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You know, that is a pretty good idea for someone in the right situation. I know not everyone would be able to do that, but it is something that is rarely discussed here. It would definitely be a way to get yourself to San Diego if you wanted and were able. The Navy has such a major presence here and around Socal, you are almost guaranteed to land here if you put it number one on your dream-sheet. If they still use such a thing.
When I enlisted, just about 30 years ago, I put San Diego as my number 1, 2, and 3 choice. It was San Dog or bust. Needless to say, I made the cut.
This would be a great idea definitely for the right person.. Though I was wondering if anyone can clarify if anyone enlisting really has a choice anymore? Or at least can put there top 3 choices with the budget cuts etc possible affecting this option.
I do agree with others here. Get. Roommate for coastal sd at that budget.mOtherwise you are living away from the beach and the cost is a bit less.
Let's not forget to keep things in perspective. It's only a temporary solution to get here and set up shop. What you do afterwards is up to you.
800-1000 bucks a month for what the OP wants is probably going to be hard to find without a roommate. They want the beach, they want downtown, they want safe and happening, etc etc etc. If they want to live close to the beach, $800 a month isn't happening unless they find a roommate.
Go back and re-read the original post. OP is interested in someting "easy to commute to SD and enjoy the ocean/beach". Nothing about living at the beach.
Santee fits the bill. It's a straight shot on the 52 to La Jolla. La Mesa to downtown is a pretty quick trip too. PB not too far away either.
Go back and re-read the original post. OP is interested in someting "easy to commute to SD and enjoy the ocean/beach". Nothing about living at the beach.
Santee fits the bill. It's a straight shot on the 52 to La Jolla. La Mesa to downtown is a pretty quick trip too. PB not too far away either.
"What city/town/suburbs that's close to SD that's safe and affordable living, but easy to commute to SD and enjoy the ocean/beach? If it's well-known for "IT" sort of areas, that'd be great. If not, that's okay too."
Sorry but none of that describes Santee.
Easy commute? Yeah for somebody who goes to the beach now and again and doesn't care about the drive or gas. But somebody who is still searching for a job probably isn't looking to drive from Santee to La Jolla often. And in the summer, that would be like an hour drive as most days just getting to La Jolla beach from the 5 is a pain in the neck, much less driving from Santee all the way to La Jolla.
It might be an option due to OP budget, but the reality is, most people who "dream" of living in the paradise of San Diego aren't thinking they left somewhere in the midwest to live out in Santee. It's not close to the beach no matter what anybody tries to claim.
There are more people in Santee who probably would rather travel out to Glamis and ride four wheelers than they would trek off to the beach. Nothing wrong with that, but somebody mentioning they want to move to San diego and be close to beaches in a couple line post, probably means they would rather live near the beach than 20+ miles from the beach.
A lot of people won't like Santee at all. Especially somebody who is looking for "IT" and happening.
I would check out Bankers Hill on craigslist. You can find some pretty good studio apartments for under $1k per month. It is walking distance to Balboa Park, one mile to the heart of downtown, and a short drive to Ocean Beach, Coronado, Mission Beach, and Pacific Beach. It's also a safe area. The one drawback will be street parking, but you can usually find parking spaces.
I think the reason people move there without a job is that it is impossible to be hired from MN or other far away places and sell ones house and relocate to new job within 2-3 weeks. You will probably not be considered by employers unless you are a brain surgeon or have some incredibly uncommon talent/job. Those who criticize others for wanting to move have not lived in northern states or faced the challenges/depression it brings. Wanting to try something new even if it means working at a low wage job for a while (or a LONG while) while living in ones "dream" location or checking off a bucket list item by moving to a gorgeous climate for a while should not be so beat down by others who have not spent 30 years digging their cars out of 8 foot snow banks every winter and being isolated/imprisioned indoors 7 months of the year their entire lives. Clouds, rain, snow and/or -5 F weather for 8 or MORE months with a seasonal effective disorder is not fun. Summers are 3 months of 100F heat indexes and high humidity (and we actually treasure this time dearly). The job opps aren't that great up north either, compared to CA. Hate to say it but the recession killed us too. Anyway, just sick of reading how insane and idiotic people are for wanting to relocate. Its the same as a rich person telling a poor person money has no value. Easy for you to say....
I completely agree. Except ... however unpleasant the place you came from, the reality here is that you may not be able to find even a minimum-wage job within six months. So ... if you come here without a job and with six months of savings and no Plan B, you may find yourself in a world of economic misery. Even in this wonderful weather, it's horrible to be broke and homeless.
I think the reason people move there without a job is that it is impossible to be hired from MN or other far away places and sell ones house and relocate to new job within 2-3 weeks. You will probably not be considered by employers unless you are a brain surgeon or have some incredibly uncommon talent/job. Those who criticize others for wanting to move have not lived in northern states or faced the challenges/depression it brings. Wanting to try something new even if it means working at a low wage job for a while (or a LONG while) while living in ones "dream" location or checking off a bucket list item by moving to a gorgeous climate for a while should not be so beat down by others who have not spent 30 years digging their cars out of 8 foot snow banks every winter and being isolated/imprisioned indoors 7 months of the year their entire lives. Clouds, rain, snow and/or -5 F weather for 8 or MORE months with a seasonal effective disorder is not fun. Summers are 3 months of 100F heat indexes and high humidity (and we actually treasure this time dearly). The job opps aren't that great up north either, compared to CA. Hate to say it but the recession killed us too. Anyway, just sick of reading how insane and idiotic people are for wanting to relocate. Its the same as a rich person telling a poor person money has no value. Easy for you to say....
