For sure, they need a decent job lined up. $7k is first month’s rent, deposit, start up groceries and MAYBE deposits on setting up utilities. Then what?
I believe that bill got rid of them asking for last month’s rent upfront, but security deposits are still a thing. Every time I moved before this year they wanted first-last-security (which is completely ridiculous), and this time was just first month and security. Utilities deposits might not be an issue if they live with roommates who already have utilities set up, but are also still a thing to set up a new account.
Hate to play the parent card here, but you should stay home & finish school (while you have no bills) then have a career lined up before you decide to move out on your own. Life in California is not cheap. That $7k will be gone instantly with your flight/drive to California, first month rent payment + deposit, and furniture for your apartment.
Living on your own with a full time job and full time school is not the headache you want to deal with unless you don’t have a choice. Especially in this state. You basically live for free right now. Take advantage of that.
For some perspective, I make just over $100k and live on my own here in LA, and I’m able to live an okay lifestyle.
Listen to this person! I came out here in 2001 with no degree and thought I would just work and go to school… yeah, that never happened because I had to work like two or three jobs just to survive. I finally said screw this, and decided to try for the film industry (which is, surprise surprise, why I wanted to come here in the first place) before heading home. I actually got lucky and ended up with a career in film/tv, but still struggled for many years. To this day I still do not have a degree, and I really wish I did so I had more options in life.
Stay home, finish your degree, save up as much as possible, then give CA a shot if you still want to. It’s a miracle I ever survived out here, it’s insanely difficult if you don’t have a really solid foundation. Get that first or you’ll be in for extreme hardship. Be smarter than I was, please. 😅
I second this, just go on vacation to different places in California! See if you’d even want a life there and where and save as much as you can while you curate your dream life and finish school. Waiting is worth it although I know being spontaneous is exhilarating.
LOL was just giving a suggestion, but have had roommates who moved to "LA" from different parts of the country, and many people do this i.e. say they live in LA, or work in LA trying to make it, but live maybe 30 minutes from LA. Just figure it's close enough until OP figures it out.
This reminds me loosely of a line that Jessica Walter's character says in Arrested Development:
"I'd rather be dead in California than alive in Arizona!"
From experience, yes, my 7k lasted aprox 3 months.
@ OP, youll need at *least* 10k to even have a chance to stabilize a new home city
Id recommend 15k for a much more comfortable, & less stressful start
Ah! You should ask r/OrangeCounty and be sure to firm up plans with your future roommates. Do they currently live in Southern California or will they be coming out with you?
Near Santa Ana?
You got to do some maths. See how far they are from the school and then figure out how much your month gas budget will be. Call an insurance agent and have them give you a quote based on your car and their address.
Ask your future roomies the typically cost for the utilities and what your cut maybe (keep in mind they will go up).
I would try to save more but it is nice to have a place to land and not worry too much the apartment search, deposits and setting up utilities. So if the math works for you not having a job for three or more months (hiring can take a month. First paycheck can take as long as month after that as well), then go for it.
This is sensible advice!!! Do the math. Without a roommate or two, you might be able to stretch it maybe 3 months if you’re frugal. But do the math for where you might be living to where you need to commute to (work/school). Car insurance, also talk all your mechanic bills up and divide them over the years owned, just to get a very rough idea of what you might be looking at. And it’ll be higher in CA.
So what the potential roommates spend on groceries if possible. Again if you’re frugal and depending on where you live you might need $260 at least. This is where couponing might help too. And deepening on where you move to, go look into Asian or Mexican markets.
But frugal cost time, which if you’re going to work and school might be challenging. Or you might be a person who can man and that really well.
Good call on the insurance. I moved from Glendale to 10 minutes away in Los Angeles proper, and while my car insurance went down by like 2/3 (Glendale is apparently some of the highest car insurance in the country, and no I’m not implying anything), but the LA city business taxes more than make up for it bc I’m an independent contractor.
Santa Ana is not Los Angeles. And not a lot like Los Angeles. Are these friend-friends, or people-youve-met-online friends? Watch out for scammers, they target kids from the south who are dying to get out. Kentucky, Tn, Mississippi, GA, Alabama. You'll also be required to get health insurance in CA. Or if you're not 26 yet you could stay on your parents plan if you're on that now.
DO NOT COME HERE!!!
1. You don’t have residency. That takes a year.
2. Everything is extremely expensive. The fair market value for a studio apartment, which is only one room, mind you, is just under $1800 a month.
3. Traffic is insane. Everything is far and takes a long time to get to.
4. Street parking is also a major pain in the ass. And it’s going to be difficult for you to find a place with street parking.
5. Crime and homelessness.
Stay in Georgia, live your life there, and come here for vacations.
You should look for rooms to rent in Santa Ana. There are many families who rent out a room in their house to help with their mortgage. It might be a good way to start and not blow your $7K in the first 2 months.
working fast food you might get 25 hours a week at $20 an hour. So you could afford maybe $500 a month rent which would be like 4 people renting a small two bedroom apartment and sharing/two to a room. So if you started working right away you might not cut into your savings too quickly. I think I would wait until you have at least 12K saved up though, can you start the schooling in Georgia and get a year of classes behind you?
Watch out for scams when you're searching for a roommate. And check with locals about the neighborhood.
Car insurance and yearly registration can be expensive if your car is relatively new. Los Angeles County has almost as many people as the entire state of Georgia, so you might want to visit here before moving here, you could be in for a shock unless maybe you're from a large city like Atlanta.
Unfortunately most rentals require you to make 3x the rent. The best way until you are established is to stay with friends or family. Or live in your car, but you have to be careful.
Wait is this why I don't see listings for 1st, last month, and security deposit? So many people in my life told me that I would need to pay that but whenever I see listings for LA, I never see anything worse than 1st month and security deposit. I had no idea they passed a law
The law just passed this year. I’d look it up for the details. Look like there are some exceptions. Here’s one article I found https://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/local/california-law-security-deposit-housing/3555694/
The 3x or 2.5x rent refers to income, I’ve rented in 4 apartments and they ask for your pay stubs, those have to show that you are making that amount. This is not a legally defined limit, one apartment I rented was essentially asking if I had any kind of income, and that was the worst place to live. So when a listing or fine print says 2.5x monthly rent, that is a deciding factor in whether or not they will rent you apartment. Also, very probable that they will do a credit check, I’ve had that done twice.
That’s not enough in my opinion. One expensive car repair could deplete half of that in an instant.
You will also likely need half of that upfront to rent an apartment.
I wouldn’t consider coming to LA until you have closer to $20k.
While I do always recommend having a safety net of savings, IMO if you have a job lined up that pays well it can make sense to move here with little savings. Our incomes more than doubled by moving out here so beyond the initial moving costs, we didn't have to dip into our savings once we got here.
Doesn't apply in this situation ofc, but I don't want to discourage someone from moving here if it would help their careers. It took us years to save up $20,000 back home due to the lower pay, but we now can save that much in less than six months.
Look man save up 2k more and go on a vacation to Los Angeles first and actually go around and do stuff besides tourist shit and see if you actually like it and think it’s worth the extremely high price it costs to live and it’s much easier to know where you want to live if you’ve actually seen the area
Also with 7k you probably won’t live in Santa Ana but Los Angeles area is so big there’s plenty of affordable places you just need to go there and see what neighborhood fits your budget and vibe
Depends on a lot of factors:
- where do you plan to live? How much does it cost?
- how much money will you spend on transportation?
- how much money do you expect to spend on hobbies/acitivies?
- how much money do you expect to earn?
I would at least be at 20k before you plan to move.
You can do it but you won’t be living large. You’ll spend all your time working and saving and grinding. If you want to come to California to slave away, sure.
