diego than even SF let alone Sacramento. That's something to think about.
vegaspilgrim: Right, what you mentioned is what I really like about the Sacramento area. Especially being so much closer to the coast. I am a native Floridian and have had beaches around me all my life. I lived in Atlanta for a few years and HATED it, and one of the reasons why was because the beaches were so far away. Driving 5-6 hours is just not something you can do so often.
MotleyCrew: I know theres really nothing special about Sacramento. I just like that its a way of getting a foot in the door to California so to speak. And I'm not looking to buy a house. I just need a decent place/area to rent. Its just me, so a studio or small 1 bedroom will do. The prices in both Phoenix and Sacramento have looked pretty much the same in the areas I've looked into (Midtown, Carmichael & Gilbert, Tempe). And again, my salary is not high, but its just me. And I have zero debt. I have to be able to afford at least 700-800 a month in either city.
I do plan on going back to school like I said, but I'm not going to do it where I'm at now. I've read on this board from several posters that college in California is extremely affordable when youre a CA resident. Is the same true for AZ, does anyone know?
Thank you both for your input, truly appreciated
edit--
sweettearose: I have taken traffic into consideration in the travelling. And I've also seen that the Amtrak runs from Sac to SF in about 2 1/2 hours. I dont know how reliable or good of an idea that would be. But I thought thats how I'd get to SF, not driving. I imagine SF like NYC, driving a car would be hell. About the beaches, I think beaches in CA in general are horrible and cold, and dont come close to the water we have in South Florida, but thats something that I'll get used to, because while I may not like the beach, I love other things about California that I cant find or do here. But thanks for your input. I like the reality that you brought
College in California is extremely affordable just like Arizona. I know a lot of people bring up public schools like UCLA, UCSD, and Berkely but those are not schools you can just enroll in. They are extremely competitive and unless you went to high school in California and did extremely well (4.0 well), you won't be attending those schools. There are a lot of ordinary public universities that are about the size of community colleges in Arizona and not nearly as nice. I know a lot of people from California that move to Arizona just to go to ASU or U of A. They couldn't get into any of the big 3 schools in their state and they wanted to get the education of a major public Pac 10 school with all it's resources that was less competitive. There are other nice public unversities in Califormia like UC Irvine, UC Santa Barbara but those are competitive too.
I wasnt really looking for that type of University, I was thinking more along the lines of a community college.. not Berkely or anything. Just something affordable, I dont want a 30k debt in loans and all that.
I can't really comment on your move, but I will say that if you do have loans for college, make sure you don't go with private student loans. They can adjust those interest rates on you, and they usually start out higher than stafford loans.
Keep one thing in mind though, with all things being equal a degree is still worth working and paying for, as long as you are really pursuing a degree in a profession that you want to work in.
I'm going to finish up my Bachelors in Computer Information Systems this year, and then I'm going to get a Masters in Computer Security. I look at the $50,000+ expense for my degrees, and I think it's a lot, but when I compare it to my potentinal earning power that $50k is nothing.
If your still trying to "find yourself" I suggest a community college, since the expenses are low, but if you have truly figured your educational plan out, then go for school full force.
In theory, Sacramento makes a lot of sense. In reality it doesn't. Sacramento is a lot smaller and feels smaller than Phoenix. San Francisco is about 3-4 hours from SF when you account for traffic. And you won't find many times in which there isn't traffic. So how often are you really going to go to the city of SF? Also, northern California doesn't have the nice beaches and water like southern California. I know a lot of people in northern California that have never been to beach or swam in the ocean. They go to Napa and the other wineries but you don't really experience SF living in Sacramento. I know quite a few people in Sacramento and they go to Lake Tahoe more than SF because it's far away.
Sweetrose has a point-- which region of California are you most interested in-- northern California or southern California? coastal or inland? It's a huge state! I would agree that Phoenix will have more of a "SoCal" vibe than Sacramento, if that's what you are looking for. But see my next point...
Quote:
Originally Posted by sweettearose
If you just want to live in California and are into the outdoors, I think Sacramento is a much better choice than Phoenix. But if you like the ocean and the style of living associated with the Southern California, I would move to Phoenix. Remember that Phoenix is a lot closer to LA and San Diego than even SF let alone Sacramento. That's something to think about.
However, I still disagree here. I would say "if you like the ocean and the style of living associated with the Southern California," move to Southern California! I'm assuming you are young and not tied down, no kids, and you don't plan on buying a home anytime soon. SoCal is really expensive, but I'm sure you could find a way to make ends meet there. The farther inland you go, the less expensive it gets. I will reiterate my previous statement: don't move to Phoenix if what you really want is southern California and the beach. It will be a recipe for disappointment. You have got to love the desert, love heat, and love Arizona and the southwest for you to be happy living in Phoenix. Now, if it was the desert portions of CA that interested you the most, like Palm Springs, for example, Phoenix might be a viable alternative-- but that's not what I sensed from your post. People in Phoenix can and do take trips to places like San Diego all the time-- but not like every weekend. Assuming you're a working man, you can plan on driving to the beach 1-2 times a year, maybe 3 if you're really lucky. It's close enough to get a taste of the beach every so often, but if you need more than that, you'll have to bite the bullet and just live in southern California!
ComputerGuy - thanks for the input! I'm not sure exactly what I'm going to do yet, so yes I was definitely thinking more along the lines of a community college first.
vegaspilgrim - I do love Southern California, but have never been to Northern Cal. Maybe I would like it up there as well, I dont know. I'd have to go and see for myself. But as I said before, I dont have the time nor the money to go before my lease expires in April. So if I did decide on Sac, I'd just go and see what its like once I'm there. I would be temporarily living with relatives, so if I didnt like it, I have the alternative of going back down to Phoenix.
Quote:
I would say "if you like the ocean and the style of living associated with the Southern California," move to Southern California!
If I could move to Southern California right now, I would. But I cant afford it at the moment. This is one of the reasons why I want to go back to school, so that in a few years I'll be able to. And this is why I thought of Phoenix and Sacramento. Because they're both affordable enough for me, so that I can go to school and in the meantime be closer to where I really want to be.
Quote:
Assuming you're a working man
Woman
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Be careful of loans
