username.exe

Add to that that everybody on this board has a different interpretation of what constitutes a 'reasonable lifestyle'.

RoadWarriorFromLP

Rent
Utilities
Food
Clothing
Federal taxes
State taxes
Car(s)
Insurance for car(s)
Insurance for humans

Seriously. Get a roommate.

Pulaski

It's a fair comment, as I, and I am sure many others here, started out after uni making do with what I had and what I could afford - a five year old Sierra, which lasted me another eight years, and living in shared houses for the first seven years until I could afford to buy my own place. ..... When my Sierra finally failed I replaced it with a nine year old ALFA 164 with 24,000 more miles on it (everything except the engine), than the Sierra had on it when it was condemned, a decision only James May, and perhaps Jeremy Clarkson, would understand.

scrubbedexpat099

Sierra?

Do you mean Cortina.

SanDiegogirl

I don't have much to add since most things to think about have been said.

However since I live in Poway and you mentioned it in your first post I would say that the apartments that are going to 1,300 per month are small, one bedroom units not in a particularly great part of town. Most of Poway rentals have been around for some time and in the south end of town. They ARE very convenient for the town center though.

Personally, if I was age 28 and worked in Sorrento Valley I would try for something closer like Carmel Valley (more expensive probably), or Mira Mesa. I'd even look in Del Mar and the small towns along the coast. At your age you should be looking for places with a bit of fun - Poway is for families.

You will definitely need to get a car as soon as you arrive. Getting to Sorrento Valley is virtually impossible by public transport.

I think you have a great opportunity and while I agree that 50K is not a fabulous salary (I put a link to a website that gives you some idea as to what you could expect to take home after taxes, social security and Medicare costs) it's too good to miss.

$50000 Federal Tax Calculator 2015/2016 | 2015 Tax Refund Calculator

sherbert

Exactly, so they should let others who know better provide a more accurate picture of life more in line with the OP's situation.

md95065

Sorry, but I didn't notice anyone attempting to prevent anyone else from expressing their own opinion.

sherbert

Sigh. Fair point but in all honesty comments like 'get a roommate' and 'it's impossible' are not helpful at all.

RoadWarriorFromLP

Having a roommate is a pretty straightforward way of saving money.

sherbert

Utilities: landlord pays water most likely. You only need heat for one month of the year if that. It's not hot enough for A/C to be *required*. You'll manage with a fan.

Food: Yep in general fresh food is shockingly expensive but you can also get great deals on stuff if you know where to look.

Clothes: Scoff. This is the land of cheap and plenty where clothes are concerned. So I wouldn't worry. Even if you are into designer stuff you can while away hours in Nordstrom Rack hunting for knock down designerwear. I spent the EUR 130 on a pair of Saucony running shoes before I moved here. I found the exact same pair here for US$ 30. Almost puked.

All the other stuff, yes, it's not cheap.

sherbert

When you're single and 22 yes. When you're a couple, and over the age of say 25, I'd rather live in shithole and have my own space than share thanks. But hey, the OP might be well up for sharing you never know.

Pulaski

Why would I say "Sierra" if I meant "Cortina"? I know what I was driving around for seven years, and for starters it was a hatchback, which means it certainly wasn't a Cortina!

scrubbedexpat099

Did not realise you were just a youth.

RoadWarriorFromLP

So you're projecting your personal issues onto strangers with low incomes.

I'm doing the math(s), and the numbers are tight. This is a matter of arithmetic, not emotion. Are you going to help these two if things don't go well for them?

Pulaski

Yet again I find myself agreeing with you. I rented a room from a friend whose girlfriend lived in the house too, and he rented another room to a college buddy of his, so there were four of us.

The house was a renovation work-in-progress, and one night the kitchen ceiling collapsed, though the plaster had separated from the ceiling laths so it wasn't unexpected ...... but for some reason it was me not the owner, who climbed up on a chair just hours before the collapse and gingerly removed the florescent tubes and then dragged the kitchen table away from the area where the ceiling was going to come down. The other lodger told me that it was about 1am when the ceiling collapsed .... I slept through it.

I was 30 years old when I finally moved out into my own place, but those "ugly" years allowed me to save money for a deposit on a house, and I have never looked back.