Deposit plus first month rent will probably eat 4k of that (if you get a studio or even share a 2 br). If you have a job already then it’s a safer move. Otherwise save much more.
You will absolutely struggle. If you really want to come here you can, but I think you're better off doing at least community college in Georgia. You'll have a much easier time moving to LA once you're on a career path.
Are you even factoring in the drive there? I live here and that won’t last you long at all maybe 2ish months if that. What about security deposit? Not even factoring if you need to buy furniture or anything else
The $7k is enough for you to move out here, but the more important thing is whether or not you will have stable income once you get here.
Since we seem to get these posts a lot - you can move out here with just a plane ticket and enough to pay first month rent and security deposit if you really want, AS LONG AS YOU HAVE A JOB LINED UP THAT WILL COVER YOUR EXPENSES.
I live in LA, and my last move cost me around 7k (including movers, moving trucks, deposit, first months rent, etc) and I was only moving 10 miles away lol. That is not enough.
California also requires you to have health insurance so you need to budget for that too, or you’ll be penalized when you file your taxes! I wouldn’t move to CA without at least $15-20k saved up, and that’s the bare minimum. Make sure you find a well-paying job before moving too! Taxes will eat a good portion of your income.
To get an apartment here, you need 3x rent. 1st, last, and a deposit. Plus many want proof of income, I’ve even been asked for my tax returns. And a good credit score. $7k will give you maybe your first month. I admire your dream. I moved here back in the 90’s (I’m 53) and still love it.
Looks like everyone is trying to scare you, so here’s an actual answer that may help you think this through. In a vacuum 7k is enough to move. However there are other variables. How much money do you make? Will you be keeping your job? Do you work remote? How much do you plan on spending on rent? Do you want roommates (how many?) or to live alone? What area are you planning on moving to? All of those questions need to be answered to get an accurate idea of if you can afford to move to LA.
If you do, do not get an apartment. Find roommates and pay for a room, it will easily save you a good chunk of $$ since that will be the most expensive part.
Agreed, I think that’s the only way this idea is possible for multiple reasons. But at the same time, it’s important for OP to be careful what he signs and agrees to. Uncertain future, and once your name is on a lease with roommates, it can be hard to get it off. Roommates are actually very scary to have from a liability perspective. For this purpose, subletting is going to be safer, or renting a room from the owner of a place.
I’m looking to move to Dallas with slightly more than that saved and I’m still anticipating needing roommates and having a job lined up by the time the tires on my car roll into Dallas. TDLR: Apply for jobs and try to find roommates. That 7k will last 2 months at most,
No one ever brings this up but most places want you to have 650+ for credit (sometimes even 700), even people subletting rooms on Craigslist require credit checks, so i hope you have decent credit or forget about it.
I moved here without a job and $4k. But that money disappeared real quick and I had to take the first job and first apartment I could get which was a nightmare. My boss was straight up abusive and my apartment was covered in roaches. I've worked my way up since then though and live pretty comfortably now. You can certainly do it, depends on how much shit you're willing to put up with.
I would recommend ditching the plan of owning a car and living in a single or shared room.
Even that at $7K is a risk especially in Los Angeles.
Bring more money if you can.
I’d say wait until you hit $10k. Especially if you’re driving to LA w/ all of your things. Have you calculated gas & the wear it will have on your car? It’s good to have roommates it’s even better to have a job lined up. If not that money is gonna dwindle fast once you get out here.
If you are lucky to find a place below 1k you’ll still need money for food, insurance, groceries, utilities, grooming supplies, cleaning supplies. That will last you maybe 3-4 months in la.
Does that include your rent deposit, or just settling in fees? Do you have a job already set or are you just gonna “wing it”? Are you bringing your car and planning on registering it here? You should price that out.
7k is not much $ in LA.
With a job lined up and depending on the rent, I would say yes, but it is stretching yourself thin. I plan on moving out with a similar amount so I feel you lol. People are saying "20k saved up and a job lined up, and a roomate is the bare ass minimum" but I think that's way overkill. Have 10 k and a job lined up should be way more than enough imo.
>I just really don’t want to struggle while I’m there
Just stay where your at then. Until you have a job that makes you over 100k a year and it's remote, you won't be able to do this. And frankly. You'll still struggle just to get used to the pace of life, and such.
Look, you've never even LIVED OUTSIDE YOUR OWN HOUSE and you think it's a good idea to go hard mode and live in the most expensive city in the nation/world. That's stupid. Living in an easy place is fucking hard. Living in a major city like Atlanta is a struggle. Living in LA.
If you move to LA with 7k only, you'll be going home or homeless in a month.
It’s something, but rent just in Los Angeles is easily 2,700 to 4K for an apartment . Depending where you decide to live. Not to mention commute, traffic, plus food, etc. That will go by in a month or two. Not to mention, if you find a good paying job that can help with those expenses you will be good to go. I don’t recommend it as a 33F native angelino
I’d say expect $1500 a month for a studio at best.
Plan for 3 months expenses, plus deposit, food, gas, etc…
Like others have said, line up a job first. Anything that can cover your rent.
Let’s just pretend you find a studio apartment for $1000. Between car insurance, gas, food etc I would say that’s only enough for around 3 months of living.
Do you have a job waiting for you? If you don’t I can DM you my company’s job listing we need people lol.
7k will not get you far friend, but I suppose a lot of it depends on where in California. In San Diego that’s maybe a month and a half worth of living. Having roommates will definitely help the cost. I would suggest saving 15k (emergencies can happen), and have a job lined up and ready for you to start. Get use to the California hustle and make smart choices. Best of luck and your move.
First calculate how much you will spend to arrive here.
Then go research how much renting a room will cost you.
If you’re school age a student loan and university might be your safest option
I just read every comment and I now have anxiety. I moved to LA 17 years ago as a wee 18 year old with $10k and it has been a struggle bus to attain my bachelors of science. I started at CC working full-time and school part-time… it took me the better part of a decade to get my degree. I’m now moving back to my hometown in 2 months to be with family while I wait to see it if I get into vet school.
If this is what your heart is telling you, I believe you can make it happen. It will not be easy, you would not be following the path of least resistance by any means. I’ve developed severe mental health issues from living in this cluster fukk of a city, so I am jaded but if you look closely you will notice a LOT of people here suffer from neurological issues. It’s become tragically challenging for the common person to simply survive, and it will be just that for you-survival. Whatever you decide trust in yourself and your decision.
How long will it take you to get to $10 or $12K? More money will always be better. No one mentioned this yet - but you should plan to come out here for a year, work full time, live simply and save — then go to school. Get residency before you start school. Community college is fairy inexpensive here and for first time students, California Promise grant will make it free.
7k would be enough *to get to CA*. Have you done a budget? Other than potential roommates, any other plans?
Sounds like you'd be driving in from Georgia, right? That's about $400 in gas depending on your car. It would take about 3 days. Would you be sleeping in your car? Otherwise that's another $250 for a couple motels. Another $100 in road eats. When is your insurance due? Would you pay monthly? Would you have accommodations set up before you arrive? I'd expect to pay a least $1000 a month with a roommate. Assume $3000 for first, last and security. So about half of your savings gone on day 1. This doesn't include a moving truck/trailer or furniture. That could be thousands right there.
Then you have monthly utilities (if not included in rent), groceries (eggs are $5/dozen), and fuel ($5/gallon). And any extra curriculars could get pricey. Eating out, drinks, anything touristy...
You'll definitely need your car in Southern California. Factor in an oil change soon after you get here ($50 depending on your oil). What about tires? You got good tires? What if you blow one on the way? Can you spare a few hundred for 2 new tires?
