Post: #1

Sup Fellas... Read everything there is about Florida on here. Tons of great info. I'm in a bit of a situation, basically I'm a terrible decision maker! I'm trying to decide whether or not I should move out of Boston down to the Fort Lauderdale area. My lease is up for Sept 1st and I have been going back and forth for months weighing the pros and cons nonstop.

I'm 30, been living in and around Boston my entire life. I have wanted a change for years now, but never really had the opportunity, money, or balls to pull the trigger.

So now, its coming down to the wire where I have to make the definite decision. Stay or Go?

Basically the only thing that's keeping me here is my family (brother and sister/her bf) and my friends, all of which I grew up with since HS.

I work as a bartender, so my job is pretty mobile. I work at one of the busiest places in all of Boston. From what I've been told, bartending and other service jobs pay well down in South Florida (Fort Laudi, Miami)??

Also, one of my best friends moved down there and has a place I can stay and a job lined up for me right when I get down there until I get comfortable. So this def makes it a lot easier since I don't have much $$$ to move with.

Anyways, I have more I can say but I would like to hear some initial thoughts.

Thanks in advance for the help guys!

Biz

Post: #2

Personal growth requires challenge and change. You should move. Also tell us where you bartend so we can get free drinks.

Post: #3

Move.

Do you want to spend your winter with this:



Or with this:

Post: #4

(07-17-2013 01:42 PM)Menace Wrote:  Personal growth requires challenge and change. You should move. Also tell us where you bartend so we can get free drinks.

Very true.

Haha. PM me when you're in town

Post: #5

I moved from DC to South Beach and im glad I moved. It sucks going from 100 friends to zero, but everything else has been a major plus. I go to ft. laud sometimes and its the only place that I get blantly hit on by attractive girls (opening me, downright staring, winking, etc.)

Post: #6

I've been living in miami for 5 months- moved for a job. Here's a look into your future.

There's a lot to love about living down here. I like not having to worry about snow. The city is beautiful as well as many of the people living in it. Most people are in good shape here. The beach is amazing.

The downsides- my rents is 2x higher than what I paid in philly (my place is pretty nice now). Everything costs a lot. It would be very hard to live comfortably down here making less than 60k a year without a roomate. You have a place lined up so that should help. Also I'm sure you've heard that girls here are very into what you do and how much you make and can be downright rude if you don't meet their partner in law firm/ 200k/yr standards.

I would say that if you can get a job that pays a lot- take it. Many guys down here- going into debt to impress hot girls with money they don't really have. Like many people on this forum have said before- if you've got the looks/bankroll/style south florida is great. If you don't, prepare to get blanked.

Overall, its a good place to live.

Post: #7

Bartender? Place to stay with a job lined up? You don't need our help.
Move. Let us know when you set up shop and we will have an RVF party at your bar.

Post: #8

(07-17-2013 05:28 PM)philly22 Wrote:  I've been living in miami for 5 months- moved for a job. Here's a look into your future.

It would be very hard to live comfortably down here making less than 60k a year without a roomate. You have a place lined up so that should help. Also I'm sure you've heard that girls here are very into what you do and how much you make and can be downright rude if you don't meet their partner in law firm/ 200k/yr standards.

I would say that if you can get a job that pays a lot- take it. Many guys down here- going into debt to impress hot girls with money they don't really have. Like many people on this forum have said before- if you've got the looks/bankroll/style south florida is great. If you don't, prepare to get blanked.

Overall, its a good place to live.

This sounds exactly like the type of thing people that come to Miami short term say. There are a lot of dumbasses driving a BMW and living in a shithole in Hialeah because they don't know any better... that doesn't mean it's a good idea or you have to follow the crowd.

Post: #9

(07-17-2013 10:35 PM)Vitriol Wrote:  

(07-17-2013 05:28 PM)philly22 Wrote:  I've been living in miami for 5 months- moved for a job. Here's a look into your future.

It would be very hard to live comfortably down here making less than 60k a year without a roomate. You have a place lined up so that should help. Also I'm sure you've heard that girls here are very into what you do and how much you make and can be downright rude if you don't meet their partner in law firm/ 200k/yr standards.

I would say that if you can get a job that pays a lot- take it. Many guys down here- going into debt to impress hot girls with money they don't really have. Like many people on this forum have said before- if you've got the looks/bankroll/style south florida is great. If you don't, prepare to get blanked.

Overall, its a good place to live.

This sounds exactly like the type of thing people that come to Miami short term say. There are a lot of dumbasses driving a BMW and living in a shithole in Hialeah because they don't know any better... that doesn't mean it's a good idea or you have to follow the crowd.

That seems to be what a lot of people here have been saying in all the previous threads about Miami...but keep in mind, I'm not planning on moving to Miami.

Post: #10

(07-17-2013 05:49 PM)kenny_powers Wrote:  Bartender? Place to stay with a job lined up? You don't need our help.
Move. Let us know when you set up shop and we will have an RVF party at your bar.

Sounds good and all now...but its a couch and a construction job. Which I don't mind at first, at least its something, better than nothing.

I've never really had trouble finding Bartending jobs in the past, so I'm pretty confident I will land one, hopefully right off the bat. My buddy also knows a few chicks that bartend at good spots on las olas.

Post: #11

Your friends and family are holding you down. I moved 90 minutes away and nobody comes to see my ass. I may as well live on the other side of the country.

Go. Take a risk. Carve your own path. Meet new people.

Post: #12

The entire forum that's going to stay in the US is going to end up in Florida

Post: #13

(07-18-2013 12:55 PM)el mechanico Wrote:  The entire forum that's going to stay in the US is going to end up in Florida

It's funny you say that. Everyone that moves to NY ends up in Brooklyn. People from Brooklyn move to New Jersey. People from New Jersey end up in Florida.

