Can I live in the Bay area for cheap

[jade408]

Originally Posted by Tulemutt

Sure, Bay Area is expensive. But I’m not sure where you get it’s worse (by far: “not even close”??) than D.C., NYC ...

It is though. Because there are actually no cheaper areas that are convenient to the job centers. Met a woman this week from London. She was like London is cheaper than the Bay. There are some actual cheaper and reasonably convenient options. In the Bay, anything reasonably convenient is expensive. And once you get to the far radius of one job center, you are getting into the commuting radius of another job center which jacks up the prices.

[Ruth4Truth]

Well, the OP seems to have given up and lost hope right after he opened the thread. I'm wondering, if he'd been hoping to score some kind of a deal, while paying off student loans. He's got some pretty high monthly experiences, which makes me think he may have debt to pay off.

Well....he came to the wrong place. Too bad. If he wants "cheap" while doing some kind of techie job, he should look at Texas. Even Denver isn't exactly "cheap". Maybe he figured the pay would be highest around the Bay? Poor guy.

[NW4me]

The thing is, some of the expenses of living can be quite low in and around SF,
if you play your cards right.

Utility bills can be fairly low -- even though PG&E's rates are high,
the weather is mild year-round, so you need not use a lot of power...
no place I've lived in SF has had A/C, and there's typically only
a week or two a year when you wish you had it.

Food expenses can be low... there are farmers' markets all over,
and lots of good cheap ethnic restaurants for when you eat out.

No need to own a vehicle if you live near your SF job, as I did.
At $70, a monthly bus pass is pricey... but not compared to the cost of owning a car.

But of course all of these are overwhelmed by the stupendous cost of housing around here.

[Ruth4Truth]

Well, a more recent thread by the OP has him asking about the Toronto area, and he's got one up asking about Austin, as a center for IT jobs, so I guess he's passed on the Bay Area.

I am planning to move to the Rouge Hill area of Pickering in the next 3-4 years. I want to purchase a 3 bedroom townhome or single family home. I currently see prices from 600k to 1.2mil. Any ideas if prices are going to sky rocket in this area in the next 3-4 years?

I guess maybe he should have defined "cheap" in his OP on our Bay Area forum...

[Bert_from_back_East]

Even in a hyper-competitive housing market such as the Bay Area, you may “get lucky” and find a place with “cheap” rent, especially if you’re white, clean-cut, professional and charismatic. For the record, those attributes “go a long way” when searching for rental housing in all areas of California, especially when homeowners/landlords are mostly older, traditional whites who still subconsciously prefer other whites vs. “foreigners.” Play the white privilege card in this scenario, since everyone else around you in the Bay Area will be playing identity politics; it is a dog-eat-dog world.

[Ruth4Truth]

Originally Posted by Bert_from_back_East

Even in a hyper-competitive housing market such as the Bay Area, you may “get lucky” and find a place with “cheap” rent, especially if you’re white, clean-cut, professional and charismatic. For the record, those attributes “go a long way” when searching for rental housing in all areas of California, especially when homeowners/landlords are mostly older, traditional whites who still subconsciously prefer other whites vs. “foreigners.” Play the white privilege card in this scenario, since everyone else around you in the Bay Area will be playing identity politics; it is a dog-eat-dog world.

Yeah, great advice. But it looks like the OP was looking to buy. Anyway, he was a one-post wonder, so ... go figure.

[MechAndy]

It looks like the OP was on a fishing exposition.
I’ve been very frugal minded since I hit the work force.
I know most of the best ways to cut costs and have a decent life style.

Have any of you been to a farmers market in the Danville area?
Not cheap.
I strongly feel that some items are the exact same items that Lunardi’s sells but at a big mark up.
Have you ever been to Lunardi’s?
It is pretty darn spendy.
The farmers market that actually shares the same parking lot has even higher prices.

Example.
There are no local farm fresh tomatoes in February around here. None.
They come from a warmer climate at this time of the year and are not as good as the local ones that are available around mid summer.
They look identical to what Lunardi’s is selling.
I go to both markets at the same time due to them sharing the same parking lot.
The same could be said on several other items, so that being said I am not a believer in the farmers markets being cheaper.

Andy

[TashaPosh]

Originally Posted by MechAndy

The same could be said on several other items, so that being said I am not a believer in the farmers markets being cheaper.

Andy

IMO the popular farmer's markets are not meant to be "cheaper"..........they are known for having some of the best produce & variety.....& best doesn't mean cheaper. At the ferry market on Saturdays chefs are around for ideas & at some of the smaller markets along the Embarcadero you'll see local farmers & lots of variety with some of the best produce IMO. Buying fresh at Farmer's Markets tho is always going to be cheaper than processed & frozen foods & so much healthier.

BUT....it's super crazy to me that O.P. thinks they can move to the Bay Area for cheap & save money..............the move across the country itself costs a lot of money before they even start here......so the whole thing makes no sense.

[MechAndy]

Hi ToshaPosh,
I agree with you for the most part.

I too visit the farmers markets to get the highest quality foods.
I will pay extra for the right item, but it chafes me to see crap sold as not crap.
I’m a foodie, but yet a simple one.
I strive to be as organic as possible.
The best quality foods mixed together properly is what I strive to do.
It just works.

My point was that farmers markets have what I believe are several “scammers” running un-checked amongst them.

I dig quality properly sold foods and I am always on the search for them.
Yes they are there but are the lesser of what is offered.

So, I am a bee keeper.
I’ve been a member of the local bee clubs.
I know most all the local bee keepers around this area.
There is not enough resources locally to properly commercially sell “local honey”.
I keep 12 strong hives and can’t expand due to the lack of resources.
My family, friends and co-workers know I do this.
They literally beg for my local honey.
I don’t sell honey.
I give it away or donate jars to charities.
I do a good 25 gallons per year.
I do it just for fun and to help the environment.
If I was to sell I could sell out in a week or two.
There are guys selling “local honey” year round.
The math doesn’t add up.
They buy foreign honey mixed with corn sugar “HFCS” and sell it as local.
Not a quality product.

So as this and other items I believe the buyer should be aware.
Andy.