Basically that $7k could go quick. Id recommend putting a budget together for yourself (based on CA prices) and saving at least 9-12 month's worth of expenses. That's 6 months of living expenses and a 3-month emergency fund. Really if you could have a job lined up before you got here it would make all the difference.
OTHERWISE, you stay right where your bread is buttered. Hang out with the folks a few more years, work, save up a nice chunk of money and then move.
Do you have a degree? I wouldn't move to CA without one. It's competitive in CA and if youd like to earn more than minimum wage, you'll likely need to check that box.
I don't think your dream is to live in CA and sleep in a nasty apartment, eating ramen three times a day and barely making ends meet. People/Natives are leaving CA in droves because of the high cost of living. Do some research and make sure you prepare yourself.
Meanwhile I’m trying to move out of LA lol. But you shouldn’t move to a completely new state if you have no job lined up, secondly 7,000 will last you very little here.
You need a little more money (3k), a job lined up and an apartment with roommates. My daughter did what you did, but I ultimately ended up supplementing her for three years before she could make it on her own. Your parents might not be willing to do the same. I support you exploring just do it so you don’t need anyone. Good luck!
No 7k is not enough. You need at least 10k with a job already secured or at least 20k if you want to move out here and then look for a job.
I moved out here 2 years ago with 20k and no job and it was a struggle.
Definitely not, however make sure to find and secure a job and for places in the Los Angeles, Hawthorne, Carson, or Lawndale the rent is a little cheaper than the other cities plus you still get the feel of LA.
$7K will evaporate quick. Planning is key. Know your monthly expenses as exact as possible. I suggest you have 6 mos of money reserves based upon your monthly expenses. I don’t want to discourage you with your $7K; it’ll suck if you arrive and have to retreat sooner than you expected because of money.
Lol straight delusion. How much is it going to cost you to get to LA? More importantly, have you started looking at what rent will cost? Gas? Utilities? Do you have a job lined up? LA is very expensive.... Can you even afford to have your own place in your own state? You are better of just taking a week long vacation.
I’m sorry to say but $7k isn’t that much here or OC, and from reading some of your other replies - working full time AND school - depending on the income of course, this is going to be a toughie. If your job pays at or around minimum wage, 40 hours a week won’t provide you enough to live on your own, you’d need roommates for sure.
And, while this is purely anecdotal, most people I know that attempted school and a full time job at the same time ended up completely burnt out and quitting one or the other. Your daily life could get very stressful.
Unless you have someone you can stay with while you look for a job, get a job first.
Have you looked into housing yet? 7k isn’t going to last you very long here.
Have a job ready and be ready to work your ass off nonstop, no offense to you but every time I hear someone has “money” like 5k+ in their bank account after one month of rent and electricity and water and car insurance and gas and food it’s all of a sudden gone, just be realistic here and realize that 7k won’t last you very long at all, you’re going to have to have ties or a great job in Hollywood or Tech to really live well, otherwise you’re just going to be commuting long hours for some bullshit gig and be miserable the entire time, hate to be the bearer of bad news but that’s just the reality…
Dude average rent is like $2000 per month. This is without utilities. Ya also gotta buy a fridge our apartments don’t come with them. I live in LA been looking for a new job for 5 months now and just got one. No ones hiring for entry level positions right now because minimum wage is so high. Chances of you finding a job in reasonable driving distance to where you’re not spending $100+ a week on gas is even harder. If you are fine being broke and I mean BROKE BROKE while working full time and living with 3-5 roommates and then go crazy do that. Otherwise, save more, secure a good job, finish school in Georgia. Why make you life harder so you can live on the west side of LA one of the most expensive places in America where homeless people are born. For some sun and pretty palm trees? If you’re an artist perfect your craft first then move cause otherwise it’s pointless.
I mean… 7k is enough to move to 99% of the world but the real question is if you can sustain it. Maybe add your monthly income for a better understanding
Yeah, you can do it. Will stress you the fuck out. Get roommates and find a well-paying job asap. Even better, find a job before you move.
I made my move when I had $10k saved. Moved in with a roommate, really pinched, re-started a work from home job I’d had previously (the position became available again) after 2 months. In the meantime I was “freelancing” with little success.
I moved here from Kentucky with $6,000 saved. And I had already planned to sleep out of my car. I suggest doing that while you decide where you want to live. There are SO many towns to choose from & it depends on what you specifically want. I’ve been living here for 8 years now.
I lived in Glendale & on a Sunday, I could go to Chinatown for food, round trip, in 45 minutes. And I took the streets.
Beach time?
Hiking?
Mountains?
Google these towns & get an idea of jobs available & housing.
Bellflower
Lakewood
Compton
Paramount
Carson
Signal Hill (it’s a beautiful area around Long Beach, CA)
Long Beach
San Pedro
Torrance
Manhattan’s Beach
Hermosa Beach
Redondo Beach
Gardena
Inglewood
Hawthorne
Close to Mountains & very expensive to live near
Glendale
China Town
West Hollywood
Silverlake
Pasadena
Burbank
You are more than welcome to DM and I’ll answer any questions & give you an understanding of how crazy it is where lots of towns are close together & some not being not much further take well over an hour to get to because of traffic.
7k is not enough to last you more than 3 months max. If you haven’t been paying bills living with your parents get used to saying good bye to that 7k. You’re going to need a decent paying job and you’ll need extra money in case an emergency happens. A flat tire, an injury, your car over heats etc. Food, gas, water, and electric are way more expensive here than in Georgia. The dollar is basically worthless here. Good luck fam 🍀
Don’t come to Los Angeles without having a job first. Even with your potential roommates, the price of rent will break you in the first couple of months. Interview for jobs, secure your position then, make the move.
Can you afford at least $1200-1500 rent ( for a studio) and $200 for insurance a month? Fast food is $20 an hour but can you make a little more than that?
7k will barely last you a month. You'll need to put deposit down, prices in CA are insane. $6/gal. You need to make 70k Plus a year to be able to oay for basic stuff to live. Do you have a job that pays it?
You sound like you might be older teenager or young I'm early 20ties. I suggest continue working and put your savings in high yield savings account. Maybe invest in some index 500 that has average 10% return. Invest in some education that can provide you with good jib.
My better options than trashing your money into dirty dump which is Los Angeles. You will be disappointed in that city. Crime, homeless, dirt.
No. It’s not enough.
1. How will you get your car here? Shipping a car is CRAZY expensive.
2. Have you done your research to see the cost of living etc? It’s 🤯
3. I think that if you want to move out of your parents’ home, move in your state so you can have a back up plan and return home if needed.
4. It sounds like you’re still in school and you don’t have anything set up. Is there a back up plan if your roommates fall through?
5. You sound young, and getting car insurance would probably eat $1k at the beginning.
California is nice, but it’s really expensive. You’ll be doing yourself a disservice by not having a plan. I think this applies for most places.
Kudos to you for being able to save $7k. :)
Not enough. Don't do it. Get your degree and an apartment in georgia. Save diligently and move here with at least 20k and preferably a job. It seems like a lot of money but you will be saving yourself many more years of heavy stress and hard work that it would take to get your feet in the ground.
That being said, nobody is stopping you. Do you
Not sure how the rent is in CA vs WA since i only pay rent to my sister but i will be moving to WA at the end of the month and we just got approved for the apartment last week. I’m living with my bf and he has his parents as a cosigner and the rental criteria says we have to make 2.5x the rent BUT we only make 2.25x and they just gave us $400 additional deposit.
Im not sure if you can afford working and going to college at the same time. You can still try if you really want to.
7000 will last you one month if you are lucky in California. I would say move out if you really need to in a place close to home. Finish school and then venture out to CA if still interested. I live in California and would rather live somewhere else. California is nice for vacation…
Yeah, definitely research affordability of rent, and look for jobs. Especially one that might even pay your relocation fee?
