Wondering how the hell young people make living in such an expensive area work?!

[grapico]

unless you are at the very upper echelon top 2-3% the salary difference will likely be negligible. you'll more than likely have less money in your pocket, just consider it a premium for being there. Some people are willing to pay it, some people aren't. I am 30 now so less willing to pay for it, i.e. SF, NYC prices, or even the "hip" Chicago neighborhood prices as I just don't go out as much anymore, not single, not willing to live in a small studio, or have roommates, have other obligations, etc. I'd like to actually retire some day, own a house I can give to my future kids, etc. I want to be completely out of the work force at 50 and have equity, investments, and personal projects to make money. I still like being in a major metro I just don't need to be down in the action. If you are 20s and single it can definitely be worth it though.

[Texas User]

Originally Posted by grapico

unless you are at the very upper echelon top 2-3% the salary difference will likely be negligible. you'll more than likely have less money in your pocket, just consider it a premium for being there. Some people are willing to pay it, some people aren't. I am 30 now so less willing to pay for it, i.e. SF, NYC prices, or even the "hip" Chicago neighborhood prices as I just don't go out as much anymore, not single, not willing to live in a small studio, or have roommates, have other obligations, etc. I'd like to actually retire some day, own a house I can give to my future kids, etc. I want to be completely out of the work force at 50 and have equity, investments, and personal projects to make money. I still like being in a major metro I just don't need to be down in the action. If you are 20s and single it can definitely be worth it though.

Its a give and take issue. You have to sacrifice stuff to get stuff. You can always go back once you are retired with couple million.

[grapico]

Originally Posted by Texas User

Its a give and take issue. You have to sacrifice stuff to get stuff. You can always go back once you are retired with couple million.

And sadly that is what happens. The people in many of these areas are there creating the vibe for years, doing their thing, putting away little savings. All of a sudden these people from other areas come in with the few million and price them all out. Rent ceilings only help so much.

[sonarrat]

Originally Posted by Texas User

California is for people with lots of money.

If that was the case, then it wouldn't actually be as expensive as it is, because there would be no bad school districts and no need to pay more to live away from "undesirables." And we wouldn't have a large underclass that breeds like rabbits. And no one would be using the social services.

The real problem is trying to live here with a sense of entitlement. In many other parts of the country, you and your wife could work random jobs as burger flippers and the like and still afford to own a house and have a family. It simply doesn't work that way here. The food service and retail jobs are for college students or poor immigrants living two families to an apartment, and anything above that is going to be hotly competitive even in a good economy.

It's not rocket science to get to the point where you can survive here, but you have to put in the work and get the qualifications for those jobs, and take internships as an undergrad. And then you'll work like crazy. It's not for everyone. I don't know anyone who has a lot of free time, it's always just go go go, and it's no different for me.

[TXGirlDreamingofSF]

Originally Posted by 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.

Idunn,

I totally agree with your post! It was a great post & very well written.

This last part was inspiring & almost poetic:

"...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".

I wish the OP would let us know what she decided to do.

[sliverbox]

As someone who also came from the South I might be able to lend a bit of my own experience for comparison. First of all- yes- as others have said its expensive here. That said the level of expense depends on a lot of factors. For one thing the city of San Francisco is a lot more expensive than the East Bay. Thus when I moved here I chose the East Bay. It took me about 2-3 months to adjust down my expectations in regards to how far my money would go here. After that things got a little easier. If you do things like bring your lunch, don't buy coffee everyday, don't eat out as often, change the oil yourself on your cars and stuff like that it all eventually ads up.

Secondly, rent isn't that horrible if you compare it to buying a home. There's no shame in renting. We've done it for 12 years and as a result we've managed to save up quite a bit. Salaries on average pay pretty good compared to other cities but that amount dwindles if a mortgage is put into the equation.

Lastly, its good that you'd do this when you're young. I moved here in my early 20's. Now I'm in my mid 30's and in that time I've sort of come to appreciate what life was like back home- or how less financially demanding it was compared to here. We'll probably stick around a little while longer and move back closer to my parents and have the cash we've saved here and do pretty well when that day comes. When you're young is the best time to take chances. It only becomes harder the older you get.

[TXGirlDreamingofSF]

Originally Posted by sliverbox

When you're young is the best time to take chances. It only becomes harder the older you get.

I totally agree with you!!!!!!!!