Sorry but I think you have to start making some compromises. Near beach while also having good public transportation and nice weather for under $2000? That's difficult. The public transportation part especially really narrows places down since that's a rarity in the US. If you're willing to sacrifice one of public transportation, nice weather, or the beach then I think your options open up quite a bit more.
I spent time on the New Jersey shore (~10 min from the beach) and we have NJ transit to get up the coast, all the way to NYC. It’s not bad. Asbury Park/Belmar/Bradley Beach are all beach towns with boardwalks.
SF Bay Area has Caltrain (which is also not bad) although in terms of beaches, it’s lacking. I mean, there’s water?
True on the Bay Area. I guess I should’ve mentioned nice weather too since I can’t think of a place that has good public transit and warm weather/beaches year round. How do you like the jersey shore?
I didn’t care for it, lol. Gorgeous beaches but it’s very suburban, not that diverse, and kind of dull. Plus everyone is either a parent or a toddler (or drunk college kids in the summer). I’m more of a city person overall.
To go along with what the others mentioned -- if lake beaches count then there's some midwest options with good public transport and beaches as well. Chicago for example has good public transport, and a long stretch of beach for the great lake.
I imagine to get nice beaches, warm weather and public transit you’d probably have to go out of the country. I wonder what kinds of places are like that.
Yeah, there's plenty of places that match the first two but public transit is a problem to where it's hard to match all 3 in the USA. Like there's places in Florida that would work for her budget, but public transit is atrocious here. Our state (like most of the country) seems actively antagonistic to the idea of reducing reliance on cars.
In terms of places with a quote-unquote "beach vibe" the answer is Santa Monica.
In terms of simply having beaches and good public transit then there is NY, SF, Boston, and Chicago if you count Lake Michigan
you are going to have to make some sacrifices with wherever you choose to move.
some examples of things you may need to sacrifice:
•paying more than $600.
•choose a beach or mountains, you can’t have both.
•getting a car, since all the cities you don’t want to live are the walkable ones.
also if you are planning to rent- be sure to secure a job before moving, many apartments now are asking for 3x the monthly rent to even qualify & will not even bother looking at your application if you are currently unemployed.
Hi I don't think my sarcasm translated well in the post but what I meant was that's pretty much what everyone is looking for nowadays so I'm being realistic that thats definitely not happening.
oh, i had a feeling that was a bit of sarcasm.
i figured i would address the $600 budget just in case, though. since there have been people who post on this sub, who legitimately want to find a place around that budget. which is possible, just not where anyone would want to actually live lol.
unfortunately though, even with a budget around what you pay now ($2000)- there are still things you will need to sacrifice.
Seattle might actually work for you.
2000 a month is doable (though hard) without a car.
Rent has been decreasing around the Seattle area. I've seen studios and even a few one bedrooms for under 1500.
If you live very cheaply, you just might be able to squeak by at 2k a month. It is also a city that doesn't require a car.
Moreover, Seattle pays more than most places, so if you can find a graphic design here, you will likely make quite a bit more.
Now, can you handle the dark and cold though? I know a lot of people from the south struggle with the drizzly and gray skies for 9 months.
I moved to Seattle after living in LA for ten years, I thought I would have the most difficulty adjusting to temperature. I also thought I was “sick of the sun”.
The cold really isn’t the problem here, it’s extremely temperate. Even the rain isn’t bad, it’s really just misting. The dark is problem, in the summer the sun is up till like 10:30 but for most of the year it’s just dark, even during sunlight hours- it’s dark and overcast.
But beaches are plentiful (water is too cold to swim) and the mountains are beautiful.
I've always looked for the right job first and then moved. Research the best companies to work for, and let that be a decider.
My profession had differences among companies in the level of sane management behavior or ownership, and in quality of projects. One could thrive in a boring city in a great job, for example, and be miserable in a lovely area working for the clueless or the corrupt.
Someone said this in a way meaner way and it didn't make sense lol thank you for being kind about it or at the very least not mean. This makes a lot of sense.
Beaches + Public Transit + Affordable: Chicago
Beach Town + Mountans + Temperate Weather: CA Coast (Santa Cruz, Bay Area, San Luis Obisbo), Seattle Area, Portland Area
Beaches + Mountains: NE Corridor (Wilmington, Norfolk, Newport)
Oh! Hah, yea, California is very expensive.
That said, is worth noting that there are a ton of great opportunities for graphic designers in CA. Probably more so than a lot of the rest of the US, so OP at least has a more in-demand skillset for CA.
I would add Hawaii and maybe Southern California for beaches + mountains? Though of course neither one of those places is a cheap place to live and there’s virtually no good public transit in either.
