Starting Life/Work in US - Tips and Stories

[i_miss_sleep]

^^halos sa lahat sis. kung insignificant man yung discount, minsan nakakatipid ka sobra sa daily parking fees kase waived pag AAA member.

sa stores naman madalas ko siyang magamit sa new york and company. i don't have to wait to shop on a weekend para lang maka-15% off sa clothes nila. check mo yung website nila for complete listings of stores.

[starrgazer]

Might be relocating to the US within the next two years. Anyone from the Las Vegas area here? Is it an okay place to settle ba? Am afraid I'll have a hard time adjusting, I've never moved away from my parents before...

[i_miss_sleep]

^dami filipino communities sa las vegas. i'm sure madali kang makakahanap ng network mo roon and you will not have a tough time adjusting. you'll feel homesick though but who aren't. don't worry makakayanan mo yan.

do you have a family of your own? little kids? if so, i'd shy away from the strip.

[seduce_me]

To those sis who have AAA (Triple A) worth it ba?
I received a letter from them $49/yr for membership. Not sure to get it. I used to have it a few years ago for only a year. Hindi ko nirenew and I'm thinking if it's worth ba.

yes sis, it's worth it.. hubby and I have one, I think he paid $150 for a year. Then one time, nasiraan siya, he needed a tow service 20 miles pauwi, after 20 mins., AAA was there already. From that alone, nasulit yung membership namin. Plus you get some dollars off on hotels. And marami pang discount, hindi lang namin na-avail, hindi naman namin kelangan..

[seduce_me]

Might be relocating to the US within the next two years. Anyone from the Las Vegas area here? Is it an okay place to settle ba? Am afraid I'll have a hard time adjusting, I've never moved away from my parents before...

Maraming pinoy sa LV, and okay naman siya, my BFF lives there, she likes city living. Though meron namang place sa LV na hindi masyadong city. You will never miss Filipino foods, merong mga Filipino restaurants, and stores there. I don't think you would have a hard time adjusting.

[nailart]

I plan to work in LV early next year.  what are nice paying jobs for someone whos just starting? ( wag naman stripper haha )

[seduce_me]

I plan to work in LV early next year.  what are nice paying jobs for someone whos just starting? ( wag naman stripper haha )

My friend's working as an auditor, accounting field. Sabi niya, mas stable ang work mo if you're in this field, lay-off-proof kumbaga. She used to work as a cocktail waitress before. And she said mas malaki kita nya on that one, she gets a lot of tip in a day. Yun nga lang on-call ang trabaho mo.

[catherine]

Hi mga sis, also try hotwire, they have really good deals there, imagine a 1 bedroom suite we got for only $70 in Disneyworld, another one when we stayed in a boutique hotel in the embassy row of Washington DC for about $130/night when retail is about $500/night.  Galing ng site na yun grabe!

[seduce_me]

hello sisters, anyone know kung kelan usually nagse-sale ang airfare ng Delta/Northwest? going back to Phils.

[zxcvb]

thinking of applying dont know if i'll  find job for the course

[Vera]

I plan to work in LV early next year.  what are nice paying jobs for someone whos just starting? ( wag naman stripper haha )

Which LV location?

[vivalavida]

Anyone here who just took the plunge and went to the states without any relatives to live with

this is how i plan to go there. hope someone can help me.

i'm still thinking if its san francisco, vegas or LA - i was born in LA, i'm a citizen but i really have no one to live with for awhile. siguro the most that my relatives can do for me is rent me a car. ( long story )

i plan to go there by myself. look for a job. just take a risk.

hope someone can help me- tips and advice please

[gnela_21]

We did! No relatives to help us and we started in a different state. We're here on H1B/H4 visa as compared to yours na US citizen ka, mas madali. You have options sa job since you don't have to abide to any agency contract. If you lived in the Phils, you have to build your credit history. Look for a job even before you leave, although unemployment is still very rampant. Good luck. Lakasan lang ng loob yan! Be sure also that you have money just in case you need to shell out.

