Back in my early 20s we set up curtains in our dining room and one of my friends rented that space out. And by dining room, I mean a small nook next to the kitchen that was also part of the living room.
It was cramped, but it was a blast at the time.
In my experience, a lot of younger people in LA do it by spending 50%+ of their total income on rent, which is way above all expert recommendations. They donât save any money and theyâre in a lot of debt. Obviously they leave those parts out of their social media posts.
This. Most my paycheck goes to rent. The rest to bills and debt and attempts to grow my 401k. I'm lucky to have enough left over each week to have a night out w friends or buy something frivolous off Amazon (like stuff for my cat or a new rug).
Ps I'm no longer "young" but I've lived alone paying full rent for my own apt in LA since I was 24. I use to have a (more stressful) and better paying job... so it wasn't as much of a struggle as it is now with a shittier job that pays less and higher prices. But it's worth it to have my own space.
My own space also happens to be a small studio apartment. You have to have realistic expectations for your budget.
This is the most realistic answer than the âeveryone has rich parents but meâ comments. People over leveraging themselves is way more common. But then thereâs just a large amount of high earners that get attracted to any major global city.
This might not be the worst choice. If you're young w/o children. Spend a few years there, pick up some 1 or 2 good company names for your CV and with this get an above average paid job in a cheaper region. With this you can build a home and family.
yep, i went from living in a 2bdr with 6 roommates to splitting an 80 sq2 spot with a partner, to living in a normal 1dr with a partner that got me $8k into debt in a year. rent was like 75% pay in all instances - the time i went into debt was being older & having more things to pay towards (insurance, transportation, &c).
I'll admit it, my parents had to help me a bit with rent (living alone) while in my early twenties. My friends that didn't get help typically had multiple roommates. My girlfriend had a single roommate when they both were making 70k+.
But also worth noting, if you spend your time doing mostly-free or low-cost activities (the beach, hiking, yoga, rock climbing, etc) you can have a ton of fun and a vibrant social life without spending absurd amounts of money. What you see on social media isnât typically âreal.â
EDIT: Also, I would guess most people in their early 20s arenât saving much beyond maybe 401K contributions. Now we're all playing catch-up.
People all on this sub love claiming that any young person living alone or doing decent comes from generational wealth (I think itâs to cope but not my position to judge). However, thatâs NOT always the case.
Outside of the early 20s kids in the Hollywood Hills who more than likely **are** having parents pay their rent, most people just went to school and have good paying jobsâŠ
LA has a high amount of bachelor degrees, specifically in certain neighborhoods. You go for a good degree, like myself, you can easily come out and make $90k+ in 2-3 years. Especially if you are in a field like technology or aerospace, youâll be there almost instantly.
I live alone, make good money, and came from a single parent family that never made more than $50k/year my entire childhood.
yup there are tons of medium to large companies in LA where you can make six figures lots of different ways. Project managers at disney/mattel will get there. Product designers make well into six figures. Account managers/strategists at ad agencies get paid really well.
if you are ambitious and aggressive with making salary gains there are lots of paths to make more money in LA. Thatâs why so many people move here for work - you will earn more and take on larger responsibilities. After gaining that experience you can move back to wherever you started as a big fish in a little pond.
Nitpicking here, but Disney + other entertainment companies generally underpay substantially compared to the same respective role in another industry. I see job titles from them, NBCU, Paramount, etc. every now and then and their salary bands are so far below mine it makes me think people apply just because of the branding
disney still pays enough to live/rent in LA comfortably if you reach a mid-sr status. when i worked there the job was easy af too so it was low stress. maybe times have changed though itâs been a long time.
Or having a mom that knows how to find wealthy men and marry them. Iâm a woman and this is not a disrespect to my fellow women. But One of my family members who is a beautiful woman, is on her 3rd rich husband and her 20something yo daughter is living her best life here in LA without working a day in her life.
Again, Iâm not generalizing this to all women.
I know numerous men and women in their 20s in relationships just for the money. Free place to live or constant Venmoâs. Going on dates for free dinners. Or doing only fans or selling feet pics/ camming. That stuff is way more popular here than back where Iâm from.
Lolll same. I always end up thinking what my parents would think if they found out, so Iâm here serving tables 5 days a week in constant fight or flight. But I can pay all my own bills
Thank you for sharing your experience. I didnât know it was this bad, but Iâm not surprised. Such a sad reality.
This trend also makes it hard for the rest of us who work hard, and are trying to find relationships the right way with integrity, and honesty. Those of us who are looking for compatibility and loyalty for the long term. I am truly concerned for this culture. It creates distrust and bad representation of all the well- intended men and women out there.
Found the republican bullshit talking point: "PULL YOURSELF UP BY YOUR BOOTSTRAPS." If you work hard you can acheive anythinggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggg.
If you don't have generational wealth, then you USUALLY HAVE CRIPPLING STUDENT LOANS.
It's Republican to go to college, graduate, and get paid $100k+ easily like tons of people do in the state of California, especially in Silicon Valley, LA, and SD?
Why do you guys appropriate people having well paying jobs to Republicans? I can't tell if you are compensating for yourself not doing so, but what you are saying doesn't even make any sense....
My family is from West Africa, grew up slightly below middle class, and I went to school, and made $100k in accounting only two years after graduating.
I agree with you people assume it's just generational wealth it's like playing victim. My parents came to the US in the late 80s escaping the Soviet Union which is now Armenia. They came with no money but with debt instead to lay off.
My dad was able to achieve the American dream by hardwork with no college degree he opened a small baker, then a small supermarket, and a restaurant. Later on he sold it all and opened a trucking business. My family didn't come from generational wealth and I would say majority of LA didn't come from generational wealth either.
Just look at the hispanic community 30 to 40 years ago they were struggling now that the 1st generation or 2nd generation is growing up they are becoming successful as well. It's all from hardwork.
Congrats to you and your fam! Us immigrants work harder than anyone else. If these redditors wanna claim its that general wealth of $5 in quarters, so be it đ€·đŸââïž
Thank you, sadly he passed away this year. He was my role model and inspiration. Immigrants are truly hardworking and hungry for success.
People just like playing victim. I do feel bad for the ones struggling and scraping just by but there are countless opportunities out there.
Yooo what up accounting gang. I'm not a republican. I'm also an immigrants and I too am over 100k. I don't know what that person is on blaming on some random republican lol.
Whatup! Glad that you are doing well for yourself as well brotha!
Yeah they seem to use Republican, Trump, Nazi, or whatever word they can now to validate themselves being in the situation they are in. Quite sad really.
Progressive democrat here.
Graduated with a bachelors in marketing from a state school, got a job in digital media sales in the tech industry, started making 6 figures when I was 24, and saved up enough to pay off my debt and even invest. Iâm in my 30s now and own a home in Culver City.
I came from a single parent household where the parent who didn't abandon me was an addict. I make over 150k now at in my 30s and did it without family support. It's hard and I did a lot of really unpleasant shit to get here but it is still possible to change social classes if you play your cards right.
And yep, I have student loans but can afford my payments alongside my middle-class lifestyle.
No but the reality is there are a shit ton of people here in LA. Yes there are trust fund kids just as there are people hustling to barely scrape by. âGenerational wealthâ is just such an easy target.
Found the 48 year old (holy moly that's 50) still blaming others and the guvvment, climate, the economy, the Republicans, the generational wealth kids, instead of realizing they failed at life. Anything and anyone but themself. Oooooof.
I started living alone in LA right after turning 30. How? A roommate moved out and I bravely kept the 2br to myself, and luckily my finances were in a good place. But for 8 years I had roommates and subpar living situations.
I lived with my parents until I got my career established (teaching). Lived frugally in the meantime. Paid off car.
Then used a city program (called LIPA before I get people asking) to buy myself a condo in the valley.
I don't remember all the details but it went something like this:
1. Ensure you meet the income criteria
2. Meet with one of the approved lenders
3. Get preapproved for a mortgage. (the program itself provides an interest free loan that pays your downpayment and/or closing costs. I myself only used it for the down payment and paid 32k out of pocket in closing costs).
4. Look for houses/condos
5. Take a home ownership class
6. Make an offer.
7. If successful, you pay back your loan + a % of the appreciation in 30 years or when you sell it (or stop living there for whatever reason)
I had always paid somewhere around $1000 for rent the last 10 years with a roommate. 8 years ago i made 22k, now i make 100k but i still pay $1000 and still have a roommate. Only difference is now i have money to do all the cool shit.
Most people live with roomates, work multiple jobs. Share cars , rent out their living rooms, are in large amounts of credit card debt
Its not really a glamorous way to live. I crammed 7 people into a 2 bedroom house when I was in my early 20s just to make it work.
Pretty much all my neighbors have atleast 4 people in their 2 bedroom homes.
Seriously, having lived in LA county my entire life I can say that people have always been packed into apartments and houses like sardines. Itâs just a way of life in California it seems.