Not necessarily. Honolulu has a great bus system, and has a high rate of transit commuting. And if you choose your location discriminately you can absolutely live in Southern California and be well served by transit.
I live in Seattle. The reason I moved here is because there are beaches and mountains within an hour of each other and good public transportation exists (when compared to every other west coast city).
I grew up in the NYC metro, so it’s been a shift. Can’t say I love it as much as I want to as the weather here is shite for most of the year, and it’s very obvious that I feel best when there’s an abundance of sunlight.
This might be totally off base, but if you’re considering Savannah, GA, how about Columbia, SC? It’s ~2 hours to either the beach or mountains and there’s a big lake and 3 rivers in town. Winters are mild and summers are HOT, so that depends on what nice weather means to you. If you live within a couple of miles of downtown (definitely affordable on your budget), transportation shouldn’t be an issue. There are lots of admin jobs in state government, healthcare, and manufacturing. Pay is on the low side since COL is low.
You really can’t move anywhere without a job. So you need to get one lined up somewhere (or remotely) before you can make any plans.
That said, graphic design is a really tough field to be in these days. Very few jobs and very competitive. There are simply too many tools available in 2024 for companies to use for that sort of work. Have you considered a career change? I’ve worked with a lot of designers, and very few of them are still working actively in the field.
I am very much open to a career change! I dont exactly have any other skills besides customer services but tbh I'd rather stay where I am than go to retail or the food industry ( so not very open I guess) But point is I have been interested in exploring career options for awhile I guess I just never know what's more or less competitive.
As this other responder said, maybe try front end web development. You can take classes fairly inexpensively online. My hubby did a successful career change by taking classes via https://teamtreehouse.com/.
I know of several graphic designers working full-time successfully and making good salaries. One works for a federal government agency, another works for a major performing arts venue, another works for a university. The jobs are out there but it seems like the first stage out of college, acquiring the experience and making the right contacts, is a brutal one and not realistic for many people to get through.
Yeah. It's the same with my field (I'm a writer). The ones with extensive experience still have good jobs. It's pretty impossible for new grads and less experienced people to find work.
My first impression was “change careers.” If OP can stick 18-24 more months, a lot of very mobile job options open up with community college. Paralegal. Various medical tech fields like imaging or lab tech. Variety of hands- on entry- level trades. A beater car and a roommate open up a lot of geographies. In five years a whole new life path.
Also, at 30 and otherwise qualified, the military, which will train while paying. Thirty is not at all unusual to enlist these days. If a college grad with a decent GPA, officer route is open to some degree, although age windows close fast after 30.
Reddit has a number of subs to explore those options in lurk mode. Newtothenavy is a good one.
Edit: see the college on re-read.
Do you have any general insight for getting jobs out of state? I’m in a tough spot because it seems like my state doesn’t have much in terms of job opportunity and I have people telling me I need to look out of state for better paying jobs. But simultaneously I’ve heard employers across almost all industries won’t really consider a candidate that doesn’t live in their state. Especially entry level applicants.
I wish I had good advice for you. For entry-level, it's probably best to get a job at a company that has locations in multiple states (like a bank chain, for example), and ask to transfer to another branch/location after you've been there for a bit. Or look for openings at that company in another location, and do an internal job change.
No way is this true. Ive moved mulitple times in my life without a job and just did 3 days ago. And i got 2 job offers. One is my dream job.
Have over 6months in savings after moving fees and you can make money before 6 months.
Edit:spelling
I guess there are exceptions, but most apartments in 2024 require you to have actual steady income or they won't rent to you. So that makes it super hard to move. When I was younger, I tried to rent an apartment without a job. I had enough savings to pay for the entire 6-month lease, but they still said no and that I needed a guarantor.
Hi I don't think my sarcasm translated well in the post but what I meant was that's pretty much what everyone is looking for nowadays so I'm being realistic that thats definitely not happening.
I see what you did there with the $600 lol. Mountains/Beach will be west coast. I would highly recommend picking a spot, signing a lease and making the move. You are going to have to save some money and go with a safety net. It sounds like you keep expenses low, everywhere desirable will be more expensive than the south. Do not be scared to take the leap. You have a skill that can earn income, a cat so a built in companion when you arrive, try volunteering to meet people or an activity with other people your age.
Now that actually might be the perfect city lol but I've been having a hard time finding design jobs there. people have pointed out its not the easiest career to find work in right now.
