moving advice?

[SheikYerbouti]

Well count us in as two more people moving out to Las Vegas. My fiancee and I were planning on getting married there this September but the ultimate goal has always been to move out there so we figured what the heck, let's MOVE out there for September instead! So for the last month or so we've been selling stuff off and making preparations. Hopefully we'll make enough money selling to keep us alive out there for a month or two but money will be tight while we find steady employment. My fiancee is looking to break into dealing (Mikey is an inspiration to us all!) and I'm hoping I can stay in the IT field. So, any tips from you folks that have moved out there? We'd really appreciate it!

[mariachigirl]

Well we don't live in Vegas but hubby and I would both love it if we did. My husband is also in the IT field, so please let me know if you find some good opportunities out there.

Good luck in your move! I'm sure you'll love it!

[vegasbound]

I recommend only taking things that can’t be replaced and others that would be too costly to replace. We had lived apartment together before moving to Vegas. We sold a lot of furniture and only kept what would cost more to replace than it was to move. We paid for a moving company (for us it was cheaper than a U-haul) with the money made from selling our other belongings. If using movers get creative with your packing. Our fee was based on cubic feet used. So I packed items in dresser drawers and put utensils in pans, etc. It worked really well. Also, anything of value (sentimental or monetary) we opted to take ourselves, we each drove a car and we packed those items with us.

Ideally, you’ll want a nice savings to live off of when you first arrive. People recommend 3 months worth. This was impossible for us. We had enough for month, maybe two, but we were lucky and it all worked out for us. Neither of us had jobs lined up. The first week we arrived we spent it applying for jobs, the second week we had interviews lined up and by the third were working full-time.

When we looked for employment we weren’t choosy, we just want to make enough to pay the bills and get ourselves settled. Neither of us work in the same fields we did in Chicago. We both were hired at entry level positions, within two years, we’ve each been promoted a few times and we’ve done well for ourselves. Vegas has been good to us and our quality of life has greatly improved.

My husband (fiancé at the time) was in the IT field, as well. He was laid-off in Chicago and he was unable to find work there and here. There is a far more people looking for IT jobs than positions available in Vegas. My intent isn’t to discourage you, but to suggest keeping your options open and/or expanding your job search.

Really good money can be made as a dealer. Your fiancé will need to go to dealer school and then doors will begin to open for her. Just as they did for Mikey, of course it’s a tremendous help to have a great personality.

The first few months will be rough and it can be stressful, but once you get settled in you can kick back and enjoy living life in Vegas, baby.

Congrats and good luck with the move. I hope Las Vegas will be as good to you as it has to us. If you have more questions along the way feel free to ask.

:D Kellee

[SheikYerbouti]

Thanks for the info, it was pretty much along the lines of what we're expecting. I'm prepared to do just about any job to get by (except maybe hand out porn on street corners) but staying in my field would obviously be preferable. Not surprised to hear that IT jobs aren't plentiful though. I might end up at dealer school as well, who knows! What kind of jobs did you end up in when you moved out there?

We will be moving from the East Coast, the Philadelphia area, so it's going to be quite a project. At least from here, renting a Uhaul is not cheaper than having a moving company do it. An option we are seriously considering is one of these outfits where you load the trailer and they drive it out there and you unload it on the other end. Seems to be the best of both worlds.

What did you do about finding an apartment? I see lots of cheap apartments online but then I read horrible things about them on that apartment ratings site. It's hard to look at apartments when you're on the other side of the country! We're looking at renting a room in somone's house for a couple of months until we can find a place of our own. The rent is cheaper and a lot of them seem to be in nicer, newer developments.

It's great seeing people's reaction when I tell them we're moving to Las Vegas. It's usually along the lines of "Oh wow! Cool!". As opposed to when I moved to southern New Jersey two years ago and they all asked. "Why??". :)

[vegasbound]

There’s two major fields of employment in Vegas, the service industry and construction - that’s where we ended up. After a series of interviews we each had a couple job offers, we were lucky to have a choice as to which job to accept. Frank had started as sportbook writer, since then he held a couple other positions (admin and supervisor) and now he’s a floor supervisor for the poker room. He hopes a sportsbook manager position will become available. He really prefers the ‘book over poker. I started as a receptionist for a commercial roofing company, then a month later I was promoted to project assistant and now I’m a project admin. …kind of a jack of all trades and I recently started training for controller responsibilities.