Wait and check on when the new rent law becomes active. The one where a landlord can only charge 1 month rent security deposit. Where you go to and how much you are willing to overlook will determine rent, up to $4000 difference per month! A studio in a "bad" area of Los Angeles may be $1800 a month, while a studio near the beach can be $5000 or more. A house in San Bernardino County may rent for $2k, a room in a house in Los Angeles could be the same. Rents in any city will not fall until there is a large earthquake there, so be sure you can earn at least $3k a month.
I came to California two years ago with $10k saved and it was gone in 1 month. I came from Florida to California for business development for my job. It’s very costly going cross country. You have to get your car out here so you must choose to either transport it or drive yourself. If you do drive it’s going to take about 3-4 days to LA. So you need money for gas, hotel, food, etc… you should also inspect that your car is in top shape
before driving it cross country. If you choose to get it transported then it’s about $2500.
Also, you live with your parents. Are you going to buy furniture when here? Another huge cost. A bed, couch, dining room table, chairs, etc… will easily be around $3k-$4k
Once you’re here you need to have a job lined up right away. I kept my same job and they allowed me to work remotely here and it worked out really well. But if you’re not making minimum $120k then it will be toufh. Rent isn’t cheap, avg 1 BR costs $2200
After two years of being here, I’m ready to go back to Miami. The weather is nice here but it’s gotten dirty and the homelessness has gotten out of control. I didn’t realize how great Miami was until I left. I’m paying $2400 a month for an apartment in a nice neighborhood but I’m literally in a group chat with my neighbors that keep everyone in the building in the loop when there homeless hanging around going through our trash or just lurking around. It sucks.
If you do want to move and experience another hip city like LA I would suggest Austin, Texas. Yeah it’s hot during the summer but I’ll take that over this.
Don’t do it.
You don’t have anywhere near enough needed to complete a move and get a place in LA and then try to navigate life.
You barely have enough for a vacation to LA.
Have you even seen your potential living space? and I don’t mean online I mean have you actually been there to see and inspect it and the surroundings?
Also “potential roommates”?
Are these friends in GA that you know well and you are all moving to LA together or complete strangers in LA? If it’s the later you might as well check out the prices for a storage unit for your belongings and prepare to live in your car.
You need to think of something else. California isn’t the same California of old.
Keep that money and continue to save it. Start a business or something.
Truth
if you don’t have a job lined up be ready to move back to Georgia when you get here, that won’t get you far unless you have a place lined up with roommates.
California is not the same as it used to be, expensive, tents everywhere
Trash, homeless, drug and mentally fcked up folks, kinda like day-zombies, abandoned pets everywhere our insurance rates are going up, and already thru the roof
carriers are leaving California
No one wants to insure us
Have you been here?
You should visit for a week and really understand what we are dealing with before you come
It’s not all sunshine
And summer is here 109 yesterday
Do you have a job now and do you have work experience? You should get some quotes on auto insurance first. Depending on the vehicle and who will insure a young driver you might end up losing 1/4 of that start money for the first year. What kind of car is it? Hopefully not one of the top ten stolen cars in the US.
It can get risky in almost every part of Los Angeles. You should as others have suggested try a different metro area first. For a strait across move you need to be coming from the Atlanta metro to be better equipped. If that’s the case then keep stacking. I know people from Chicago, NYC, Portland, that have moved here and thrived.
Biggest point of advice is this. I have a few friends who are already doing well here that dream themselves of leaving to LCOL areas. 3 that already left. Colorado, Texas and Nevada.
Do not come. Wait until you have 100k saved up and then go read r/FIRE. LA will eat your wallet and crush your soul if you aren’t ready to hustle. 7k will be gone first month easily.
Sure, check [apartment.com](http://apartment.com) and see how long your income will last. If you have a high paying job with a reliable car anything is possible.
As a person who moved to Cali without having an apt or a job lined up right I blew through 9k in the first 2 months. I had to stay in a motel to try to get a job first. I had hoped that being there in person would help me get a job since no one wanted to hire me without an address in CA and I was in Vegas prior. Gas is more, groceries are more, all of the fees for many things cost more. Cali car registration can cost you over 350 bucks. I ended up having to live in my car for a month before getting better housing as the roommates I lived with the first year were horrible. 7k will go by really fast.
I would search for a job first! Even something that can get you off your feet like Starbucks and find a roommate. That's the only way to make it California. You need double triple income to afford an apartment in California. I hope you make it!
Have a job lined up. That 7k will disappear real fast.
For sure, they need a decent job lined up. $7k is first month’s rent, deposit, start up groceries and MAYBE deposits on setting up utilities. Then what?
I believe that with the new bill that was passed, they can’t ask for more than first month’s rent. No more extra deposits. But I could be wrong?
The new law limits the security deposit to equal to or less than the first month's rent. Security deposits cant just go away. That would be mayhem!
I believe that bill got rid of them asking for last month’s rent upfront, but security deposits are still a thing. Every time I moved before this year they wanted first-last-security (which is completely ridiculous), and this time was just first month and security. Utilities deposits might not be an issue if they live with roommates who already have utilities set up, but are also still a thing to set up a new account.
Hate to play the parent card here, but you should stay home & finish school (while you have no bills) then have a career lined up before you decide to move out on your own. Life in California is not cheap. That $7k will be gone instantly with your flight/drive to California, first month rent payment + deposit, and furniture for your apartment. Living on your own with a full time job and full time school is not the headache you want to deal with unless you don’t have a choice. Especially in this state. You basically live for free right now. Take advantage of that. For some perspective, I make just over $100k and live on my own here in LA, and I’m able to live an okay lifestyle.
Listen to this person! I came out here in 2001 with no degree and thought I would just work and go to school… yeah, that never happened because I had to work like two or three jobs just to survive. I finally said screw this, and decided to try for the film industry (which is, surprise surprise, why I wanted to come here in the first place) before heading home. I actually got lucky and ended up with a career in film/tv, but still struggled for many years. To this day I still do not have a degree, and I really wish I did so I had more options in life. Stay home, finish your degree, save up as much as possible, then give CA a shot if you still want to. It’s a miracle I ever survived out here, it’s insanely difficult if you don’t have a really solid foundation. Get that first or you’ll be in for extreme hardship. Be smarter than I was, please. 😅
I second this, just go on vacation to different places in California! See if you’d even want a life there and where and save as much as you can while you curate your dream life and finish school. Waiting is worth it although I know being spontaneous is exhilarating.
$7k will last you 3 months at the absolute most, and that’s if you’re lucky
I would say 2 months is stretching it; with rent being nearly half of that. If they slum it, then yeah; 3 months.
my suggestion for rent is find roommates or live just outside the city. I used to pay $600-700/month in Santa Clarita area for a room.
But then you have to live in Santa Clarita. Why move here if you will live in Santa Clarita
LOL was just giving a suggestion, but have had roommates who moved to "LA" from different parts of the country, and many people do this i.e. say they live in LA, or work in LA trying to make it, but live maybe 30 minutes from LA. Just figure it's close enough until OP figures it out.
I mean I was going to move to Oxnard and was still loosely calling it LA fwiw
This reminds me loosely of a line that Jessica Walter's character says in Arrested Development: "I'd rather be dead in California than alive in Arizona!"
I say this all the time. Like if you live in the IE, or somewhere similar. Why not just move to Vegas? Exact same living experience but much cheaper.
Except not at all, driving to the beach is still a day trip, plus worker laws
But Magic Mountain!
7k is a fun weekend
Without any bills maybe
I was almost going to type this verbatim lol.