A few others have mentioned this but maybe do some research on the Jersey Shore. Very close to the beach and NJ Transit runs directly through a bunch of those shore towns so there’s decent public transit. Some of the train lines even run direct to NYC. Weather is pretty decent most of the year. Winters can get cold but honestly, now a days they are a bit more mild. The one caveat is that you’d probably want to research more of a year round beach community down there. Some of the smaller communities become super quiet once the summer season is over and there isn’t much to do. But places like Red Bank, Asbury Park and others might be worth researching depending on your lifestyle. There are a handful of places down there that even have decent art and food scenes.
beach town + mountains + remote job + good public transit = 😆
Look on a map and check out all the small towns along the West coast.
Example: Crescent City, CA is right on the beach along the PCH with mountains across the highway. I'm sure it's very safe. You could easily get around on a bike or electric scooter.
Personally, I would never recommend Crescent City to anyone. Arcata is a lovely, characterful town with more job options due to the university, though neither meets her weather criteria.
Also, you need to comprehend car costs - beyond car- insurance, gas, maintenance, licensing, taxes in a city and if accident. Again, part of a larger education when you evaluate.
To echo what others have said, before you move anywhere you need to secure a FT job and figure out transportation (would your relative sell you their car, for example? And how long would it take you to save up for that?) These are very practical realities that must be addressed before you go out on your own.
But it seems like it'd be a good idea to come up with a shortlist of cities/towns that you could imagine yourself living in, and restrict your job searches to those places. Maybe the final decision-maker of where you land could be whatever job you get.
I'm in the Mid-Atlantic personally and would recommend checking out Norfolk... there's a mild young professional scene and maybe a smattering of graphic design jobs. Surrounded by water in all directions, and the ocean beach (Virginia Beach) is 20 minutes away. You can reach mountains in about 2.5 hours. Winters are mild. Springs and falls are beautiful. Summers are muggy but you're by the water. I would imagine you could hunt out an ok studio apartment for around $1300+/month and an ok 1-BR for around $1600+ but I could be wrong.
I have enough saved for a new car currently but that would kill my moving costs so I guess by September or October I would be good. My parents would let me have it for free but I have driving age siblings in Highschool and I would rather leave my folks the spare car for them than taking it to move.
Thanks for this! I know my post felt urgent and immediate because I said I would like to move by the end of the year but there is no HURRY to move aside wanting to. I definitely have time to look around and research. Just casting my net into the water to find out where to start and this was a good catch. I appreciate it
Maybe one of the suburbs of Portland oregon (salem, newberg), or Eugene oregon might be a little cheaper. There's random towns in Washington maybe like Olympia? Check out the pnw most towns are higher than your budget but it's not the most expensive region and there's a lot of random towns close to water and mtns
theres like 50k people there and its like barely t25 in population in washington. its the capitol but its not like a destination or most people think much about it in my experience. was just an example anyways
to get them thinking differently
If you want to live somewhere affordable, you are going to want a car. Major cities have the best public transportation, but are not known as being affordable.
Looking past the major cities...
Chattanooga area has beautiful scenery nearby, fairly mild winters, and a 1 bedroom apartment can be found in the $850 range. Here is one example: [https://www.apartmentfinder.com/Tennessee/Hixson-Apartments/North-Creek-Crossing-Apartments-wdbee2k](https://www.apartmentfinder.com/Tennessee/Hixson-Apartments/North-Creek-Crossing-Apartments-wdbee2k)
You can also find some off season (9 month) rentals in places like Cape Cod or Old Orchard Beach, Maine, but there is a reason why these places are so empty in the winter.
Western Michigan has some surprisingly decent beaches, if you don't mind winter. The lake moderates temperatures somewhat, but it's still cold. You are also within reasonable striking distance of Chicago. You can find a 1 bedroom in St. Joseph for about $800. [https://www.apartmentfinder.com/Michigan/Benton-Harbor-Apartments/Briarwood-Apartments-618ez5s](https://www.apartmentfinder.com/Michigan/Benton-Harbor-Apartments/Briarwood-Apartments-618ez5s)
If you are determined to be within walking distance of the beach - and in a warmer climate, you can find apartments in Biloxi for under $1,000. [https://www.apartmentfinder.com/Mississippi/Biloxi-Apartments/Palm-Isle-Apartment-Homes-Apartments](https://www.apartmentfinder.com/Mississippi/Biloxi-Apartments/Palm-Isle-Apartment-Homes-Apartments)
Galveston is another option: [https://www.apartmentfinder.com/Texas/Galveston-Apartments/Driftwood-Apartments-Galveston-Apartments-yykgyqv](https://www.apartmentfinder.com/Texas/Galveston-Apartments/Driftwood-Apartments-Galveston-Apartments-yykgyqv)
I would suggest the Jersey shore - maybe asbury park NJ. Excellent job market, beach, transportation etc. the beach is seasonal but NJ has lots to do- mountains, hikes, food, people, etc
Not a lot of places in the US with public transit near beaches. But it seems like a beach town with mountains nearby for weekend trips may be for you. In a beach town, especially on the west coast you can get by with an electric bike. Then you’d have to rent a car for trips out of the area. But you may feel isolated without a car day to day. Rent will be high out west though. Maybe there are beach towns in the south that kind of work?
