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Is California worth it?

S

Son Tofu

Banned
I was recently offered a position out in California, but I'm somewhat reluctant to take the position since 1. California is expensive and 2. the policies are garbage.

This is in southern California. The pay is... good. I just don't know if it's good for California. If you live out there can you give me an idea of what it's like.

And yes, I know the weather is great.
 
I would be looking up some cost of living comparisons and making sure that the money the position is offering translates to the increased cost of southern California.
 
You couldn't pay me enough money to move to that shit hole state, beautiful state, great weather but the politics would drive me nuts.
 
Usually a good idea to use one of those cost of living calculators online, such as this one

2020 Cost of Living Calculator

Best Places to Live | Compare cost of living, crime, cities, schools and more.
www.bestplaces.net www.bestplaces.net

Which should give you a (very) rough idea of what you can expect as far as your standard of living.
 
jshackles said:
Usually a good idea to use one of those cost of living calculators online, such as this one

2020 Cost of Living Calculator

Best Places to Live | Compare cost of living, crime, cities, schools and more.
www.bestplaces.net www.bestplaces.net

Which should give you a (very) rough idea of what you can expect as far as your standard of living.
Click to expand...
Yea, I've looked at those, but I am the type that wants to opinion of people that live that way.
 
Never lived there but I wouldn't want to deal with the traffic and smog, let alone any other considerations.
 
If you got money, cali is bomb as fuck. The red states don't compare. But if you broke? You gonna hate it. That and housing is so expensive. How much? Baby it'll blow your mind.
 
Son Tofu said:
Yea, I've looked at those, but I am the type that wants to opinion of people that live that way.
Click to expand...
For what it's worth, about 10 years ago I packed up my family and moved half way across the country. I landed a job on the west coast (though not California) that paid nearly double what I was making in the mid-west. The first year I got here, I qualified for, but did not accept, state aid (food stamps) because my family situation (single income, married with two kids) meant I was being paid below the state poverty line. Thankfully the situation has improved with a better job, but the cost of living here is still insane compared with what I hear from my family back east. But my earning potential is way higher here and my kids have grown up here so I stick around.

I don't know your situation, but if you're a young person and don't have any family or other responsibilities to worry about I'd say "why not give it a try?"
 
Yes it is worth it. You will retire with savings 5x to 10x higher than those of similar professionals in middle America, and the weather will also improve your emotional outlook.

Try it for a decade. You can always go back to where you are from while bringing back something positive, professional experience, better networking, higher savings, etc.
 
Pluses: Great weather, beautiful natural resources and activities (hiking, beaches, etc.), strong career prospects depending on the industry

Minuses: decrepit third world infrastructure, very high taxes, very high real estate costs, dysfunctional basketcase government on every level, real issues with QOL depending on area, terrible schools

I think most peoples' image of California is rooted in 60s boomer propaganda. It's way out of date.
 
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diffusionx said:
Pluses: Great weather, beautiful natural resources and activities (hiking, beaches, etc.), strong career prospects depending on the industry

Minuses: decrepit third world infrastructure, very high taxes, very high real estate costs, dysfunctional basketcase government on every level, real issues with QOL depending on area, terrible schools

I think most peoples' image of California is rooted in 60s boomer propaganda. It's way out of date.
Click to expand...
I used to think California was the ghetto of the first world until I went to New York, where people keep trash bags in the middle of the street and don't notice the pungent smell of shit that raises in the summer. The image of ALL of these places is too embellished.
 
Yes and it's because of real Mexican food

I know all the best spots in or around San Diego, depending on the fix you need (I got a rolled tacos spot, carne asada fries spot, fish burrito spot, bean burrito spot, quesadilla spot, date night spot, breakfast burrito spot etc). Will provide said information for a low one time price of 1,999.99 dollars. I accept bitcoin.

will change your life
 
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I'm thinkin of moving out to socal as well. I love the tech companies and the entertainment, but the politics is ehhhhhh. Tired of cold michigan. Now to answer your question I would say try it, you could always move back.
 
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I don't live there but have visited LA many times. The only advice I have for you is to make sure you can afford to live close to where you work. Traffic is no joke in Southern California.
 
It's a pretty huge state. I'd say it depends more on what city/region you're headed to.

Plus what is stopping you from setting up an exit plan on your good pay?
 
Depending on where you're at you can just shit right in the street it's so amazing as long as you make sure you aren't squatting on a junkie's used needle first.
 
Like a few people said, it's a cool place if you have the money for it. If not, it kinda really sucks.

Also, hope you don't mind earthquakes.
 