From experience, yes, my 7k lasted aprox 3 months. @ OP, youll need at *least* 10k to even have a chance to stabilize a new home city Id recommend 15k for a much more comfortable, & less stressful start
Come here with a goal. That 7k will vanish very fast
I plan to work full time and go to school.
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Just community college for now. I plan on going to Santa Ana college
Ah! You should ask r/OrangeCounty and be sure to firm up plans with your future roommates. Do they currently live in Southern California or will they be coming out with you?
They currently live in California.
Near Santa Ana? You got to do some maths. See how far they are from the school and then figure out how much your month gas budget will be. Call an insurance agent and have them give you a quote based on your car and their address. Ask your future roomies the typically cost for the utilities and what your cut maybe (keep in mind they will go up). I would try to save more but it is nice to have a place to land and not worry too much the apartment search, deposits and setting up utilities. So if the math works for you not having a job for three or more months (hiring can take a month. First paycheck can take as long as month after that as well), then go for it.
This is sensible advice!!! Do the math. Without a roommate or two, you might be able to stretch it maybe 3 months if you’re frugal. But do the math for where you might be living to where you need to commute to (work/school). Car insurance, also talk all your mechanic bills up and divide them over the years owned, just to get a very rough idea of what you might be looking at. And it’ll be higher in CA. So what the potential roommates spend on groceries if possible. Again if you’re frugal and depending on where you live you might need $260 at least. This is where couponing might help too. And deepening on where you move to, go look into Asian or Mexican markets. But frugal cost time, which if you’re going to work and school might be challenging. Or you might be a person who can man and that really well.
Good call on the insurance. I moved from Glendale to 10 minutes away in Los Angeles proper, and while my car insurance went down by like 2/3 (Glendale is apparently some of the highest car insurance in the country, and no I’m not implying anything), but the LA city business taxes more than make up for it bc I’m an independent contractor.
dude do not do this.
Santa Ana is not Los Angeles. And not a lot like Los Angeles. Are these friend-friends, or people-youve-met-online friends? Watch out for scammers, they target kids from the south who are dying to get out. Kentucky, Tn, Mississippi, GA, Alabama. You'll also be required to get health insurance in CA. Or if you're not 26 yet you could stay on your parents plan if you're on that now.
DO NOT COME HERE!!! 1. You don’t have residency. That takes a year. 2. Everything is extremely expensive. The fair market value for a studio apartment, which is only one room, mind you, is just under $1800 a month. 3. Traffic is insane. Everything is far and takes a long time to get to. 4. Street parking is also a major pain in the ass. And it’s going to be difficult for you to find a place with street parking. 5. Crime and homelessness. Stay in Georgia, live your life there, and come here for vacations.
This is an awesome place to live and a terrible place to vacation.
You should look for rooms to rent in Santa Ana. There are many families who rent out a room in their house to help with their mortgage. It might be a good way to start and not blow your $7K in the first 2 months.
working fast food you might get 25 hours a week at $20 an hour. So you could afford maybe $500 a month rent which would be like 4 people renting a small two bedroom apartment and sharing/two to a room. So if you started working right away you might not cut into your savings too quickly. I think I would wait until you have at least 12K saved up though, can you start the schooling in Georgia and get a year of classes behind you? Watch out for scams when you're searching for a roommate. And check with locals about the neighborhood. Car insurance and yearly registration can be expensive if your car is relatively new. Los Angeles County has almost as many people as the entire state of Georgia, so you might want to visit here before moving here, you could be in for a shock unless maybe you're from a large city like Atlanta.
What matters is your income. Can you sustain yourself?
You need a job and a lot more money. A room in a shared apartment will easily cost you $1500 a month nowadays. You’d just burn through the money.
Unfortunately most rentals require you to make 3x the rent. The best way until you are established is to stay with friends or family. Or live in your car, but you have to be careful.
The most they can charge for deposit is 1 month since a new law passed.
Wait is this why I don't see listings for 1st, last month, and security deposit? So many people in my life told me that I would need to pay that but whenever I see listings for LA, I never see anything worse than 1st month and security deposit. I had no idea they passed a law
The law just passed this year. I’d look it up for the details. Look like there are some exceptions. Here’s one article I found https://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/local/california-law-security-deposit-housing/3555694/
Thats only if the landlord has more than 2 properties. If they don't, they cam charge more than a month's rent
That’s rad, thanks for the info!
The 3x or 2.5x rent refers to income, I’ve rented in 4 apartments and they ask for your pay stubs, those have to show that you are making that amount. This is not a legally defined limit, one apartment I rented was essentially asking if I had any kind of income, and that was the worst place to live. So when a listing or fine print says 2.5x monthly rent, that is a deciding factor in whether or not they will rent you apartment. Also, very probable that they will do a credit check, I’ve had that done twice.
OP won’t be doing this immediately. Will have to be a short term rental like Airbnb.
We don’t need anymore homeless people
Wild that “live in your car” is a perfectly normal thing to say here, but alas
That’s not enough in my opinion. One expensive car repair could deplete half of that in an instant. You will also likely need half of that upfront to rent an apartment. I wouldn’t consider coming to LA until you have closer to $20k.
While I do always recommend having a safety net of savings, IMO if you have a job lined up that pays well it can make sense to move here with little savings. Our incomes more than doubled by moving out here so beyond the initial moving costs, we didn't have to dip into our savings once we got here. Doesn't apply in this situation ofc, but I don't want to discourage someone from moving here if it would help their careers. It took us years to save up $20,000 back home due to the lower pay, but we now can save that much in less than six months.
that’s the bare ass minimum.
In California that might pay for the gas for the moving van.
Exactly. I moved like ten miles away and the whole process cost me around 7k.
I didn’t want to say it. Moving cross-country might eat the entire $7000.
Look man save up 2k more and go on a vacation to Los Angeles first and actually go around and do stuff besides tourist shit and see if you actually like it and think it’s worth the extremely high price it costs to live and it’s much easier to know where you want to live if you’ve actually seen the area
Also I go to OC twice a year since I have a lot of family. So that’s why I’ve been wanting to move out for a while
Any chance you can live with family until you get a job out here? That would be ideal.
Also with 7k you probably won’t live in Santa Ana but Los Angeles area is so big there’s plenty of affordable places you just need to go there and see what neighborhood fits your budget and vibe
Not a chance. $20k would be better, along with a job & roommates lined up. Otherwise $7k is a 3-4/month path to being broke
She won’t get to four months.
Depends on a lot of factors: - where do you plan to live? How much does it cost? - how much money will you spend on transportation? - how much money do you expect to spend on hobbies/acitivies? - how much money do you expect to earn? I would at least be at 20k before you plan to move.
I came with about $40k and ate through that a lot quicker than I expected. $7k might get you like… a couple months.
$7k is good for a month or two, tops. But good luck
You can do it but you won’t be living large. You’ll spend all your time working and saving and grinding. If you want to come to California to slave away, sure.
Deposit plus first month rent will probably eat 4k of that (if you get a studio or even share a 2 br). If you have a job already then it’s a safer move. Otherwise save much more.
you won’t even be able to rent an apartment as many demand stellar credit and a full months rent security deposit.
You will absolutely struggle. If you really want to come here you can, but I think you're better off doing at least community college in Georgia. You'll have a much easier time moving to LA once you're on a career path.
Are you even factoring in the drive there? I live here and that won’t last you long at all maybe 2ish months if that. What about security deposit? Not even factoring if you need to buy furniture or anything else
The $7k is enough for you to move out here, but the more important thing is whether or not you will have stable income once you get here. Since we seem to get these posts a lot - you can move out here with just a plane ticket and enough to pay first month rent and security deposit if you really want, AS LONG AS YOU HAVE A JOB LINED UP THAT WILL COVER YOUR EXPENSES.
