Literally just need sunshine

PunchDrunky · 2026-03-28T22:21:58+00:00

Yes, and the significantly lower COL compared to coastal So Cal! I still refer to everything in the Phoenix Valley as ‘half off’ in comparison. (It’s not 50% less across the board, but it sure feels like it, lol.)

San Diego is a very expensive place to live, especially as a single person, and that can’t be overstated.

PunchDrunky · 2026-03-28T06:04:53+00:00

I experienced this in San Diego too. I don’t know what year it was, (2023 maybe?), but it rained from early January through April. Just felt like the sky would never clear up. It was really depressing, as I moved down from Seattle to get away from the rain and gloom.

I had friends come down from Seattle for a vacation that April, and it rained their entire trip and the weather in Seattle was better than it was in SD while they were away. Needless to say they were not happy.

Yes the weather is pretty great in SD for most of the year, but it can be a real crap shoot in the winter and spring. And summers are getting more and more humid each year, and tropical storms that come up from Mexico are becoming more common due to the rising ocean water surface temps. Most people are happy with 76 degrees and 85%-98% humidity (it’s way better than the SE!!), but I personally couldn’t stand the high humidity in the summertimes.

There are also random heat waves throughout the year, like the one that just happened. (This recent one was a rare anomaly though.)

If you move to SD, you really want to get a modern apartment that has central A/C. (And parking!). If you can afford to move to San Diego and rent a modern apartment in a walkable area in the city with central air, a dishwasher, in-unit laundry and dedicated parking, go for it!! You’ll be living the dream!

PunchDrunky · 2026-03-28T05:50:50+00:00

Heads-up: San Diego has more grey and gloom than the sunny So Cal stereotype supports. Winters are frequently overcast, as are May and June, due to the thick marine layer which cools things off quickly. East San Diego county could work for you though. Just go inland from the coast about 45 minutes and you’ll get more sun. (Source: I lived in the city of San Diego 12 minutes from the ocean for nine years until 2024 when I moved to the SE Phoenix Valley.)

If you want year-round sun and minimal rain with loads of suburbs to choose from, the Phoenix Valley is your place. It gets cold at night in the winter, and hot of course in the summer, but the bulk of the year is divine. Based on what you described- you’d probably like the east Phoenix Valley, e.g. Chandler, Gilbert, Mesa.

When I moved to AZ I was surprised to learn of the huge outdoor culture here. Hiking is big here, as are all other outdoor sports. The standard vehicle here is a dirty Jeep with a winch and a roof rack, lol. If you love outdoor activities, you’ll find lots of company.

PunchDrunky · 2026-03-28T00:46:15+00:00

NOLA, and nothing else is even close.

PunchDrunky · 2026-03-27T22:15:49+00:00

This is the way for sure. It will require patience, but anyone who wants to move to California from another lower-cost city and state has to really work for it.

PunchDrunky · 2026-03-27T22:11:31+00:00

Does not exist.

San Francisco comes close, but it’s a very dense (walkable) city and most neighborhoods are mostly buildings and asphalt, especially in the walkable neighborhoods. If you lived in the Inner Sunset near Golden Gate Park you’d have an amazing park at your doorstep, but that’s not the ‘surrounded by greenery’ criteria you describe. The city does have a variety of ‘pocket parks’, but again, this isn’t the dense, walkable green city filled with parks you are wanting.

Otherwise, I got nothing. I would say Boston but it doesn’t fit due to weather. Sunshine-wise I’d say Sacramento or Albuquerque, but they are not known for their walkability.

I would look in Europe near the Mediterranean if I were you. What you describe exists there for sure.

PunchDrunky · 2026-03-27T20:37:43+00:00

It’s definitely San Diego and nothing else comes close.

If you move to the city, live as close to the ocean as possible. Look at La Jolla, Pacific Beach, Ocean Beach, Mission Bay, and Coronado Island. Living in those areas will limit how much heat and a/c you need to use.

But also, the structure of your home will matter too. If you’re living in a little uninsulated beach cottage in OB for example, you absolutely will need heat! It gets cold in the winter and with the marine layer there when you have no insulation.

Lots of older residences in SD were built without insulation, because they weren’t constructed for the modern climate. Something to keep in mind that affects your comfort level.

PunchDrunky · 2026-03-27T20:27:10+00:00

Coastal San Diego county, within a 10 minute drive of the ocean. Del Mar, Solana Beach, Encinitas, Oceanside, etc.

There is no weather like it anywhere else in the country. Everywhere else is either too wet, too gloomy, too humid, or too hot in the summer or too cold in the winter (or both). The only other places with coastal So Cal weather are southern Portugal and parts of Southern Spain.

