Want To Move To A Big City After Graduation? Here's How I Did It With $0

Should I stay in my small Florida town? Should I move with my family? Or should I take the leap and move to a big city? When I decided I wanted the latter, I made the decision to not let my extremely limited resources get in the way of at least trying.

It would have been wonderful and certainly my preference to have enough money saved to make the big move, but I paid for a big portion of my tuition while in school and the money I earned for my summer job never came through (a heartbreaking story for another occasion.) Consequently, my bank account had less than $500 by the time graduation came around. Ideally, anything between $3,000 to $5,000 USD is plenty to cover the basic expenses such as a few months of groceries and rent. However, the reality of my situation was that my budget for moving when the time came was essentially $0.

Even without these savings to get me through, by the time Summer was over and September rolled around, I had an apartment, a roommate, and a job I was proud of. Here's how I made it all work.

Things to Consider

Ask yourself the following questions: Do you really want to make the move? Why do you want it? and, what would it be like to not move? This will lay the foundation for your determination and that’s really the first step. The first weeks and even months of this process were nerve wracking for me. I can remember feeling lonely and scared, but because I had clarity over what I was doing, I managed to overcome these feelings and push forward. I was incredibly determined to give my big city dreams a fair shot and this determination was the key to making my ambitious plan actually work.

Once you are sure (really sure) about your decision, take inventory of your particular situation and be realistic about your options. In addition to the zero budget situation, I also had the unique condition of having a work visa, which meant that I had to get a job in a month and if I didn’t, I’d be forced to go home. Even if you do not have a particular time restriction like I did, I would recommend you give yourself one. Deadlines are incredible motivators and can ease the planning process. 

I distinctly recall a phone call with my dad in which I told him that I was officially moving to Chicago. Understandably, my dad didn't feel it was realistic since I was 23 and literally had no money at the time, not to mention that the only people I knew in Chicago at the time were my ex and his friends. However, out of not wanting to be discouraging, my dad reluctantly said, “Ok. But if you don’t figure it out in a month, you are coming home.” This reaction was pretty much everyone’s reaction around me, but with a healthy dose of pride, I was determined to prove them wrong. 

Phase 1: Find a Place to Live

I had initially flown to Chicago for a summer job and I had made a few friends over the summer, so by the time the season was coming to an end I had a small community around me. One of these friends agreed to let me stay at her place for the month I was job hunting and apartment hunting in exchange for helping her out with childcare duties. Since my time was flexible, this worked out really well for both of us. While crashing at her house, I was hustling through job interviews and scrolling endlessly through Facebook groups trying to find long-term roommates and an apartment. 

There are plenty of Facebook groups these days where you can find roommates and, while I do encourage you to look into all of them, also remember to remain cautious. Out of desperation, you could easily end up living in a Netflix-worthy "roommate from hell" situation. In my case, I focused on Christian girls' Facebook groups. I knew that sharing values with my roommates would make living together a lot easier and I can confirm that it truly did. 

Just a few days into my search, I came across a girl who had found an apartment on Zillow and was looking for two girls to rent it out with. I still recall the first day I met her. She was waiting for me at the apartment with the landlord who was ready to show it to us for the first time. She told me the landlord had asked her “What does Johanna look like?” As they were waiting for me. To which she answered “I don’t know, I've never met her.” That same weekend we were moved in and we still laugh at that first encounter.

Sometimes it can take months to find the right person to live with and the right apartment, but I also believe that it's a numbers game. The faster you get through all the bad options, the faster you will find the right one. My main tip in this process is to talk to as many people as possible. Everyone knows someone who knows someone who knows someone who is looking for a roommate or renting out a room or apartment and the more people you talk to, the more options you will inevitably find. 

Given that my budget was zero, I knew I needed to have a job secured before I could sign a lease for an apartment. Thankfully, I was able to do this as I ended up securing a job and an apartment only a few days apart. However, I came across a giant hurdle in this process: I needed to pay a security deposit the first day of the month and my new salary would not hit my bank account until the second week of the month. I was also running out of money for groceries (that $500 I mentioned at the beginning was essentially gone) so I called my brother and he loaned me $1,000. This was the first and last time I’ve ever asked a family member for a loan, but I knew this was an amount that would get me through the hurdle and it was something I could pay back within a year, as I did. 

