Just putting this out there..., ...perhaps looking for sympathy....

[spawnsharks]

... but I'm pretty screwed right now in life. I moved back to SF from DC and ever since, life has been a backwards struggle. I'm months behind on my credit cards and car payments, no insurance, no real job to speak of (I work in a cafe two days a week and have been sending out hundreds of resumes (well... 150 last count)) The job market here is so tight that I am registered with 7 temp agencies and none have assignments. The housing market is impossible to break... rents are too high, and the competition of yuppies that apply for every single hovel is outstanding.

I have been in a sublet since June, and my friend is returning on Monday, so as of Monday I have no place to call home.

I hate this. If you don't know, I have two kids, for whom I moved back from the East Coast to be near. I had it good in DC... decent income, great apartment at decent rent, great roommate... everything. Moving back here was a gamble, and no sooner did I return to the most expensive area in the nation (besides Manhattan) did we wind up in a recession and the housing market explode. Such a bad combination for trying to set up a new life.

As it stands I have just enough money in the bank to make the past due payments on my car and about $50 more. Mm mother is the only family I have and she's on SSI, and has a fixed income... no help from there.

I just need to put this out and vent.... I really don't know what the next step is. I have a degree, many years experience in my field and a stellar personality. I'm smart and willing to learn almost anything. But the way hiring goes arpound these parts, it's all done by recruiters who ONLY see specific keywords on resumes... they can't make the stretch to see that I have 5 years experience editing a PC hardware magazine and so I'm qualified to edit for a PC gaming magazine. Since it says PC Hardware, it couldn't be games.... even though all PC testing is done in gaming environments....


AAArrrrrrrggggHGHGhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!

That is all.

[ForgottenSoldier]

That is really terrible to hear. At least you have some money coming in while you search for a better job. I hope you get back on your feet!

[pongstomp]

You can always move back to DC I would think. Although you would be apart from your family, you can at least stay afloat?
Pretty brutal to hear

[spawnsharks]

Yeah, life here is a big bag of suck. The rents don't correlate to the pay scales, the recession has us at a -10% job growth every month (Losing 10% of the jobs here every month).... Even temp agencies don't have work. I finally got some work here, but it's 10-5 tues-thurs @ $14/hr.... seriously... how can that afford $900 for a studio, and $12-1500 for 1BR apartments? It's around 1K a month take home.

Anyway, thinking about Seattle. Been looking there and jobs are on the rise, and rents are in the $600 for a 1BR apartment, and $1700-$2000 for a 3BR HOUSE... Not that I would need it, but that's the going rate for a 1-2BR apartment in San Francisco.... just a bit of perspective.

So... we'll see... I need to determine if it's better for me to be near the kids and struggling, or far away and stable. Hard choice, but both can't happen here.... at least not in this day and age. Hell, if I were making 45K, after taxes it's roughly $2600 take home (calculating 30% for income tax, which is where I fall). Figure that I need at least a 1BR apt, with a den or something for Seamus... preferably a 2br.... Rent will be at least half of my income... leaving $1300 or so. From that, take $150 for utilities and Internet, $350 for car payment, $100 for health insurance, $200 for car insurance, and $200 for gas (figuring light driving)... that leaves $350 or $80 a week for food, entertainment, savings and the like.... Is it worth it?

The cost of living here has gotten so out of hand that the quality of life plummets even with a decent job. Perhaps I could earn more, but it also means that in order to stay here I need to come up with $3500 or so for first, last and deposit... I just don't see that happening immediately when theres a recession that is gobbling up jobs and dropping salaries that companies are willing to pay.

So.... I'm in flux. I have friends to stay with, but that will run out soon enough, I could get a motel in the tenderloin for cheap and no deposit... but at $14 an hour, I would be stuck there for a while... not being able to save for a deposit and moving costs.

Should I go to Seattle, total move in will be closer to $1800, which is obtainable by staying in a dive for a month or two. My stuff is in storage, and fits into a 4x4x6 locker.... all of it, so it would fit in a small trailer like when I moved out here. I think it would be easier to get back on my feet in a place with a lower cost of living.... then, if I felt the need, prepare to move back here with a firmer plan than I originally set out with.... I could save up for a deposit and have time to apply for jobs here months in advance so if and when I returned, I would arrive with stability.

I think I'll ride out the recession in a place with a lower cost of living.