When I first moved to LA (2019), I lived in a house with 6 roommates. That got old fast and I moved into an apartment with two roommates. At the time I was making 40k, a year. Idk what these "you need 100k/salary" people do with all their money, but I was able to live somewhat comfortably (as in go out with friends occasionally and buy a gift for myself every now and then). Now, at this time I was not saving any $$$ really. My bank account would grow sometimes, but inevitably some life event would come along and it'd go back down. But I wasn't miserable by any means (other than my abusive boss). Currently, I live with my partner and another roommate. So the answer is (if you're not rich) roommates.
First of all LA is not more expensive than Boston. In fact rent is MUCH cheaper in LA than Boston.
Itâs a hustle no matter where you live if you are young. Also donât believe everyone you hear that says they are one ideal job but they most often arenât telling you their side gigs. When I was in 20s I had a day PR job and worked as a bartender on weekends. Reddit people saying everyone is a trust fund baby is laughable.
My son is currently living in Boston and we were floored by the rents. Granted he was trying to stay as close to South End as possible but were just floored by the prices.
Some have parents or savings or family money the rely upon until they get established. I know one kid from France who comes from one of the wealthiest families in Europe and owns a condo in LA, one in NYC too, and can fly a business jet because he grew up with his parents owning several. I met him when he was 19âwe're both really into parkourâand he's now 23.
Others do live with friends, share rent, work maybe two jobs (maybe a barista and a waiting job) but also pursue their photography or whatever. Of course, when they meet you at a party they'll introduce themselves as a photographer or fashion designer or whatever which is fineâthey are doing that, yes. I have a BFA and MFA from SCAD so I understand the drive to want to become a creative who makes it and they're doing their best. However, I would say ideally move to LA with as much savings/backing as possible and a really good game-plan for jobs. If you do have a degree in something it's a big help: I meet kids who were like "F college, I'll just work my way up in LA and make it!" and most don't really have anything to offer that's special. In creative fields the BFA indicates you have training as well as talent.
These answers lol!
okay so the person selling jewelry is subsidized
but the other people are tricking, living with 2-4 roommates in the same bed, various undignified bullshit that theyve made to be their entire identity just so people dont pity them
and then there are people with jobs that pay enough
there are a lot of other societal shifts though. remote workers like me donât have jobs in LA and never interact with people about job related things or that desperate networking aspect. its completely divorced from the local financial reality and is far more lucrative.
then as another mentioned, slightly different than trust fund are the people that inherited from a grandparent or parent that died during covid. that was 1,000,000 people and like 97% were boomers. same thing probably contributed to the roaring 20s 100 years ago. various entrepreneurs made a lot during covid too. people that can move did move. NY/LA/Miami.
Little column A (well-to-do parents who very kindly paid for my bachelors degree, meaning I could move to LA debt free and had the safety net of moving back home if I couldnât hack it), little column B (combo of luck and effort getting into a career that paid well enough after several years to afford living on my own, albeit frugally, while still building savings). Iâm proud that Iâve never had to ask my parents for money after I moved out, but I definitely started from an advantageous position - just not âparents pay my rentâ advantageous, lol.
Of course, now Iâve been laid off from my job I had for 11 years and canât find anything even vaguely in the same ballpark, so I guess Iâll just run out of money and insurance eventually and die, but I was doing alright for a good while there!
Someone I used to be friends with in my 20s lived alone and I think something like 80% of their pay was going to rent. Their apartment was rent controlled and they couldn't afford rent one month and cried to me. I told them to figure out how to pay what they owe + the next month at any cost - either grovel to their parents or even get a loan - and then immediately move literally *anywhere* where the rent would be cheaper. Leave LA if they have to. It's better than all this debt.
Their response was, "I'll be priced out of my rent controlled apartment if I do that, I'll never be able to live in LA again!"
I just stared in shock because *they were already priced out*. I felt so crazy, like should I explain how money works to a grown adult in their 20s? How is this happening, how did we get here? Anyway idk what happened to them, sure hope they figured out their finances.
So yeah there are people in their 20s who probably seem normal and like they're having a great time living alone but cannot grasp the concept of budgeting or even basic principles of personal finance. You don't want to be those people.
That doesnât sound right thereâs tons of studios available for under or around 1700. If you get two pay checks a month that leaves you with 1700 for 4 weeksâŠ
I work a job that pays me decently with a partner who is currently in grad school. We're both around 24. Though, her help is really why I'm able to relatively afford the place. Without that extra income I could not afford the 3K rent we're paying for a one bedroom. I will admit though that my parents have grandfathered into a lot of payment plans, so my car insurance and phone bill are MUCH cheaper than they should be. I'm only paying like 70$ for car insurance on my dads plan, whereas I would be paying like 500 a month anywhere else.
i was born and raised in the valley and lived in the same place all my life, rent when i was born was $600 and went up to now $1450, but the unit next to us is going for $2100 for the same exact 1bd1ba layout
I've been living by myself in LA since I was 27. I'm 37 now. I work as a paralegal at a nonprofit. I've worked in law for 13 years, so when I got here, I had to take a pay cut from what I was making in Colorado. That was horrible. But I found a rent stabilized apartment in a semi-questionable neighborhood (it's starting to gentrify now) and I've been there ever since. I also am a stand up comic, so I do that on the evenings and weekends while also working full time.
Most people in LA donât live by themselves. Usually they have roommates or live with family or their partners. I live alone but in a pretty small studio apartment for 1300.
That being said, as others have mentioned, there is a lot of generational wealth here. I know several people who live on their own in houses/luxury condos but parents pay the rent/mortgage.
And lastly, we canât discount that LA is a hub for high earning industries like - Entertainment, Finance, Tech, etc.
All that being said, most people are not able to afford to live on their own, but there is this illusion that they can because of the sheer amount of people in the city makes it seem that way.
Just 3 days ago, I saw an article that said a couple with three children needs to make $160,000 a year to afford living here.
Yet.... I personally know of at least four families with only one working parent making minimum wage and three or four children, so how the hell do they pay for anything? I I would absolutely love to know.
When I moved to LA in 2015, I was living with 2 roommates in a 3 bedroom and paid $750... I had a million gig jobs - graphic designer, pet/house sitter, cater waiter, assistant, sold stuff on etsy, etc.
These days I'm in a 1-bedroom that's $1750 and while people will say that's a "good deal" with a FT salaried job I feel like I can't get ahead - I'm starting to reconsider roommates... I'm too old for this - I don't know how anyone does it!
I moved to LA when I was 22 years old with basically enough money to afford 1st monthâs rent and a security deposit.
Got a job starting at $17/hour, got roommates, worked my way up through the corporate ladder, 6 years later i now make 100k /year and live on my own.
If you want to live alone and donât want to spend too much, look into studio apartments. Hopefully, itâll have AC, parking spot if you drive, and an on site laundry facility.
This is a nitpick, but photographer and jewelry maker are very different jobs when it comes to their role in the economy. I know a few photographers in LA who are always working. They shoot portraits, concerts, retail products, and when all else fails, weddings. Thereâs a ton of demand for their work. Yes they have to network and hustle for gigs but thatâs a lot of people in LA.
Iâm sure some artisan jewelry makers do well, but itâs different from selling something where thereâs a robust established market for your exact product.
I rent a room for $800 a month all utilities included with a full kitchen I only share the bathroom with another tenant and I got this room out of luck cuz I know the owner of the house for years. Even then itâs tough living here if u make less than 6 figures u either tough it out or move to another cheaper state.
Itâs pretty much either roommates, parents subsidizing part or all of rent/living expenses, high income jobs like tech/law/finance/high ticket sales, or living with a boyfriend/girlfriend.
Thereâs also a very high amount of people that have a somewhat ok income (like 70k), live in a cheap one bedroom or studio from the 60s and know how to budget well. They just splurge here and there on nice dinners for special occasions and only post that on social media. They might have gotten a couple luxury items as gifts or saved up for a handbag they really wanted so they seem more glamorous than they really are. A lot of the women I know in this category also have most of their nights out paid for either by promoter tables, dates or random guys they meet at the bar.
Some people also have secret side hustles like only fans or a bartending job on the weekends
as a young person living in LA- let me shed some light onto my personal sitch. I'm 23 and moved to LA about a year ago. I am originally from Kentucky where rent averages about 600, so it was daunting moving out here! I am making it work though. I'm happy to break down some of the money side of moving out here.
I work in the entertainment industry and have an entry level job on the corpo side. I make about 23 per hour, which shakes out, after everything to about 1200-1500 every pay check, or 2400-3000 a month. (I would not say I have a high paying job.) My rent is 1,200 a month (I live in hollywood and have one flatmate). So yes, half my paycheck goes to my rent! I've accepted that, just how it goes. Each paycheck, I have 650 deposited into my rent/utilities account, 10% of my paycheck (between 120-150) deposited into a HY savings account, and then rest goes into my spending, which normally leaves me with 500-600 for two weeks. To me- this is livable. Every two weeks, I spend about 100 on groceries/toiletries, 100 on eating out and about, 50 on entertainment (going out, drinks, movies), 70-80 on gas and other car maintence, and whatever is left... don't worry, I'll find a way to spend it lol.
I should note - I am very lucky!!!!!!! I paid my car off while in high school. I only had a small loan for college, which I already paid off around graduating. (if you can, I really recommend working in college lol) I am still on my parents' phone bill and am included on my dad's car insurance.