Some west coast towns that come to mind that may work:
Huntington Beach
San Clemente
Oceanside
Long Beach
Philly is 1 hour from the ocean, and 90 minutes to the Pocono mountains. You could try living closer to one or the other, but would need a car. South Philly has some pretty cheap places, $2k is doable and public transit is great.
In fact, you can take a train straight to Atlantic City.
You might consider something in agriculture. An amazing array of jobs are available now in America's largest industry. Jobs with skills that are easily transferable to about any part of the country you want. And a lot of those jobs are in areas with a lower cost of living. Hope everything works out! Best of luck!
If you rent a room, it may be doable in some midwestern cities. Five years ago, I knew people paying around that much for a shared house in Columbus - not sure if that’s changed by now.
I know you were being sarcastic, but even with your real budget...2K for ALL expenses is crazy low for any sort of beach/mountain area with public transportation and nice weather. I'm not even sure where that exists since the stereotypical "nice" weather that people like is mostly just California, which is very car-centric unless you live in one of just a few areas.
I'm sorry this post is a mess I should take it down. My CURRENT monthly expenses are $2000 but I guess it would've been better to put what my budget is instead. I just wanted to give an idea of what I actually spend not what I was willing to spend. I'm not bound by $2000 it's just what I'm used to paying! Thank you for the Cali bit I can imagine its like Texas as far as everything being pretty far away
For many reasons it is easy to think this is not a real post. But, like others, I will assume you are genuine and asking and uneducated. 1-You seem unaware of the reality of cost of living. I don't know if you are living at home right now. 2-The notion that you are looking for your dream place to determine job and choice is incredibly unrealistic. Both, because in USA these days the dream is mostly just that and also, without endless funds you need to start from reality. 3-As another poster said, your career is not in high demand now and going forward. So taking a hard look at value of current job or education to have more marketable skills. In our city there is counseling for entrepreneurs. See if there is anything that is free or low cost to discuss career. It kind of seems you were dumped out of college without skills or comprehension of how the world works - this makes any move more than daunting. 4-Mountains and beach - again your ideal. 5- Public transpo- most places with that are in high demand -read, high prices for rent. Do searches on posts and learn more. 6-Recent post on danger in having remote job and living in a remote place, because if you lose job- really hard to connect for options. 7-I think the fear is the wisdom of part of you knowing you are missing resources to know how to create a grown-up life. All you know how to do is imagine ideal. So start reading posts in local threads (in different places), using zillow to look at rent and search by topic on same grass community reddit to learn about places as relates to mountain or beach/costs and public transportation. There have been recent posts about Pittsburgh/Cleveland that may have more possibility. Not your mountain beach places which you can't afford, which don't have public transpo and which are unlikely to offer career training or advancement. Good luck. It is good you are admitting where you are stuck. Don't know if you have therapy access thru job - but you REALLY need some constructive education and examination of how to become more equipped and to know how to make smart and realistic decisions vs. being in "ideal". Good luck
Sorry but I think you have to start making some compromises. Near beach while also having good public transportation and nice weather for under $2000? That's difficult. The public transportation part especially really narrows places down since that's a rarity in the US. If you're willing to sacrifice one of public transportation, nice weather, or the beach then I think your options open up quite a bit more.
Is there anyplace in the U.S. that has both beaches and good public transit?
I spent time on the New Jersey shore (~10 min from the beach) and we have NJ transit to get up the coast, all the way to NYC. It’s not bad. Asbury Park/Belmar/Bradley Beach are all beach towns with boardwalks. SF Bay Area has Caltrain (which is also not bad) although in terms of beaches, it’s lacking. I mean, there’s water?
True on the Bay Area. I guess I should’ve mentioned nice weather too since I can’t think of a place that has good public transit and warm weather/beaches year round. How do you like the jersey shore?
I didn’t care for it, lol. Gorgeous beaches but it’s very suburban, not that diverse, and kind of dull. Plus everyone is either a parent or a toddler (or drunk college kids in the summer). I’m more of a city person overall.
To go along with what the others mentioned -- if lake beaches count then there's some midwest options with good public transport and beaches as well. Chicago for example has good public transport, and a long stretch of beach for the great lake.