I've grown up and lived in San Diego all my life, ideally I never want to leave. When my parents grew up you could reasonably afford to live here and actually buy a house. I'm 37 and I likely won't get any house that isn't willed to me through a death. My blue collar parents bought a house on a good deal around 400k back in 92/93 time frame. The same track homes all neighboring my parents sell for a million+ now. Being a young person and making it here is not in any way realistic without close to a 6 figure job unless you like to perpetually struggle.

That being said the struggle is pretty sweet.
 
There are a lot of great places in California, still. Nature-wise, it's a fantastic state. Still, I'd probably have to make at least around $400k a year to consider moving to the state permanently. I definitely wouldn't want to live in San Francisco or LA, though.
 
Son Tofu said:
I was recently offered a position out in California, but I'm somewhat reluctant to take the position since 1. California is expensive and 2. the policies are garbage.

This is in southern California. The pay is... good. I just don't know if it's good for California. If you live out there can you give me an idea of what it's like.

And yes, I know the weather is great.
Click to expand...

Some parts of Southern CA aren't so bad, but the cost of living is crazier than you think, unless you are potentially moving to one of the areas of Southern California famous for meth use. Also, keep in mind you will be exposed to weird things you wouldn't otherwise.


I work in Sacramento. Today I decided to stop by Starbucks after work. Right after I went in a homeless asian woman came in while I was ordering coffee, laid down on the floor, and started squirming around on the floor. Eventually staff asked her to leave, and she did. Occasionally you meet homeless asian people who pretty much can't speak English or if they do it's so bad it might as well not count. I have no idea why this is, but it weirds me out. There are homeless people of every color of the rainbow, I'm just weirded out that I can't get their backstory so I don't know if they are here legally or not. I suspect a lot of our homeless asians come here illegally for work, but I don't really know that.


The other day I watched a guy dance across the street in front of fast moving cars that had a green light. He didn't get hit so I can't tell if this was skillful performance art or if he just has no clue what's going on. It's not uncommon to see homeless people run or walk right into oncoming traffic and just barely get missed, a lot of these people don't know what's going on. Some are too mentally out of it they will never ask you for money, in fact don't give them money unless they ask. I've been yelled at by homeless people that I approached with the intention of giving them money.


Also you will see a lot of trash/litter. A lot of places will look like crap during the day, and only look good at night unless you are in one of the better parts of whatever city you are in.


Also, if any of the stuff I mentioned sounds "exciting" rather than depressing/scary, then please know that it's likely that at some point in the future you will have a realization of these peoples humanity and it will then become deeply depressing. This usually happens after you realize how hard it is to make friends as an adult after you move to a place like California.
 
Its only with it for the food production and as an asylum. Otherwise California is just a train wreck in slow motion.
 
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I live in Long Beach. I love it. Beautiful days everyday. I was at the beach soaking up some sun couple days ago. Love Socal and love the beautiful women. Make sure you check living expenses though and if it works for you. It's expensive.
 
Cult of FartNoise said:
Yes and it's because of real Mexican food

I know all the best spots in or around San Diego, depending on the fix you need (I got a rolled tacos spot, carne asada fries spot, fish burrito spot, bean burrito spot, quesadilla spot, date night spot, breakfast burrito spot etc). Will provide said information for a low one time price of 1,999.99 dollars. I accept bitcoin.

will change your life
Click to expand...
The absolute best spot is a quick drive over the border. Tijuana street tacos 🔥🔥🔥
 
In any place in CA I would only work for 200k+ and in cities like SF or LA 270k+ - otherwise it is not worth it.
 
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29649_07_always_on_tweeter_adam_orth_is_no_longer_working_for_microsoft_internet_pitchforks_work_it_seems.jpg


Why would you live there?
 
Op, where is the job offered and how much is the pay? Southern California is fucking huge. It's hard to say "stay or go" with so little information.
 
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DESTROYA said:
You couldn't pay me enough money to move to that shit hole state, beautiful state, great weather but the politics would drive me nuts.
Click to expand...
I see this type of attitude a lot from people that don't live in CA. I live in the bay area near SF, one of the supposed hotbeds of social justice, and my interaction with woke activists and general politics in my average day is exactly 0. I think it's there if you want to find it and surround yourself with it, but it doesn't pervade every single moment of your day all the time like people assume.

Anyways, on topic OP - yea it is. It's expensive as fuck, so make sure you're doing your math with rent + cost of living with the new "big" salary, but if you can swing it, it's a unique experience. You don't have to stay forever either, if you find it's not for you.
 