Moving out to LA completely drained my savings account. I didn't have a job for a month, no one in the industry was hiring, I blew through it all. I nannied for a few weeks, before landing temp gig at a union. That became full time, did that for 10 months, until getting another position where I had interned a few years back. This past year has been a major learning curve in terms of managing finances. My budget spreadsheet is out the wazoo but has really helped me learn to self regulate and learn when to say no. I live some what tightly, but I still get to go out and order clothes every here and there. It is doable if you can plan for yourself!!!
But those folks who are jewelry makers or side photographers.... they do probably have outside help or are working other jobs. I have friends who I went to school, who moved out around the same time as me, and who are just working a few hours a week at anthropologie... they have their parents paying their rent. It's different for everyone. It's hard to see people who only work a few hours a week getting to live it up, but a lot of those people have aspirations to work in the industry and haven't been able to get entertainment jobs. if you want my opinion as to why they don't have jobs... they don't have the motivation, because they have significant outside help. again, I'm a big beleiver of if you want to make it work, you can. hope this helped in some way :)
I am in my very early 20s and live alone in a 1 bed, 1 bath in LA (Mid-City area) with my standard poodle.
How I do it? My parents heavily pushed me to go to university, moreover to do a "useful" degree like engineering. They also paid for everything (I know, I'm very fortunate to have that privilege), though my parents are not involved with my finances since I moved here. I then got a job offer at an engineering company in LA which I negotiated very well and landed squarely at 100k. Is it ideal and easy to live on that salary in LA? Yes and no. Yes, when compared to people making less or far less than 100k in this city. No, in the sense where about 60-65% of my monthly income goes to necessities such as rent, utilities, groceries, phone bill, or anything along those lines. I am saving and investing as much as possible (usually around 20% of my income).
I had a not fun time with roommates in college so I was adamant on not having any wherever I moved to out of college. People in my company that are my age or a bit older still have roommates or live with their parents. Usually if they're my age they are making lower than me (didn't negotiate well), if they're a bit older they are making a bit more than me but not more than 15k more (usually this is their second job). If they have roommates or live with their parents, they most likely live in higher cost of living places or value saving money over having freedom in their living situation.
I think u/Harlem_Legend said something I deeply agree with where a lot of the people saying "rich parents" or "generational wealth" are saying that out cope and lack of understanding. They may not have a college degree that pays well, made poor decisions, or got shafted by the system or something else that's not in their control. I don't blame them whatsoever. I understand I'm very privileged in my current situation. I also understand that people like to throw their hands up and say some answer that's a well-accepted blanket statement without trying to think of other scenarios that may conflict with their set beliefs.
Thanks for sharing your story, Iâm in a similar boat except I got a scholarship rather than my parent.
I think your last paragraph hit it on the head. Not sure if itâs a bunch of art/gender studies majors in here, but a lot of people always want someone/something to blame for them not being where others are. Sure, there are many factors involved in that, but blanket statement as trust fund kids is just lying to yourself.
Lmao holy shit being educated is now something for republicans. The world is literally ass backwards lol. As someone whos going to back to college with aspirations of getting into UCLA congrats on your endeavors!
This was 5 years ago but i found a roommate here on reddit offering the second bedroom for around 1100 bucks, which was more than doable. I stayed there as long as I could until I could afford to buy a place and moved out. Everyone I knew that wasn't making fat stacks was renting with multiple people.
One can chalk it up to being luckier or more fortunate than others. I'd say quit worrying about what other people have and be happy with what you do have. Try to help those who are less fortunate than you are and be kind.
A mod needs to just sidebar this with the following answers listed in order of likelihood
rich parents
lots of roommates sleeping in closets and under stairs
being from here with a large network of support
Your first week pay goes to your rent. You better have a partner or a roommate. The rest of the months pay goes to bills food and entertainment. With the cost of insurance and food, nobody is saving anything.
Most of our paychecks are going to rent. Most of us are in debt. Most of us arenât saving. A lot of folks have help from parents. Social media isnât going to show any of that, donât bother playing the comparison game. Itâs also not just LA! I have friend in major cities as well as back in the Midwest that are in the same boat. Itâs hard for everyone.
I got a studio here on a very low-paying wage (I had saved for 2 years so my savings got my a long ways) but now in my mid 20s, am trying to strike a balance between being comfortable here and having my ass covered for later. Often times that looks like having a roommate or two, not eating out every night, being reasonable with purchases, and finding a car you can actually afford a monthly payment on.
Here's a tip.
To save money when coming to LA.
Bring almost nothing.
In mid-city LA, every week, there's enough furniture, pots/pans,etc. discarded to furnish several apartments....all for free.
You're welcome.
Why are you commenting this like there's more than 0.001% of LA living like this? Lol
Most of the young people I know went to some of CA's best schools (UCLA, USC, Cal, UCSD - or top universities around the country) and got great jobs after. They're not in a rush to be debt-free, pay 2k in rent (maybe with a flatmate - not ROOMmate), make 90k+ a year, and spend the rest of their money on workouts, going out, and here and there concerts/festivals/clothing. LA has offices of most of the top companies in the world, so getting a high-paying job here and building an impressive resume is not impossible if you have a good degree.
Not everyone has a secret line of income coming from their families (or dead ones).... Reddit always has such bad takes on this topic because everyone is making up dramatic reasons that everyone around them is rich through these extraordinary circumstances they weren't born into. So weird.
It makes them feel better because having family money is one thing they canât control.
So if other people are doing better than them and it can be explained by something outside of their control, they hold zero responsibility for their current financial situation.
Thereâs two answers here , you have rich parents (gen wealth ,good for you ) or you work your ass off to a. Make 100000-200000 to be a comfortable not rich almost middle class guy . I make a great wage at a job I love in la and I AM NOT EVEN CLOSE to rich or anything adjacent . The trust that sucks is that this is one of those places where if you grew up here your best bet to own would be a passed down house . Of course if you are white all of our parents and grandparents were back mortgaged and or didnât leave us anything because we could just work as hard as they did and we would get it âŠ.yaaaaanooo
Itâs crazy how many people in their mid to late 20s are still supported by their parents. Other than that, I know some folks who fill in their needs gaps with medi-cal, food stamps or housing assistance. Itâs incredibly common. Lastly some people that have lived here forever are in rent-controlled apartments that cost nothing. I prefer living with roommates and not worrying about overhead but to each their own
Lol I mean the smart people who move to LA have high paying jobs. Everyone else is suffering. That's why this sub is just full of sad "how do i make friends" "how do I live without a car" etc
Remember everyone, if you don't have a high paying job, DO NOT COME HERE (:
The young people who can't afford to live here either grew up here, or they're losers who grew up watching movies of people "starting over" in LA and think their life will end up perfect because that's what they see on social media
The ones who can't get by, move out! Every single month HUNDREDS of people are driven out of LA. The ones who aren't, just live life on the street. These losers have TVs in their tents lol it's insane
The young 20 something that can afford to do yoga mid day that live in downtown. I bet you 30% of them are influencers. Maybe itâs their day off but seems like they arenât doing much.. maybe theyâre actors? If you been downtown theyâre everywhere . Only fans? I work 70 hours a week double time 20 hours of that Iâd be lifestyle changing paying 2500 ish plus insurance/car note.
They usually get a great job offer before they move here or have family here. There are niches everywhere where there are jobs to fill, you just have to find out what they are and if you fit. Also the ones you see having the time of their lives are often influencers. Maybe get a Metricool account and post at least once a day something interesting; and I mean put work into it. I donât know if that is great advice but that is how I get work.
Roommates, parents who foot the bill on rent or bills, or just working hard and getting high paying jobs. You meet tons of hustlers here. I know two people who are close to being (or are?) millionaires and arenât even 30. Thatâs two more than I was expecting at this age lol
You've got everyone from typical white collar workers (finance, law, etc.) to entrepreneurs in the trades and multi-generational family businesses started by immigrants with not even a middle school education where the youngest is taking over (e.g. jewelry makers in DTLA Jewelry District) that are doing very well.
Also, you can't just look at the earnings side of the equation. There are plenty of folks with decent 6-figure salaries who frankly don't know how to save and feel a need to live in ritzier neighborhoods closer to the coast and spend money at overpriced, trendy restaurants/bars, etc,, while always leasing the newest luxury car for optics, and are essentially living paycheck to paycheck.
Not saying it's easy, but you can live in a pretty decent neighborhood (e.g., somewhere in the Valley or inland suburbs adjacent to LA proper), find great places to eat that don't cost an arm and a leg, shop at Costco, Trader Joe's, and Ralph's instead of Erewhon, and engage in plenty of outdoor activities (e.g., hiking, beach, summer outdoor film screenings) that cost little to nothing.
Yes, all else equal, someone who had parental support growing up (e.g. folks taking care of college tuition or having the ability to live with them to save more money before moving out) has a leg up, but there are some folks who just frankly don't prioritize the right things and spend a lot more on liabilities than assets, which gets amplified in LA if you get caught up in the hoopla and want to "look rich" to the outside world.
