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AZ >> CA
but for real I always have a good time when I drive to Cali
but for real I always have a good time when I drive to Cali
Golden State Niketalk Dudes: Is Life In California As Great As TV/Movies Makes It Out To Be?
- Thread in 'General' Thread starter Started by DCAllAfrican,
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You were lucky u didn't have a car payment/ phone payment etc...
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it gets worse when you have kids. childcare costs are no joke. my monthly fixed costs are $6,600/mo and thats just for mortgage+hoa, insurance, utilities, child care and prop taxes. thats before i put any gas in my car, any food in my mouth, pay down my wifes school loans, or put any money in my 401K/savings/investment account. So even though im not buying any new clothes, eating out or going out (which i never do since i have young kids at home), or buying fancy flashy cars (i drive an 02 4runner that ive had for going on 14 yrs now and i need it to last another 14 yrs), its hard to cut costs enough where i can get out of the paycheck to paycheck lifestyle.
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Lucky? I chose to keep my car that I bought for cheap back in college until I could comfortably afford a much better one last year. I'll give you the phone bill; I only pay $20 a month because of a hookup my dad gets through his company. Even then, an extra $80 wouldn't have hurt me.
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I love living in San Diego and dont plan to move (long-term anyway)
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You can easily rent a decent room in a 2 bedroom apartment for $1-$1.2K out here (which is what I did/do). My expenses while making $40K out of college were
$1100 for rent
$100 for utilities
$140 for car insurance
$300-$500 for going out/gas/public transportation (Which I could've easily cut down on, but I love to drink/party too much)
Which allowed me to save basically an entire paycheck every month. Not ideal but nowhere near struggling at all. I bought a car All I'm saying is that you don't have to have $$$ to live out here, you just have to budget and set realistic expectations.
damn something wrong with my paychecks if your $40K a year is translating into $3,500 net per month.
i need to check with my accountant or HR cause my paychecks dont work out like that.honestly, kudos to you for having the dedication to budget like that. I know when I was fresh out of college, I couldnt and didnt do that. $300-500 monthly budget all in for food, transportation, and going out is crazy tight. Hell one weekend night at the bar + some late night grub can easily end up being $100. $300-500 all in sounds like a whole lot of PB&J sandwiches and cups of water.
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I'd so consider moving to San Diego. I really want to go back and visit for the weekend...But my wife thinks there isn't much to do there.
I want to go to Seaworld and the San Diego Zoo to experience a safari, damnit!
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Man San Fran is the best city
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damn something wrong with my paychecks if your $40K a year is translating into $3,500 net per month.
honestly, kudos to you for having the dedication to budget like that. I know when I was fresh out of college, I couldnt and didnt do that. $300-500 monthly budget all in for food, transportation, and going out is crazy tight. Hell one weekend night at the bar + some late night grub can easily end up being $100. $300-500 all in sounds like a whole lot of PB&J sandwiches and cups of water.
To be fair I get some reimbursements for transportation (around $100-$200 depending month) since I work for a consulting company and have to go from client to client, and by "basically an entire paycheck" I meant I was saving $1000-$1300 a month (which is around what 40K a year nets per check right? It's been a few years so I don't remember perfectly).
Nah, I was never struggling. I try not to eat out all the time so I just make my own food during the week, which is a good habit to have $ wise and health wise. Don't spend that much money at bars either, my friends and I always pre-gamed hard before going out and ended up buying 2-3 drinks (which we still do even with our increased income these days)
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my uncle lives right on the beach in San Clemente (OC) and its a nice visit but i don't think i could handle living there...the weather never really changed (75-80) but i couldn't enjoy the beach in that weather...water didn't feel good, was cold as ****...
i was in Miami in May where it was 90+ degrees and the water and beach felt great...
I'm guess I'm just not built for Cali...
i was in Miami in May where it was 90+ degrees and the water and beach felt great...
I'm guess I'm just not built for Cali...
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Yea, the Pacific Ocean is cold you have to just say @#$@ it and jump into the water to get acclimated quickly, cause it's too damn uncomfortable to ease your way into it
you have to just say @#$@ it and jump into the water to get acclimated quickly, cause it's too damn uncomfortable to ease your way into it
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I lived in SD my whole life except for 1 year when I was in Sac. I hated it there. Im back now and happier than ever.
