Moving to Santa Cruz, some insight please?

[In Vino Veritas]

I want to move for various reasons. Seems there is more work out west and I'd like to grow without the extreme consequences I face here.

How does one even begin to move their life?

I had some $ left after a divorce and custody battle, I put up a 12k set up and I was robbed by my friend of 12 years and partner for 1 year. I'm dead broke and lost my job 4 months ago. I still have my equipment, I'm working a few things out to get some $ on my side. The physical move wont cost me anything, I know someone in the freight business to Cali.

Rough Draft:

Find work out west, hopefully I can do this before I even move. I'm really hoping I can continue my career but worst case I'll take up a warehouse job with the same freight company temporarily.

Move into a 1/br apartment, I'd prefer a small house for power but that may be unaffordable. Seal the bedroom, hang 4x 1k's.

Become a CA Resident. This is said to take up to a year, or require proof of living in Ca for a year. Does anyone know of a faster way to do this than paying for a utility for a year?

Would dispensaries still be willing to take my meds if I'm not licensed? I'd like to start as soon as I arrive.

UPDATE: I decided not to move. This is an OLD thread. Trolls are welcome, as are fanboys, internet heroes and normal folks.

 

[mrktwiz]

In Vino;

I live in Santa Cruz let me comment on a few things for you to consider (prepare for bad news);

1) Santa Cruz is (according to Forbes 2006 or 2007) the single most expensive area to live in in the US. Prepare for VERY expensive rent and food and gas (today it is 3.60+ a gal.) Taxes locally are 8.25% sales tax one of the highest.

2) Cali has an unemployment rate of 12.5% and it not going down, I know a ton of Engineers, Software coders, System Admin's with 15 - 20 years that cannot get work flipping burgers, if you decide to come out here have a job secured first it is REALLY bad out here. Yahoo just laid off recently, MySpace just laid off 500+, Every municipality and government institution in California has laid off significantly and is probably going to lay off more due to our terrible budget deficit's. (California has a $28 BILLION dollar deficit) Google is hiring but be prepared for a 5 month interview process and you better be a flipping rocket scientist in your area of expertise. Again I STRONGLY advise you to have a job BEFORE you move here, I have been laid off for almost 2 years and finally got tired and am starting my own logistics company with a partner so I can work. Actually the freight business in Cali (that you mentioned you have a friend in) is one of the few area's that is growing SLIGHTLY....

3) I know of no way to get around the 1 year residency issue...period.

4) Dispensaries are going to pay you ROCK BOTTOM prices especially here in Santa Cruz, also right now their is a massive amount of outdoor (being sold as indoor) so prices are really affected locally. I have a select group of patients and a couple of good contacts down in L.A. (where prices are still better than here in N. Cali). If you can make good contacts in the L.A. area (and are 215/420 compliant) that is a good way to go to maximize your return for the investment of time, nutrients, POWER (very expensive PG&E rates btw here AND we just got SmartMeters bleah) get on the Santa Cruz CARE program to lower your power cost's but you have to meet their income requirements as well and document that. If you are NOT licensed NO ONE will touch you except gang members and street sales, dispensaries are really being watched by BOTH the fed's and the I.R.S. now for meeting their 420/215 regulations and cash reporting issues ....I deal w/ NO ONE that is not compliant, BUT it is extremely easy to get a recomendation/MJ card all you need is money lol trust me...they will FIND something and get you legal.

Now to stop sounding like Debbie Downer....today the temperature here was like 75 degrees, sunny and simply beautiful, I love living here and have since 1984 so I'm kinda going to stay here but it takes a LOT of money, repeat a lot.......but you will meet very open, loving people who are studied, intelligent slightly left in their thinking (understatement) but still open to new idea's. You will see and meet every freakazoid you ever thought of and be introduced to so many types of thought it becomes almost sensory overload..but I love it and hope you still come here if that's your dream.

