Super tight budget, need OC cost of living advice before move (Irvine: truck rental, sales)

[Mach50]

Under normal circumstances I would tell a young single person to roll the dice, experience life to the fullest.

Are you a risk taker?

If you really wanted to live in California, you could still come here try to make it on that salary with roommates, eating noodles, living at the beach (beach bum)...I have done it . Just have a family member keep some cash for you in case you needed to go back.

Sometimes you have to hit dirt poor before you see a door.

[Scott5280]

I personally would not dream of moving to OC.. with the salary you mentioned..don't want to kill your spirit, but it is very hard to make it there without a very substantial income..and a safety net..If you do decide to go ahead though despite the warnings-
get roommate situation and seek higher income employment...Anything can happen I suppose, just seems like a huge gamble considering the economic situation..Good Luck to you..

[Lake Conroe resident]

Originally Posted by Adventure2009

So I might be getting a job in Irvine, within the general part of town where the Spectrum Center is. The job pay is low, $1840 a month gross not including any overtime.

Originally Posted by Adventure2009

I've looked around a bit, on these forums and elsewhere. It would be a very tight fit, but I think I could get a rented room for less than $800 a month and squeeze by. However I can't find information on other cost of living, like gas and groceries, restaurants, etc. How tough is it to live there?

Some additional things:
I own my vehicle fully, no car payment
single, no dependants, no pets
no outstanding debt
Don't want to live in the ghetto. From what I gather, stay away from Santa Ana and Garden Grove.
Hoping my daily commute isn't real far.

I'm really concerned that the pay will sink this plan to move. Any advice on the living cost is appreciated.
P.S. I would be moving from another state, and have no direct experience with Cali living.

Moving from Tx to Ca is like swimming upstream; you would need twice the salary you made mention of to survive with out a lot of help. Any rental you would find in a decent area would gobble up your entire paycheck, never mind food, utilities, gas and unexpecteds.

[Adventure2009]

Originally Posted by Lake Conroe resident

Moving from Tx to Ca is like swimming upstream; you would need twice the salary you made mention of to survive with out a lot of help. Any rental you would find in a decent area would gobble up your entire paycheck, never mind food, utilities, gas and unexpecteds.

Yeah been fearing that. Thank you to everyone for the feedback.

The way I have estimated, I could find a room for 700-800 a month. It would not be private, and risk getting in with a bad choice of roomie(s) is always a worry.

That would leave me with maybe 600-700 a month for food, gas, etc. Maybe a little less. And the rest is taxes. So it's really tight, but I would be due for a raise a few months after.

[buckeyenative01]

If you really want to move there, then do it, but a second job might be the best source of supplemental income so that not all your money is going to bills and taxes. I'd suggest Santa Ana (despite its bad reputation, there's nice parts, and outside the beach communities, its probably one of the most urban areas in the county), Tustin or Orange. The area around the Block at Orange isn't all that bad.

That said, commuting on the 5 Freeway is hell except between the hours of 10pm and 4am.

[cabolissa]

Originally Posted by Adventure2009

Yeah been fearing that. Thank you to everyone for the feedback.

The way I have estimated, I could find a room for 700-800 a month. It would not be private, and risk getting in with a bad choice of roomie(s) is always a worry.

That would leave me with maybe 600-700 a month for food, gas, etc. Maybe a little less. And the rest is taxes. So it's really tight, but I would be due for a raise a few months after.

State AND Federal taxes, mind you. There's a reason many Californians are making the opposite move (to Texas).

[killer2021]

There is a lot more areas you need to stay away from than just santa ana and garden grove. There are small patches of ghetto here and there. Oh and the people in the ghetto don't exactly stay in that location, they move around. So there is really no escaping it.

There's a reason many Californians are making the opposite move (to Texas).

lol yea. I'll be one of those statistics when I graduate and the parents give me the boot out the door.

[deathegg88]

Nope, I would advise to stay where you are and make the best of it.
I don't live in the OC, I'm in Riverside, but still, I make comparable wages, and exist on pasta, rice, and other cheap food. Forget about eating out anywhere, anytime. The only things saving me until I move back to Pittsburgh soon are a very short commute (not even 5 miles), good gas mileage (37), cheap insurance, and selling things on eBay when I can. When I get back to PA I can make comparable wages yet have a much better lifestyle because of the lower cost of living. It seems you are in the same boat.....

[ottomobeale]

If you gross <40K do not move to:
CA, OR, WA, MA, RI, CT, E NY, NJ, MD, or N VA. The cost of living is not high, ITS CRUSHING!

Lose your job and you are on the street FAST.

[cabolissa]

Originally Posted by ottomobeale

If you gross <40K do not move to:
CA, OR, WA, MA, RI, CT, E NY, NJ, MD, or N VA. The cost of living is not high, ITS CRUSHING!

Lose your job and you are on the street FAST.

Add HI to that list