I'd so consider moving to San Diego. I really want to go back and visit for the weekend...But my wife thinks there isn't much to do there.
I want to go to Seaworld and the San Diego Zoo to experience a safari, damnit!
What does your wife like to do? There wont be as many entertainment options as LA, but LA is a 2 hour drive away. I like the laid back lifestyle of SD, and there are still plenty of things to do.
I love SF too but would only live there if I was balling ($180k +)
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I like all the major Cali cities for different reasons (SF, LA, SD). I just hate Central and non-Bay Area Northern California :x Never been to the IE but my friends who lived there previously hated it.
Santa Barbara isn't a major city but I loved going to school there and love visiting there once in a while.
SF- friendliest people, always huge city-wide event going on where you can drink and smoke in a bunch of public places, best food, gives you that real city feel that you can't get in other parts of Cali
LA- I'm not a clubbing person anymore, but they definitely have the best clubs on the West Coast there without question. A ton more shopping options if you're into that (I'm too lazy these days so I just buy everything online ) Also close to Vegas, Six Flags, etc. I usually go out to Redondo/Hermosa Beach when I visit LA these days, love the laid back feel out there.
SD-Most laid back, 1/4 the traffic of the Bay Area and LA, lots of beaches where you can kick it, lots of transplants there from all over the country so you'll never feel out of place. Went to a Giants game there and it was basically a home game
Santa Barbara isn't a major city but I loved going to school there and love visiting there once in a while.
SF- friendliest people, always huge city-wide event going on where you can drink and smoke in a bunch of public places, best food, gives you that real city feel that you can't get in other parts of Cali
LA- I'm not a clubbing person anymore, but they definitely have the best clubs on the West Coast there without question. A ton more shopping options if you're into that (I'm too lazy these days so I just buy everything online
) Also close to Vegas, Six Flags, etc. I usually go out to Redondo/Hermosa Beach when I visit LA these days, love the laid back feel out there. SD-Most laid back, 1/4 the traffic of the Bay Area and LA, lots of beaches where you can kick it, lots of transplants there from all over the country so you'll never feel out of place. Went to a Giants game there and it was basically a home game
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Not saying u personally... Saying most people have a car payment. That would have killed you obviously.
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is sf the only place you can get away with not owning a car ?
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Bay Area, yeah... But it closes at midnight
LA is building their own metro pretty fast though.
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It depends how near your home and work are to the BART station. I know people who live on the outskirts of the east bay area (Dublin) and take the BART to SF and Mountain View. But they still need a car for the weekends.
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You can use zip car and other car sharing services if you don't need a car regularly
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Bay Area, yeah... But it closes at midnight
LA is building their own metro pretty fast though.
Too damn fast. We're going broke building all these ****** rail lines
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i'll be landing in LAX saturday for an 8 day stay, haven't been in damn near 20 years, i was born there.
i plan on having the time of my life[emoji]128527[/emoji].
i plan on having the time of my life[emoji]128527[/emoji].
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Cali pros
Diverse population
Great weather
Great women
Great for outdoor activities
Great food
Cali cons
Too expensive, not just COL but many jobs pay less too
Traffic
Unless you're wealthy it's not worth moving here long term with the current housing prices
Diverse population
Great weather
Great women
Great for outdoor activities
Great food
Cali cons
Too expensive, not just COL but many jobs pay less too
Traffic
Unless you're wealthy it's not worth moving here long term with the current housing prices
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san clemente is where i would like to retire . Half way to la and Sd
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I hear ya, man. When I was in my early 20s, I just want an M3 and be popping bottles by the time I turn 30. I'm 6 months from 30 and I'm hoping my 2010 TSX lasts another 5 years. It's at 93k now and still running fine while my 335i was a money pit after 75k
I'm just trying to save the bread up for a house and other things I never thought of when I was younger. My manager and her husband makes $300k collectively and tell me how $$ it is raising two kids all the time.
I didn't even factor in tuition debt. I feel bad when I see hear some newly grads at mall jobs and trying to pay back their debt
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what about them yambs man????!!!!