Moving to Portland in September with $8,000, no car, no job. What should I do? (Burns: apartment, rent)

[rass33]

I'm in Chicago right now, but I will be moving to Portland in september to attend Portland State University. The problem is, I have no car, no apartment, no job and only $8,000 to my name. Most of this money will come from my financial aid reimbursement check. I plan on looking for a job as soon as I arrive in September, but I wanted to know how far do you think I can stretch $8,000 until I find work. How should I spend the money? Do you think I should get a roomate, find my own apartment or stay on PSU campus? Please help me out!!!!

[EnricoV]

You definitely will need a roommate. Just look for the cheapest shared housing situation you can find near PSU. That'll save you on transportation.

[Larry Caldwell]

Put your money in the nearest bank to the west end of the Burnside Bridge, because you will be living under it.

[Daisy32673]

So you dont even have this money you will be living off of yet? When will you get your reimbursement check? What will you live off of until you get that check? You dont need a car, couldnt afford one anyway, so you must live close to school or transit. And YES, definitely get roommates, and a job. If you can say "do you want fries with that? " you can get a job. I assume you are working at least one job now to build some living expenses for September, right? Thats 3 months to make as much as you can.

[AnimalloverJJD]

Hehe, so 8000$ is like NO money at all? What the Moderator cut: inappropriate happened to this country? Whats the difference between someone whos considered "dirt poor", and someone who has 8000$ in cash? The answer? NOTHING!

[PNW-type-gal]

Contact Portland State about student housing, because it'll be housing that eats your money. It's not uncommon to find an apartment that wants first and last months rent plus a deposit. If you find an $800 apartment, that might be as much as a third of your $8,000. Then you have utilities, food, books, school expenses.

Unemployment is still high here, particularly in the category of job you'd be looking for around your student hours. Even if you find a job quickly, you may not be able to make enough to pay rent and utilities and you'd need some of that $8,000 to round out your monthly expenses.

What people are saying is that what LOOKS like a huge pile of cash from the "before it is even in your hands" state, it goes very quickly once you start paying expenses.

[rass33]

I'm staying with family and friends here in Chicago until I leave for Portland in September. I'm trying to save as much money as I can before I arrive. I'm kind of leaning towards the roomate option hopefully somewhere near the PSU campus.

Come on, that's kinda harsh. I'm sure that I can make it until I find a job. If I can survive in big bad Chicago with nothing I should be able to survive in Portland with 8 grand to my name.

[Daisy32673]

Sounds like you have it figured out then! Good luck to you!

[AnimalloverJJD]

Originally Posted by rass33

Come on, that's kinda harsh. I'm sure that I can make it until I find a job. If I can survive in big bad Chicago with nothing I should be able to survive in Portland with 8 grand to my name.

Yes, trust me, if you keep your expenses down to bare minimum, eat cheap noodles and hot dogs, DON'T buy starbucks coffee(or their ilk), and DON'T get a car, 8 grand can last a good long while, I'll have 12,000$ and STILL told not to come! So its never enough I guess.. Just be frugal..

[rass33]

I don't plan on living on hotdogs and noodles for 20 years. I'm just trying to make it on $8,000 until I find a decent job to sustain myself.