How are people surviving in Los Angeles? (San Francisco, Burbank: apartments, rent)

[Totallycool]

I'm a recent college grad looking for work and throughout the years I've met people who barely make $11 an hour and they pay atleast $600 for a room in someone else's place on top of other expenses. Currently, I'm staying with family and as much as I love and appreciate the lack of pressure to come up with rent or a mortgage, I'm itching to get out as I HATE the area where I live. It's awful. Ideally, I would like to live in Sherman Oaks, Studio City, Toluca Lake, Burbank, or Encino.

I know it's a competitive world out there, I get it. But I just don't understand how people are getting paid so low and actually surviving without going into debt considering car notes, insurances, utilities, rent, gas, doctor's app, HEALTHY GROCERIES, etc. I mean, are people just living pay check to pay check without cushion? Is it really possible to live in a good area only making $11 an hour 40 hrs a week? Thats only about $1200 a month after taxes. I don't think living in a crappy or unsafe area is any saving grace as the prices are still high.

If people have experience with this type of income please reply with some tips on how you manage. It just seems like it would be very hard to flourish on unless the company gives regular raises(which I wouldn't count on). However, since I don't have 15 years of work experience, I may have to settle for this kind of pay for a while.

I would ask the people that I know and have known but I know that finances can be a sensitive subject for people if they are struggling and I don't want to pry.

[bigdumbgod]

Originally Posted by Totallycool

are people just living pay check to pay check without cushion?

Yep.

Is this a surprise?

[Natural510]

It's not easy, but people do it. Usually with little money for entertainment, and often with the assistance of credit cards. They also usually have a second job out of necessity. What's your field?

[disgruntled la native]

Even people with 15 years experience are making that. I know a lady in her 60s whos' been working over four decades, at one time made over 60k a year... she was out of work for 2 years collecting unemployment and just landed a job making $9 an hour...

Wages are essentially the same as they were in the 90s, but the cost of living has gone WAY up. Most entry level jobs are paying $8-12 an hour, that gets you like a sandwich and some chips nowadays.

Cell bills now average like $120, health and car insurance has skyrocketed, as has rent.. you bring up a valid point

So you ask how do people survive... besides paycheck to paycheck? Cram into crowded apartments or homes, rent rooms, shop at places that you've never heard of (Not Trader Joes or even Ralphs/Vons), drive illegally without insurance, not have health insurance, rack up credit card or other debt, loans , and finally there are various forms of government assistance - EBT cards, disability, unemployment, single moms, student financial aid

Almost everyone under 30 I know is relying on partial to complete parental support. Baby boomer generation was lucky to have a wealth foundation, most people with parents have at least middle class income.

[Exitus Acta Probat]

Originally Posted by Natural510

It's not easy, but people do it. Usually with little money for entertainment, and often with the assistance of credit cards. They also usually have a second job out of necessity. What's your field?

Even now, people are STILL loading up their credit cards? No wonder Dave Ramsey is still on the air.

[edmcrocker]

Originally Posted by Totallycool

I'm a recent college grad looking for work and throughout the years I've met people who barely make $11 an hour and they pay atleast $600 for a room in someone else's place on top of other expenses. Currently, I'm staying with family and as much as I love and appreciate the lack of pressure to come up with rent or a mortgage, I'm itching to get out as I HATE the area where I live. It's awful. Ideally, I would like to live in Sherman Oaks, Studio City, Toluca Lake, Burbank, or Encino.

I know it's a competitive world out there, I get it. But I just don't understand how people are getting paid so low and actually surviving without going into debt considering car notes, insurances, utilities, rent, gas, doctor's app, HEALTHY GROCERIES, etc. I mean, are people just living pay check to pay check without cushion? Is it really possible to live in a good area only making $11 an hour 40 hrs a week? Thats only about $1200 a month after taxes. I don't think living in a crappy or unsafe area is any saving grace as the prices are still high.

If people have experience with this type of income please reply with some tips on how you manage. It just seems like it would be very hard to flourish on unless the company gives regular raises(which I wouldn't count on). However, since I don't have 15 years of work experience, I may have to settle for this kind of pay for a while.

I would ask the people that I know and have known but I know that finances can be a sensitive subject for people if they are struggling and I don't want to pry.

Where do you live now? If I was a recent college graduate (I am), I would hate to live in all those places you mentioned.

[BarcelonaFan]

Somethings about this town I absolutely love but the one thing I hate is the ridiculous lack of good paying jobs relative to the COL. I don't know if it worse than NYC but it sure seems like it because in NYC public transportation at least affords people to take the train and not have a car.

I really love LA and do not want to leave but man oh man, being poor in LA is probably the WORST thing. And I am trying to tell people in here that this is not normal for a big city, yet there is always someone saying otherwise.

[Natural510]

Originally Posted by BarcelonaFan

And I am trying to tell people in here that this is not normal for a big city, yet there is always someone saying otherwise.

It really is...have you seen the COL in San Francisco lately? New York doesn't have better-paying jobs, if you're talking the service sector. One example is STNAs and pharmacy techs making the same $10-12/hr wage in NYC they make in Ohio.

[Totallycool]

Originally Posted by bigdumbgod

Yep.

Is this a surprise?

Suprised? Honestly, no. With the calamities of people losing their houses and everyone always complaining that they should be getting paid more, I HOPED options would be better. 30,000 a year seems managable for a single adult with no kids. But, I'm seeing 17,000-21,000 before taxes!

We're all ******* slaves. Just enough room for us to hang ourselves by circulating money, racking up debt we can't pay off, and when people die, the banks just collect, collect, collect! Then they start the process over with our kids and grand kids!

My best marketable skill is writing when it comes to jobs and I can do administrative jobs. I've also worked in restaurants but that is SO not a future goal for me. I'm currently writing something that I plan to sell but in the mean time I am also looking for work. I could go into my laundry list of what I want but the truth is that I'm not being that picky because I realise that as long as I work for other people I will always have to settle for less...

Originally Posted by Exitus Acta Probat

Even now, people are STILL loading up their credit cards? No wonder Dave Ramsey is still on the air.

I don't EVER want to go there. I LOST MY MIND with my first credit card, thank GOD the limit was 700. Now, I have ZERO desire to buy anything with credit. My car payments have boosted my credit all on its own.

Originally Posted by edmcrocker

Where do you live now? If I was a recent college graduate (I am), I would hate to live in all those places you mentioned.

I live in a 'hood' to not get very specific. Didn't grow up here but staying with my family here has been the only way for me to stay in la. But, I have to do something better. I want to live in those areas because 1. they are nice and I mesh well with the people I've met there 2. It's close to the entertainment industry and I can meet like-minded people. I don't want to move to north hollyweird or spend the next five years working in bars and restaurants, been there. I would like a position that will pay me a livable wage while being flexible for my acting auditions, a lot to ask for I know.

Originally Posted by Natural510

It really is...have you seen the COL in San Francisco lately? New York doesn't have better-paying jobs, if you're talking the service sector. One example is STNAs and pharmacy techs making the same $10-12/hr wage in NYC they make in Ohio.

God, I can't even dream of living in NYC. But, it was a good point about public transportation being better.

[disgruntled la native]

^I think working in a bar or restaurant is the only way to have a livable wage while flexibility for auditions. That's why virtually every struggling actor/model/singer is working in food service. Hey, with tips, it isn't half bad! I haven't met anyone who got well off waiting tables (Except a select few creme of the crop fancy restaurant waiters, who usually aren't wannabe actors at that point)... but itsb etter than $9 an hour as a receptionist with no hope for tips.