Wondering how the hell young people make living in such an expensive area work?! (San Francisco: renting, mortgage)

[Texas User]

Originally Posted by CAVA1990

Anybody who looks better than I do meaning weaing clothes newer than five years old.

This depends on how you took care of the clothes. You can wear clothes that are over 10 years old vintage and still look nice.

[CAVA1990]

Originally Posted by Texas User

This depends on how you took care of the clothes. You can wear clothes that are over 10 years old vintage and still look nice.

"Vintage". I'll use that term the next time my kids make fun of what I'm wearing. I doubt they'll buy it.

[Texas User]

Originally Posted by CAVA1990

"Vintage". I'll use that term the next time my kids make fun of what I'm wearing. I doubt they'll buy it.

Nothing wrong with Vintage. Everyone has their own style. Others follow the fashion and buy whatever is new and in fashion.

[Idunn]

Timing is a lot in life, with following one's heart and taking risks usually best when young. As you've alluded to, this is a window in time that will close all too soon if not taken advantage of. Life is that way, and you might otherwise become all too entwined with relationships, jobs, mortgages, etc., to ever do more than briefly visit San Francisco sometime . . . and wonder what if.

But since you are practical, certainly be. You might well risk this if having a Plan B, something to return to in Kentucky in need, if all falls apart in California. Maybe the relationship with your boyfriend disintegrates. Perhaps you can never find a suitable job; the economy in SF will be better than many areas of this nation, but still this recession. Not to mention often keen competition with many highly motivated, bright and educated individuals. You might approach this adventure with far more confidence, and wisdom, if knowing it not a make or break proposition.

As others have mentioned, you will almost surely need roommates. Hopefully well attuned and to your liking. Otherwise San Francisco is a very livable place in many respects. With a high density and good public transportation, there is no need of a private car. Nice if one could afford it, but especially if without one's own garage one big pain. Zip and rental cars will do you more than fine if traveling outside of the city, and should more than suffice unless you are an inveterate traveler. But with so few months, there is so much to see and explore within San Francisco itself.

***

I knew two women, both nurses, who had made a fine life for themselves in the Noe Valley of SF, and I'm sure still do. They owned a three story house there, beautifully and lovingly decorated by them. Both worked at a nearby hospital, but made the house pay for itself in part by taking the top floor for themselves, while renting out the lower floors as bedrooms, kitchen and baths to their short-term guests. Not a B&B, these guests the patients of a local plastic surgeon, and this home (away from home) a perfect refuge for their short period of recovery before returning home. A rather ideal arrangement for all.

There is ever so large a world beyond Louisville, even if in the end you return there, happy to call it home. But in taking the chance now, particularly in living in a place as seemingly exotic as San Francisco, you will at the very minimum broaden your horizons. See what you might not have otherwise. That beyond location the choices in life entail what we might become, of latent seeds within us, always us, not yet born. Perhaps never so. Sometimes they need but the right fertile ground, suddenly the light within us to see what they might be and become.

If at all possible, you will surely never regret becoming a California girl, if but a few months. Maybe later a lifetime. Forever in your soul.

[Texas User]

California is for people with lots of money.

[CAVA1990]

Originally Posted by Texas User

California is for people with lots of money.

If only the rest would get the heck out.

[Pequeño_Bonsai]

I think cost is relative... $2,000/month apartment rent, for example, might give someone from the midwest sticker shock but many people who live in CA, NY, or DC may see this as affordable (some with roommates) and the "norm". If you were to receive job offers from both Kentucky and San Fransisco, I would assume your salary would be much higher in CA due to the COL difference.

Check out the Cost of Living comparison calculator here: Cost of living: Compare prices in two cities - CNNMoney.com

Futher, people who work in retail, restaurants, and other hourly wage jobs typically live with many roommates and probably do not save a ton of money. Some of my friends that never went to college live with 2-3 people, have a limited food budget, and virtually no savings. Many Americans also have substantial credit card debt and people can use them when times get tight. Some lower wage workers do not have these problems but I doubt many of them have expensive dinners out often or buy new wardrobes every year.

Hope this helps!

[Shane505]

My friend is a college graduate and makes $45k/yr living in SF. He lives with two roommates in a 3 bedroom house in the Excelsior district. He is paying $750 a month plus utilities. He lives the city life i.e. every week going to bars/clubs, venues, restaurants, concerts, etc. He barley has any savings after all his expenses every month.

One of his roommates is a 25 yr old hipster who goes to city college full-time and lives off of loans, grants, and works 30 hrs a week as a clerk at a store. The other roommate is a 27 yr old TSA worker at SFO airport. Two out of the three have a car but they both drive used hatchbacks that are over 14 yrs old and paid off.

They are all single and one has a kid and they have no savings. I think this is how most young people in the city get by that don't have wealthy parents to support them. Hope this gives you a better picture of the reality of living in the city.

[Texas User]

Originally Posted by CAVA1990

If only the rest would get the heck out.

Thats up to the individuals. There are lot of posers out there who pretend to be rich.

[Texas User]

Originally Posted by Pequeño_Bonsai

I think cost is relative... $2,000/month apartment rent, for example, might give someone from the midwest sticker shock but many people who live in CA, NY, or DC may see this as affordable (some with roommates) and the "norm". If you were to receive job offers from both Kentucky and San Fransisco, I would assume your salary would be much higher in CA due to the COL difference.

Check out the Cost of Living comparison calculator here: Cost of living: Compare prices in two cities - CNNMoney.com

Futher, people who work in retail, restaurants, and other hourly wage jobs typically live with many roommates and probably do not save a ton of money. Some of my friends that never went to college live with 2-3 people, have a limited food budget, and virtually no savings. Many Americans also have substantial credit card debt and people can use them when times get tight. Some lower wage workers do not have these problems but I doubt many of them have expensive dinners out often or buy new wardrobes every year.

Hope this helps!

Unfortunately, salary isn't much higher then compare to the mid-west. This also depends on what you do.

If you make minimum wage in TX, then you likely would want to live in TX in CA.