Considering a move to Vegas

Grass is always greener i guess.

Average 1 br in vegas is now over 1,500. Plus all the junk fees, security deposit, etc. And that includes a lot of areas where you'd not want to have kids, or perhaps even a wife. (Maybe OP doesn't want those things).

If he winds up with a premium job that he holds for decades, it could work out fine.

However, I've been poor and I hated it.
Working at some random dump and trying to live here on 40k -50k or whatever does not sound fun at all to me.

At the risk of getting political, people can no longer assume that if they mess around for a few years, there's always some kind of middle class job in an area with affordable housing in the future. As someone else pointed out, bar tending could easily go the way of taxi driving. And there might not be any more truck drivers, accounts, dealers, etc.

Just recently got my sister to give up the LA pipe dream and get a cheap house she can pay off in the Midwest. She's happy and I don’t have to worry.

Not sure why, probably a faulty memory of something I've seen here, but I thought you were in Texas...Houston area?

Shitty food? Guess you don’t like seafood or Spanish food? And no mention of awesome beaches, short drives to great cities like Tampa/Orlando/Miami, fantastic entertainment options like concert/sports venues, amusement parks, etc etc?

I guess it’s not for everyone. Honestly, the increased traffic and politics of the state are starting to get to me.

But yeah, I agree with you about Pub Subs being overrated. Jersey Mikes is a million times better.

All of those things are available elsewhere in much better form. Seafood was good I'll give you that. I liked grouper. But the Spanish food in FL is nothing to rave about compared to mexican food in the SW. Btw I know I harped on the food thing a lot in my earlier post but there was just so much more than that going on. It's the little things that add up.

I mean...why stop there? Lawyers, doctors, surgeons, whatever else that can be replaced by robots and AI will be, right?

I guess if you're not part of the technocratic elite helping to feed the machine you're just supposed to starve in the streets.

I am not sure what you mean by grass is always greener? I'm very happy, but I wouldn't live in KY if I had the choice. All I'm saying is that I'm "stuck" living in KY because I'm extremely happily married 😉 Things change when other people rely on you and you rely on them.

All I'm saying is take advantage of being young and single. I'm incredibly lucky. I waited tables and bartended in my early 20s before going back to school for a second degree. Before I was 30, I lived in NC, KY, MD, South Korea, and then Oregon before coming back to KY. And I traveled to South Africa (with a stop in Germany) when I was 21 flying racehorses and to Switzerland for a conference when I finally had my first real job at 26.

If binkworswim wants to experience living in Vegas, he should. If it's going to ruin an opportunity that he wants, such as going back to school or getting a desk job, then probably not a great idea. However, lots of people make a very good living bartending!

FWIW, it's tough to find a one bedroom where I live for less than $1, 100, and I'm not in Louisville.

As someone who’s lived here for years now:

It’s very dry, that dryness can be tough on you skin and wellbeing b/c even in the winter the air evaporates all moisture. So have a skin care routine for your hands b/c as a bartender you’re washing them/getting them wet a lot.

Get into a non-gaming hobby in town that has a social group around it. The city is more fun when the gambling isn’t the main hobby. The honeymoon phase of gambling being all around and at hand 24/7 wears off after a few months and it’s good to have a social group that’s not focused on the grind or the hustle.

That said, be careful and mindful who you befriend and let into your personal life. Vegas has more people with mental health issues and/or just general grifting/scamming floating around looking for friendly people to latch on to. It’s a town that can make you feel lonely and isolated quick and therefore vulnerable to these types of people. I haven’t had a bad experience personally here but I’m pretty guarded. I know people who have let strangers into their life too quickly and they got got.

Other than that it’s really beautiful here and there’s a ton to do. Def from experience tho take care of your hands

Flying racehorses? Like Pegasus-type racehorses?

Not quite that high quality, but yes, and they were worth the money to send from Toronto to Johannesburg. They were actually mares and foals and we picked up a Holsteiner in Frankfurt. He was gorgeous!