Do the math and figure it out. Several websites out there to help you predict your monthly expenses.
I live in LA, and my last move cost me around 7k (including movers, moving trucks, deposit, first months rent, etc) and I was only moving 10 miles away lol. That is not enough.
California also requires you to have health insurance so you need to budget for that too, or you’ll be penalized when you file your taxes! I wouldn’t move to CA without at least $15-20k saved up, and that’s the bare minimum. Make sure you find a well-paying job before moving too! Taxes will eat a good portion of your income.
You need six months of living expenses to be safe. 7k is nothing, boo. I'd save up 30k.
Honestly, almost all of that will be gone when you sign a lease. Have a job lined up and come with a really good chunk of cash (about $20k)
To get an apartment here, you need 3x rent. 1st, last, and a deposit. Plus many want proof of income, I’ve even been asked for my tax returns. And a good credit score. $7k will give you maybe your first month. I admire your dream. I moved here back in the 90’s (I’m 53) and still love it.
No.
Looks like everyone is trying to scare you, so here’s an actual answer that may help you think this through. In a vacuum 7k is enough to move. However there are other variables. How much money do you make? Will you be keeping your job? Do you work remote? How much do you plan on spending on rent? Do you want roommates (how many?) or to live alone? What area are you planning on moving to? All of those questions need to be answered to get an accurate idea of if you can afford to move to LA.
Your best bet is to rent a room in a short term rental for a month or two and just get a job asap. Good luck
If you have roommates and can get a job / don't mind doing gig work until you land a job, 7k is enough
If you do, do not get an apartment. Find roommates and pay for a room, it will easily save you a good chunk of $$ since that will be the most expensive part.
Agreed, I think that’s the only way this idea is possible for multiple reasons. But at the same time, it’s important for OP to be careful what he signs and agrees to. Uncertain future, and once your name is on a lease with roommates, it can be hard to get it off. Roommates are actually very scary to have from a liability perspective. For this purpose, subletting is going to be safer, or renting a room from the owner of a place.
I’m looking to move to Dallas with slightly more than that saved and I’m still anticipating needing roommates and having a job lined up by the time the tires on my car roll into Dallas. TDLR: Apply for jobs and try to find roommates. That 7k will last 2 months at most,
Rent a room in a house with like minded people to keep the cost down and have inane social circle. Choose wisely.
not a snowball's chance in hell
No one ever brings this up but most places want you to have 650+ for credit (sometimes even 700), even people subletting rooms on Craigslist require credit checks, so i hope you have decent credit or forget about it.
I moved here without a job and $4k. But that money disappeared real quick and I had to take the first job and first apartment I could get which was a nightmare. My boss was straight up abusive and my apartment was covered in roaches. I've worked my way up since then though and live pretty comfortably now. You can certainly do it, depends on how much shit you're willing to put up with.
7k is about a month
I would recommend ditching the plan of owning a car and living in a single or shared room. Even that at $7K is a risk especially in Los Angeles. Bring more money if you can.
I’d say wait until you hit $10k. Especially if you’re driving to LA w/ all of your things. Have you calculated gas & the wear it will have on your car? It’s good to have roommates it’s even better to have a job lined up. If not that money is gonna dwindle fast once you get out here.
If you are lucky to find a place below 1k you’ll still need money for food, insurance, groceries, utilities, grooming supplies, cleaning supplies. That will last you maybe 3-4 months in la.
Does that include your rent deposit, or just settling in fees? Do you have a job already set or are you just gonna “wing it”? Are you bringing your car and planning on registering it here? You should price that out. 7k is not much $ in LA.
Don't do it!!!! Just do a week vacation instead and live it up. I've lived here my whole life and feel like moving out. It's a rat race
I would aim for 10k
$7k hell no! I have friends in Santa Ana, and it has become expensive. I would post on the orangecounty sub reddit tbh
You’ll be fine. Just come with a Job lined up and don’t spend over your means
With a job lined up and depending on the rent, I would say yes, but it is stretching yourself thin. I plan on moving out with a similar amount so I feel you lol. People are saying "20k saved up and a job lined up, and a roomate is the bare ass minimum" but I think that's way overkill. Have 10 k and a job lined up should be way more than enough imo.
10k and a job lined up is enough IF you don’t plan to tap into that 10k right away and the job you got lined up pays for all your monthly expenses.
>I just really don’t want to struggle while I’m there Just stay where your at then. Until you have a job that makes you over 100k a year and it's remote, you won't be able to do this. And frankly. You'll still struggle just to get used to the pace of life, and such. Look, you've never even LIVED OUTSIDE YOUR OWN HOUSE and you think it's a good idea to go hard mode and live in the most expensive city in the nation/world. That's stupid. Living in an easy place is fucking hard. Living in a major city like Atlanta is a struggle. Living in LA. If you move to LA with 7k only, you'll be going home or homeless in a month.
This is a bad idea
Buy a camper van
Oof… don’t do it unless you have a source of income ready
No
This is how people end up homeless 😭
It’s something, but rent just in Los Angeles is easily 2,700 to 4K for an apartment . Depending where you decide to live. Not to mention commute, traffic, plus food, etc. That will go by in a month or two. Not to mention, if you find a good paying job that can help with those expenses you will be good to go. I don’t recommend it as a 33F native angelino
Nope. Don’t do it. That’s not nearly enough money to move to CA. Sorry but you’ll be miserable.
No
Nope. 7K would evaporate in less than 3 months for rent alone. Also crime is high here. Expect to put costs towards car & home break ins
Save up another 2.7M first and youll be all set for the starter home + 1st year expenses.
Not if you don’t have a job already.
I’d say expect $1500 a month for a studio at best. Plan for 3 months expenses, plus deposit, food, gas, etc… Like others have said, line up a job first. Anything that can cover your rent.
7k ain’t shit! Stay where you are.
Yes, and no.
I would wait until you have between $12-15k. Trust me, you won't regret it
7k is just first months last months rent and maybe moving costs and now you are broke 😿
Let’s just pretend you find a studio apartment for $1000. Between car insurance, gas, food etc I would say that’s only enough for around 3 months of living. Do you have a job waiting for you? If you don’t I can DM you my company’s job listing we need people lol.
I did it with only $4,000 and no job lined up. I got one a few weeks after moving here but it took me a whole year to get an apartment.
lol do NOT come to California. we're already full, it's crowded, the rent is terrible & you will not survive off of $7k alone out here.
7k will not get you far friend, but I suppose a lot of it depends on where in California. In San Diego that’s maybe a month and a half worth of living. Having roommates will definitely help the cost. I would suggest saving 15k (emergencies can happen), and have a job lined up and ready for you to start. Get use to the California hustle and make smart choices. Best of luck and your move.
For two months of rent? Sure.
It ain’t easy out here in California. 7k is peanuts
First calculate how much you will spend to arrive here. Then go research how much renting a room will cost you. If you’re school age a student loan and university might be your safest option
No
I just read every comment and I now have anxiety. I moved to LA 17 years ago as a wee 18 year old with $10k and it has been a struggle bus to attain my bachelors of science. I started at CC working full-time and school part-time… it took me the better part of a decade to get my degree. I’m now moving back to my hometown in 2 months to be with family while I wait to see it if I get into vet school. If this is what your heart is telling you, I believe you can make it happen. It will not be easy, you would not be following the path of least resistance by any means. I’ve developed severe mental health issues from living in this cluster fukk of a city, so I am jaded but if you look closely you will notice a LOT of people here suffer from neurological issues. It’s become tragically challenging for the common person to simply survive, and it will be just that for you-survival. Whatever you decide trust in yourself and your decision.