I grew up in the Northeast so I know cold winters and short summers. I know frozen fingers, toes, ears, and my nose feeling like it'll fall off. I've worked in places where the snow seemed to last for 8 months. I've also lived in places where you had to drive over an hour just to get to a decent paying job. But at the end of the day, it makes no sense to just jump because someplace else seems to have greener pastures.
I love San diego, but San Diego also seems to have a ton of people who move here who just dont' want to become an adult or want to be forever young. Half the beach towns are filled with the "peter pan" crowd. And some of those people are in their forties. Nothing at all wrong with that, but it seems to be a common theme that people want to move to San Diego, but never really know much about it.
It's rare to hear people suddenly moving to Los Angeles just to move there. Most people seem to have a goal beyond the weather is nice. And Orange County doesn't seem to be filled with "I want to move to Laguna Beach or Ladera Ranch because it's on my bucket list and the weather is nice."
San diego seems to share an awful lot with Miami in that sense. Plenty of people move to Miami just for the weather and just for south beach. Most people never realize that most of Miami is pretty much a dump and there are very few good jobs San Diego is better than Miami in my opinion, but a lot of people seem to move here just to move here and very little substance beyond that.
In the long run, many people abandon ship. San diego has many many people who move here and leave within a few years. Some move because they just came to party for a bit and then move on and start their adult life. Others move here and never realized it's expensive to live.
Like I said, there are many warm climate cities where there are a lot of young homeless people who just didn't have much of a plan or idea what it'll actually take to live someplace. It's far better to have some jobs lined up and continue to save that money compared to spending $12K over six months and never really enjoying the city because you never had any money and were always desperate to find work.
You know, that is a pretty good idea for someone in the right situation. I know not everyone would be able to do that, but it is something that is rarely discussed here. It would definitely be a way to get yourself to San Diego if you wanted and were able. The Navy has such a major presence here and around Socal, you are almost guaranteed to land here if you put it number one on your dream-sheet. If they still use such a thing.
When I enlisted, just about 30 years ago, I put San Diego as my number 1, 2, and 3 choice. It was San Dog or bust. Needless to say, I made the cut.
Yes, we also spent much time at Pearl Harbor & having Amphib Operations around all the islands......
Yes, we also spent much time at Pearl Harbor & having Amphib Operations around all the islands......
So does the Navy still have a "dream sheet" when you come in?
Right before I finished "A" school in Philadelphia, I filled out a form that gave me three options on where I would like to go. I remember a Master Chief telling me that San Diego or Norfolk VA would be the most likely destination for all of us in the class. I put San Diego as all three choices, to be a little more exact: 32nd Street, Coronado, and Miramar. I was lucky that I was from San Diego and got to come back. I showed up back in San Diego with 500 dollars in my pocket and thought I had the world by the balls. I got put into a sea command on a frigate at 32nd street and ended up leaving for the other side of the world within two weeks of reporting.
"What city/town/suburbs that's close to SD that's safe and affordable living, but easy to commute to SD and enjoy the ocean/beach? If it's well-known for "IT" sort of areas, that'd be great. If not, that's okay too."
Sorry but none of that describes Santee.
Easy commute? Yeah for somebody who goes to the beach now and again and doesn't care about the drive or gas. But somebody who is still searching for a job probably isn't looking to drive from Santee to La Jolla often. And in the summer, that would be like an hour drive as most days just getting to La Jolla beach from the 5 is a pain in the neck, much less driving from Santee all the way to La Jolla.
It might be an option due to OP budget, but the reality is, most people who "dream" of living in the paradise of San Diego aren't thinking they left somewhere in the midwest to live out in Santee. It's not close to the beach no matter what anybody tries to claim.
There are more people in Santee who probably would rather travel out to Glamis and ride four wheelers than they would trek off to the beach. Nothing wrong with that, but somebody mentioning they want to move to San diego and be close to beaches in a couple line post, probably means they would rather live near the beach than 20+ miles from the beach.
A lot of people won't like Santee at all. Especially somebody who is looking for "IT" and happening.
Santee is not as bad as you make it out to be. I used to live on the Western side of Santee in a brand new complex of townhouses. My drive to Mission Beach, taking Mission Gorge to Friars, no freeways, took no more than 25 minutes. I would recommend the area to anyone without a second thought.
Santee is not as bad as you make it out to be. I used to live on the Western side of Santee in a brand new complex of townhouses. My drive to Mission Beach, taking Mission Gorge to Friars, no freeways, took no more than 25 minutes. I would recommend the area to anyone without a second thought.
There is nothing wrong with Santee, but it's not exactly a place people think of when they think of moving to San Diego. Somebody who lives here and knows the area and wants to move out there, it makes perfect sense. Somebody who is coming with dream glasses on about San diego with nothing and needs to find a job and a place and everything else, Santee is not the place to move to.
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