Sacramento

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I have been offered a job in Sacramento. It only pays $87000 base pay. I am wondering if this is enough to live on there. I am from the midwest and really want to get out of the winter. Any input appreciated.

Lee

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Specializes in Emergency, Trauma, Critical Care.

Well if it's a job with 5 8 hour shifts a week as opposed to 3 12's....your base should be around 43/hr.....which I believe is average for someone with a year or two of experience. Sacramento is actually fairly cheap compared to salary for most parts of california. I do not live there but have family that does, and they live in nice homes and I think make approximately that (not in nursing tho).

Hopefully someone with more information can respond.

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I agree with you Nickilaughs. I know someone who works in an area near Sacramento and she approximately makes 87,000, as the OP stated and I believe she is paid $45/hour, which is pretty good, bc she only has one year of experience. I think that this is sufficient to live in Sac. Do you have a family? I think that if your spouse or SO was working, then yes, you'll be good. Even if you were single, I think you would be ok as well. I dont think it will be hard to find a place to live either. And nickilaughs is also correct, I believe the housing market is cheaper in Sacramento compared to lets say, the Bay Area. And I've shopped and dined in Sac. It is a pretty nice area.

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Thanks for the replies. I would like to accept the offer but wanted to make sure I wouldn't be living off ramen noodles in a studio apartment!

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^haha. i'm sure you wont. this nurse that I know, oh my, spends excessively (ie, buying LV purses and eating out a lot). She basically works paycheck to paycheck. i'm big on spending your money wisely and i'm sure you'll be fine. How about asking the your manager or the other nurses how the area is like? that would be nice to get feedback from nurses that live in the area and good luck!

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oh and i did a quick search on studio apartments in the sac county area and i found a range from as low as $700 and as high as $1,100, which is i think is pretty good bc the apartments in surrounding areas (areas closer to the bay area), apartments begin around $1,000 for one bedroom :/ (i've been searching for an apartment haha!)

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Congrats on the position! Are you going to be working at UCD Med Center?

Sacramento is relatively cheap, especially compared to the bay area. I went to school about 20 minutes away from Sacramento (UC Davis) for undergrad and I loved Davis, but wasn't a huge fan of Sacramento. I'm not really a big city person. There are really great areas of Sacramento (older more establish neighborhoods), and not so great, just make sure to check out the neighborhoods before deciding on an apartment. There are also plenty of cities nearby such as Roseville that have very affordable housing.

If you like smaller towns check out Davis, it's about a 20 minute drive from Sacramento, longer during commute times. It has a great family feel to it, and it seems like a great place to raise a family, etc. But if you're single, keep in mind it is a college town, so most of the bars / nightlife are going to be dominated by college-aged / recently graduated students.

You definitely will NOT have a problem living off of 87,000. A lot of people say nurses in the Sac area have it the best, since they get paid nearly as much as bay area nurses but the cost of living is so much less. I have plenty of friends who recently graduated who make half of what you are going to be making and live a comfortable life in Davis / Sac area (in non-nursing fields)

Feel free to message back if you have anymore questions.

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I have been offered a job in Sacramento. It only pays $87000 base pay. I am wondering if this is enough to live on there. I am from the midwest and really want to get out of the winter. Any input appreciated.

Lee

[sarcasm on]

No, you won't survive here on $87000/year. Making $20/hr in the Midwest will be a much better option for you.

[sarcasm off]

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It is a job at the VA Mather so not technically in Sacramento.

As for the sarcastic person, I make over $40 an hour in the midwest now. I am just weary of the snow but I don't want to adjust my life style too much for the sake of sunshine.

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The housing market really dropped in Sacramento more so than the bay area because they still have a fair amount of land to build on. Not sure how rents are but I'd say you'd be fine living there on that. I have a single friend who lives on half that but it is tight for him. When looking for a place to live try to stay closer to highway 50 or in between 50 or 80. Years ago the goverment wanted to build a freeway that would have connected 50 to 80 in the Carmichael area and it never got approved. If you find housing in Roseville you would have to take many surface streets to get out to where Mather and hit mannnnny lights! or you would have to take 80 west through downtown Sac and to 50 north. Both would be horrible commutes.

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Batmik, Thanks for the info. Much appreciated

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Geez, Louise, thats alot of money with a year or two of experience.

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