I have tried to be honest and realistic in terms of what it takes to live here, their are cheaper area's to live in but this truly is a blessed and simply amazing area to live in, I wish you the best.

 

[Ironeek]

How does one even begin to move their life?

I had some $ left after a divorce and custody battle, I put up a 12k set up and I was robbed by my friend of 12 years and partner for 1 year. I'm dead broke and lost my job 4 months ago. I still have my equipment, I'm working a few things out to get some $ on my side.

Become a CA Resident. This is said to take up to a year, or require proof of living in Ca for a year. Does anyone know of a faster way to do this than paying for a utility for a year?

Hey,

Sorry to hear about rough times past. A move to Cali sounds cool

Im certainly not an expert on the matter and i am attempting to fiqure it out myself. But to the best of my knowledge you do not have to be living in Cali for a year... you just need to prove residency. A cali driving licence will do. So just apply for one once you arrive Some doctors apparently take utility bills and leases as proof of residency. T

As for selling back your excess meds......very difficult to compete as the market in cali seems to be saturated. you would need to be very experienced with top shelf genetics produced to a very very high standard and you still probobly get a relativly small price for it.

Just my 2cent. Best of luck whatever your path.

 

[Yes4Prop215]

my brother has lived in SC for a while now he manages to sqeak a meager living breaking down buds.

he says recently there have been alot of grow robberies. latino gangs from nearby san jose, salinas, watsonville have been also robbing dealers. the local market sucks for selling weed...EVERYONE has it, i mean everyone. even that little nerdy girl has a connection up north on cheap weed....so your stuff has to be good and cheap.

im giving my brother top shelf indoor Sour D and kids still lowball trying to get cheap buds.

its pretty chill police wise which is what i like...definately dont gotta worry about cops with a 4k, but you gotta watch out about the rippers for sure. also the rent is retarded expensive, for a tiny ass 2 bedroom condo my brother and his friends was 2k a month, WAY to expensive! basically milking all the rich college parents for rent money...average median home value in santa cruz is like 500-700k. my brother says try areas around felton or bonny dune its cheaper.

also you will have very hard time selling to clubs without having connection or a med card. you could try to drive up north to san francisco or south to los angeles and try to sell under the table.

 

[mrktwiz]

RE> m certainly not an expert on the matter and i am attempting to fiqure it out myself. But to the best of my knowledge you do not have to be living in Cali for a year... you just need to prove residency. A cali driving licence will do. So just apply for one once you arrive Some doctors apparently take utility bills and leases as proof of residency. T

I believe this is true, residency will not prevent you from getting a MJ card or 215 compliant....money will solve that problem LOL.

Good luck bro...

 

[Ironeek]

In Vino;

Now to stop sounding like Debbie Downer....today the temperature here was like 75 degrees, sunny and simply beautiful, I love living here and have since 1984 so I'm kinda going to stay here but it takes a LOT of money, repeat a lot.......but you will meet very open, loving people who are studied, intelligent slightly left in their thinking (understatement) but still open to new idea's. You will see and meet every freakazoid you ever thought of and be introduced to so many types of thought it becomes almost sensory overload..but I love it and hope you still come here if that's your dream.

Wow....sound's Funky. Thanks for the inspiration mrktwiz

 

[thingshappening]

I don't recommend it without a job lined up. Honestly it's tough to exaggerate how bad the cost of living/job market ratio of santa cruz. I know two people with masters degrees in computer science from ivy league universities who cannot find middle class work in Santa Cruz, and have to commute to San Jose.

Alas, it's my paradise. If I was able to make 60-80K a year in a 9-5 there, I'd be there tomorrow.

