Wondering how the hell young people make living in such an expensive area work?! (San Jose: apartments, rent)

[ameyer410]

I have recently just played around with the idea of moving to SF, but I've always wondered this question:

How do you young people, especially fresh college grads without an extensive resume, meet ends out there (and still have money to enjoy all the great offerings of such an amazing area)?

I ask this because my boyfriend moved to SF earlier this year. I have been out to visit multiple times, and the area is amazing. I currently live in Louisville, KY, and I'll be graduating my undergraduate in December. I will be starting Nurse Practioner school in August in St. Louis, but I'm starting to play with the idea of moving out to California until then (for many reasons: 1. the city is amazing, it's the kind of lifestyle I'd like to enjoy right now, while I'm young 2. Kentucky is about as exciting as it sounds...ha) 3. obviously, the boyfriend is out there (ahh, how it would be great to not be in a long-distance relationship anymore)

I am graduating with a B.S. in Social Sciences (psychology major, more or less), but I really have no resume. I have been a barista at a local coffee shop all year and I love my job. It does barely pay the bills however, and I don't even pay rent right now. To me, it's extremely unrealistic to even THINK of moving to such an expensive area, since I won't be on my career path or probably making salary (I'm still doing nursing, so the move would be a temporary 6-8 month gig, more or less to build my relationship).

I am financially responsible in comparison for my generation (I am 23, I think way too many people my age are ignorant when it comes to finances) - this is something I do not want to lose sight of, and I must keep my excellent credit score the way it is before I take out loans for nursing school. BUT EVERYTIME I COME TO THE CITY I WONDER: "How are these young people doing it? The baristas at Starbucks? The young people waiting tables in the local cafe in the Marina?"

But really, how are these people making ends? I feel like there are two options really:

1 - They probably have two jobs, and are busting ass because they in fact do want to live in this type of city and have this opportunity while they are young. If they're making it meet this way, props to them. But I'm curious as to if working two jobs making an hourly wage can even help to pay bills and rent?

2 - They are "young and living it up" while either still having their parents help them, or racking up enormous credit card debt.

Are these typically the scenarios? I 100% support myself (financially) and have not a penny from another person if I was to get into trouble.

If anyone is experiencing this firsthand, knows a friend, etc., a response would be verrrry much appreciated. I am thinking I should stay put until I go to school - I have a job I love, I do not pay rent, but that is about the end. I am also somewhat miserable where I am, I REALLY want the opportunity to build my relationship and live somewhere cool before I start school and have no life again, and I'm really just curious

Again, this is an extremely long post, so if you've gotten here and still want to give a response, I appreciate it. I'll be in the area in two weeks and can buy you a beer...I'll buy you 12 beers if you find me a job that pays salary

THANKS!

[clongirl]

People your age mostly get by with having roommates- sometimes 2 or 3. Then, they don't "live it up" or enjoy a romanticized lifestyle that you'd see in some movie. It's going to be bare bones until you're well established with a higher paying career and even then... roommates!

Sorry, can't help you get a job though.

[mayorhaggar]

Well I moved to SF with $18 in my bank account so I guess I know something about scraping by without much moolah.

1) you get used to the high price of rent. I grew up in Florida where I rented a small house with my girlfriend at the time for $650 a month. Later I moved to Chicago where we had a huge 1 bedroom apartment for $750 a month. Before I moved to SF I was freaking out about how expensive it would be to live here. Fortunately I had a job lined up, and after paying $600 a month for a room in a 3 bedroom apt I was sharing with 2 roommates, I just got used to the expense.

2) You don't really need to use air conditioning or heat in your apartment, so my electrical bill has always been around $30 to $40 a month. When I lived in Florida my electrical bill would be $120 a month in summer because of air conditioning. So that is some money saved.

3) you don't really need a car in SF and can get by without one...that is a lot of money saved.

4) a lot of people live in the suburbs which are more middle class and cheaper. I lived in SF for 6 years but the apartments I could afford were always pretty annoying. I could never find a place that was in good shape, in a nice area, and that wasn't in an extremely noisy location. I decided to accept that I'd been priced out, and moved to Oakland where I have a nice apartment in a nice area that is very quiet.

5) salaries are just better in SF. Yeah they don't go too far but so long as you're paying about $600 to $800 to live with roommates, and you're making at least around $15 an hour, and you don't have massive student loan payments or car payments etc, then you'll have plenty of money to go out with your friends. Maybe not enough money to buy an Acura and fly around the world, but you'll do ok. Rent is expensive in SF but once you get past that you can live pretty well here without spending a lot of money.

[CAVA1990]

Easy. Don't have dogs, kids, debt, or a car and live with a roommate or roommates. Fnancial issues are generally the result of not heeding this advice.

[NorCal Dude]

Most slum it with other room mates, the trustafarians ask for money from mom and pop

[bmw335xi]

My girl friend graduated from college in May and got an accounting job starting at $52,000 per year + bonuses and overtime.

[sonarrat]

I work 3 jobs. It has taken me four years to work up to a decent apartment, and that's in San Jose, not San Francisco where you get a lot less for the money.

[redwoodlvr]

They live with 20 people in a 2 bedroom flat barely on the edge of a sketchy neighborhood, but not quite.

When the economy picks up maybe there will be only 10.

[gone down south]

Same as everyone everywhere - you decide what's important to you and make sacrifices to get it.

[lmk1707]

I'm always looking for freelancers, and psych background is a plus - PM me if you want more info.