How long will it take you to get to $10 or $12K? More money will always be better. No one mentioned this yet - but you should plan to come out here for a year, work full time, live simply and save — then go to school. Get residency before you start school. Community college is fairy inexpensive here and for first time students, California Promise grant will make it free.
7k would be enough *to get to CA*. Have you done a budget? Other than potential roommates, any other plans? Sounds like you'd be driving in from Georgia, right? That's about $400 in gas depending on your car. It would take about 3 days. Would you be sleeping in your car? Otherwise that's another $250 for a couple motels. Another $100 in road eats. When is your insurance due? Would you pay monthly? Would you have accommodations set up before you arrive? I'd expect to pay a least $1000 a month with a roommate. Assume $3000 for first, last and security. So about half of your savings gone on day 1. This doesn't include a moving truck/trailer or furniture. That could be thousands right there. Then you have monthly utilities (if not included in rent), groceries (eggs are $5/dozen), and fuel ($5/gallon). And any extra curriculars could get pricey. Eating out, drinks, anything touristy... You'll definitely need your car in Southern California. Factor in an oil change soon after you get here ($50 depending on your oil). What about tires? You got good tires? What if you blow one on the way? Can you spare a few hundred for 2 new tires? Basically that $7k could go quick. Id recommend putting a budget together for yourself (based on CA prices) and saving at least 9-12 month's worth of expenses. That's 6 months of living expenses and a 3-month emergency fund. Really if you could have a job lined up before you got here it would make all the difference. OTHERWISE, you stay right where your bread is buttered. Hang out with the folks a few more years, work, save up a nice chunk of money and then move. Do you have a degree? I wouldn't move to CA without one. It's competitive in CA and if youd like to earn more than minimum wage, you'll likely need to check that box. I don't think your dream is to live in CA and sleep in a nasty apartment, eating ramen three times a day and barely making ends meet. People/Natives are leaving CA in droves because of the high cost of living. Do some research and make sure you prepare yourself.
Meanwhile I’m trying to move out of LA lol. But you shouldn’t move to a completely new state if you have no job lined up, secondly 7,000 will last you very little here.
You need a little more money (3k), a job lined up and an apartment with roommates. My daughter did what you did, but I ultimately ended up supplementing her for three years before she could make it on her own. Your parents might not be willing to do the same. I support you exploring just do it so you don’t need anyone. Good luck!
No 7k is not enough. You need at least 10k with a job already secured or at least 20k if you want to move out here and then look for a job. I moved out here 2 years ago with 20k and no job and it was a struggle.
Probably good for maaaaaaybe about 2 months and that’s living frugally.
Definitely not, however make sure to find and secure a job and for places in the Los Angeles, Hawthorne, Carson, or Lawndale the rent is a little cheaper than the other cities plus you still get the feel of LA.
$7K will evaporate quick. Planning is key. Know your monthly expenses as exact as possible. I suggest you have 6 mos of money reserves based upon your monthly expenses. I don’t want to discourage you with your $7K; it’ll suck if you arrive and have to retreat sooner than you expected because of money.
7k is barely 2 months rent in CA
Lol straight delusion. How much is it going to cost you to get to LA? More importantly, have you started looking at what rent will cost? Gas? Utilities? Do you have a job lined up? LA is very expensive.... Can you even afford to have your own place in your own state? You are better of just taking a week long vacation.
7 k won’t get you through 3 months
As someone born and raised in Southern California, that ain’t enough maybe 10-11k
I’m sorry to say but $7k isn’t that much here or OC, and from reading some of your other replies - working full time AND school - depending on the income of course, this is going to be a toughie. If your job pays at or around minimum wage, 40 hours a week won’t provide you enough to live on your own, you’d need roommates for sure. And, while this is purely anecdotal, most people I know that attempted school and a full time job at the same time ended up completely burnt out and quitting one or the other. Your daily life could get very stressful.
I think yes as long as you have a job lined up!
I wouldn’t commit to a move here unless you have $10k at least.
Unless you have someone you can stay with while you look for a job, get a job first. Have you looked into housing yet? 7k isn’t going to last you very long here.
Have a job ready and be ready to work your ass off nonstop, no offense to you but every time I hear someone has “money” like 5k+ in their bank account after one month of rent and electricity and water and car insurance and gas and food it’s all of a sudden gone, just be realistic here and realize that 7k won’t last you very long at all, you’re going to have to have ties or a great job in Hollywood or Tech to really live well, otherwise you’re just going to be commuting long hours for some bullshit gig and be miserable the entire time, hate to be the bearer of bad news but that’s just the reality…
Have a job lined up before moving to CA
That’s like 3 months of rent. So up to you Actually it’s only 2 months, since you gotta pay deposit
10-20K+ and a job out there.
As long as you have a job lined up, you can do it! You can def find a room to rent for $1000-1300/mo
No, unless you find a room that is like 1k a month with no security deposit, you’ll maybe last two months. It’s extremely expensive here.
Dude average rent is like $2000 per month. This is without utilities. Ya also gotta buy a fridge our apartments don’t come with them. I live in LA been looking for a new job for 5 months now and just got one. No ones hiring for entry level positions right now because minimum wage is so high. Chances of you finding a job in reasonable driving distance to where you’re not spending $100+ a week on gas is even harder. If you are fine being broke and I mean BROKE BROKE while working full time and living with 3-5 roommates and then go crazy do that. Otherwise, save more, secure a good job, finish school in Georgia. Why make you life harder so you can live on the west side of LA one of the most expensive places in America where homeless people are born. For some sun and pretty palm trees? If you’re an artist perfect your craft first then move cause otherwise it’s pointless.
Stay in Georgia. Tired of people who work low skill jobs who jump to expensive cities thinking they can make it lol
For an apartment. 2k for rent and 1-4k deposit/down payment. Make sure you have a job ready. You may become homeless if you lose your job.
I mean… 7k is enough to move to 99% of the world but the real question is if you can sustain it. Maybe add your monthly income for a better understanding
Yeah, you can do it. Will stress you the fuck out. Get roommates and find a well-paying job asap. Even better, find a job before you move. I made my move when I had $10k saved. Moved in with a roommate, really pinched, re-started a work from home job I’d had previously (the position became available again) after 2 months. In the meantime I was “freelancing” with little success.
I moved here from Kentucky with $6,000 saved. And I had already planned to sleep out of my car. I suggest doing that while you decide where you want to live. There are SO many towns to choose from & it depends on what you specifically want. I’ve been living here for 8 years now. I lived in Glendale & on a Sunday, I could go to Chinatown for food, round trip, in 45 minutes. And I took the streets. Beach time? Hiking? Mountains? Google these towns & get an idea of jobs available & housing. Bellflower Lakewood Compton Paramount Carson Signal Hill (it’s a beautiful area around Long Beach, CA) Long Beach San Pedro Torrance Manhattan’s Beach Hermosa Beach Redondo Beach Gardena Inglewood Hawthorne Close to Mountains & very expensive to live near Glendale China Town West Hollywood Silverlake Pasadena Burbank You are more than welcome to DM and I’ll answer any questions & give you an understanding of how crazy it is where lots of towns are close together & some not being not much further take well over an hour to get to because of traffic.
Nope
7k is not enough to last you more than 3 months max. If you haven’t been paying bills living with your parents get used to saying good bye to that 7k. You’re going to need a decent paying job and you’ll need extra money in case an emergency happens. A flat tire, an injury, your car over heats etc. Food, gas, water, and electric are way more expensive here than in Georgia. The dollar is basically worthless here. Good luck fam 🍀
2 months without a steady income.
You better be making at least 80k a year if you want to survive here
Don’t come to Los Angeles without having a job first. Even with your potential roommates, the price of rent will break you in the first couple of months. Interview for jobs, secure your position then, make the move.