 

[STFU]

Sc is full of whackos and weirdoes. I was in downtown and some dude in a full clown suit and makeup with a kiddie umbrella was walking up and down the street. I just wanted to get that story off my chest Its getting overun with Mexicans and gangs. They raid ops and fly colors and stab highschool kids. Ok i can reiterate what everyone is saying about how few jobs, have to commute 17 to SJ and crazy rent prices. But I'll throw in some other things that havent been mentione instead. Checkout Scotts valley. Its before SC on 17 and houses are cheaper because its in the mountains before the ocean. Can get some nice property there. You could be a hairstylist and make 60k a year gutting the wallets of women in Los Gatos.. Why don't you check out Monterey? There are depressed areas there. Anything near water is going to be over a million.. Weed market is saturated like no other. Cops have bigger problems and fish to fry then a sub 10k grow. Oh and go to Carpo's for lunch if you ever visit Or the sardine factory in Monterey if you have some coin to spend for a dinner.

 

[mrktwiz]

Sc is full of whackos and weirdoes. I was in downtown and some dude in a full clown suit and makeup with a kiddie umbrella was walking up and down the street. I just wanted to get that story off my chest Its getting overun with Mexicans and gangs. They raid ops and fly colors and stab highschool kids. Ok i can reiterate what everyone is saying about how few jobs, have to commute 17 to SJ and crazy rent prices. But I'll throw in some other things that havent been mentione instead. Checkout Scotts valley. Its before SC on 17 and houses are cheaper because its in the mountains before the ocean. Can get some nice property there. You could be a hairstylist and make 60k a year gutting the wallets of women in Los Gatos.. Why don't you check out Monterey? There are depressed areas there. Anything near water is going to be over a million.. Weed market is saturated like no other. Cops have bigger problems and fish to fry then a sub 10k grow. Oh and go to Carpo's for lunch if you ever visit Or the sardine factory in Monterey if you have some coin to spend for a dinner.

Carpo's is the bomb for lunch, Dinner @ Oswalds (bring money..lots)......we Taquiria Aguave for $4.00 Super burritoes you cannot eat in one sitting.....oh and the guy in the clown suit was me after I burned one of my fatty TANG joints...lol..j/k he is harmless and he even feeds the meters of peeps who run out of meter time, he's cool...weird but cool.

 

[mrktwiz]

I don't recommend it without a job lined up. Honestly it's tough to exaggerate how bad the cost of living/job market ratio of santa cruz. I know two people with masters degrees in computer science from ivy league universities who cannot find middle class work in Santa Cruz, and have to commute to San Jose.

Alas, it's my paradise. If I was able to make 60-80K a year in a 9-5 there, I'd be there tomorrow.

hmm I may know those guys OR I know two OTHER guys in the same boat. Heck I just had lunch with a woman with a Doctorate in English (former JC COllege professor laid off) who was ecstatic to get a part-time $13.00 an hour job substituting in a k-6 school....christ.

 

[pearlemae]

Its got a great beach and amusement park that a good time once you get blazed other than that I don't know much else.

 

[STFU]

Its got a great beach and amusement park that a good time once you get blazed other than that I don't know much else.

Dude the ghost busters ride with the light guns is supreme. + Saltwater taffy and the big dipper and some other great attractions.

 

[mrktwiz]

true..the Big Dipper on Acid is very trippy and in the summer FREE concerts at the beach also....just duck when the gang banger's start shooting (wink)....

 

[turtle farmer]

yeah,no jobs out here on the left coast BUT,
I'll be at the clam chowder cookoff on the 26th of Feb.--right on the midway
I saw that clown guy,he was in all pink with a pink umbrella--trippy,but way cool
peace
tf

 

[UnknownProphet]

These threads will always make me laugh. First...I honestly hope you won't go through with this, by your vagueness it's an obvious pipe dream...but if you do, I want you to know, you will fail.

Not trying to be a pessimist just being realistic, you're not taking many MANY MANY factors into the equation.

You'll need in the first month alone>>>>>>>

Residual secure income, Housing (deposit), Transportation, Insurance, Registration, Gas, electricity ELECTRICITY electricity, food, doctors rec, nutrients, Air conditioning, dehumidifier, plants, any extra grow equipment you don't have, hareware plus all needed tools to put together a sealed room, OH AND TIME TO DO ALL THIS...not to mentioned everything is taxed out the ass and a lot more expensive than you've ever been used to. Didn't you say something about being "dead broke"?