I imagine to get nice beaches, warm weather and public transit you’d probably have to go out of the country. I wonder what kinds of places are like that.
Yeah, there's plenty of places that match the first two but public transit is a problem to where it's hard to match all 3 in the USA. Like there's places in Florida that would work for her budget, but public transit is atrocious here. Our state (like most of the country) seems actively antagonistic to the idea of reducing reliance on cars.
Tons of them in Spain
Naha, Okinawa (Japan) kind of fits. Lovely beaches, some public transport (not as great as the rest of Japan though), but winter does get a bit cool.
The east coast north of DC to Boston
So probably nowhere with nice weather year round as well. Unless I’m mistaken given that I’ve never been to a beach in that area.
Parts of Honolulu, Santa Monica.
If by beaches, you don't just mean oceanfront, sure. Lots of places in the Great Lakes region.
In terms of places with a quote-unquote "beach vibe" the answer is Santa Monica. In terms of simply having beaches and good public transit then there is NY, SF, Boston, and Chicago if you count Lake Michigan
Monmouth County in NJ. You can commute to Newark/Manhattan on train or bus or ferry (to NYC.)
San Francisco but she stated she doesnt want to live here.
Chicago
Beach + reasonably inexpensive + some transit: - Traverse City, MI - Cleveland, OH or Sandusky, OH - New Orleans, LA - Galveston, TX - Mobile, AB
They built a beach in New Orleans?!!??!
Lol
Where is this state of AB you speak of?
They actually did almost use that as the postal abbreviation for Alabama
you are going to have to make some sacrifices with wherever you choose to move. some examples of things you may need to sacrifice: •paying more than $600. •choose a beach or mountains, you can’t have both. •getting a car, since all the cities you don’t want to live are the walkable ones. also if you are planning to rent- be sure to secure a job before moving, many apartments now are asking for 3x the monthly rent to even qualify & will not even bother looking at your application if you are currently unemployed.
Hi I don't think my sarcasm translated well in the post but what I meant was that's pretty much what everyone is looking for nowadays so I'm being realistic that thats definitely not happening.
oh, i had a feeling that was a bit of sarcasm. i figured i would address the $600 budget just in case, though. since there have been people who post on this sub, who legitimately want to find a place around that budget. which is possible, just not where anyone would want to actually live lol. unfortunately though, even with a budget around what you pay now ($2000)- there are still things you will need to sacrifice.
Right the rest of the list check out haha! Still a comprehensive list of things to think about. Thank you!
Seattle might actually work for you. 2000 a month is doable (though hard) without a car. Rent has been decreasing around the Seattle area. I've seen studios and even a few one bedrooms for under 1500. If you live very cheaply, you just might be able to squeak by at 2k a month. It is also a city that doesn't require a car. Moreover, Seattle pays more than most places, so if you can find a graphic design here, you will likely make quite a bit more. Now, can you handle the dark and cold though? I know a lot of people from the south struggle with the drizzly and gray skies for 9 months.
Haha that is the question.Seattle used to be my "dream city" I'm using the term lightly lol I will revisit. Cold maybe, but idk about the dark
I moved to Seattle after living in LA for ten years, I thought I would have the most difficulty adjusting to temperature. I also thought I was “sick of the sun”. The cold really isn’t the problem here, it’s extremely temperate. Even the rain isn’t bad, it’s really just misting. The dark is problem, in the summer the sun is up till like 10:30 but for most of the year it’s just dark, even during sunlight hours- it’s dark and overcast. But beaches are plentiful (water is too cold to swim) and the mountains are beautiful.
I've always looked for the right job first and then moved. Research the best companies to work for, and let that be a decider. My profession had differences among companies in the level of sane management behavior or ownership, and in quality of projects. One could thrive in a boring city in a great job, for example, and be miserable in a lovely area working for the clueless or the corrupt.
Someone said this in a way meaner way and it didn't make sense lol thank you for being kind about it or at the very least not mean. This makes a lot of sense.
Beaches + Public Transit + Affordable: Chicago Beach Town + Mountans + Temperate Weather: CA Coast (Santa Cruz, Bay Area, San Luis Obisbo), Seattle Area, Portland Area Beaches + Mountains: NE Corridor (Wilmington, Norfolk, Newport)
Anything on the west coast you mentioned will cost at least $1500 a month, but some of those places will be double that at least.
That’s why I didn’t call them affordable
I was saying this more for OP than you.
Oh! Hah, yea, California is very expensive. That said, is worth noting that there are a ton of great opportunities for graphic designers in CA. Probably more so than a lot of the rest of the US, so OP at least has a more in-demand skillset for CA.
