14/hr. sounds about right in LA actually. I know some people who are paying their employees more, but they have MArch and experience. Also, a majority of the firms that are paying the big bux are pretty boring. If you want to make a lot of cash, go with the corporate office and stay away from small practices that do residential- there is no money in those firms.
A side note. Find out what benefits they offer, and calc. that into your equation. Not having to pay for medical, or other living expenses actually figures into the way most employers calc. their offers.
If they are offering you a low salary, insist that they comp your medical as a bargaining tool.
Also, you may just have to come to grips with the reality that you just weren't cut out to be rich.
14$ per hour in LA sounds right???
i do agree that LA is cheaper than SF and NYC, but lets do some math..
14$ per hour = 560$ per week x 4 = 2240$ per month
after 1/3 taxes = 1500 $ aprx.
for a decent living space 750$ per month including utilities (this is if you are sharing, say a 2-bed apt)
say you want to buy a used car on a car loan (im assuming you dont have a car now) is 250$ per month instalment
gas and insurance for the car is 200$ per month (minimum)
so you are left with 300$ per month for lunch, dinner, coffee, going out etc etc...which is you ask me is not much at all...you will end up maxxing your credit cards (ask me about it)
according to me, one needs at least 20$ per hour wage to live comfortably in LA
Just as an idea...I make 20/hour in LA, and I have only a bachelors degree in Art History! All I do is resedential design and drafting. I do have about 5 years experience as a draftsman/designer, but honestly...how can someone with a bachelors degree from Berkely and a Masters degree be offered such crap as 14/hour. I know kids from high school that only have a GED, and they make more money then that. Plus...what sameolddoctor said is true about the cost of living in LA. If anything his estimates were low. In the San Fernando Valley where I live, a one bedroom (really a studio) apartment costs at the very least 800 a month...and trust me, they suck! Car insurance is through the roof in California. And lets face it...the bay area is a lot more expensive...even then LA. My brother lives there and makes 80K per year and still can't afford it. I don't know, that wage seems ridiculous to me, I would almost feel degraded even accepting such an offer. This is one of the things that really makes me never want to get my masters degree.
reiterate above post: my brother lives in SF and he has a DOCTORATE. YES a DOCTORATE and he makes 36k.
I'm saying, get into cashiering or beer delivery, man, only way to go!
..."so you are left with 300$ per month for lunch, dinner, coffee, going out etc etc...which is you ask me is not much at all...you will end up maxxing your credit cards (ask me about it)."
Don't go out. Buy a pack of crayons and news print and stay home. pack your lunch, eat in, and don't buy all of those silly archtiecture books. Consolodate your cards into one and rip the rest up (mail the other to your parents for safe keeping).
My advice is to ask for what you want and then consider carefully what you are offered and decide if you can live with your decision. Sometimes the experience is more rewarding than cash.
Should I take this job?
i'm staying out of this...
14/hr. sounds about right in LA actually. I know some people who are paying their employees more, but they have MArch and experience. Also, a majority of the firms that are paying the big bux are pretty boring. If you want to make a lot of cash, go with the corporate office and stay away from small practices that do residential- there is no money in those firms.
A side note. Find out what benefits they offer, and calc. that into your equation. Not having to pay for medical, or other living expenses actually figures into the way most employers calc. their offers.
If they are offering you a low salary, insist that they comp your medical as a bargaining tool.
Also, you may just have to come to grips with the reality that you just weren't cut out to be rich.
14$ per hour in LA sounds right???
i do agree that LA is cheaper than SF and NYC, but lets do some math..
14$ per hour = 560$ per week x 4 = 2240$ per month
after 1/3 taxes = 1500 $ aprx.
for a decent living space 750$ per month including utilities (this is if you are sharing, say a 2-bed apt)
say you want to buy a used car on a car loan (im assuming you dont have a car now) is 250$ per month instalment
gas and insurance for the car is 200$ per month (minimum)
so you are left with 300$ per month for lunch, dinner, coffee, going out etc etc...which is you ask me is not much at all...you will end up maxxing your credit cards (ask me about it)
according to me, one needs at least 20$ per hour wage to live comfortably in LA
and let's not forget making monthly payments on your credit cards and student loans, doctor's visits, and possible travel.
Just as an idea...I make 20/hour in LA, and I have only a bachelors degree in Art History! All I do is resedential design and drafting. I do have about 5 years experience as a draftsman/designer, but honestly...how can someone with a bachelors degree from Berkely and a Masters degree be offered such crap as 14/hour. I know kids from high school that only have a GED, and they make more money then that. Plus...what sameolddoctor said is true about the cost of living in LA. If anything his estimates were low. In the San Fernando Valley where I live, a one bedroom (really a studio) apartment costs at the very least 800 a month...and trust me, they suck! Car insurance is through the roof in California. And lets face it...the bay area is a lot more expensive...even then LA. My brother lives there and makes 80K per year and still can't afford it. I don't know, that wage seems ridiculous to me, I would almost feel degraded even accepting such an offer. This is one of the things that really makes me never want to get my masters degree.
reiterate above post: my brother lives in SF and he has a DOCTORATE. YES a DOCTORATE and he makes 36k.
I'm saying, get into cashiering or beer delivery, man, only way to go!
..."so you are left with 300$ per month for lunch, dinner, coffee, going out etc etc...which is you ask me is not much at all...you will end up maxxing your credit cards (ask me about it)."
Don't go out. Buy a pack of crayons and news print and stay home. pack your lunch, eat in, and don't buy all of those silly archtiecture books. Consolodate your cards into one and rip the rest up (mail the other to your parents for safe keeping).
My advice is to ask for what you want and then consider carefully what you are offered and decide if you can live with your decision. Sometimes the experience is more rewarding than cash.
Good luck!
i just gonna summarize and reiterate my earlier post...
its all really a question of making sacrifices to achieve what you want. make yours strategically and soon enough you'll be doing fine.
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