That’s similar to the type of moving company we used. We did all the packing and had it all ready for the movers and they put the items in the truck. Then, they stored it in a warehouse in the Midwest until we were ready for it. It took about two weeks for it to get to us when we were ready for it though. They wait until they have a full trailer before letting the trucks head out. Then on delivery, the movers bring the items into the house. It worked very well for us, but having to wait for a full load may be inconvenient for some. I can’t recall the name of the company we used, but I’ll take a look around and see if I can locate the paperwork.


We never rented. We moved before the real estate market became outrageous and we wanted to own property so we didn’t intend to give renting any consideration. We were fortunate and we were invited to live with my husband’s grandma until we found jobs and a home. She had a house in Summerlin and we lived with her about six weeks (longer than expected). We found our condo a month after our arrival, but had difficulty closing because of probate and litigation. We wore out our welcome at Gram’s and then we started looking into apts. We needed a short term lease and not many places would accommodate our needs. Those that would, were out of our price range or were in the neighborhoods I wouldn’t be comfortable living. We ended up weighing options and the most economical was to live at the Plaza until our closing. Hotels rates were $15/day and $30 on the weekend. It couldn’t be beat. We got lucky and closing went a little quicker than expected and we only stayed at the Plaza for two weeks. We’ve been in our condo ever since. We bought just in time. We weren’t even settled in and property values skyrocketed. If we were to sell today, the asking price would be more than twice the amount we paid two years ago.

I suggest looking into renting a condo rather an apartment. Generally, condo communities are better kept than apt. complexes and surprisingly many have comparable or even cheaper rent. You can get into nicer and newer neighborhoods that way, too.

Planning the move is certainly exciting. The anticipation is killer, as well. Enjoy it!

[mebedaman]

Vegasbound,

If you don't mind me asking, what was Frank's background prior to getting the sportsbook writer job? There are so many jobs out there that I don't even know what each actually entails. It definitely sounds like something I would enjoy because I LOVE sports...and poker too!

I am 24 and have been in retail for the 2 years since I graduated from college. I'm the General Manager for an athletic shoe store, but to tell you the truth, I don't enjoy it very much and it is no longer challenging. I will be moving to Vegas sometime around September 1st. My current "plan" is to start out getting a part-time job as a waiter. Not sure how the job market for this is, but I figure with all the restaurants in Vegas, it can't be that difficult. While working, I will be actively looking for a "real" job. It just seems like you either have to have previous experience or know someone to get started in a different field. I graduated with a degree in Economics, so I have a broad business background. We shall see what transpires, but thank you for posting and any additional information would be greatly appreciated!

Brad

[SheikYerbouti]

Thanks again for your information. Sounds like you bought a place out there at just the right time!

I never really thought about construction but of course that makes perfect sense given how fast the area is growing. What exactly does a sportsbook writer do anyway? I've seen that job on a number of websites. I thought about looking into becoming a slot tech too, but I guess that would mean no more video poker for me. :(

I'd love to know the name of the moving company if you can find it.

[vegasbound]

For a short time, in Chicago, he had worked at an OTB as a pari-mutual teller. He enjoyed the job and he loves sports so he started applying for writer positions. He had job offers from Harrah's and the Palms. I've noticed with many jobs here - experience helps, but it's certainly not required and (often) education doesn't mean much. Cash handling experience and great customer service skills will help land a writer position, as well as many others.

Best advice I can offer is to keep an open mind and keep any and all options open. Opportunity knocks all over this town. If you have a good work history and are honest & hardworking a prospective employer will take notice...

Read the classifieds in the RJ and review employment opportunities on each of the hotel/casinos websites. You can try applying before you get to town, but most companies won't waste their time. It's better to wait until you live here and have a local address and phone number.

Here's a great RJ article: Do's/Don't and basic tips for Las Vegas Jobs (http://www.reviewjournal.com/employment/vegasjobs/intro.html).

[vegasbound]

A sportsbook writer is the person who you make sports and race bets with. It's similar to a cashier, but it is a bit more complicated. They make a higher rate of hourly pay then dealers and such, but they don't make as much in tips. Many customers don't think to tip the writers, or they aren't aware that it would be appropriate to do so.

[Adrian]

I'll ask the question a lot of people dance around (not in this thread but in general), how much do you make when you start out at a casino? I realize it varies dramatically between positions but how much would a writer start out at?