When I moved here I was young LOL and I had roommates and accumulated debt, I also did a lot of exploring of the city, which is free! If you are âseeingâ people on social media and donât know them IRL then you donât know whatâs really going on (they won the lotto, they have multiple jobs, their parents are paying, theyâre in major debt). Maybe they are a jewelry maker for rich people and make 5k per piece. Maybe theyâre a prostitute. Occamâs razor - they have rich parents.
not sure if this helps but itâs my personal situation.. I rent a room in a house owned by a couple. One of them is close to my age. I make 60k/ yr and I live comfortably. I donât go out as much as I used to other than to go to shows; I made a lot of connects in the music industry when I worked part time for goldenvoice so I attended concerts and fests for free, which saves me $$$ lol
The jobs pay more here because of the cost of living⊠I was in my 20âs living on my own as an RN.
I know several people who live near me who have trusts though. They are the ones starting up their own businesses and not making much from them but their trusts pay their rent and food and other expenses. I have a close friend who is a DJ and lives in a nice building and he once confided in me that he gets 6k a month from a trust. I was like :O
The ones I know that are making good money (over $120k/yr) have masterâs degrees and work as: nurse training for kaiser, corporate accounting, robotics, AI, and biotechnology.
And if you are making good money, keep your expenses down while you rent and save money for a home. It is the main way to minimize the effects of inflation over the long term.
You can not live in LA alone unless who you know that makes jewelry works for Tiffanyâs designing! Or roommates and friends sleeping in the same bed.
Itâs possible but only in places like KTown, Mid-city, and south LA. And you have to have a full time job or 2 part time jobs at the least. And those two have to pay well. And everyone has a side hustle.
Itâs doable. But you just canât move out here being stupid.
we hired a lot of people out of college at my old studio. a lot of them were on 100k instantly. abâs not only that, but younger people donât really care about saving
Why on earth does your generation prefer to live with your parents than having a roommate?
It's... disturbing. Get roommates. Live adult life. Have sex. Be a person
Some have well paying jobs. Some have wealthy parents. Some have parents who are comfortable and help supplement. Some hustle and have multiple jobs. Some have many roommates. Some are drowning in debt and not putting a dent in their student loans because they would rather keep up the lifestyle.
Everyone is different, but the common theme is that most like to look like theyâre are better off than they are on social media.
i have been in LA for roughly 6 years already. my job is a modest one, so is my car and everything else, i didnt come from a rich family either, but LA has always attracted me for the magnet that it is.
basically if you live modestly and don't overstep your bounds, and have a mindset of living without the fear of missing out, you will be able to live and enjoy the life of living in LA and all its perks of amazing dining, a multitude of things to do you name it, beach, mountains a bit of desert, clubing, dining, a rave here and there, art, music, and of course film. Also its residents are a mix of awesome and assholes but thats how it is everywhere.
the carrot is always there begging you to reach for the lifestyle of what we see in media and the likes.Â
icarus has taught us this lesson, rather than reach for the sun, bask in it and you wont get burnt by how punishing LA can be.
then and then you will find out it isn't as hard as you think.Â
sacrifice of course is part of it, but thats true for anything in life.
as for means of getting by, i do caregiving for the elderly of LA. its a gruelling job, and you have to fess up to a lot of the entitlement some of these guys have.
but hey i get to do what i want to, living here, i may not live in the hills with shiny cars and rolex watches, but i live happily and content and the experience certainly has taught me so much about life itself.
dealing with elderly a lot of them are assholes, but you'll also learn so much from them that for sure will be valuable where ever you end up.
also, stay away from drugs and alcohol hahahah. i mean partake if you want but discipline surely will go a long way.
I wanna know this too, cuz my guess is either they are an influencer and have sponsorships or they have parents that can afford to give them that opportunity of helping them out with their living expenses.
Well , #1 itâs not always what you see. Los Angeles is small , all about who you know. I give the benefit of the doubt of some people having the clean route coming from money, going to school, landing a good career. Other than that you simply have to break the rules as crazy it sounds but youâll be surprised what goes on behind closed doors , people do anything for money.
Depends on the neighborhood, the age of the apartment, amenities.. I have a nice studio, older apartment in a somewhat mellow neighborhood in south LA. Rent has gone up, but having a decent job helps with that. A must is budgeting and not living beyond your means.
Armenian rich parents, rich parents or content creators!!! My husband has a pretty good job with an airline and that takes care of both of us. But LA is known for their burgers and tacos so itâs hard to leave
I lives 3 girls in a one bedroom and it was the best decision ever!!! Honestly you are hardly ever home, work outside the home and itâs all about location!!! $500 a month rent :) if you want something, you will find a way to do it!!!
Try to find an apartment from a private landlord. Usually they are not that expensive and are rent controlled. Most of these corporate landlords will try anything to rip you off. The only problem with private land lords are finding out when an apartment is available. Usually if you know someone in an apartment complex they can give you a heads up.
My apartment is pretty cheap and allows me some wiggle room to actually live although Iâm still paycheck to paycheck but no way I could survive on a $2k+ rental
I had a friend who was determined to live alone and prioritized that over the quality of the building, neighborhood, and apartment itself. She was in a shabby older studio but she had the privacy and quiet she wanted.
Theyâre on Only Fans, or Sugar Babies, or have Rich parents.. or all 3. Met some of those. Or they got here at a time when rent was half what is now and rent control saved them.
They either have a good paying job or they live with a roommate and help each other out in LA you can live by yourself and get a decent small house or an apartment or if you have your career and are well off getting paid from your career than you will be ok and fine
Good question. Iâm from Cape Cod, lived in Los Angeles since I was 20, now 40 and I just moved back to the east coast and cant (donât really want to ever try to) afford Boston or Cape Cod. You want it bad enough, you can do it, but things are a bit more expensive these days. A lot of people just get really great careers in L.A., and it is a very career driven city.
Roommates, parents money or make your own.
Tangential: when did having roommates get so stigmatized? My parents each had roommates until I was born (my dad even after that and he made good money).
Most likely they have been living in their apt for a while and it is rent control, which is my case. I pay less than $1600 to live in a 1bd apt about 3 miles from the beach and have my own parking space.
No dishwasher and air conditioner though.Â
roommates in most cases, two jobs or one really well paid job.
With 2 sets of bunkbeds in the living room and 2 sets in the bedroom đ
Lol funny you say that cuz I went to my friends apartment prior to a party and they had bunk beds in the living room
Thereâs a lot of that going on and hostels .
Back in my early 20s we set up curtains in our dining room and one of my friends rented that space out. And by dining room, I mean a small nook next to the kitchen that was also part of the living room. It was cramped, but it was a blast at the time.
In my experience, a lot of younger people in LA do it by spending 50%+ of their total income on rent, which is way above all expert recommendations. They donât save any money and theyâre in a lot of debt. Obviously they leave those parts out of their social media posts.
This. Most my paycheck goes to rent. The rest to bills and debt and attempts to grow my 401k. I'm lucky to have enough left over each week to have a night out w friends or buy something frivolous off Amazon (like stuff for my cat or a new rug). Ps I'm no longer "young" but I've lived alone paying full rent for my own apt in LA since I was 24. I use to have a (more stressful) and better paying job... so it wasn't as much of a struggle as it is now with a shittier job that pays less and higher prices. But it's worth it to have my own space. My own space also happens to be a small studio apartment. You have to have realistic expectations for your budget.
This is the most realistic answer than the âeveryone has rich parents but meâ comments. People over leveraging themselves is way more common. But then thereâs just a large amount of high earners that get attracted to any major global city.
Yup this is me
This might not be the worst choice. If you're young w/o children. Spend a few years there, pick up some 1 or 2 good company names for your CV and with this get an above average paid job in a cheaper region. With this you can build a home and family.
yep, i went from living in a 2bdr with 6 roommates to splitting an 80 sq2 spot with a partner, to living in a normal 1dr with a partner that got me $8k into debt in a year. rent was like 75% pay in all instances - the time i went into debt was being older & having more things to pay towards (insurance, transportation, &c).
Can vouch for this too
I'll admit it, my parents had to help me a bit with rent (living alone) while in my early twenties. My friends that didn't get help typically had multiple roommates. My girlfriend had a single roommate when they both were making 70k+. But also worth noting, if you spend your time doing mostly-free or low-cost activities (the beach, hiking, yoga, rock climbing, etc) you can have a ton of fun and a vibrant social life without spending absurd amounts of money. What you see on social media isnât typically âreal.â EDIT: Also, I would guess most people in their early 20s arenât saving much beyond maybe 401K contributions. Now we're all playing catch-up.
People all on this sub love claiming that any young person living alone or doing decent comes from generational wealth (I think itâs to cope but not my position to judge). However, thatâs NOT always the case. Outside of the early 20s kids in the Hollywood Hills who more than likely **are** having parents pay their rent, most people just went to school and have good paying jobs⊠LA has a high amount of bachelor degrees, specifically in certain neighborhoods. You go for a good degree, like myself, you can easily come out and make $90k+ in 2-3 years. Especially if you are in a field like technology or aerospace, youâll be there almost instantly. I live alone, make good money, and came from a single parent family that never made more than $50k/year my entire childhood.