There are no shortcuts to finding an ideal living situation other than to widen your search while keeping your non-negotiables clear. Since you're new to the area, it's also important to talk to locals and get an idea of what neighborhoods are safe and which ones aren’t. Then, aside from safety factors, consider who is living in your desired area. If you can find a spot where college graduates or 20-30 somethings generally move to, it'll be a lot easier to grow your community when the time comes.

Lastly, consider your options when it comes to transportation. I didn’t have a car when I first moved to Chicago and I knew it would be a while until I did, so finding an apartment near the train and bus station was crucial.

Phase 2: Find a Job

Did I mention I had a month to find a job? The pressure was mounting, so in order to speed up the process, I signed up with a recruiting agency. These agencies take a commission from your salary, which obviously isn't ideal when you're already scraping by, but it is worthwhile if you need a job fast (as in my case) and if you're trying to break into a particular industry. Given that I was new to the city and did not know many people, a recruiting agency was also a practical way for me to network.

Finding a job is often a full time job in itself. At the time, I was going on 3 to 4 interviews per day. Some of which I had arranged on my own and others were set up by the recruiting agency. I soon realized that as I was going through these interviews, I was getting better at them. I had prepared and rehearsed answers to the most common questions, and my own self-confidence continued to expand.

At the time, I was considering law school and I had decided that before committing to it, I'd like to work at a legal office. After working with the agency for about two weeks, I got a job offer from one of the largest spirits distributors in the world to work as a legal assistant to their team. In all honesty, I was so excited (and desperate, as noted) that I accepted the job offer as fast as I could. I felt incredibly fortunate not just for having a job, but for the fact that of all the company offices I had visited, this one had given me the most peace.

If I had not had the work visa restrictions I did at the time, I might have taken a job at a coffee shop, waitressing, or something similar just to buy myself some time. So consider your situation and all your options and establish an income stream as soon as possible. It's obviously ideal to find a great job in your industry of choice, but if that's not proving possible right away, find something that will help you pay the bills until you get there. 

Phase 3: Find Community

Initially, part of me felt quite lonely in this big city I had dreamed of living in. It's one thing to get to know new people, but it's a whole other animal when everyone you encounter throughout your day is a new person. The comforting feeling of meeting up with my longtime friends or having dinner with my family were gone and that in itself was soul crushing. I still spoke to them on the phone very regularly and their love and support pushed me forward through this ambitious dream, and for that, I owe them big time!

In that first year alone, I made more new friends than I ever had in my life, I went on multiple dates every week, and overall I had a lot of fun. Big cities have a lot to offer when it comes to social life, diversity of people, and new activities and hobbies to try.

I started by getting to know the people at my church, I signed up for pick-up sports, book clubs, happy hours, professional networking events—you name it. I wholeheartedly believe that if you want to go out and do something every evening, you easily could. However, this can also lead to burnout, so be sure to set some firm boundaries and check in with yourself often.

Quickly, I realized just how many people were in the same boat as me and my loneliness began to fade. Being young and exploring a new city is the experience of a lifetime, so if you have the desire and opportunity, I highly encourage you to not let it pass you by. While at times it may feel like the trenches as you learn to budget and say no to things you were once used to, it’s also a season of immense growth and self-discovery.

My main tip aside from going out as much as you can, is to also take the lead and don’t hesitate to throw small parties or organize activities around the city. Movies in the park? Day at the museum? Bike ride? There are countless people who would appreciate receiving that invitation. 

At the end of the day, taking the leap and moving to a big city with little to no budget is not for the faint of heart, but it is absolutely possible with determination, resourcefulness, and a willingness to embrace uncertainty. If you’ve been dreaming of making a move, don’t let fear or finances hold you back. Get strategic and trust that the pieces will fall into place. Sometimes, the best decisions in life are the ones that scare you.