Looking for a change in life and just trying to get an idea.

[vegasbound]

It depends on the casino, but generally, a writer would start at $9-$11 per hour plus tips. Also, the writers keep their own tips at most places, rather than pooling them with other writers.

[mebedaman]

Wow, didn't know they made tips....any idea on how much in tips they pull in per day on average? Thanks for all the responses!

Brad

[3cats]

Vegasbound is right, there are so many jobs here, but, finding one you really enjoy is a challenge. Moving here was a big step for Jim and I and he had his mind made up what he wanted for his "dream job" and got it within 1 month after he moved here. I got my "dream job" with in 2 months after I came here and it turned out to be a nightmare from hell. So finding out the job wasn't worth the need for nitro tablets and the stress of the situation I decided that it wasn't all that.
The savings account is crutial to moving here. something to live on for the first 3 months or so. but, we found also just as crucial was health care insurance. Many places out here have the 90 day waiting period and they play alot of games with you for those 90 days and at 87 days they either let you go or they decide you haven't worked enough hours average per week to get the benefits so you still don't get insurance after the 90 days of probation. For those looking to relocate here, please note that the Review Journel runs the employment ads but they want really really big money for them so, alot of companies, mine included will run ads on
craigslist.com, and we search monster.com for resumes. We just hire 2 IT people and will be hiring a 3rd by the end of August, as well as 5 other open positions, all posted on the craigslist.com.
There are small companies here that are better to work for than the casino's and you don't have the high stress levels.
Another larger income job is taxi driver, although can be dangerous at times. Limo drivers do very well here if they are with the right company.
The first things to consider too, is getting your NV drivers license ASAP as well as a NV land line phone #. This way the employers know you are serious about living here and have established some sort of roots.
Good luck in your adventures.
3cats

[vegasbound]

Tammy brings up a good point with Insurance...typically you'll only qualify for benefits if you're full-time and almost always there is a 90 day waiting period. Many employers require you to contribute to your benefit costs and most offer PPO plans.

I pay a lot more in health care costs than I ever did in Chicago. Another big shocker for me was car registration and car insurance costs. We paid $156 combined for our annual registration in IL, currently we pay $442 in Las Vegas (our cars are 4 yrs old). Clark County bases registration fees on the MSRP of your vehicle. In IL, I had Statefarm for car insurance, but I couldn't afford their rates in LV. They quoted me twice the premium I had been paying for identical coverage.

---

Brad, writer tips vary from property to property, since you earn your own tips it's hard to get a good average. If I had to guess maybe an average of $30/day? Far more on major race or sporting event shifts.

[SheikYerbouti]

Another big shocker for me was car registration and car insurance costs. We paid $156 combined for our annual registration in IL, currently we pay $442 in Las Vegas (our cars are 4 yrs old). Clark County bases registration fees on the MSRP of your vehicle. In IL, I had Statefarm for car insurance, but I couldn't afford their rates in LV. They quoted me twice the premium I had been paying for identical coverage.



Heh well I'm not worried about car insurance so much. After living in Massachusetts and Southern New Jersey, both of which I think are in the top five for car insurance rates, nothing can shock me!

I may have to look into the sports writer positions. I just dont think I have the manual dexterity to deal cards (although after seeing some of the dealers out there maybe I do) but I could see getting into that. I'm amazed they get tips at all though.

[KW2LAS]

Hey Sheik, sorry for the late addition, but I may be able to provide some helpful info. I relocated to Vegas in April with two buddies, so I can give you some perspective from 3 very different experiences.

Two of us were bartenders, and one a cop. Vegas is a great town for both occupations, but at least for bartenders, it is very hard to break in to. My other roommate quickly decided big city law enforcement was not for him, and after 3 months, he just started working in a psuedo management position at an electronics store.

As for the two bartenders, we really encountered a lot of obstacles arriving here. Most service industry workers are required to get a Health Card, TAM card, and LVMPD gaming card. Union houses also require you to have a "pour card" which you get after passing the bartender's craft exam. This requires about a year of working as a barback and the completion of 144 hours of classroom instruction. You can get a job in a "local bar" without the pour card, but most want people with gaming experience. I know that this may not pertain to your or your fiance, but the point is that we didn't really expect to have so many problems, since we both have great bartending resumes (6 and 10 years of experience) and come from notable jobs. I was very "lucky", so I am told, and landed a job at an older strip casino within about 2 weeks, and then got hired to work a seasonal job at a pool, and at a off-strip, locals casino. All of these jobs average about $10/hour plus minimal tips. So, I currently work three jobs which give me from 32 to 88+ hours a week. Some days, I really don't know if I am coming or going. My roommate was eventually hired, after 2 months, by the same strip casino where I work, but he is so low on the schedule that he is ranging from 40 hours to 0 hours from week to week (and mostly closer to the latter). Where I am from, a job is a job, and you just assume that it is either full-time or part time. In Vegas, there are various designations like on-call, extra board, steady extra, etc. These are not full time, and don't guarantee any real benefits.