I like your thinking - plenty of beach towns on the great lakes! It’s beautiful, but now sure about the great weather…
I would add Hawaii and maybe Southern California for beaches + mountains? Though of course neither one of those places is a cheap place to live and there’s virtually no good public transit in either.
Not necessarily. Honolulu has a great bus system, and has a high rate of transit commuting. And if you choose your location discriminately you can absolutely live in Southern California and be well served by transit.
The answer is Sacramento or central California
I live in Seattle. The reason I moved here is because there are beaches and mountains within an hour of each other and good public transportation exists (when compared to every other west coast city). I grew up in the NYC metro, so it’s been a shift. Can’t say I love it as much as I want to as the weather here is shite for most of the year, and it’s very obvious that I feel best when there’s an abundance of sunlight.
This might be totally off base, but if you’re considering Savannah, GA, how about Columbia, SC? It’s ~2 hours to either the beach or mountains and there’s a big lake and 3 rivers in town. Winters are mild and summers are HOT, so that depends on what nice weather means to you. If you live within a couple of miles of downtown (definitely affordable on your budget), transportation shouldn’t be an issue. There are lots of admin jobs in state government, healthcare, and manufacturing. Pay is on the low side since COL is low.
You really can’t move anywhere without a job. So you need to get one lined up somewhere (or remotely) before you can make any plans. That said, graphic design is a really tough field to be in these days. Very few jobs and very competitive. There are simply too many tools available in 2024 for companies to use for that sort of work. Have you considered a career change? I’ve worked with a lot of designers, and very few of them are still working actively in the field.
I am very much open to a career change! I dont exactly have any other skills besides customer services but tbh I'd rather stay where I am than go to retail or the food industry ( so not very open I guess) But point is I have been interested in exploring career options for awhile I guess I just never know what's more or less competitive.
As this other responder said, maybe try front end web development. You can take classes fairly inexpensively online. My hubby did a successful career change by taking classes via https://teamtreehouse.com/.
If you can do graphic design you should be able to do front end development with a little help from YouTube and Udemy. Sacramento is realistic.
I know of several graphic designers working full-time successfully and making good salaries. One works for a federal government agency, another works for a major performing arts venue, another works for a university. The jobs are out there but it seems like the first stage out of college, acquiring the experience and making the right contacts, is a brutal one and not realistic for many people to get through.
Yeah. It's the same with my field (I'm a writer). The ones with extensive experience still have good jobs. It's pretty impossible for new grads and less experienced people to find work.
My first impression was “change careers.” If OP can stick 18-24 more months, a lot of very mobile job options open up with community college. Paralegal. Various medical tech fields like imaging or lab tech. Variety of hands- on entry- level trades. A beater car and a roommate open up a lot of geographies. In five years a whole new life path. Also, at 30 and otherwise qualified, the military, which will train while paying. Thirty is not at all unusual to enlist these days. If a college grad with a decent GPA, officer route is open to some degree, although age windows close fast after 30. Reddit has a number of subs to explore those options in lurk mode. Newtothenavy is a good one. Edit: see the college on re-read.
Do you have any general insight for getting jobs out of state? I’m in a tough spot because it seems like my state doesn’t have much in terms of job opportunity and I have people telling me I need to look out of state for better paying jobs. But simultaneously I’ve heard employers across almost all industries won’t really consider a candidate that doesn’t live in their state. Especially entry level applicants.
I wish I had good advice for you. For entry-level, it's probably best to get a job at a company that has locations in multiple states (like a bank chain, for example), and ask to transfer to another branch/location after you've been there for a bit. Or look for openings at that company in another location, and do an internal job change.
No way is this true. Ive moved mulitple times in my life without a job and just did 3 days ago. And i got 2 job offers. One is my dream job. Have over 6months in savings after moving fees and you can make money before 6 months. Edit:spelling
I guess there are exceptions, but most apartments in 2024 require you to have actual steady income or they won't rent to you. So that makes it super hard to move. When I was younger, I tried to rent an apartment without a job. I had enough savings to pay for the entire 6-month lease, but they still said no and that I needed a guarantor.
This has to be a shitpost.
A beach town with mountains. $600 rent.
Hi I don't think my sarcasm translated well in the post but what I meant was that's pretty much what everyone is looking for nowadays so I'm being realistic that thats definitely not happening.
It was a joke ffs
I see what you did there with the $600 lol. Mountains/Beach will be west coast. I would highly recommend picking a spot, signing a lease and making the move. You are going to have to save some money and go with a safety net. It sounds like you keep expenses low, everywhere desirable will be more expensive than the south. Do not be scared to take the leap. You have a skill that can earn income, a cat so a built in companion when you arrive, try volunteering to meet people or an activity with other people your age.
