Is this salary worth moving to AZ for? (Phoenix, Glendale: transplants, real estate)

[stizz44]

DO IT! I almost moved to AZ for $15 an hour. Leaving my nice comfortable desk job in Hartford making $26 an hr. I ended up getting a job in Vegas instead for $18 an hour and got fired in a month. A week later I got hired for $20 an hour. Yes, they do like to hire and fire here in the West. But I'd never move back out East. They can keep the cold and all that snow.

[jmw51882]

I agree with other posters who have said $15 is sufficient if it is just you. You haven't mentioned what your household consists of. Will there be a second income? Perhaps not immediately, but after a significant other also finds work?

[wit-nit]

OP I'd say since you're living in the cold parts of the East Coast then your cost of living I would presume would be much higher than in AZ.
Go for it.

[BIG CATS]

I make more than that and struggle monthly, I wont lie. I would say its not worth the move. Utilities, insurance, rent, groceries, gas, etc... youll struggle. Take my advice and stay put. Then again I have a wife and son to support, and youre alone. Might be easier on you.

[DavidBilly]

one thing to keep in mind you can fly relatively cheaply out of Phoenix on Southwest or Allegiant and see your friends or they can come see you.
If I had it to do over again Id get a job @ a resort in Phoenix and have fun be tan year round..

[enjoi]

Originally Posted by ShampooBanana

Can you get by on $16/mo? Seems a bit low for IT but yes, you can manage if you have no debts (students loans or credit cards).

If you already own a cheap, somewhat older but reliable car you should be fine as insurance isn't that bad. You can find a studio/1 bedroom for as little as $650-700/mo in decent parts of town. Groceries are expensive in AZ, as is the cost of cooling in the summer (I'd recommend doing the levelized payment plan to help keep power bills even). There are gyms you can join for as little as $10/mo to stay in shape even when it's 100+ outside.

If you know where you'd be working I'd find a place as close as possible to reduce your commute time and monthly gas costs. Within 5 miles would be ideal. If you do all this you should have a reasonable amount left over each month to save and also to enjoy life a bit.

I have student loans. I don't know many people my age that don't whom went to college. But if I make this move I will be putting them back into deferment until I'm making more.

Originally Posted by The_Cadillac_Lawyer

That seems really low for IT, however with most tech jobs, experience is paramount. If you really desire moving here, at least you'll have a job you can count on while you get yourself certified and look for gainful employment.

The Community Colleges here teach Cisco classes for your certifications and you'd most likely qualify for financial aid.
I moved here for a tech job in 12/2006 that paid $21/hr, I eventually went back to school, then on to law school.

Living here with limited contacts has the advantage of allowing you focus on building your life. It's like being away at college. Just make sure you go back/to college. The Desktop level IT field is shrinking, but networking, server admin and Hyper-V environments are the way to go

**ETA** the above figures don't include car insurance, or vehicle registration, which can be pricey depending on what you have. $200/mo. for utilities seems conservative. Internet and cable alone are $100.

It's actually a level of support below what I am qualified for, but it's all that's available right now. So I can accept it and hope for a promotion whilst gaining more experience with new technologies or I can just keep spinning my wheels where I'm at now until I find something else. And while maybe the latter is more rational, I am really anxious for a new beginning and really want to avoid another miserable winter here.

[enjoi]

Originally Posted by BIG CATS

I make more than that and struggle monthly, I wont lie. I would say its not worth the move. Utilities, insurance, rent, groceries, gas, etc... youll struggle. Take my advice and stay put.

How much do you make?

[enjoi]

Originally Posted by jmw51882

I agree with other posters who have said $15 is sufficient if it is just you. You haven't mentioned what your household consists of. Will there be a second income? Perhaps not immediately, but after a significant other also finds work?

My fiance is moving here from Manila next year, it won't take her long at all to get her SS card and then she can work. I can most likely get her a job where I'll be working so yes there will be a second income eventually and once that comes into play we'll have plenty of money.

[UKWildcat1981]

Arizona is not that expensive cost of living wise unless you live in the rich parts of Scottsdale, you can make on 16 an hour in Arizona even with student debt not well but you could survive.

[Girldawg1]

I wouldn't relocate for any amount of money, unless it was someplace I figured I wanted to be. One makes a move like that and it's totally a change in lifestyle, so why not take the chance and go for it? If going into it with the idea of making it work, it will.