I would honestly plan on having at least 3 months of savings, but most of that will depend on how you plan to live when you get here. We stayed at the Embassy Suites for 2 days when we got here, and just picked up a few apartment guides and found a place. We live on S. Las Vegas Boulevard within Las Vegas, but right on the edge of Henderson. We really like the area, and our apartment is nice. Unfortunately, the majority of the tenants in our complex are not really within our demographic, and we have nicknamed our place 'the ghetto'. That may be misleading, because we live in one of the more expensive complexes, and it is actually very nice looking. We pay $1170 for a 3 bedroom with an extra $100/month for a full size detached garage which we use to store the many things we couldn't fit into our place. If I ever live in another apartment complex here (I plan to buy as soon as I can), I will try to hang around the place during peak hours to see what kind of neighbors I might have. But, we were desperate since we had all of our belongings in a Uhaul parked at the Embassy Suites, and so we took the place without looking around that much.

Back to the savings part-3 months of savings was not really enough for me or my roommates, but that was entirely our own fault. From the day that we got here, we have hit Vegas pretty hard-going out a lot, drinking a lot, and trying to get connections in the local bar scene. We spent an obscene amount of money tipping bartenders and consequently, we are treated very well at all of the bars we frequent. So, the approximate $5K each that my roommates brought has long since dwindled and the credit card balances are on the rise. I brought about $25K, and am now down to around $10K with minimal use of my credit cards. This includes moving expenses, move-in expenses, rent, car payments and insurance and massive quantities of booze mixed with a moderate amount of gambling. In my opionion, worth every penny.

Based on my experience (just not my actions), Vegas can be a very affordable place to live. Rent is cheap, and most things are readily accessible no matter your location. You can spend as much or as little as you like on food and drink, you just have to find the places that you like. One of the biggest advantages to working in a bigger casino, it the employee dining rooms. My grocery bills have gone down from maybe $100/week to $100 month or less. That is a big asset to me, and I eat there whenever possible. Car registration is very high. Mine was over $700. So far, the utilities like gas, electric and cable, have been relatively cheap also, but I am curious to see how that might change when it gets really hot here.

I love Vegas, but it really seems like a place that you will either love or hate. Living here is a very different experience than visiting. Other than working, my time on the strip has been very limited, and I never would have believed I wouldn't be down there every weekend if you had told me before I moved here. The gambling that I do has shifted from craps to mostly video poker at the bars, and the places I go I would never have encountered in a million Vegas vacations.

I am a frequent reader of the T2V board, but don't post much. I am sure that you have gained some valuable info from Mikey's posts. In my opionion, it is better to look for your own place, whether it be a apartment, condo, or house for rent. There are listings for a lot of seemingly great places on craigslist.com. I just don't think I would recommend moving in to a place with a stranger. There are a lot of shady people in this world, and Vegas has more than it's fair share.

Well, I hope some of this helps or at least entertains. Good luck with your plans, and let me know if you have any questions.

[vegasbound]

I'd love to know the name of the moving company if you can find it.

E-Z Movers, Inc. is the company we used. Here's their website: www.e-zmovers.com

[SheikYerbouti]

KW2LAS, thanks for all the info! It's great to have all these different perspectives on moving there. It doesn't sound like people have regrets about it, and thats good to hear too! As I mentioned in the thread on the topic, I was glad to hear that Mikey still enjoys playing tourist in Vegas on occasion. I don't know about the rest of you, but the last thing I want to do on my day off is go into work! So it's nice to hear Vegas hasn't lost the allure that brings people there in the first place.

And thanks for the moving company name Vegasbound. We're still looking at moving options but we're thinking of going with Moveamerica.com to at least get some of our stuff out there. The rest we'll leave in storage here until we have a place of our own. At least that's this week's plan!