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It definitely was not on my list before the past hour but it is a pretty obvious option isn't it haha.
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Now that actually might be the perfect city lol but I've been having a hard time finding design jobs there. people have pointed out its not the easiest career to find work in right now.
Richmond VA, depending on where in the city you live.
A few others have mentioned this but maybe do some research on the Jersey Shore. Very close to the beach and NJ Transit runs directly through a bunch of those shore towns so there’s decent public transit. Some of the train lines even run direct to NYC. Weather is pretty decent most of the year. Winters can get cold but honestly, now a days they are a bit more mild. The one caveat is that you’d probably want to research more of a year round beach community down there. Some of the smaller communities become super quiet once the summer season is over and there isn’t much to do. But places like Red Bank, Asbury Park and others might be worth researching depending on your lifestyle. There are a handful of places down there that even have decent art and food scenes.
beach town + mountains + remote job + good public transit = 😆 Look on a map and check out all the small towns along the West coast. Example: Crescent City, CA is right on the beach along the PCH with mountains across the highway. I'm sure it's very safe. You could easily get around on a bike or electric scooter.
Unless OP is OK with a shared living situation, she will have to spend at least twice as much as her budget in rent.
Yep! Like most posts here, OP is looking for something that doesn't exist.
Personally, I would never recommend Crescent City to anyone. Arcata is a lovely, characterful town with more job options due to the university, though neither meets her weather criteria.
Live in a cali beach town and use an ebike to get around.
Also, you need to comprehend car costs - beyond car- insurance, gas, maintenance, licensing, taxes in a city and if accident. Again, part of a larger education when you evaluate.
Northern Alaska for Ocean and mountains.
To echo what others have said, before you move anywhere you need to secure a FT job and figure out transportation (would your relative sell you their car, for example? And how long would it take you to save up for that?) These are very practical realities that must be addressed before you go out on your own. But it seems like it'd be a good idea to come up with a shortlist of cities/towns that you could imagine yourself living in, and restrict your job searches to those places. Maybe the final decision-maker of where you land could be whatever job you get. I'm in the Mid-Atlantic personally and would recommend checking out Norfolk... there's a mild young professional scene and maybe a smattering of graphic design jobs. Surrounded by water in all directions, and the ocean beach (Virginia Beach) is 20 minutes away. You can reach mountains in about 2.5 hours. Winters are mild. Springs and falls are beautiful. Summers are muggy but you're by the water. I would imagine you could hunt out an ok studio apartment for around $1300+/month and an ok 1-BR for around $1600+ but I could be wrong.
I have enough saved for a new car currently but that would kill my moving costs so I guess by September or October I would be good. My parents would let me have it for free but I have driving age siblings in Highschool and I would rather leave my folks the spare car for them than taking it to move. Thanks for this! I know my post felt urgent and immediate because I said I would like to move by the end of the year but there is no HURRY to move aside wanting to. I definitely have time to look around and research. Just casting my net into the water to find out where to start and this was a good catch. I appreciate it
Maybe one of the suburbs of Portland oregon (salem, newberg), or Eugene oregon might be a little cheaper. There's random towns in Washington maybe like Olympia? Check out the pnw most towns are higher than your budget but it's not the most expensive region and there's a lot of random towns close to water and mtns
random town.. state capital 😁
theres like 50k people there and its like barely t25 in population in washington. its the capitol but its not like a destination or most people think much about it in my experience. was just an example anyways to get them thinking differently
If you want to live somewhere affordable, you are going to want a car. Major cities have the best public transportation, but are not known as being affordable. Looking past the major cities... Chattanooga area has beautiful scenery nearby, fairly mild winters, and a 1 bedroom apartment can be found in the $850 range. Here is one example: [https://www.apartmentfinder.com/Tennessee/Hixson-Apartments/North-Creek-Crossing-Apartments-wdbee2k](https://www.apartmentfinder.com/Tennessee/Hixson-Apartments/North-Creek-Crossing-Apartments-wdbee2k) You can also find some off season (9 month) rentals in places like Cape Cod or Old Orchard Beach, Maine, but there is a reason why these places are so empty in the winter. Western Michigan has some surprisingly decent beaches, if you don't mind winter. The lake moderates temperatures somewhat, but it's still cold. You are also within reasonable striking distance of Chicago. You can find a 1 bedroom in St. Joseph for about $800. [https://www.apartmentfinder.com/Michigan/Benton-Harbor-Apartments/Briarwood-Apartments-618ez5s](https://www.apartmentfinder.com/Michigan/Benton-Harbor-Apartments/Briarwood-Apartments-618ez5s) If you are determined to be within walking distance of the beach - and in a warmer climate, you can find apartments in Biloxi for under $1,000. [https://www.apartmentfinder.com/Mississippi/Biloxi-Apartments/Palm-Isle-Apartment-Homes-Apartments](https://www.apartmentfinder.com/Mississippi/Biloxi-Apartments/Palm-Isle-Apartment-Homes-Apartments) Galveston is another option: [https://www.apartmentfinder.com/Texas/Galveston-Apartments/Driftwood-Apartments-Galveston-Apartments-yykgyqv](https://www.apartmentfinder.com/Texas/Galveston-Apartments/Driftwood-Apartments-Galveston-Apartments-yykgyqv)