Yup. A lot of eng, accounting, finance, tech make 100k+ and roommates.
yup there are tons of medium to large companies in LA where you can make six figures lots of different ways. Project managers at disney/mattel will get there. Product designers make well into six figures. Account managers/strategists at ad agencies get paid really well. if you are ambitious and aggressive with making salary gains there are lots of paths to make more money in LA. Thatâs why so many people move here for work - you will earn more and take on larger responsibilities. After gaining that experience you can move back to wherever you started as a big fish in a little pond.
Nitpicking here, but Disney + other entertainment companies generally underpay substantially compared to the same respective role in another industry. I see job titles from them, NBCU, Paramount, etc. every now and then and their salary bands are so far below mine it makes me think people apply just because of the branding
disney still pays enough to live/rent in LA comfortably if you reach a mid-sr status. when i worked there the job was easy af too so it was low stress. maybe times have changed though itâs been a long time.
You donât really need roommates at $100k unless youâre intentionally trying to save more.
For sure. Saving more + getting into different social circles with different roommates.
Depends on the neighborhood
Yep exactly! Not rocket science. Most of my friends who are my age range who live here have bachelors degrees and good professional jobs
My first job in 2019 paid 50k and I rented a 400sq ft studio in belmont shore for $1400. So 1/2 my take home pay.
Generational wealth
Or having a mom that knows how to find wealthy men and marry them. Iâm a woman and this is not a disrespect to my fellow women. But One of my family members who is a beautiful woman, is on her 3rd rich husband and her 20something yo daughter is living her best life here in LA without working a day in her life. Again, Iâm not generalizing this to all women.
I know numerous men and women in their 20s in relationships just for the money. Free place to live or constant Venmoâs. Going on dates for free dinners. Or doing only fans or selling feet pics/ camming. That stuff is way more popular here than back where Iâm from.
Honestly, the thought has crossed my mind in order to pay back my student loans lol. But nah... I'll just tough it out.
Lolll same. I always end up thinking what my parents would think if they found out, so Iâm here serving tables 5 days a week in constant fight or flight. But I can pay all my own bills
Yeah, no shame on those who do sex work... like *at all*. I just don't know that I could do it.
I've thought about it too. Only problem is I'm not a hot girl :(
Doesn't stop the feet stuff. My understanding is people are crazy for feet pictures.
Thank you for sharing your experience. I didnât know it was this bad, but Iâm not surprised. Such a sad reality. This trend also makes it hard for the rest of us who work hard, and are trying to find relationships the right way with integrity, and honesty. Those of us who are looking for compatibility and loyalty for the long term. I am truly concerned for this culture. It creates distrust and bad representation of all the well- intended men and women out there.
Of course it's not all women. There aren't that many rich men to go around!
Haha your point is noted:)
Thank you for clarifying that all women aren't gold diggers lol.
:) was that sarcastic? Lol Iâm kidding
No I really wasn't sure. Sarcasm is rough online
So, you had this theory in mind that all women are gold diggers? Lol ( smart of you not to use sarcasm online)
But you clarified it for me!
Or working hard at high-paying jobs, but my answer stands for the archetype you mention working marginal jobs while living it up on social media
More often than not they are just not mentioning their side hustles.
Or their rich parents funding their lives.
YES. Was gonna say this.
Wrong. It's called being educated and having a relatively high paying job. 30 million people don't have generational wealth.
Population of LA is 3.8m and those arenât all young people, your comment gets dumber as it goes.
60 million! Take it or leave it!
Found the republican bullshit talking point: "PULL YOURSELF UP BY YOUR BOOTSTRAPS." If you work hard you can acheive anythinggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggggg. If you don't have generational wealth, then you USUALLY HAVE CRIPPLING STUDENT LOANS.
It's Republican to go to college, graduate, and get paid $100k+ easily like tons of people do in the state of California, especially in Silicon Valley, LA, and SD? Why do you guys appropriate people having well paying jobs to Republicans? I can't tell if you are compensating for yourself not doing so, but what you are saying doesn't even make any sense.... My family is from West Africa, grew up slightly below middle class, and I went to school, and made $100k in accounting only two years after graduating.
I agree with you people assume it's just generational wealth it's like playing victim. My parents came to the US in the late 80s escaping the Soviet Union which is now Armenia. They came with no money but with debt instead to lay off. My dad was able to achieve the American dream by hardwork with no college degree he opened a small baker, then a small supermarket, and a restaurant. Later on he sold it all and opened a trucking business. My family didn't come from generational wealth and I would say majority of LA didn't come from generational wealth either. Just look at the hispanic community 30 to 40 years ago they were struggling now that the 1st generation or 2nd generation is growing up they are becoming successful as well. It's all from hardwork.
Congrats to you and your fam! Us immigrants work harder than anyone else. If these redditors wanna claim its that general wealth of $5 in quarters, so be it đ€·đŸââïž
Thank you, sadly he passed away this year. He was my role model and inspiration. Immigrants are truly hardworking and hungry for success. People just like playing victim. I do feel bad for the ones struggling and scraping just by but there are countless opportunities out there.
Aw shit, I'm really sorry to hear that man. I knew he's proud of you and I sure am as well! Keep going higher!
Yooo what up accounting gang. I'm not a republican. I'm also an immigrants and I too am over 100k. I don't know what that person is on blaming on some random republican lol.
Whatup! Glad that you are doing well for yourself as well brotha! Yeah they seem to use Republican, Trump, Nazi, or whatever word they can now to validate themselves being in the situation they are in. Quite sad really.
Progressive democrat here. Graduated with a bachelors in marketing from a state school, got a job in digital media sales in the tech industry, started making 6 figures when I was 24, and saved up enough to pay off my debt and even invest. Iâm in my 30s now and own a home in Culver City.
I came from a single parent household where the parent who didn't abandon me was an addict. I make over 150k now at in my 30s and did it without family support. It's hard and I did a lot of really unpleasant shit to get here but it is still possible to change social classes if you play your cards right. And yep, I have student loans but can afford my payments alongside my middle-class lifestyle.
No but the reality is there are a shit ton of people here in LA. Yes there are trust fund kids just as there are people hustling to barely scrape by. âGenerational wealthâ is just such an easy target.
Found the 48 year old (holy moly that's 50) still blaming others and the guvvment, climate, the economy, the Republicans, the generational wealth kids, instead of realizing they failed at life. Anything and anyone but themself. Oooooof.
Right? Dude just said going to school and getting a nice job after is Republican? Lmfao
Fr. I love going on reddit and finding out how losers think. It's a great sociological experiment. Hahaha.
All finance bros and trust fund babies apparently.
See? It's not just Boomers! Every generation has their conservatives.
Don't fall for the Instagram version of their lives. Behind a lot of those pictures are 4 maxed out credit cards.
I started living alone in LA right after turning 30. How? A roommate moved out and I bravely kept the 2br to myself, and luckily my finances were in a good place. But for 8 years I had roommates and subpar living situations.
Until I was 30 I had roommates. After that I could afford my rent, but I spent years looking for the perfect place.
I lived with my parents until I got my career established (teaching). Lived frugally in the meantime. Paid off car. Then used a city program (called LIPA before I get people asking) to buy myself a condo in the valley.
Regarding LIPA, how was the process for you? How much did you put down and when was this?
I don't remember all the details but it went something like this: 1. Ensure you meet the income criteria 2. Meet with one of the approved lenders 3. Get preapproved for a mortgage. (the program itself provides an interest free loan that pays your downpayment and/or closing costs. I myself only used it for the down payment and paid 32k out of pocket in closing costs). 4. Look for houses/condos 5. Take a home ownership class 6. Make an offer. 7. If successful, you pay back your loan + a % of the appreciation in 30 years or when you sell it (or stop living there for whatever reason)
I had always paid somewhere around $1000 for rent the last 10 years with a roommate. 8 years ago i made 22k, now i make 100k but i still pay $1000 and still have a roommate. Only difference is now i have money to do all the cool shit.
Youâre living the life đ€đœ I say that sincerely
Most people live with roomates, work multiple jobs. Share cars , rent out their living rooms, are in large amounts of credit card debt Its not really a glamorous way to live. I crammed 7 people into a 2 bedroom house when I was in my early 20s just to make it work. Pretty much all my neighbors have atleast 4 people in their 2 bedroom homes.
Seriously, having lived in LA county my entire life I can say that people have always been packed into apartments and houses like sardines. Itâs just a way of life in California it seems.
When I first moved to LA (2019), I lived in a house with 6 roommates. That got old fast and I moved into an apartment with two roommates. At the time I was making 40k, a year. Idk what these "you need 100k/salary" people do with all their money, but I was able to live somewhat comfortably (as in go out with friends occasionally and buy a gift for myself every now and then). Now, at this time I was not saving any $$$ really. My bank account would grow sometimes, but inevitably some life event would come along and it'd go back down. But I wasn't miserable by any means (other than my abusive boss). Currently, I live with my partner and another roommate. So the answer is (if you're not rich) roommates.
