Is California Worth The Hype?

[K1052]

Well yea with California, we have the most taxed state, the most controlling state, the most populated state, the most traffic, etc etc. But for many people, the positives outweigh the negatives.

The tax burdens are higher in NY, NJ, and CT off the top of my head.

 

[AViking]

It's all relative.

Taxes? Sweden has super high taxes and not ideal weather but I would rate the standard of living here higher than CA. By quite a bit too. However that's really only for me at this particular juncture in my life. If fresh out of college and wanting to make money then CA is better - and that's where I was. Child rearing years? Sweden. Retirement? If you have money CA by a landslide! Teenager? Pretty much all of them are good in their own way.

Too many variables. If you're making $35,000 a year then CA should not be an option for you since you'll take a ginormous quality of life dump. If you are incredibly into being outdoors then the midwest is a very poor choice. If you like 4 seasons then CA is a poor choice. If you can telecommute from home, make $150,000 a year, have employer paid healthcare, or work for Google then CA by a landslide. And so on...

 

[Exterous]

While its been tapering off I spend about 2 months a year in SoCal for work. While I like traveling there I find the 2 months are enough for me though I can certainly see the appeal for some people.

That said if you are in consulting maybe see if you can go out there and make some clients you can conveniently visit in the winter months. Or - if it wouldn't be too hard to move back job wise - just give it a go for a year

Lol. You don't know what you're missing! Snowpocalpyse is only bad if you're in the north where they don't close schools or businesses. Here in the South, we use it as mini snow vacation and opportunity to eat, drink, and watch TV while stuck inside.

Actually I am pretty sure you guys use it to sit in your car for 12+ hours stuck on a highway far from home. I'd rather be able to get home in >0.5" of snow then re-enact some disaster movie and have to abandon my car

 

[IronWing]

Woody Guthrie had California well pegged.

California is a garden of Eden, a paradise to live in or see;
But believe it or not, you won't find it so hot
If you ain't got the do re mi.

If I had a big bag of money I wouldn't mind living there for a year or two.

 

[rockyct]

While its been tapering off I spend about 2 months a year in SoCal for work. While I like traveling there I find the 2 months are enough for me though I can certainly see the appeal for some people.

That said if you are in consulting maybe see if you can go out there and make some clients you can conveniently visit in the winter months. Or - if it wouldn't be too hard to move back job wise - just give it a go for a year



Actually I am pretty sure you guys use it to sit in your car for 12+ hours stuck on a highway far from home. I'd rather be able to get home in >0.5" of snow then re-enact some disaster movie and have to abandon my car

I still don't know why the people there don't have chains/cables for their cars. My parents have a cabin in Big Bear but I only go there about once a year at winter. I have a set of cables and in the five years I've owned this car, I've only put them on three times and it was a couple years after I bought them before I had to use them. I know you really can't go very fast with them on but they are still just a good thing to have. I imagine they aren't going to do a lot if you have a foot of snow in the road if you're in a two wheel drive sedan, but aren't they really effective on ice?

 

[Todd33]

No it's not. But the bay area is nice, at least some parts. Can't stand S. CA

This. S. Cal is trash, San Diego is nice. Bay Area is the best part of Cal, but I'm biased since I was born and raised there and live and work there now. Whenever I go back east in the winter I think "Why do humans inhabit this land?". I like my short sleeves and shorts in the winter with the ability to go skiing with a short 3-4 hour drive. Pacific Ocean is damn cold though, but looks nice.

But yes, houses are expensive. My down payment was as much as the median house price in the US.

 

[SSSnail]

Lol@ SoCal is trash comments. So many ignoramuses, so little time nor care...

 

[MBentz]

Agreed. Please don't move here... you'll just hate it anyway.

You can't carry a gun so you'll be mugged and killed everytime you walk out your door. Even the Mexican food sucks.

I was going to go along with your lie until the Mexican food comment. My poker face isn't that good.