Should I move to the bay area? Any suggestions appreciated!

[anp04005]

Thanks again for the advice.

I agree with living in the moment and doing the things I want to now and I never hold back on doing things I want to do, but I also like being in a situation where I can save as well as do the things I like. I also have zero debt. My current situation has allowed me to take a week trip to Alaska last summer, 3 weekends in Colorado to snowboard, a week trip to surf in Puerto rico, a trip to San Diego, a high performance driving school in Montreal, as well as several small trips, all while saving money.

Moving to California would provide the following changes though:

Winter/Weekend ski house in Vermont with friends would become house in Tahoe.
Inconsistent surf in NJ/NY would become consistent surf in Central/Northern CA.
Camping/Hiking in VT would become camping in the redwoods.
Weekends/Weeknights in NYC would be in SF.
I'd also be able to get cheap flights to SoCal to visit friends.
Another thing is people in NJ are terrible and I think I'd fit in better out there. Even though this is the case I have a lot of friends in the new england area which make it managable.

I think I'm going to stay but have until next weekend to make my final decision so I'll see if anything changes. I think the extra $$ I save will be helpful and like others have said I will have better options open up when I have 6 years of experience. Who knows, maybe I'll even be able to take 6 months to a year off to travel in between jobs!

[Caltovegas]

Don't forget to factor in if you get a girl friend all of the best laid plans can be blown up. Myself I would stay in NJ and bank roll as much as I can unless it's a once in a lifetime or a major opportunity.

[MaggieZ]

If you can move to the Bay Area, go for it!! there's no place like it...I would give my left arm to stay there for good...

[anp04005]

Originally Posted by MaggieZ

If you can move to the Bay Area, go for it!! there's no place like it...I would give my left arm to stay there for good...

I know, I know part of me is telling me to do exactly this...

Is a $80k salary to start with possibly a $85-90k salary by the end of the year enough to live a decent life and pursue my hobbies??? I'd probably find a room share in a house and live in Walnut Creek.

[gone down south]

If you were 40, I'd say "be conservative, take your time, get your ducks in order", but you're 25.
This is the time when you SHOULD be moving cross-country on a whim. Have your adventures now, before you get settled down and tied down with house/family/possessions. What's the worst that'll happen, you have to move back in a few years?

[jade408]

Originally Posted by anp04005

I know, I know part of me is telling me to do exactly this...

Is a $80k salary to start with possibly a $85-90k salary by the end of the year enough to live a decent life and pursue my hobbies??? I'd probably find a room share in a house and live in Walnut Creek.

Yes it is plenty. You'll be fine salary-wise. Just not as good as you have it in NJ.

[mayorhaggar]

Originally Posted by anp04005

I know, I know part of me is telling me to do exactly this...

Is a $80k salary to start with possibly a $85-90k salary by the end of the year enough to live a decent life and pursue my hobbies??? I'd probably find a room share in a house and live in Walnut Creek.

It's definitely enough to get a 1 bedroom in Walnut Creek anyway.

[NewYorkFan]

If you have a good job with good pay, and you prefer your current company, so stick with your job. You're still young, so you can wait a year or two, get more experience (and money), and wait till the economy recovers and you can find a better job.

I may want to move soon, but I'm biding my time till all my ducks are in a row.

[bigdumbgod]

Originally Posted by anp04005

Another thing is people in NJ are terrible and I think I'd fit in better out there.

I would leave the terrible people and make the move. No use in letting your soul get sucked right out of you in your mid-20's. There's plenty of time for that.

[80skeys]

Originally Posted by anp04005

Moving to California would provide the following changes though:

Camping/Hiking in VT would become camping in the redwoods.

Or the Sierras. They are farther out (3 hours compared to < 1 hour) but they provide the larger, higher elevation mountain experience.

Although I personally like the Redwoods - they're interesting - the Santa Cruz mountain experience is not ideal for me. I grew up in the Rocky Mountains - dry, high elevation. That's what I'm used to. The Santa Cruz mountains, being as damp and dense as they are, are unusual to me. It's odd to be in a humid place where there's little sunlight in the middle of the day! The Sierras are more similar to the Rockies that I'm familiar with.

I'd also be able to get cheap flights to SoCal to visit friends.

You can get these for about $120 round trip between either SFO (San Francisco) or SJC (San Jose) to the various airports around Los Angeles. The cheapest flights are consistently SFO - LAX but with enough advance purchase it's not much more to closer to your destination with a regional airport.