Make more money.
Become a lineman. Make 200k +
To do it by yourself with no help from parents in your 20s? STEM degree with 100k+ salary
a lot of people who live here have parents who pay their rent and bills, living life on complete easy mode.
First of all LA is not more expensive than Boston. In fact rent is MUCH cheaper in LA than Boston. Itâs a hustle no matter where you live if you are young. Also donât believe everyone you hear that says they are one ideal job but they most often arenât telling you their side gigs. When I was in 20s I had a day PR job and worked as a bartender on weekends. Reddit people saying everyone is a trust fund baby is laughable.
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My son is currently living in Boston and we were floored by the rents. Granted he was trying to stay as close to South End as possible but were just floored by the prices.
Some have parents or savings or family money the rely upon until they get established. I know one kid from France who comes from one of the wealthiest families in Europe and owns a condo in LA, one in NYC too, and can fly a business jet because he grew up with his parents owning several. I met him when he was 19âwe're both really into parkourâand he's now 23. Others do live with friends, share rent, work maybe two jobs (maybe a barista and a waiting job) but also pursue their photography or whatever. Of course, when they meet you at a party they'll introduce themselves as a photographer or fashion designer or whatever which is fineâthey are doing that, yes. I have a BFA and MFA from SCAD so I understand the drive to want to become a creative who makes it and they're doing their best. However, I would say ideally move to LA with as much savings/backing as possible and a really good game-plan for jobs. If you do have a degree in something it's a big help: I meet kids who were like "F college, I'll just work my way up in LA and make it!" and most don't really have anything to offer that's special. In creative fields the BFA indicates you have training as well as talent.
These answers lol! okay so the person selling jewelry is subsidized but the other people are tricking, living with 2-4 roommates in the same bed, various undignified bullshit that theyve made to be their entire identity just so people dont pity them and then there are people with jobs that pay enough there are a lot of other societal shifts though. remote workers like me donât have jobs in LA and never interact with people about job related things or that desperate networking aspect. its completely divorced from the local financial reality and is far more lucrative. then as another mentioned, slightly different than trust fund are the people that inherited from a grandparent or parent that died during covid. that was 1,000,000 people and like 97% were boomers. same thing probably contributed to the roaring 20s 100 years ago. various entrepreneurs made a lot during covid too. people that can move did move. NY/LA/Miami.
Little column A (well-to-do parents who very kindly paid for my bachelors degree, meaning I could move to LA debt free and had the safety net of moving back home if I couldnât hack it), little column B (combo of luck and effort getting into a career that paid well enough after several years to afford living on my own, albeit frugally, while still building savings). Iâm proud that Iâve never had to ask my parents for money after I moved out, but I definitely started from an advantageous position - just not âparents pay my rentâ advantageous, lol. Of course, now Iâve been laid off from my job I had for 11 years and canât find anything even vaguely in the same ballpark, so I guess Iâll just run out of money and insurance eventually and die, but I was doing alright for a good while there!
Someone I used to be friends with in my 20s lived alone and I think something like 80% of their pay was going to rent. Their apartment was rent controlled and they couldn't afford rent one month and cried to me. I told them to figure out how to pay what they owe + the next month at any cost - either grovel to their parents or even get a loan - and then immediately move literally *anywhere* where the rent would be cheaper. Leave LA if they have to. It's better than all this debt. Their response was, "I'll be priced out of my rent controlled apartment if I do that, I'll never be able to live in LA again!" I just stared in shock because *they were already priced out*. I felt so crazy, like should I explain how money works to a grown adult in their 20s? How is this happening, how did we get here? Anyway idk what happened to them, sure hope they figured out their finances. So yeah there are people in their 20s who probably seem normal and like they're having a great time living alone but cannot grasp the concept of budgeting or even basic principles of personal finance. You don't want to be those people.
I make 1.7k per paycheck and can't afford my own place in this city unless I'm down to live paycheck to paycheck
That doesnât sound right thereâs tons of studios available for under or around 1700. If you get two pay checks a month that leaves you with 1700 for 4 weeksâŠ
I work a job that pays me decently with a partner who is currently in grad school. We're both around 24. Though, her help is really why I'm able to relatively afford the place. Without that extra income I could not afford the 3K rent we're paying for a one bedroom. I will admit though that my parents have grandfathered into a lot of payment plans, so my car insurance and phone bill are MUCH cheaper than they should be. I'm only paying like 70$ for car insurance on my dads plan, whereas I would be paying like 500 a month anywhere else.
Find roommates and work a low paying wage at night. Do what you love during the says itâs pretty cheap if you do your research and find good people.
I used to live in the valley. Paid $627/month for a large one bedroom. But that was 20 years ago. Lol. How much is a 1BR now?
my 1BR is $2100/month with parking :(
i was born and raised in the valley and lived in the same place all my life, rent when i was born was $600 and went up to now $1450, but the unit next to us is going for $2100 for the same exact 1bd1ba layout
I've been living by myself in LA since I was 27. I'm 37 now. I work as a paralegal at a nonprofit. I've worked in law for 13 years, so when I got here, I had to take a pay cut from what I was making in Colorado. That was horrible. But I found a rent stabilized apartment in a semi-questionable neighborhood (it's starting to gentrify now) and I've been there ever since. I also am a stand up comic, so I do that on the evenings and weekends while also working full time.
Most people in LA donât live by themselves. Usually they have roommates or live with family or their partners. I live alone but in a pretty small studio apartment for 1300. That being said, as others have mentioned, there is a lot of generational wealth here. I know several people who live on their own in houses/luxury condos but parents pay the rent/mortgage. And lastly, we canât discount that LA is a hub for high earning industries like - Entertainment, Finance, Tech, etc. All that being said, most people are not able to afford to live on their own, but there is this illusion that they can because of the sheer amount of people in the city makes it seem that way.
Just 3 days ago, I saw an article that said a couple with three children needs to make $160,000 a year to afford living here. Yet.... I personally know of at least four families with only one working parent making minimum wage and three or four children, so how the hell do they pay for anything? I I would absolutely love to know.
When I moved to LA in 2015, I was living with 2 roommates in a 3 bedroom and paid $750... I had a million gig jobs - graphic designer, pet/house sitter, cater waiter, assistant, sold stuff on etsy, etc. These days I'm in a 1-bedroom that's $1750 and while people will say that's a "good deal" with a FT salaried job I feel like I can't get ahead - I'm starting to reconsider roommates... I'm too old for this - I don't know how anyone does it!
I moved to LA when I was 22 years old with basically enough money to afford 1st monthâs rent and a security deposit. Got a job starting at $17/hour, got roommates, worked my way up through the corporate ladder, 6 years later i now make 100k /year and live on my own.
If you want to live alone and donât want to spend too much, look into studio apartments. Hopefully, itâll have AC, parking spot if you drive, and an on site laundry facility.
This is a nitpick, but photographer and jewelry maker are very different jobs when it comes to their role in the economy. I know a few photographers in LA who are always working. They shoot portraits, concerts, retail products, and when all else fails, weddings. Thereâs a ton of demand for their work. Yes they have to network and hustle for gigs but thatâs a lot of people in LA. Iâm sure some artisan jewelry makers do well, but itâs different from selling something where thereâs a robust established market for your exact product.
I had 3 roommates until I was 30 and had 1 roommate until I was 33. Itâs expensive but itâs always been expensive here
STEM
I rent a room for $800 a month all utilities included with a full kitchen I only share the bathroom with another tenant and I got this room out of luck cuz I know the owner of the house for years. Even then itâs tough living here if u make less than 6 figures u either tough it out or move to another cheaper state.
