Living off of Minimum Wage in SJ? (San Diego, San Jose: apartment, rent)

[NoMoreSnowForMe]

Alameda is expensive. Really nice, but expensive.

Commuting to SF is expensive. Don't know if biking across the bridge is realistic.

[easybay]

My other major concern is safety. Just the though that people can be walking
around with guns scares me. That's not something I have to think about in Canada
(for the most part). The metroVancouver area has had 215 homicides since 2009,
can the difference be just population differences? (metroVan=2.4 million, Bay
Area= 7.1 million)

I would be more concerned about not having healthcare here, than being shot. As a Canadian, you are used to going to the Dr. for free (well after waiting a couple of weeks for an appointment). A Dr. visit here may set you back a couple of hundred $$ + Rx. Travel insurance will not cover you, and neither will your Canadian health care.

[sonarrat]

Originally Posted by NoMoreSnowForMe

Alameda is expensive. Really nice, but expensive.

Commuting to SF is expensive. Don't know if biking across the bridge is realistic.

Can't be done, not yet.

[mayorhaggar]

I'd finish up your degree and then look for work, having a college degree will make you a decent candidate for random office jobs--just hit up every temp agency in SF and San Jose. Hopefully you can get something making $15 an hour or more. You'd probably have to live with roommates.

Why do you have to live in the Bay Area, and why do you want to limit yourself by not finishing up your degree before moving down? In any case, use the same financial strategies you use in Vancouver, which is also not a cheap place to live compared with typical wages.

[bobby_guz_man]

I agreed with all the above posts. Finish your degree first, get your money, then go see the world.

Gotta walk before you can run...

[SOON2BNSURPRISE]

You don't live on minumum wage. You barely survive.

[cardinal2007]

Originally Posted by SOON2BNSURPRISE

You don't live on minumum wage. You barely survive.

I think the $10+ minimum wages in SF an SJ might be misleading some people to think you can actually live here on minimum wage, missing the fact that SF in particular is one of the most expensive places to live in the US, and SJ is not way behind. At least SJ is cheaper than Williston, ND. But yeah it doesn't really allow one to live here by themselves, or really roommates without working about 50hrs/week, there is a reason it is so high.

I'm afraid people moving here for minimum wage jobs will depress a lot of wages at the low end, hopefully that won't happen.

[wrcousert]

Scratch that. I need glasses.

[Azmordean]

OP, out of curiosity, why come to the Bay Area? Obviously it's an expensive area, but more than that, I know it is hard to get by on low wages in an area you don't know. At least in Vancouver - you are familiar with the area, have contacts, know the neighborhoods, may know where you can get cheaper housing - that sort of thing. That kind of knowledge is invaluable when trying to scrape by. You'll be at a major disadvantage here!

My recommendation would be to stay in Van for your semester off - you can leverage your existing network to find a job and place to stay, and study for your exam up there. Then just come down to SF to take the test, then go back. You also don't lose your healthcare that way.

There's also immigration rules and all of that, assuming you are a Canadian citizen. You can't just come to the US and work.

Frankly, the whole thing just isn't worthwhile for a short stint while studying for a test. Stay in Van, study for your test, fly to SF to take it, go back and finish school. THEN if you truly want to relocate you can leverage your degree and make a proper move down here.

Vancouver is a pretty awesome place anyway!

[SOON2BNSURPRISE]

I did read of this guy that had an internship at one of the tech places in the Valley. He was given money to support himself during the time frame of the internship. (If I remember correctly). After the funding ended, his internship ended, he had this plan to continue working there while living at the company head quarters. They had free food, a gym to not only work out but shower at, and just about everything else you would need to live. During the year or so he was there he developed a business of his own. Everyone knew him and never questioned why he was there. Many people work unusual hours in the tech industry anyway. Eventually he was caught because someone suspected someone of living in the building. By the time he was caught though he had allready developed funding for his new startup, bought a home, and rented the rooms out to other people to help make the payments on the home. I am going by memory here so if someone can remember the story maybe they can fill in any part I missed.