Hollywood Classifieds

I kid you not. This Hollywood industry ad truly is "standard":

Probably decent pay of $600-$650/wk with standard hours til about 7:30 PM or so.

Going rent for a questionably safe area One Bedroom in Los Angeles? $1600.

Does the above job come with medical benefits? No sirree.

So let's think about this...$2400-$2600 a month. With taxes out, let's average everything and say you take home $1800.

But your low-estimate monthly expenses are:

car insurance: $200
medical insurance: $300
gas: $200
food: $300
RX: $120
cell phone: $60
storage: $150
cable/internet: $100
water/gas: $75
Job related networking, classes, books, parking, PR, gifts, lunches: $500
credit cards: $900

See the problem?

Approximately $4500 with no frills or cushion and living in a mediocre-bad apartment in a mediocre-bad area of town. No vacations, concerts, massages, haircuts, pedicures, clothes, no paid parking space at home...but worse, working in a job from 9-7:30 that would leave me no time for outside networking or creativity.

Yikes. I mean, basic survival in LA is overwhelming and not maintainable for years for me, and doesn't leave room to really advance my career.

If I get two roommates in NoHo, I might be able to pay $700 a month for rent and split water/cable. So if we call basic living expenses $750...I can get monthly expenses to start more in the $2700 range. Without a cushion for car repairs, classes I have to take, the trips up to NoCal to edit, screenwriting contests to enter, the film festivals to enter and hopefully attend...I'd still be going $900 more into debt every month.

Yup. Looks like I need roommates or a 400 square foot studio with a hotpad and better credit.

Happy B-day Lis! This year you're turning 22. Again.

Ah, the glamour of pursuing your dreams. Jealous?