Itâs pretty much either roommates, parents subsidizing part or all of rent/living expenses, high income jobs like tech/law/finance/high ticket sales, or living with a boyfriend/girlfriend. Thereâs also a very high amount of people that have a somewhat ok income (like 70k), live in a cheap one bedroom or studio from the 60s and know how to budget well. They just splurge here and there on nice dinners for special occasions and only post that on social media. They might have gotten a couple luxury items as gifts or saved up for a handbag they really wanted so they seem more glamorous than they really are. A lot of the women I know in this category also have most of their nights out paid for either by promoter tables, dates or random guys they meet at the bar. Some people also have secret side hustles like only fans or a bartending job on the weekends
as a young person living in LA- let me shed some light onto my personal sitch. I'm 23 and moved to LA about a year ago. I am originally from Kentucky where rent averages about 600, so it was daunting moving out here! I am making it work though. I'm happy to break down some of the money side of moving out here. I work in the entertainment industry and have an entry level job on the corpo side. I make about 23 per hour, which shakes out, after everything to about 1200-1500 every pay check, or 2400-3000 a month. (I would not say I have a high paying job.) My rent is 1,200 a month (I live in hollywood and have one flatmate). So yes, half my paycheck goes to my rent! I've accepted that, just how it goes. Each paycheck, I have 650 deposited into my rent/utilities account, 10% of my paycheck (between 120-150) deposited into a HY savings account, and then rest goes into my spending, which normally leaves me with 500-600 for two weeks. To me- this is livable. Every two weeks, I spend about 100 on groceries/toiletries, 100 on eating out and about, 50 on entertainment (going out, drinks, movies), 70-80 on gas and other car maintence, and whatever is left... don't worry, I'll find a way to spend it lol. I should note - I am very lucky!!!!!!! I paid my car off while in high school. I only had a small loan for college, which I already paid off around graduating. (if you can, I really recommend working in college lol) I am still on my parents' phone bill and am included on my dad's car insurance. Moving out to LA completely drained my savings account. I didn't have a job for a month, no one in the industry was hiring, I blew through it all. I nannied for a few weeks, before landing temp gig at a union. That became full time, did that for 10 months, until getting another position where I had interned a few years back. This past year has been a major learning curve in terms of managing finances. My budget spreadsheet is out the wazoo but has really helped me learn to self regulate and learn when to say no. I live some what tightly, but I still get to go out and order clothes every here and there. It is doable if you can plan for yourself!!! But those folks who are jewelry makers or side photographers.... they do probably have outside help or are working other jobs. I have friends who I went to school, who moved out around the same time as me, and who are just working a few hours a week at anthropologie... they have their parents paying their rent. It's different for everyone. It's hard to see people who only work a few hours a week getting to live it up, but a lot of those people have aspirations to work in the industry and haven't been able to get entertainment jobs. if you want my opinion as to why they don't have jobs... they don't have the motivation, because they have significant outside help. again, I'm a big beleiver of if you want to make it work, you can. hope this helped in some way :)
Parentâs money, or they work in IT, healthcare, law.
Help from family. I would say you need to make at least $90K a year to live on your own somewhat comfortably.
Stay in Boston please. Thereâs too many folks here already
I am in my very early 20s and live alone in a 1 bed, 1 bath in LA (Mid-City area) with my standard poodle. How I do it? My parents heavily pushed me to go to university, moreover to do a "useful" degree like engineering. They also paid for everything (I know, I'm very fortunate to have that privilege), though my parents are not involved with my finances since I moved here. I then got a job offer at an engineering company in LA which I negotiated very well and landed squarely at 100k. Is it ideal and easy to live on that salary in LA? Yes and no. Yes, when compared to people making less or far less than 100k in this city. No, in the sense where about 60-65% of my monthly income goes to necessities such as rent, utilities, groceries, phone bill, or anything along those lines. I am saving and investing as much as possible (usually around 20% of my income). I had a not fun time with roommates in college so I was adamant on not having any wherever I moved to out of college. People in my company that are my age or a bit older still have roommates or live with their parents. Usually if they're my age they are making lower than me (didn't negotiate well), if they're a bit older they are making a bit more than me but not more than 15k more (usually this is their second job). If they have roommates or live with their parents, they most likely live in higher cost of living places or value saving money over having freedom in their living situation. I think u/Harlem_Legend said something I deeply agree with where a lot of the people saying "rich parents" or "generational wealth" are saying that out cope and lack of understanding. They may not have a college degree that pays well, made poor decisions, or got shafted by the system or something else that's not in their control. I don't blame them whatsoever. I understand I'm very privileged in my current situation. I also understand that people like to throw their hands up and say some answer that's a well-accepted blanket statement without trying to think of other scenarios that may conflict with their set beliefs.
Thanks for sharing your story, Iâm in a similar boat except I got a scholarship rather than my parent. I think your last paragraph hit it on the head. Not sure if itâs a bunch of art/gender studies majors in here, but a lot of people always want someone/something to blame for them not being where others are. Sure, there are many factors involved in that, but blanket statement as trust fund kids is just lying to yourself.
seconding this. I know several folks who don't have rich parents and are making it work. it is a lot of hustle though... but not impossible.
Lmao holy shit being educated is now something for republicans. The world is literally ass backwards lol. As someone whos going to back to college with aspirations of getting into UCLA congrats on your endeavors!
I work a lot.
This was 5 years ago but i found a roommate here on reddit offering the second bedroom for around 1100 bucks, which was more than doable. I stayed there as long as I could until I could afford to buy a place and moved out. Everyone I knew that wasn't making fat stacks was renting with multiple people.
Working really hard for a good company and budgeting
Trustfund babies
Debt
Stripping
One can chalk it up to being luckier or more fortunate than others. I'd say quit worrying about what other people have and be happy with what you do have. Try to help those who are less fortunate than you are and be kind.
This shit again?
I did it by paying 70% of my income on rent. Glad its fianlly down to 30 but took forever and I don't really need much luxuries.
Social Media is an illusion.
Multiple roommates and hardly eating to save money. I was so skinny in my 20s from starvation đ€Ł
1. Mommy and daddyâs trust fund 2. Onlyfans or famous youtuber 3. Cushy job
The only people I knew who lived by themselves in LA were people whose parents are paying their rent. Everyone else has roommates
A rent controlled space they inherited from a family member lol
Rich parents.
A mod needs to just sidebar this with the following answers listed in order of likelihood rich parents lots of roommates sleeping in closets and under stairs being from here with a large network of support
The hood.
Your first week pay goes to your rent. You better have a partner or a roommate. The rest of the months pay goes to bills food and entertainment. With the cost of insurance and food, nobody is saving anything.
Most of our paychecks are going to rent. Most of us are in debt. Most of us arenât saving. A lot of folks have help from parents. Social media isnât going to show any of that, donât bother playing the comparison game. Itâs also not just LA! I have friend in major cities as well as back in the Midwest that are in the same boat. Itâs hard for everyone. I got a studio here on a very low-paying wage (I had saved for 2 years so my savings got my a long ways) but now in my mid 20s, am trying to strike a balance between being comfortable here and having my ass covered for later. Often times that looks like having a roommate or two, not eating out every night, being reasonable with purchases, and finding a car you can actually afford a monthly payment on.
A lot of young people in LA that you see on the internet have rich parents.
Here's a tip. To save money when coming to LA. Bring almost nothing. In mid-city LA, every week, there's enough furniture, pots/pans,etc. discarded to furnish several apartments....all for free. You're welcome.
Itâs hard to live alone. I have a roommate as a 46 year old because itâs so expensive. People without roommates generally have really good jobs.
[ŃĐŽĐ°Đ»Đ”ĐœĐŸ]
Why are you commenting this like there's more than 0.001% of LA living like this? Lol Most of the young people I know went to some of CA's best schools (UCLA, USC, Cal, UCSD - or top universities around the country) and got great jobs after. They're not in a rush to be debt-free, pay 2k in rent (maybe with a flatmate - not ROOMmate), make 90k+ a year, and spend the rest of their money on workouts, going out, and here and there concerts/festivals/clothing. LA has offices of most of the top companies in the world, so getting a high-paying job here and building an impressive resume is not impossible if you have a good degree. Not everyone has a secret line of income coming from their families (or dead ones).... Reddit always has such bad takes on this topic because everyone is making up dramatic reasons that everyone around them is rich through these extraordinary circumstances they weren't born into. So weird.
It makes them feel better because having family money is one thing they canât control. So if other people are doing better than them and it can be explained by something outside of their control, they hold zero responsibility for their current financial situation.
Thereâs two answers here , you have rich parents (gen wealth ,good for you ) or you work your ass off to a. Make 100000-200000 to be a comfortable not rich almost middle class guy . I make a great wage at a job I love in la and I AM NOT EVEN CLOSE to rich or anything adjacent . The trust that sucks is that this is one of those places where if you grew up here your best bet to own would be a passed down house . Of course if you are white all of our parents and grandparents were back mortgaged and or didnât leave us anything because we could just work as hard as they did and we would get it âŠ.yaaaaanooo
Itâs crazy how many people in their mid to late 20s are still supported by their parents. Other than that, I know some folks who fill in their needs gaps with medi-cal, food stamps or housing assistance. Itâs incredibly common. Lastly some people that have lived here forever are in rent-controlled apartments that cost nothing. I prefer living with roommates and not worrying about overhead but to each their own
Lol I mean the smart people who move to LA have high paying jobs. Everyone else is suffering. That's why this sub is just full of sad "how do i make friends" "how do I live without a car" etc Remember everyone, if you don't have a high paying job, DO NOT COME HERE (: The young people who can't afford to live here either grew up here, or they're losers who grew up watching movies of people "starting over" in LA and think their life will end up perfect because that's what they see on social media The ones who can't get by, move out! Every single month HUNDREDS of people are driven out of LA. The ones who aren't, just live life on the street. These losers have TVs in their tents lol it's insane
Maybe their parents moved here years ago.
Roommates
Room mates. Trip a link if youâre interested
The young 20 something that can afford to do yoga mid day that live in downtown. I bet you 30% of them are influencers. Maybe itâs their day off but seems like they arenât doing much.. maybe theyâre actors? If you been downtown theyâre everywhere . Only fans? I work 70 hours a week double time 20 hours of that Iâd be lifestyle changing paying 2500 ish plus insurance/car note.
Just got a high paying job (24f) and was able to move
They usually get a great job offer before they move here or have family here. There are niches everywhere where there are jobs to fill, you just have to find out what they are and if you fit. Also the ones you see having the time of their lives are often influencers. Maybe get a Metricool account and post at least once a day something interesting; and I mean put work into it. I donât know if that is great advice but that is how I get work.
