Moving to California soonish... advice ?

Greetings and saluations,
I am VERY seriously trying to move to California next summer. Specifically to Arcata or somewhere close to that area. Now, i am kinda @ stage one right now - no really $$ put away but have an insane need to get the hell outta this <insert negative term here> state. I am tring to get a few friends together to join me on the expedition. So as to make general costs of living and the like easier and a bit less expensive for us all. My wife and son (currently 2 yrs) are obv going. I think there may be one person going with for sure but up to 4 or so if all goes well.
I have found a website that compares cost of living from here to there. Does so quite well actually, very detailed. The general cost of living is roughly 10% higher there than here. Not relly that much @ all !! However i have a few general questions that i really cannot get answered from a website. Really need a personal or experienced point of view/opinion. I'll just put 'em up as i can think of 'em and whatever answers i can get would be greatly apprecited. This will also help me convince some of my more hesitant friends that we could REALLY do this. Ok, here goes....

1. Employment - i don't mean like career type jobs i just mean general, like fast food, grocery store, gas station, and other various general type jobs such as that. I am wondering what the general chances of landing a job like this @ roughly 20+ hours per week ?

2. Rate of pay - what is general rate of pay/min wage in the area ? This would help me start to figure out a budget and get a good solid expense plan laid out.

3. Rent costs - What is average cost for say something like a 4-6ish bedroom place. Of course size would depend on how many ppl would be going. I am not talking about a luxury pad. Also not really looking for the bad toilet, bug infested, bad everything places that are run by slum lords. Just an average clean building.

4. Average utility costs would be a good thing to know. Again to figure a realistic budget and get some solid numbers down.

5. What would a good total amount of $$ to bring with to get started ? I guess a general number per person would work best here.

hmmm.... i guess that's all i can think of at the moment. There may be a few things i may have overlooked but i can get around to those later. Got about a year to get ready after all ^_^ Any answers would be stellar indeed. Please help me get some ideas on this !! I really want to do this but for everyone's pieces of mind some solid figures would REALLY help make 'em realize this is NOT a super-expensive idea. Well.... here goes !!

 

Lots of questions here is some help, I hope...

Min. wage (i'm a waitress) $6.75

Ca. Beaches cost of living is very high. Rent on a one bedroom apt. $1500 a month if you're luckey. Jobs of any kind are highly compeditive. Im moving soon to the central coast (Santa Cruz) or the Bay area soon so I've done some homework too.

Rent inland is a little better...Inland Empire-San Bernardino area 4 bd house $1500 to $2000. More jobs. Summer are hot...100 deg. plus in summer.

L.A. Same as the beaches but more jobs.

Northern Ca. Cheap rent very few jobs.

Gas average $2.50 per gallon

Sales tax 7.75 %

Bay area lots of jobs....very very high cost of living. In my opinion the most $$$ area in Ca.

I hope that I haven't discouraged you. It costs alot of green to live here but it IS worth it and you do get used to it. I love Ca. all parts of it have good sides and not so good sides but none of it sucks. I've lived here all of my life with the other millions of Californians. If you want it enough you can too. Best of luck.

Another idea check for online newspapers in the cities that you are interested in...they will have online classifides with employment, for rent and other relavent sections.

 

Well, all the info i can get is awesome !! Every bit helps get a more solid idea of general costs and what to expect. As far as checking online papers i have done that a bit. Most seem to be same idea as reg. papers here... Mostly ads for skilled or specialized jobs for employment. Don't often see ads for general type jobs in the paper. Mostly because they don't need to. Just a 'Help Wanted' sign gets them all the applicants they could need. Besides, a 'Help Wanted' sign located @ say, the hospital may cause a bit of concern.
For rental properties usually it's mostly ads put up by landlords w/ alot of properties. General experience tells me that to find the more realistic rental properties one needs to go and get the smaller local papers. As many ppl just renting an extra property or the like tend to advertise there. Our general idea is to be more inland. As knowing the cost of renting beach property to be a bit pricey.
Knowing min. wage helps ALOT !! Was one of the key bits of info i was hoping to get ^_^ Just to start to figure a bare-bones budget type thing.

I thank you ever so much for the info !!! Like i said every bit helps and this definatly helps !! If anyone else has ANYTHING to throw in please do. Need all the info i can get, to help show my friends that we really can move there with minimum risk of failure. I am extremely confident in our ability to do this move but i guess everyone else is not quite as adventerous as i... Their loss i guess. I guess it's just a matter of getting there and sending lotsa of 'i told ya so' postcards to 'em

 

Arlo Guthrie said it all in two words. "alotta freaks"