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Old 04-12-2007, 01:53 PM
 
Location: High Point, NC
18 posts, read 73,503 times
Reputation: 15

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9 months ago I let my child move to San Francisco with her father and i would like to move there myself. But, I need a lot of information. What is the average water bill, average light bill, average cable bill, gas prices, is it cheaper to have a car or ride the bus, safe places to live in the area, job outlook for customer service, cheap apartments, or is it better to rent a room til you get up on your feet, weather, other things that is important to know. I am moving from NC: humid weather, cold weathers, deers, lots of woods, and small cities. Please help.

-Verne
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Old 04-12-2007, 03:34 PM
 
2,106 posts, read 5,769,674 times
Reputation: 1510
9 months ago I let my child move to San Francisco with her father and i would like to move there myself. But, I need a lot of information. What is the average water bill, average light bill, average cable bill, gas prices, is it cheaper to have a car or ride the bus, safe places to live in the area, job outlook for customer service, cheap apartments, or is it better to rent a room til you get up on your feet, weather, other things that is important to know. I am moving from NC: humid weather, cold weathers, deers, lots of woods, and small cities. Please help.

-Verne


Hey Verne,
The thing about utilities is that for one, it doesn't get as cold in many areas. SF the city actually does get pretty cold and even in the summer can have temps as low as 45 at night. So if you live there, then your heating bill might be higher.You will not need AC in the summer. In the East Bay, it is a lot warmer. Further out it can actually be hot. Our gas bill in the winter is around $45 a month. Water is usually free if you rent. Electric for us runs around $100 a month, but we have house mates. Basic basic cable is around $18 a month. Everyone's bills are different, but it seems that since you need less heating and SC, the gas and electric bills are less than in the South.

Retail sales pay about the same as they do from where you are from: typically $8-$15 an hour. I know because I worked retail for years. It is usually best to work for a mom-n-pop place rather than a big-box stores where they have set wages. Given that the cost of living is 3-4 times as much out here compared to NC, you might need to pare down your expenses.

For rent, the cheapest way to go is to rent a house with a few other people. I've only ever lived this way here and was able to live for a few years on a retail job pretty comfortably. Again- you just have to watch the pennies. renting by yourself can be really expensive. I would also suggest having a car. The public transportation is just ok here and if you live in SF, then you'll be kind of land-locked in. A car gives you freedom to see all the great things in the surrounding area and state. Be aware that gas is almost $3.50 a gallon. So plan your trips.

The weather is often surprising to people not from here who expect a perfect climate. The biggest difference is that unlike the Southeast where the weather is pretty inconsistent between rain, sun, and dry spells, The Bay area has 2 distinct seasons: Rainy and cool winters and sunny, dry summers. The dry spell lasts anywhere from 4-6 months. It will rarely if ever rain from april-Oct.So you get really used to not worrying about the weather. In the winter it can rain a TON which is depressing after getting used to it NOT raining! This year we barely got any, but the 2 years before it rained for MONTHS on end. It was actually kind of miserable. Believe it or not, it can and does get cold in the winter. Not down to 20 degrees, but it can stay in the mid 40's, lower 50's for weeks on end in the winter. This year we actually got a little snow flurries which is freakish. The city of SF is in a micro-climate and even within the city can be different. It can be cold, misty, foggy, and dreary in some parts for a good part of the year while it is sunny, warm and pleasant elsewhere. The East Bay is typically warmer although Berkeley gets hit with a massive bank of fog every day in the summer makings things cold. The summers in many parts of the bay can actually be chilly. Further out of the area towards Sacramento can be like a blast-furnace.

lastly, as a fellow Southerner, I can't say that people here are as eager to talk small talk with others. You won't find the same easy going general attitude here. I noticed it right away. But by and large, people are pretty nice. I say go for it. It is an interesting experience and I can guarantee it will change the way you look at things. Best of luck!
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Old 04-18-2007, 04:53 PM
 
Location: High Point, NC
18 posts, read 73,503 times
Reputation: 15
Thank you very much for your help. I am actually scared about moving to San Francisco by myself.
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Old 06-19-2008, 09:41 AM
 
Location: The French Quarter of New Orleans
19 posts, read 94,046 times
Reputation: 22
I don't know. I live in New Orleans, and I'd like to move to San Francisco because I really enjoy my cannabis, I abhor most of the N.O.P.D., and I'm getting quite fed up with the insanely high level of crime, murder, and corruption here in the Big Sleazy. Not to mention, doing drag here just doesn't pay.
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Old 06-19-2008, 06:57 PM
 
Location: In the Redwoods
30,286 posts, read 51,748,879 times
Reputation: 23658
Quote:
Originally Posted by MissCookieMoses View Post
I don't know. I live in New Orleans, and I'd like to move to San Francisco because I really enjoy my cannabis, I abhor most of the N.O.P.D., and I'm getting quite fed up with the insanely high level of crime, murder, and corruption here in the Big Sleazy. Not to mention, doing drag here just doesn't pay.
LOL... you'd fit right in here! My brother went to college in NO, and said the same things (except the drag issue) - so I think you'd be happier in SF.
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Old 06-20-2008, 12:18 PM
 
Location: The French Quarter of New Orleans
19 posts, read 94,046 times
Reputation: 22
I don't know... Y'all don't have second lines, seafood boils, and jazz bands in the street, do you? Plus, here you can see a millionaire discussing local politics with a gutter punk over a cup of coffee...

I can't decide because I know and love New Orleans; I just hate the way the people in charge of the Crescent City and the Federal Government abuse her so much.

The only reason I want to live is the safety issue. There's definitely no other city in America like New Orleans, which is why it's so easy to miss it.

Nonetheless, if something else goes wrong (i.e. flooding in the Vieux Carre'), I'm outta here!
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