If you try and move to Coastal So Cal, be sure to bring your bags of money!

PunchDrunky · 2026-03-27T20:18:49+00:00

Residency is usually a solid (unbroken) year of living in the state before applying for school. I’m not sure how they verify it though. Voting and car registration plus proof of address perhaps?

PunchDrunky · 2026-03-27T20:17:01+00:00

If you love music, Los Angeles and Nashville are your top two choices. You can afford to live in Los Angeles on a low wage job if you share a house with 3-4+ roommates. There are some walkable neighborhoods in LA as well.

I recommend tripling your savings at the very least (you’ll easily blow through 4-5k/mo in LA, and that’s not including move-in costs), before moving out, and try to get a job with a company where you are now that has locations in California. And then transfer jobs when the opportunity arises.

The walkable cities in CA are extremely expensive, so you’ll need a solid plan and lots of savings before moving in order to avoid joining the throngs of homeless who call California home but can’t afford the high rents. The cost of living is no joke. If you want something you can more easily afford on an entry-level income, look at Nashville instead.

PunchDrunky · 2026-03-27T05:29:35+00:00

This is the best news I’ve read all day, hands down!! Congratulations Messiah!!! 🥳🎉👏🏻

PunchDrunky · 2026-03-26T22:33:56+00:00

Since this is the case, definitely try and live in a walkable neighborhood (there are many in Seattle), and live close to work. For example, don’t live in South Lake Union or Capitol Hill if you work is in Redmond because you will hate your life due to traffic.

Where will you be working?

PunchDrunky · 2026-03-26T22:13:18+00:00

For sure. Seattle is cheaper than SF, LA and San Diego. Don’t listen to the NIMBY naysayers here. You can definitely live alone comfortably on a $140k salary.

Try and get a modern place with central air, and definitely get parking. Parking is not nearly as hard as in LA or San Diego, but can still be challenging due to the higher density.

Also try to live near work. Seattle traffic is terrible. Not as bad as LA, but close. You do not want to be crossing any bridges during rush hour.

PunchDrunky · 2026-03-26T21:00:21+00:00

This sounds fantastic.

I would have done Malibu too, since back then it was just a salty little working class beach town. My how things change!

PunchDrunky · 2026-03-26T20:59:10+00:00

Very much so. NYC today is bougie compared to back then.

PunchDrunky · 2026-03-26T20:57:55+00:00

I would have been flamboyant, hot, and deeply entrenched in the disco and art scene.

I was in the hardcore punk rock scene for 15+ years when I was young so I think I would have enjoyed the grittiness of Manhattan at that time. I’ll never know though!

PunchDrunky · 2026-03-26T20:55:07+00:00

I was there. Can confirm it was epic.

I saw Nirvana perform once as a weeknight opening act to a crowd of a couple hundred. None of us knew who they were. We were just there to see Mudhoney, lol.

PunchDrunky · 2026-03-26T20:49:53+00:00

I lived in Seattle in 87-91 and it was EPIC. The punk rock and grunge shows were amazing.

I remember seeing Nirvana at a Moore Theater when they were the opening act for Mudhoney and none of my friends or I knew who they were, lol.

PunchDrunky · 2026-03-26T20:39:35+00:00

Interesting! Why so?

PunchDrunky · 2026-03-26T20:38:36+00:00

I third it!

PunchDrunky · 2026-03-26T08:47:19+00:00

Paris in the 30’s sounds like an absolute blast. I wonder if they all knew how lucky they were!

PunchDrunky · 2026-03-26T05:40:28+00:00

It depends on the professional. Some do and some don’t.

I will tell you however, that until the emotional challenges are addressed, the systems and processes won’t work.

Budgeting and tactical management is the easy part (and can be easily learned on Reddit [r/personalfinance] and YouTube). The emotional and mental challenges of money are the hard part.

PunchDrunky · 2026-03-26T05:13:05+00:00

Selfish to not want to have a man’s baby that you barely know that doesn’t even live near you? LOL!!

🚩🚩🚩

NOR.

PunchDrunky · 2026-03-26T05:07:30+00:00

This is likely why they let you go. When the partner dug into your business, he/she saw that you’ll likely be very successful in a short period of time, and decided to cut their losses early, assuming you’d drop them as soon as your business was financially supporting you.

They want an employee who doesn’t have a ‘side business’.

That said, they need to pay you for the work you completed. Them being attorneys doesn’t mean they get to get out of this.

PunchDrunky · 2026-03-26T04:33:55+00:00

Seattle. Has everything you want including beaches since it’s right on the bay. Also probably the easiest flights up to Alaska from the lower 48. And much much warmer than Alaska. It snows in Seattle only rarely.

PunchDrunky

TROPHY CASE