I love how the last line, you ask if clubs will take your meds if you're not licensed?? HAHAAHA So if somehow you were superman and are able to get everything done and set up in a month then grew for the next 3, then how much would you be expecting to make illegally on your 4k setup in comparsion to the cost of living that you're oblivious to.

Basically what I'm trying to say is do it, you obviously have a great 5 year plan. Go for it!

P.S.
Prioritize your kids. Not once did you say a thing about them, expect about a custody battle that hopefully you lost in order to let them stay with their mom and not with their obvious broke and deadbeat dad; who would rather ditch them and grow weed then continue to pursue your 'supposed' career and be with family. You sir need to grow UP not grow medicine.

~UnknownProphet

 

[Shcrews]

this is an old thread... i wonder if it ever worked out.

 

[In Vino Veritas]

These threads will always make me laugh. First...I honestly hope you won't go through with this, by your vagueness it's an obvious pipe dream...but if you do, I want you to know, you will fail.

Not trying to be a pessimist just being realistic, you're not taking many MANY MANY factors into the equation.

You'll need in the first month alone>>>>>>>

Residual secure income, Housing (deposit), Transportation, Insurance, Registration, Gas, electricity ELECTRICITY electricity, food, doctors rec, nutrients, Air conditioning, dehumidifier, plants, any extra grow equipment you don't have, hareware plus all needed tools to put together a sealed room, OH AND TIME TO DO ALL THIS...not to mentioned everything is taxed out the ass and a lot more expensive than you've ever been used to. Didn't you say something about being "dead broke"?

I love how the last line, you ask if clubs will take your meds if you're not licensed?? HAHAAHA So if somehow you were superman and are able to get everything done and set up in a month then grew for the next 3, then how much would you be expecting to make illegally on your 4k setup in comparsion to the cost of living that you're oblivious to.

Basically what I'm trying to say is do it, you obviously have a great 5 year plan. Go for it!

P.S.
Prioritize your kids. Not once did you say a thing about them, expect about a custody battle that hopefully you lost in order to let them stay with their mom and not with their obvious broke and deadbeat dad; who would rather ditch them and grow weed then continue to pursue your 'supposed' career and be with family. You sir need to grow UP not grow medicine.

~UnknownProphet

Look at when the thread was started; look at when I edited the post. I removed information such as salary and what I do for a living (my industry). I felt a little exposed now that I'm back. Glad I did since someone came through digging up old threads.

My kids college is paid for they are entering their teens and I'm 30. Over 2k in child support based on legit salary. Custody is shared but their mother handles most of it, I'm a bit of a recluse and quite honestly can give a fuck what you think the family model should represent. You've got daddy issues.

Change your name to ~CluelessAsshole

 

[In Vino Veritas]

this is an old thread... i wonder if it ever worked out.

Nothing ever doesn't work out, we just end up with what we don't want.

Change your perspective if you can't change your reality. Everything works out.

 

[megayields]

Uhhh dude Uknown is probably one of the MOST knowledgable posters on IC Mag...might want to check that attitude..it certainly won't help you in Santa Cruz if you ever get here....

Peace

 

[In Vino Veritas]

Uhhh dude Uknown is probably one of the MOST knowledgable posters on IC Mag...might want to check that attitude..it certainly won't help you in Santa Cruz if you ever get here....

Peace

Why is your nose in my shit? Why didn't you read the entire thread? Rhetorical questions; IDGAF.

fucking trolls and their sandy vaginas.

ive been at this since before rezdog was having pissing contests with bushyoldgrower that perverted old fuck on overgrow.

assume less, and don't speak what you don't know.

UnknownProphet; whenever you want to have a competition of sorts.. I'll have a little 4k room up in a month or so... Your fanboys will love it, name the stakes..