Shit I almost moved to Florida myself when I was 21.

Post: #14

Wish I had known you were bartending while you were here. But, doesn't sound like a lot of downside to moving. I mean, what is the worst that's going to happen? You can always just move back if it's a real disaster. And you can fly to DR anytime you want for cheap.

If you are decent at poker, south florida is filled with horrendous poker players too.

Post: #15

(07-18-2013 12:28 PM)Parlay44 Wrote:  Your friends and family are holding you down. I moved 90 minutes away and nobody comes to see my ass. I may as well live on the other side of the country.

Go. Take a risk. Carve your own path. Meet new people.

You're right. I moved 45 minutes away from Boston a few years back and basically lost touch with all my friends during that period. If I didn't make the effort to trek it down and hang out with them, I would never have saw them.

Post: #16

(07-18-2013 01:14 PM)Parlay44 Wrote:  People from New Jersey end up in Florida.

Guilty as charged. Although I'm glad I moved and I've never once considered going back.

Post: #17

(07-18-2013 06:07 PM)Vitriol Wrote:  

(07-18-2013 01:14 PM)Parlay44 Wrote:  People from New Jersey end up in Florida.

Guilty as charged. Although I'm glad I moved and I've never once considered going back.

Where in FL did you move to?

Post: #18

I quit my job in DC to move to Tampa and try it out. I'd been aching to try it out for a few years and finally just pulled the trigger. I did not find what I was looking for in Tampa, but that's because my background is all DC. Like LowerCaseG said, you can always try it out and move back if it's a disaster. I did just that and got a better-paying gig in 2 weeks. I miss seeing all the hot snatch running around every corner (no lie), but I was miserable after not being able to find decent work.

Try out Lauderdale and figure out if you're a good fit. You'll learn from the experience instead of always wondering what could have happened.

Post: #19

Anyone here in the service industry... bartenders? or know anyone? that works down in South Florida? Just wondering how the $$$ is down there compared to up here in Boston.

I've heard most jobs other than the service industry pay shit down there.

Can anyone confirm?

Post: #20

(07-27-2013 03:19 PM)Biz Wrote:  Anyone here in the service industry... bartenders? or know anyone? that works down in South Florida? Just wondering how the $$$ is down there compared to up here in Boston.

I've heard most jobs other than the service industry pay shit down there.

Can anyone confirm?

Most jobs pay shit...lol which jobs are you referring to? I know McDonalds is hiring.

But on a serious note. There are a lot of bartenders that live in my neighborhood in Miami. They must be doing well enough because they have cars, and pay their rent...usually 2 or 3 bedrooms with roommates.

The female bartenders will be hotter in the 305 compared to Ft. Laudy, but it sounds like your set on Ft. Laudy.

Tarpon Bend in (Las Olas) Ft. Laudy would be a cool place to bartend. Or you could work at a beach bar like Blondie's.

Post: #21

(07-27-2013 08:10 PM)G Trooper Wrote:  

(07-27-2013 03:19 PM)Biz Wrote:  Anyone here in the service industry... bartenders? or know anyone? that works down in South Florida? Just wondering how the $$$ is down there compared to up here in Boston.

I've heard most jobs other than the service industry pay shit down there.

Can anyone confirm?

Most jobs pay shit...lol which jobs are you referring to? I know McDonalds is hiring.

But on a serious note. There are a lot of bartenders that live in my neighborhood in Miami. They must be doing well enough because they have cars, and pay their rent...usually 2 or 3 bedrooms with roommates.

The female bartenders will be hotter in the 305 compared to Ft. Laudy, but it sounds like your set on Ft. Laudy.

Tarpon Bend in (Las Olas) Ft. Laudy would be a cool place to bartend. Or you could work at a beach bar like Blondie's.

Thanks pal, was just wondering out of curiosity... I'm a good looking dude that knows how to bartend, was just wondering if anyone had some info for me...

Post: #22

(07-27-2013 03:19 PM)Biz Wrote:  Anyone here in the service industry... bartenders? or know anyone? that works down in South Florida? Just wondering how the $$$ is down there compared to up here in Boston.

I've heard most jobs other than the service industry pay shit down there.

Can anyone confirm?

Miami is probably one of the best places in the country to work in the service industry. I was a bellman at a hotel and made pretty good money for being 25. I had some days I'd make $250 plus $9 and hour. I started working two jobs down there and was making between $1-2k a week and hustled on top of that. If youre a server or bartender, many places add an automatic 18% gratuity to all bills, no matter how many people on the bill or the amount spent. Looking back, moving to Miami was a great decision for me. At times it was tough because it's very dog eat dog, but I think it also helps harden you up. I had some great times there and had I another chance, I would have made the same decision all over again in a heart beat. I even think once I'm a bit more established and have a nice bank roll, I may just move my ass back. But I'm not gonna sugar coat it, it's not an easy place to pull by any means. The competition is extremely high, definitely the highest of anywhere I've been.

Now I'm in Denver, I'm making close to as much in one month as I was making in Miami in a week and my job sucks ass compared to Miami, not only pay wise, but in the sense that I don't like my job. In Miami I looked forward to going to work some days. The shit is soul crushing. Not to mention Miami wins in just about every category over Denver. I'm looking to get the fuck out of here as soon as possible. One huge benefit though of living in Miami is after living in a city like that, you feel way ahead of the game in a place like Denver. The average guy here has no clue how to pick up a girl. If you're even willing to approach you're probably in the top 85%. Even money wise, my minds on a whole other level. When I first started working here I remember how some kid was telling me how he killed it the night before because he made $100. I'm trying to get into another industry or just get the fuck out of here before I have to find something else.