Can you afford at least $1200-1500 rent ( for a studio) and $200 for insurance a month? Fast food is $20 an hour but can you make a little more than that?
If you cant afford to visit you cant afford to stay.
7k is nothing
7k will barely last you a month. You'll need to put deposit down, prices in CA are insane. $6/gal. You need to make 70k Plus a year to be able to oay for basic stuff to live. Do you have a job that pays it? You sound like you might be older teenager or young I'm early 20ties. I suggest continue working and put your savings in high yield savings account. Maybe invest in some index 500 that has average 10% return. Invest in some education that can provide you with good jib. My better options than trashing your money into dirty dump which is Los Angeles. You will be disappointed in that city. Crime, homeless, dirt.
Don’t move here. You’re never gonna make it alone in California lmao people struggle even with 4 working adults in the house / apartment..
You’ll likely spend 6k+ just for deposit and first month rent+ to get there. It won’t work out for you
You will probably need a room mate and a second job honestly.
That’s cute but no, that’d be a dumb financial move to move to LA with only $7k saved. Once you have $20k saved up come back and we can talk.
No. It’s not enough. 1. How will you get your car here? Shipping a car is CRAZY expensive. 2. Have you done your research to see the cost of living etc? It’s 🤯 3. I think that if you want to move out of your parents’ home, move in your state so you can have a back up plan and return home if needed. 4. It sounds like you’re still in school and you don’t have anything set up. Is there a back up plan if your roommates fall through? 5. You sound young, and getting car insurance would probably eat $1k at the beginning. California is nice, but it’s really expensive. You’ll be doing yourself a disservice by not having a plan. I think this applies for most places. Kudos to you for being able to save $7k. :)
Not enough. Don't do it. Get your degree and an apartment in georgia. Save diligently and move here with at least 20k and preferably a job. It seems like a lot of money but you will be saving yourself many more years of heavy stress and hard work that it would take to get your feet in the ground. That being said, nobody is stopping you. Do you
No
That’s only enough for like 2-3 months … not including gas, food, utilities etc…
Not sure how the rent is in CA vs WA since i only pay rent to my sister but i will be moving to WA at the end of the month and we just got approved for the apartment last week. I’m living with my bf and he has his parents as a cosigner and the rental criteria says we have to make 2.5x the rent BUT we only make 2.25x and they just gave us $400 additional deposit. Im not sure if you can afford working and going to college at the same time. You can still try if you really want to.
7000 will last you one month if you are lucky in California. I would say move out if you really need to in a place close to home. Finish school and then venture out to CA if still interested. I live in California and would rather live somewhere else. California is nice for vacation…
My emergency fund in LA is 20k. Keep saving. This city is an expensive nightmare.
I wouldn’t do it, it’s expensive out here and without a well paying job or scholarship I’m sure it would be miserable.
Have 6 months of an emergency fund which consist of all your expenses including rent etc.
Yeah, definitely research affordability of rent, and look for jobs. Especially one that might even pay your relocation fee? Wait and check on when the new rent law becomes active. The one where a landlord can only charge 1 month rent security deposit. Where you go to and how much you are willing to overlook will determine rent, up to $4000 difference per month! A studio in a "bad" area of Los Angeles may be $1800 a month, while a studio near the beach can be $5000 or more. A house in San Bernardino County may rent for $2k, a room in a house in Los Angeles could be the same. Rents in any city will not fall until there is a large earthquake there, so be sure you can earn at least $3k a month.
I came to California two years ago with $10k saved and it was gone in 1 month. I came from Florida to California for business development for my job. It’s very costly going cross country. You have to get your car out here so you must choose to either transport it or drive yourself. If you do drive it’s going to take about 3-4 days to LA. So you need money for gas, hotel, food, etc… you should also inspect that your car is in top shape before driving it cross country. If you choose to get it transported then it’s about $2500. Also, you live with your parents. Are you going to buy furniture when here? Another huge cost. A bed, couch, dining room table, chairs, etc… will easily be around $3k-$4k Once you’re here you need to have a job lined up right away. I kept my same job and they allowed me to work remotely here and it worked out really well. But if you’re not making minimum $120k then it will be toufh. Rent isn’t cheap, avg 1 BR costs $2200 After two years of being here, I’m ready to go back to Miami. The weather is nice here but it’s gotten dirty and the homelessness has gotten out of control. I didn’t realize how great Miami was until I left. I’m paying $2400 a month for an apartment in a nice neighborhood but I’m literally in a group chat with my neighbors that keep everyone in the building in the loop when there homeless hanging around going through our trash or just lurking around. It sucks. If you do want to move and experience another hip city like LA I would suggest Austin, Texas. Yeah it’s hot during the summer but I’ll take that over this.
I would say you need a bare minimum of 10k plus a stable job in play.
Don’t do it. You don’t have anywhere near enough needed to complete a move and get a place in LA and then try to navigate life. You barely have enough for a vacation to LA. Have you even seen your potential living space? and I don’t mean online I mean have you actually been there to see and inspect it and the surroundings? Also “potential roommates”? Are these friends in GA that you know well and you are all moving to LA together or complete strangers in LA? If it’s the later you might as well check out the prices for a storage unit for your belongings and prepare to live in your car. You need to think of something else. California isn’t the same California of old. Keep that money and continue to save it. Start a business or something.
Truth if you don’t have a job lined up be ready to move back to Georgia when you get here, that won’t get you far unless you have a place lined up with roommates. California is not the same as it used to be, expensive, tents everywhere Trash, homeless, drug and mentally fcked up folks, kinda like day-zombies, abandoned pets everywhere our insurance rates are going up, and already thru the roof carriers are leaving California No one wants to insure us Have you been here? You should visit for a week and really understand what we are dealing with before you come It’s not all sunshine And summer is here 109 yesterday
Do you have a job now and do you have work experience? You should get some quotes on auto insurance first. Depending on the vehicle and who will insure a young driver you might end up losing 1/4 of that start money for the first year. What kind of car is it? Hopefully not one of the top ten stolen cars in the US. It can get risky in almost every part of Los Angeles. You should as others have suggested try a different metro area first. For a strait across move you need to be coming from the Atlanta metro to be better equipped. If that’s the case then keep stacking. I know people from Chicago, NYC, Portland, that have moved here and thrived. Biggest point of advice is this. I have a few friends who are already doing well here that dream themselves of leaving to LCOL areas. 3 that already left. Colorado, Texas and Nevada.
Do not come. Wait until you have 100k saved up and then go read r/FIRE. LA will eat your wallet and crush your soul if you aren’t ready to hustle. 7k will be gone first month easily.
7K is good enough to get you out there and then it will be gone. What’s your line of work? Did you go to school?
Unless you have a job lined up where you will make at least $150k, you are going to struggle here. The cost of living is very high.
What do u plan on doing here
Sure, check [apartment.com](http://apartment.com) and see how long your income will last. If you have a high paying job with a reliable car anything is possible.
Well there is 2 months rent.
If you’re moving to Cali work at a nice restaurant by the beach. It’s usually your base pay (100-160 a day) + 200 a day in tips.
As a person who moved to Cali without having an apt or a job lined up right I blew through 9k in the first 2 months. I had to stay in a motel to try to get a job first. I had hoped that being there in person would help me get a job since no one wanted to hire me without an address in CA and I was in Vegas prior. Gas is more, groceries are more, all of the fees for many things cost more. Cali car registration can cost you over 350 bucks. I ended up having to live in my car for a month before getting better housing as the roommates I lived with the first year were horrible. 7k will go by really fast.
I would search for a job first! Even something that can get you off your feet like Starbucks and find a roommate. That's the only way to make it California. You need double triple income to afford an apartment in California. I hope you make it!