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Ask HN: Good resources for new immigrants on how to settle?

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Ask HN: Good resources for new immigrants on how to settle?

#1

Post by mus1cfl0w »

Hey everyone,

I'm an immigrant seeking information on how to get started in the US. Apart of the obligations of signing up with Selective Service, getting a SSN, setup a bank account, etc. I'm especially interested in the best ways of finding a job, house, friends, etc. and in terms of financial security, what to look out for when searching for a job. My background is Computer Science/Economics (M.Sc.) with 5+ years experience in IT consultancy and software engineering (iOS/Android).

Thanks for the help.

Re: Ask HN: Good resources for new immigrants on how to settle?

#2

Post by smb06 »

You will realize soon that getting a phone can be very tricky.

Pre-paid plans are incredibly expensive and in order to get postpaid plan you need to have a credit history which takes over a year to build.

I made some friends and then joined one of their existing plans while I waited to build my own credit history.

Meetup.com is a good resource to get involved in the community and make friends. Also look for local volunteering opportunities on weekends to get you started on a social circle.

Re: Ask HN: Good resources for new immigrants on how to settle?

#3

Post by mus1cfl0w »

smb06 wrote: post #2

You will realize soon that getting a phone can be very tricky. Pre-paid plans are incredibly expensive and in order to get postpaid plan you need to have a credit history which takes over a year to build. I made some friends and then joined one of their existing plans while I waited to build my own credit history. Meetup.com is a good resource to get involved in the community and make friends. Also look for local vol…

Oh okay, thank you. I didn't think about that...During a semester abroad I used to have a plan from H2O wireless which was not as expensive though.

I'll definitely check out Meetup!

Re: Ask HN: Good resources for new immigrants on how to settle?

#4

Post by taprun »

smb06 wrote: post #2

You will realize soon that getting a phone can be very tricky. Pre-paid plans are incredibly expensive and in order to get postpaid plan you need to have a credit history which takes over a year to build. I made some friends and then joined one of their existing plans while I waited to build my own credit history. Meetup.com is a good resource to get involved in the community and make friends. Also look for local vol…

Phones can be cheap - I have a $30/month prepaid cell phone with 5GB, unlimited video/music. Paired with a google voice number, it's effectively unlimited everything. https://www.walmart.com/ip/Tmobile-30-Wireless-Airtime-Card/...

Re: Ask HN: Good resources for new immigrants on how to settle?

#6

Post by mus1cfl0w »

taprun wrote: post #4
smb06 wrote: post #2

You will realize soon that getting a phone can be very tricky. Pre-paid plans are incredibly expensive and in order to get postpaid plan you need to have a credit history which takes over a year to build. I made some friends and then joined one of their existing plans while I waited to build my own credit history. Meetup.com is a good resource to get involved in the community and make friends. Also look for local vol…

Phones can be cheap - I have a $30/month prepaid cell phone with 5GB, unlimited video/music. Paired with a google voice number, it's effectively unlimited everything. https://www.walmart.com/ip/Tmobile-30-Wireless-Airtime-Card/...

That's a great deal! But apart of the phone story, how do I build up a credit score quickly? I do have a decent amount of cash savings and everything I own is paid off..

Re: Ask HN: Good resources for new immigrants on how to settle?

#7

Post by nwhybrid »

mus1cfl0w wrote: post #6
taprun wrote: post #4

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Phones can be cheap - I have a $30/month prepaid cell phone with 5GB, unlimited video/music. Paired with a google voice number, it's effectively unlimited everything. https://www.walmart.com/ip/Tmobile-30-Wireless-Airtime-Card/...

That's a great deal! But apart of the phone story, how do I build up a credit score quickly? I do have a decent amount of cash savings and everything I own is paid off..

Get a secured credit card from a credit union, not a bank, to build up your credit. That's what I did and it worked out beautifully.

Re: Ask HN: Good resources for new immigrants on how to settle?

#8

Post by nwhybrid »

1. House - get a roommate (or 3) if you're young and have no family living with you. They will be your main friend(s)

2. Get a secured credit card from a credit union to build up your credit

3. Take out a loan with said credit union after a few months (even if you don't need it)

4. Friends --- work, meetup.com, gym classes, sports leagues, random bars if you're an extrovert. Go everywhere you are invited.

5. Job - Use consulting firms here to get contracts and work your way in. Look for healthcare mainly,but a job in a decent sized city so you can connect with others (after an ok salary of course)

6. Phone - Get a cheap prepaid cell

Re: Ask HN: Good resources for new immigrants on how to settle?

#9

Post by mus1cfl0w »

nwhybrid wrote: post #8

1. House - get a roommate (or 3) if you're young and have no family living with you. They will be your main friend(s) 2. Get a secured credit card from a credit union to build up your credit 3. Take out a loan with said credit union after a few months (even if you don't need it) 4. Friends --- work, meetup.com, gym classes, sports leagues, random bars if you're an extrovert. Go everywhere you are invited. 5. Job - Us…

1. I figured that might me a good starting point, but may not be worthwhile in the long run in order to built up property right? 2. Can you recommend a specific credit union? What do I've to look out for? I'm currently in CA. 3. Okay 4. Alright 5. What do you mean by "look for healthcare"? A decent salary for a software engineer would be what? 90k? What site do you guys use for finding a job? Indeed, Glassdoor, etc. or anything special? 6. Check!

Re: Ask HN: Good resources for new immigrants on how to settle?

#10

Post by nwhybrid »

mus1cfl0w wrote: post #9
nwhybrid wrote: post #8

1. House - get a roommate (or 3) if you're young and have no family living with you. They will be your main friend(s) 2. Get a secured credit card from a credit union to build up your credit 3. Take out a loan with said credit union after a few months (even if you don't need it) 4. Friends --- work, meetup.com, gym classes, sports leagues, random bars if you're an extrovert. Go everywhere you are invited. 5. Job - Us…

1. I figured that might me a good starting point, but may not be worthwhile in the long run in order to built up property right? 2. Can you recommend a specific credit union? What do I've to look out for? I'm currently in CA. 3. Okay 4. Alright 5. What do you mean by "look for healthcare"? A decent salary for a software engineer would be what? 90k? What site do you guys use for finding a job? Indeed, Glassdoor, etc.…

1. I'm not sure I understand what you mean by built up property. Right now your goal should be to connect with others and make friends, settling down in a house on your own isn't ideal at this time unless you have a family. 2. Any credit union that'll accept you will do.

On the job portion, get a job that you like (can't stress this enough) that covers your rent+utilities, food and leaves enough to go out to eat a couple days a week as well as about 1K in savings a month if possible. Not sure what that is in california, but your an engineer so I trust you can use your skills to arrive at a decent figure.

Search for jobs anywhere you can get the word out, friends, indeed, LinkedIn etc.

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