You'll never make it in California

U.S.A. California

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I am sick of people telling me this!! Its realy discouraging and when you hear it so many times you start to believe it. I'm going to be graduating from nursing school in may and I plan on moving to CA sometime before september to work as a new grad.

I live in pa right now and I'm going to pack up all my stuff and relocate. I might be moving with 2 friends, but I'm not really sure about it. I might end up just living by myself for a while. A lot of people tell me that I'll never make it because its sooo expensive.

I'm going to be living in the orange county area. When people start with all this negative talk about how expensive CA is and how congested it gets on my nerves.

It is possible for someone to live in an apartment and work at a hospital in Orange county and live comfortably correct? I won't be pinching pennies will I?

Well so if I'm making $4,000 a month and getting $1,000 dollars taken out in taxes that leaves me with $3,000. Then if I rent an apartment for $1,500 I will have $1, 500 left is that enough to pay for bills, food, gas, and all that? I saw some apartments that have some utilities included I should probably try and go for one of those.

Is San diego cheaper to live in than orange county?

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Specializes in Public Health, DEI.
Well so if I'm making $4,000 a month and getting $1,000 dollars taken out in taxes that leaves me with $3,000. Then if I rent an apartment for $1,500 I will have $1, 500 left is that enough to pay for bills, food, gas, and all that? I saw some apartments that have some utilities included I should probably try and go for one of those.

Is San diego cheaper to live in than orange county?

You may decide to think instead about renting a house. If 3 of you go together to rent a 3 bedroom house for $3000 a month, your share would only be $1000- less if you're willing to take a smaller bedroom and negotiate with your housemates. Lots of times you can find houses that are much nicer than apartments.

Are you thinking that you wouldn't want to work OT? If you work even one OT shift a pay period, it would help your bottom line considerably.

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Hi,

I read your comment about being an RN in California. I live in San Diego. Have worked for Kaiser San Diego in the OR for 10 years. I make 45.54 per hour and last year I made $92,000 last year with NO overtime. Now granted I've been with Kaiser for ten years, I also know the new grad nurses AT Kaiser start at about $29-$31/hour. That is NO lie. Nurses at LA Kaiser make even more but cost of living is higher of course. Don't be discouraged. YOU CAN MAKE IT! I KNOw!

bEST OF LUCK TO YOU!

rnfA2be

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i used the calculator (out of curiosity) & told it to calculate how much i should be making with bi-monthly paychecks & it gave me weekly no matter what i asked for. unless i'm doing something wrong?

Not sure why they ask you how often your paychecks are if it's not going to calculate it that way. What if you put in 72 hours at $29/hr. Does that work? I don't get a paycheck being a SAHM, so I can't check it.

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Specializes in Med-Surg.

I have quite a few friends who have moved to CA and are all doing just fine there. None of them want to come back north . . . at least until they are at points of their lives where they want to buy a house. But anyway, the people I know who have done it seem happy with the choice.

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I have quite a few friends who have moved to CA and are all doing just fine there. None of them want to come back north . . . at least until they are at points of their lives where they want to buy a house. But anyway, the people I know who have done it seem happy with the choice.

Well ... that's the thing. If the worst thing you can say about California is that the cost of living is high because a lot of people don't want to leave and like it here ... that's not necessarily a bad thing.

In all the time I've been on this board, you rarely see California RN's complain about the lousy working conditions and horror stories that RN's routinely complain about in other states.

Yeah ... the cost of living is cheap in other states but, they often say they either hate their jobs and/or have quit all together. You'll often see those RN's ask why their state hasn't adopted ratio laws like California has.

This thread is just one of many examples of this:

https://allnurses.com/forums/f8/my-first-few-days-new-rn-179069.html?highlight=california+quit

To me, there's a big difference between the two negatives. California's problems stem from the fact that too many people like it here but, that's just it ... a lot of people do like it here.

And, in my opinion, if you're an RN ... California is, without question, the best state to live in ... bar none.

:typing

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Specializes in critical care, PACU.

If you want cheaper in OC I would suggest moving to San Clemente. It is relatively close to St. Josephs Mission Hospital. On Craigslist the prices are much cheaper. Oddly enough you are so close to the beach but it is much cheaper and it is a nice area with character.

Other good rent places include Costa Mesa if you are interested in Hoag Hospital. North Orange County is not neccessarily as nice as the South, but definately have plenty of cheaper apartments. I dont know about the hospitals though.

San Clemente would be best though :)

By the way, my mom just visited me from Nor Cal and was shocked to see how little of traffic we really have here. You are going to love it and welcome :welcome:

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Come on out...you'll love it!!!! I moved out here 4 years ago and don't have any plans of leaving for the simple fact that California is a safe place to practice. I've been from New York to California as a traveler and can say that until other states adopt the staffing ratios as California has done, this is the only place I will practice.

Yes the cost of living is higher than in other areas of the country. However, the San Diego and OC areas aren't as bad as the areas further north. I will say that the only way I can stay here (being single) is to do so as a travel nurse but then I have other bills to pay aside from daily living expenses. If you don't have much to pay out, you should do just fine! Good luck!

Tenesa

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The only thign that worries me is about living on my own and being 2,500 miles away from my family. I'm 21 right now and still living at home with my parents until I graduate from nursing school. I'm sure I will be terribly homesick but I'll get over it eventually.

San Clemente sounds nice. I got a bunch of tour guides from different orange county cities like huntington beach, new port beach, anaheim, etc. I'm going to see if I can find one on San clemente. This then gives me an idea of the area and all that. Can you compare san clemente to laguna beach? I went to laguna beach last year and i really liked it. But its expensive there and I know i could never live there. Plus the people didn't seem very friendly when i was there.

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Specializes in critical care, PACU.

If you dont mind stereotypes...

Laguna = Artsy, beautiful, wealthy , nothing is ever really going on (party wise)

San Clemente= More casual, a lot of surfers because they have great waves, not as "nice" and shiney per se but less expensive

Both towns have alot of community activities like street fairs, festivals, etc.

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Specializes in Public Health, DEI.

Not that anyone asked about North San Diego County, but for my money, the best place to live is Cardiff. Of course, it just so happens that I've lived here for 14 years, but I love it here. Great schools, low crime, very friendly, and just a hop a skip and a jump from Scripps Encinitas. You could walk there from my house.

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Is san clemente on the beach? Or is it located fairly close to the beach? If its not on the beach, which beach is it closest too?

Thanks for the san diego info..... because i have been considering san diego as well.

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