[twentysomething gal]

My friend's working as an auditor, accounting field. Sabi niya, mas stable ang work mo if you're in this field, lay-off-proof kumbaga. She used to work as a cocktail waitress before. And she said mas malaki kita nya on that one, she gets a lot of tip in a day. Yun nga lang on-call ang trabaho mo.

di nga? last I checked an auditor earns about $5K a month, but with OT and bonuses it can be as much as $6K  a month. So sabihin na nating $13/hour yung waitressing, that would be roughly $2000/mo salary. That means she was earning more than $4,000/mo in tips?thats more than $100 a day in tips!

Any opening for a cocktail waitress out there?!!! LOL!

[gnela_21]

My friend's working as an auditor, accounting field. Sabi niya, mas stable ang work mo if you're in this field, lay-off-proof kumbaga. She used to work as a cocktail waitress before. And she said mas malaki kita nya on that one, she gets a lot of tip in a day. Yun nga lang on-call ang trabaho mo.

I think case to case basis pa din. I have two firiends, auditors din and they came for big companies (Deloitte and JP Chase), we were given the pink slip unfortunately. 

[twentysomething gal]

^ agree. i know of an audit firm who riffed people almost every quarter last year. And they are also cutting back on sponsorships   

[vivalavida]

We did! No relatives to help us and we started in a different state. We're here on H1B/H4 visa as compared to yours na US citizen ka, mas madali. You have options sa job since you don't have to abide to any agency contract. If you lived in the Phils, you have to build your credit history. Look for a job even before you leave, although unemployment is still very rampant. Good luck. Lakasan lang ng loob yan! Be sure also that you have money just in case you need to shell out.

Hi sis where do you look for a job when you were still here in p.i? also how did you look for a place to rent? thanks! :-)

[gnela_21]

Hi sis where do you look for a job when you were still here in p.i? also how did you look for a place to rent? thanks! :-)

My husband is the one under H1B. We looked for an employer while we were still in Phils. They filed for the H1B and then we got selected (April 2008 lottery). Regarding the place to stay, we just looked online. We got the current place that we have through Rent.com. I called several apartment complex, told them that I saw their post at Rent.com and we schedule visits to check the place. They asked for employer's info and they also do background check. Goodluck .

[chocolatefever]

^hi sis gnela, i'm about to fly to the US in 2 weeks on an H1B.  my employer has not given me a specific city assignment yet (basta CA, they have over 30 offices all over). malalaman ko lang once i get my license (it will be released when i get my SSN). anyway, my question is, was it not difficult for you at first to find a place to rent, car, etc since wala pa kayong credit history (or did your hubby's employer pay for this)?  i am worrying about that kasi most likely i will be assigned to a place where wala akong friends or relatives and i am wondering kung paano kaya the first month or so...

[gnela_21]

^hi sis gnela, was it not difficult for you at first to find a place to rent, car, etc since wala pa kayong credit history (or did your hubby's employer pay for this)?  i am worrying about that kasi most likely i will be assigned to a place where wala akong friends or relatives and i am wondering kung paano kaya the first month or so...

Regarding sa car, my husband's employer was tied with a local bank, and usually after got their SSN, had their driver's license, they were immediate provided with a car. But we paid for everything such as registration, monthly dues etc.

For the place to rent, once we knew where we will be assigned, I checked rent.com and craigslist for apartment. I basically just called them up and set an appointment. Once you've chosen the place, they will be asking copies of passport, I-94 and a letter from your employer stating income and work. Hindi naman naging issue yung pagiging bagong dating regarding sa apartment since wala ka naman violation kasi bagong dating ka pa lang. I'd advised you to have cash at hand para sa deposit sa apartment. Usually 1 month's rent ang deposit.

Medyo iba ang issue kapag sa sasakyan. If you can ask the company to co-sign for you, better. Otherwise you may be denied for car application or mabibigyan ka ng mataas na APR (interest). Better din na may money ka at hand in case kelangan mo mag-downpayment para sa sasakyan. We were lucky on this part since yung employer ng husband ko basically co-signed for us. We had low APR and we didn't pay for any downpayment beforehand.