Chicago Ahoy! - TravelPUNK Backpacker College Student Budget Travel Message Boards!

**Sijuki** · 01-20-2005, 01:12 PM

Well, I think my interview went well yesterday. I left Detroit at 3a.m. (EST) to get to chicago for my 7:30 (CST) scheduled interview. Perhaps the lack of sleep made me more easygoing so i wasn't able to get as anxious as I usually do with interviews. I should be hearing back from them within a week.

I have been looking at apartments, mostly in uptown Chicago as I will be working in Lincolnshire (by Wheeling). It seems much more economical to find a roommate, any suggestions on an easy way to find a roommate being that I live 300 miles away right now? I have a profil on Rent.com but otherwise don't know of any other avenues to explore.

For the people that dwell in Chicago already, are there any major problem in uptown, in the area of Ashland (west side street), Irving Park (south side street), Lake Shore Drive (east side street), and Bryn Mawr Ave (north side street). As this is the area that I have been looking at apartments. No particular reason really, just happened to start looking there.

Anything else I should know about Chicago? I will let you all know when I get my call about my job.

wong name · 01-20-2005, 01:25 PM

what kinda job is it if u dont mind me asking........all i can you about chicago is its snowing right now

**omisan** · 01-20-2005, 01:28 PM

Hope you get the job, Sijuki!

Well, I find just about everything on Craigslist, so you might want to give that a try:

http://chicago.craigslist.org/

**space virgin** · 01-20-2005, 02:16 PM

Definitely craigslist. Also, SD or Tecia may have some other ideas about that. Here in Seattle we have a weekly alternative rag that has tons and tons of roommate and cheapo apartment listings, maybe Chi-town does too? Either way we're pullin' for ya!!!

**kingcrazylegs** · 01-20-2005, 05:34 PM

Awesome dude!

I'll mention it to SD and she if she has any tips for you.

**U2fan** · 01-20-2005, 05:39 PM

My fingers are crossed for you Rob

**urOZm8** · 01-20-2005, 06:53 PM

Hey Rob things are looking up my man! Here's hoping about the job

ev

**Sijuki** · 01-21-2005, 11:10 AM

Thanks for the well wishes everyone.
KCL I would greatly appreciate any help that SD could offer.
I figure I will start bugging people more once I get a call. Don't want to get too hopeful.

The suggestion of craigslist was great. I never realized there was so much on there. I feel so out of it when I am clueless of such a great resource as that. They have everything on there. Once I find out if i have the job I will make a trip out to Chicago in February to poke around for a day or two.

I love Chicago, its great. The only thing that would be better is a warmer climate.

**kingcrazylegs** · 01-21-2005, 11:56 AM

Rob are you set on living in downtown Chicago? Living in the burbs is a hell of a lot cheaper. I am sure we could hook you up with some decent folks looking for roomates...hell, the dude that shares our apartment will be looking for a roomie at the end of June!

**Sijuki** · 01-21-2005, 12:04 PM

No not really set on being in the city. So far none of it seems too particularly expensive. I guess my biggest hopes are to be close to a train station to get into the city and not have too long of a drive to work. But otherwise I am open to pretty much anything.

**kingcrazylegs** · 01-21-2005, 12:20 PM

I asked SD about it and she said she dowtown sort of changes block by block...North side: irving park or rogers park off of sheridan are good. You saw where we live on the south side. Homewood is awesome and the train is right out front. We pay $850 for our 2 bedroom which you saw - pretty nice I think, which with a roomie is 1/2 that. We could probably hook you up the easiest here on the south side just because we know more people here. Taking the metra in will probably be a lot less of a hassle than driving, plus parking downtown is a bitch and expensive.

Let us know if we can help out in any way.

**Sijuki** · 01-21-2005, 12:25 PM

Any help is appreciated. My job is north of the city in Lincolnshire (near Wheeling) and they don't have a train stop near there, so I will have to drive to work most likely.

I guess my biggest fear is making sure I have a place to stay when I start work. Luckily thought they are talking about the beginning of March, so I have some time to find a place to stay.

**worldwidemike** · 01-23-2005, 10:23 AM

Good luck, Rob! If I remember right, Lincolnshire is a really nice area...I was there once for a convention.

worldwidemike

**TheJake** · 01-23-2005, 12:32 PM

keep in mind it's alot cheaper to live in northwest indiana and still as assesible to the highways and byways of chi-town.

Check out around michigan city area or crown point (my hometown) and I think you will see the prices drop crazy-like.

**Sijuki** · 01-24-2005, 12:33 AM

Only problem is from Michigan City to Lincolnshire is just about 2 hours of driving. Chesterton, IN is my gas refill spot. I am about on empty coming to chicago and about half a tank going. I guess living in expensive Detroit has made me immune to the prices of chicago, as $650 for a 1br or $850 for a 2 br doesn't seem very pricey to me. Especially for being in the city.