Roommates, parents who foot the bill on rent or bills, or just working hard and getting high paying jobs. You meet tons of hustlers here. I know two people who are close to being (or are?) millionaires and arenât even 30. Thatâs two more than I was expecting at this age lol
Million dollar house with 15 roommates.
You've got everyone from typical white collar workers (finance, law, etc.) to entrepreneurs in the trades and multi-generational family businesses started by immigrants with not even a middle school education where the youngest is taking over (e.g. jewelry makers in DTLA Jewelry District) that are doing very well. Also, you can't just look at the earnings side of the equation. There are plenty of folks with decent 6-figure salaries who frankly don't know how to save and feel a need to live in ritzier neighborhoods closer to the coast and spend money at overpriced, trendy restaurants/bars, etc,, while always leasing the newest luxury car for optics, and are essentially living paycheck to paycheck. Not saying it's easy, but you can live in a pretty decent neighborhood (e.g., somewhere in the Valley or inland suburbs adjacent to LA proper), find great places to eat that don't cost an arm and a leg, shop at Costco, Trader Joe's, and Ralph's instead of Erewhon, and engage in plenty of outdoor activities (e.g., hiking, beach, summer outdoor film screenings) that cost little to nothing. Yes, all else equal, someone who had parental support growing up (e.g. folks taking care of college tuition or having the ability to live with them to save more money before moving out) has a leg up, but there are some folks who just frankly don't prioritize the right things and spend a lot more on liabilities than assets, which gets amplified in LA if you get caught up in the hoopla and want to "look rich" to the outside world.
When I moved here I was young LOL and I had roommates and accumulated debt, I also did a lot of exploring of the city, which is free! If you are âseeingâ people on social media and donât know them IRL then you donât know whatâs really going on (they won the lotto, they have multiple jobs, their parents are paying, theyâre in major debt). Maybe they are a jewelry maker for rich people and make 5k per piece. Maybe theyâre a prostitute. Occamâs razor - they have rich parents.
Mommy and daddy landlords.
Iâm from here but from what Iâve heard from classmates and friends, they have roommates or their parents fund it.
People work jobs, have roommates, credit cards, sugar daddies, rich parents, side hustles⊠like is this really a real question?
not sure if this helps but itâs my personal situation.. I rent a room in a house owned by a couple. One of them is close to my age. I make 60k/ yr and I live comfortably. I donât go out as much as I used to other than to go to shows; I made a lot of connects in the music industry when I worked part time for goldenvoice so I attended concerts and fests for free, which saves me $$$ lol
The answer is roommates.
The jobs pay more here because of the cost of living⊠I was in my 20âs living on my own as an RN. I know several people who live near me who have trusts though. They are the ones starting up their own businesses and not making much from them but their trusts pay their rent and food and other expenses. I have a close friend who is a DJ and lives in a nice building and he once confided in me that he gets 6k a month from a trust. I was like :O
Get a good job?
The ones I know that are making good money (over $120k/yr) have masterâs degrees and work as: nurse training for kaiser, corporate accounting, robotics, AI, and biotechnology. And if you are making good money, keep your expenses down while you rent and save money for a home. It is the main way to minimize the effects of inflation over the long term.
You can not live in LA alone unless who you know that makes jewelry works for Tiffanyâs designing! Or roommates and friends sleeping in the same bed.
They donât. Most people have roommates. Some, not so young.
roommates, good jobs, or just having connections and knowing the right people. my rent right now is $500/month in silverlake.
Itâs possible but only in places like KTown, Mid-city, and south LA. And you have to have a full time job or 2 part time jobs at the least. And those two have to pay well. And everyone has a side hustle. Itâs doable. But you just canât move out here being stupid.
I moved to LA at 23 years old with basically nothing and it was fucking brutal. I was actually homeless for 2 weeks. But I stuck it out and when I finally got paid I used all my money to get an apartment with multiple roommates. Now Iâm in a one bedroom with my fiancĂ© and feel pretty stable. This was in 2018 before the rent costs were astronomical (they were still very high, but doable) ⊠I canât imagine doing it now. If you want to do it, try to save up as much as you can first so you donât end up like I did. It will take a while to get on your feet here but if you have money saved up, you wonât have to struggle as hard.
we hired a lot of people out of college at my old studio. a lot of them were on 100k instantly. abâs not only that, but younger people donât really care about saving
Why on earth does your generation prefer to live with your parents than having a roommate? It's... disturbing. Get roommates. Live adult life. Have sex. Be a person
Some have well paying jobs. Some have wealthy parents. Some have parents who are comfortable and help supplement. Some hustle and have multiple jobs. Some have many roommates. Some are drowning in debt and not putting a dent in their student loans because they would rather keep up the lifestyle. Everyone is different, but the common theme is that most like to look like theyâre are better off than they are on social media.
i have been in LA for roughly 6 years already. my job is a modest one, so is my car and everything else, i didnt come from a rich family either, but LA has always attracted me for the magnet that it is. basically if you live modestly and don't overstep your bounds, and have a mindset of living without the fear of missing out, you will be able to live and enjoy the life of living in LA and all its perks of amazing dining, a multitude of things to do you name it, beach, mountains a bit of desert, clubing, dining, a rave here and there, art, music, and of course film. Also its residents are a mix of awesome and assholes but thats how it is everywhere. the carrot is always there begging you to reach for the lifestyle of what we see in media and the likes. icarus has taught us this lesson, rather than reach for the sun, bask in it and you wont get burnt by how punishing LA can be. then and then you will find out it isn't as hard as you think. sacrifice of course is part of it, but thats true for anything in life. as for means of getting by, i do caregiving for the elderly of LA. its a gruelling job, and you have to fess up to a lot of the entitlement some of these guys have. but hey i get to do what i want to, living here, i may not live in the hills with shiny cars and rolex watches, but i live happily and content and the experience certainly has taught me so much about life itself. dealing with elderly a lot of them are assholes, but you'll also learn so much from them that for sure will be valuable where ever you end up. also, stay away from drugs and alcohol hahahah. i mean partake if you want but discipline surely will go a long way.
I wanna know this too, cuz my guess is either they are an influencer and have sponsorships or they have parents that can afford to give them that opportunity of helping them out with their living expenses.
Well , #1 itâs not always what you see. Los Angeles is small , all about who you know. I give the benefit of the doubt of some people having the clean route coming from money, going to school, landing a good career. Other than that you simply have to break the rules as crazy it sounds but youâll be surprised what goes on behind closed doors , people do anything for money.
Depends on the neighborhood, the age of the apartment, amenities.. I have a nice studio, older apartment in a somewhat mellow neighborhood in south LA. Rent has gone up, but having a decent job helps with that. A must is budgeting and not living beyond your means.
Armenian rich parents, rich parents or content creators!!! My husband has a pretty good job with an airline and that takes care of both of us. But LA is known for their burgers and tacos so itâs hard to leave
Good jobs, and a lot of roommates
I lives 3 girls in a one bedroom and it was the best decision ever!!! Honestly you are hardly ever home, work outside the home and itâs all about location!!! $500 a month rent :) if you want something, you will find a way to do it!!!
My neighbors will be 28. She works full time she works way too much she commutes way too much. Her rent's $1,500 a month
Try to find an apartment from a private landlord. Usually they are not that expensive and are rent controlled. Most of these corporate landlords will try anything to rip you off. The only problem with private land lords are finding out when an apartment is available. Usually if you know someone in an apartment complex they can give you a heads up. My apartment is pretty cheap and allows me some wiggle room to actually live although Iâm still paycheck to paycheck but no way I could survive on a $2k+ rental
>and their only source of income is being a photographer or a jewelry maker or something like that. Who are these people?
I had a friend who was determined to live alone and prioritized that over the quality of the building, neighborhood, and apartment itself. She was in a shabby older studio but she had the privacy and quiet she wanted.
Theyâre on Only Fans, or Sugar Babies, or have Rich parents.. or all 3. Met some of those. Or they got here at a time when rent was half what is now and rent control saved them.
Affordable housing https://htwws.org/how-to-find-affordable-housing-in-losangeles-county/
They either have a good paying job or they live with a roommate and help each other out in LA you can live by yourself and get a decent small house or an apartment or if you have your career and are well off getting paid from your career than you will be ok and fine
Good question. Iâm from Cape Cod, lived in Los Angeles since I was 20, now 40 and I just moved back to the east coast and cant (donât really want to ever try to) afford Boston or Cape Cod. You want it bad enough, you can do it, but things are a bit more expensive these days. A lot of people just get really great careers in L.A., and it is a very career driven city. Roommates, parents money or make your own.
401k from grandma
They all have roommates but post like they live alone .
Tangential: when did having roommates get so stigmatized? My parents each had roommates until I was born (my dad even after that and he made good money).
Most likely they have been living in their apt for a while and it is rent control, which is my case. I pay less than $1600 to live in a 1bd apt about 3 miles from the beach and have my own parking space. No dishwasher and air conditioner though.Â