Pejo said:
I see this type of attitude a lot from people that don't live in CA. I live in the bay area near SF, one of the supposed hotbeds of social justice, and my interaction with woke activists and general politics in my average day is exactly 0. I think it's there if you want to find it and surround yourself with it, but it doesn't pervade every single moment of your day all the time like people assume.

Anyways, on topic OP - yea it is. It's expensive as fuck, so make sure you're doing your math with rent + cost of living with the new "big" salary, but if you can swing it, it's a unique experience. You don't have to stay forever either, if you find it's not for you.
Click to expand...

Bullshit. The SJW activism is everywhere. If nothing else, in the rampant homelessness and drug use you can see on market Street.

That isn't normal
 
Son Tofu said:
I was recently offered a position out in California, but I'm somewhat reluctant to take the position since 1. California is expensive and 2. the policies are garbage.

This is in southern California. The pay is... good. I just don't know if it's good for California. If you live out there can you give me an idea of what it's like.

And yes, I know the weather is great.
Click to expand...

You answered your own question. Your bias is the same as mine. lol
 
Manhattan beach just named best city to live in United States. Newport beach also made the list. Just saying. So many Cali haters. Just keep the hate on San Francisco where it's warranted. So cal is all kinds of lovely.
 
Son Tofu said:
That's where I'm at right now. I make decent money here now. The winters are just slowly getting to me.
Click to expand...

That was me living in Washington state. I was done with the winters, but there was (and is) no way in heck I'll ever live on the west side of that state.

So what I did is, I looked at a list of cities with the fastest growing tech markets, and I chose one of those. Can't beat the land and home values around me, and I've only seen it snow twice in about 3 years.
 
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In terms of food and entertainment it's great. There's seemingly an infinite number of things you can do for fun.

Unfortunately shits expensive, tax world, the people are pretty garbage and traffic is always trash.
 
depends where you are in life and what you want your future to be.

imo, no its not. unless youre single and 18-25

the beaches arent even great.
 
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Pejo said:
I see this type of attitude a lot from people that don't live in CA. I live in the bay area near SF, one of the supposed hotbeds of social justice, and my interaction with woke activists and general politics in my average day is exactly 0. I think it's there if you want to find it and surround yourself with it, but it doesn't pervade every single moment of your day all the time like people assume.

Anyways, on topic OP - yea it is. It's expensive as fuck, so make sure you're doing your math with rent + cost of living with the new "big" salary, but if you can swing it, it's a unique experience. You don't have to stay forever either, if you find it's not for you.
Click to expand...
I've been there and seen it first hand visiting my cousin in SF, like a said the land is beautiful, weather is amazing but I would never personally live there, good thing she has a great job in the CRISPR field and makes great money .She has a great place to live but is crazy expensive but tiny.
 
Depends on how you go, I'm being forced out of IT because of all the CS Grads coming here and taking all the decent jobs which makes no sense to me because these guys suck in the positions they're given.

I've taken serious pay cuts that past couple of years and it's only getting worse, I'm going back to school for Computer Science just to compete in a field I work circles around because everyone's circle jerking over those guys who can't even do the most basics of troubleshooting, configuration or maintenance all because the big 4 decided that CS was the new hot degree.
 
I've been living in Los Angeles since my high school years and through the last 25+ years I've also traveled to a lot of other different states in the US like Utah, Washington, Nevada, Arizona, Wyoming & New York etc and spend time there. for me, I can't think of living anywhere else outside of California, and it's mainly because of the food (mostly the 3 big cities of the state thou, ie LA, SF, SD). I've traveled through the midland of California also and while I'm not a fan of it personally, I can see their appeal. it really depends on what you're aiming for of course. if you're looking to "make it big", don't live in LA. go NYC or SF if you can handle the life style. LA, as one of my former coworker so charmingly put it, is for people to live out their retirement before they even realize it. there are exceptions of course but for the most part everything in LA is pretty saturated due to the huge population. and because of that, unless you're in a niche market/line of work, your competition will be very fierce to say the least.

but again, if you're trying to live a comfortable life, LA is not a bad choice depending on how willing you are to compromise and integrate. you'll get used to the traffic and the weather and what you get in return is food, culture and entertainment that's unmatched outside of NYC and SF. at the end of the day, for me, it's all about what kind of choices a city/state can provide me in terms of culture and food. and outside of NYC, SF (I know maybe places like Boston and Chicago can be up to par also but since I've only had some short stays there I can't say for sure), I really can't think of anywhere else. and no, Las Vegas doesn't count. it's fun for weekend visits but living there is an entirely different story.
 
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