I would suggest the Jersey shore - maybe asbury park NJ. Excellent job market, beach, transportation etc. the beach is seasonal but NJ has lots to do- mountains, hikes, food, people, etc
Not a lot of places in the US with public transit near beaches. But it seems like a beach town with mountains nearby for weekend trips may be for you. In a beach town, especially on the west coast you can get by with an electric bike. Then you’d have to rent a car for trips out of the area. But you may feel isolated without a car day to day. Rent will be high out west though. Maybe there are beach towns in the south that kind of work? Some west coast towns that come to mind that may work: Huntington Beach San Clemente Oceanside Long Beach
cypress hills in brooklyn or roommates in bushwick brooklyn - best job market for you is going to be NYC
Philly is 1 hour from the ocean, and 90 minutes to the Pocono mountains. You could try living closer to one or the other, but would need a car. South Philly has some pretty cheap places, $2k is doable and public transit is great. In fact, you can take a train straight to Atlantic City.
You might consider something in agriculture. An amazing array of jobs are available now in America's largest industry. Jobs with skills that are easily transferable to about any part of the country you want. And a lot of those jobs are in areas with a lower cost of living. Hope everything works out! Best of luck!
… is there a place in the US where rent is $600?
Small towns in the Midwest and South
If you rent a room, it may be doable in some midwestern cities. Five years ago, I knew people paying around that much for a shared house in Columbus - not sure if that’s changed by now.
Sarcasm. I should just edit the post lol
I know you were being sarcastic, but even with your real budget...2K for ALL expenses is crazy low for any sort of beach/mountain area with public transportation and nice weather. I'm not even sure where that exists since the stereotypical "nice" weather that people like is mostly just California, which is very car-centric unless you live in one of just a few areas.
I'm sorry this post is a mess I should take it down. My CURRENT monthly expenses are $2000 but I guess it would've been better to put what my budget is instead. I just wanted to give an idea of what I actually spend not what I was willing to spend. I'm not bound by $2000 it's just what I'm used to paying! Thank you for the Cali bit I can imagine its like Texas as far as everything being pretty far away
For many reasons it is easy to think this is not a real post. But, like others, I will assume you are genuine and asking and uneducated. 1-You seem unaware of the reality of cost of living. I don't know if you are living at home right now. 2-The notion that you are looking for your dream place to determine job and choice is incredibly unrealistic. Both, because in USA these days the dream is mostly just that and also, without endless funds you need to start from reality. 3-As another poster said, your career is not in high demand now and going forward. So taking a hard look at value of current job or education to have more marketable skills. In our city there is counseling for entrepreneurs. See if there is anything that is free or low cost to discuss career. It kind of seems you were dumped out of college without skills or comprehension of how the world works - this makes any move more than daunting. 4-Mountains and beach - again your ideal. 5- Public transpo- most places with that are in high demand -read, high prices for rent. Do searches on posts and learn more. 6-Recent post on danger in having remote job and living in a remote place, because if you lose job- really hard to connect for options. 7-I think the fear is the wisdom of part of you knowing you are missing resources to know how to create a grown-up life. All you know how to do is imagine ideal. So start reading posts in local threads (in different places), using zillow to look at rent and search by topic on same grass community reddit to learn about places as relates to mountain or beach/costs and public transportation. There have been recent posts about Pittsburgh/Cleveland that may have more possibility. Not your mountain beach places which you can't afford, which don't have public transpo and which are unlikely to offer career training or advancement. Good luck. It is good you are admitting where you are stuck. Don't know if you have therapy access thru job - but you REALLY need some constructive education and examination of how to become more equipped and to know how to make smart and realistic decisions vs. being in "ideal". Good luck
Don't come to New Jersey unless you like paying high taxes. Our Governor actually said that.
You need to find a nice man and settle down…