Originally, they were going to ship them, and I was going to be the only woman on a cargo ship with a Swedish crew -- I was kind of looking forward to it -- my mother was not 😉 There was a trucking boycott, though, and we couldn't get the horses from Toronto to Montreal.

If you aren't into partying, and can go anywhere in the US, I can't fathom why you'd want to choose Vegas. There are tons of bars and tons of poker in tons of other places, that are more affordable, with a better climate, better people, better drivers, and a better social scene, for cheaper.

Really?

The times I am in Vegas I love it. Lots to do away from the strip, weather is far better than average, affordability is better than most interesting places. There is an opera, there is all sorts of concerts, literally every musical act has considered Vegas. There are shows, there is hiking galore, food is out of this world. There are enough sports for those who care. If you want to be at the center of the universe you are close. F1, the NFL and NHL draft are close. The Superbowl.

You name it culturely and Vegas is in contention. Maybe not #1, but certainly in contention.

Furthermore it is a 24/7 city. I like nothing more than waking up hungry at 3:00 am and being able to very easily be able to find some of the best food in the world.

Don't get me wrong, there are many downsides to living Vegas your mileage may vary, but if you cannot fathom why people would live there, then that is on you.

the 24/7 element is big for me. working in bars, getting off late and being a part time 1/3 player makes that appealing alone.

Just do it!

Also, if you're inclined to do a real life/poker blog or vlog detailing your journey to Vegas and living there...I think that would be pretty cool and I'm sure many of us would enjoy reading it.

That is a fair assessment. I still think it is a 24/7 city, but it isn't like it used to be. For sure.

The OP was talking about moving to Vegas which strongly implies the ability to eat off strip. There are literally dozens and probably hundreds of bars that serve pretty good food 24/7. Sure, you may not get the best steak or sushi of your life at 4 am, but what other city is that possible?

The ability to get pretty good food at odd hours is a huge benefit to living in Vegas. I have ever visited many other cities where you cannot get ANYTHING after 11 pm or midnight. Being able to get decent food at odd hours is one of the best parts of Vegas.

For example, even better than bar food, take a restaurant like Herb and Rye. It is a steakhouse. It won't be the best steak you have ever had, but it will still be a very, very good steak, likely in the top quintile of steaks you have ever had. Yet it is open until 3:00 am every day if the week except Sunday. What other worldly city can you find a really, really good steak at 3:00 am (without being a celebrity or such)?

As a night person, I have eaten at far too many off strip Vegas bars at 4:00 am. I have found some of the best chili I have ever had at a random off strip bar (O'Aces). I have found some of the best blackened chicken salad I have ever had at 4:00 am (Sagos). I have had some incredibly good Lasagna at Joe's Bar at 4:00 am. Again, these are not gourmet meals by any stretch, but it is quality food at odd hours. In many cities, yoy choice of foods avaliable at 4:00 am are Walmart chicken nuggets made by a bartender who was hired last week.

Ok, I think lots of people are talking last each ither here. For one, you should be able find far better than a one bedroom for $1500 in Vegas (or conversely find a one bedroom cheaper than $1500). Also, (where the talking past each ither is happening), sure there are far cheaper places to live than Vegas. There are homes in rural areas throughout the country for far, far less. That said, Vegas is a world-class city and should be compared to other world class cities. For $1500 you are never going to even find a one bedroom in NY or LA. Even a Midwest city like Chicago will likely cost you so much more or require a compromise like roommates.

Furthermore, the cultural and entertainment options available in Vegas are equivalent to any ither city anywhere. Any musical act that you want to see likely plays in Vegas at some point. All sorts of sporting events are available in Vegas. Art, opera, plays, shows, and museums are all readily available. Sure, maybe they don't compare completely to a place like New York or Paris, but the Bellagio has an art collection that rivals anyone else.

Plus you get incredible events. When is the last time rural Kentucky hosted the Super Bowl, the Final Four, or the NFL/NHL draft?

Vegas isn't the cheapest place to live, but it certainly isn't expensive compared to what is available for the price. Especially off strip. Many people often confuse strip prices with off strip prices. Strip prices are there to gouge tourists who don't have a choice. Off strip places are far cheaper.