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The "been there done that" thread: life in the US after DV

I love MN (esp the twin cities) despite the snow six months out of the year. I'm trying to find my way back there. In NC right now and I'm not feeling it. Maybe given time, I'll get used to it. Don't know.
I'm getting a temporary job to earn money while I go thru the long hiring process for my actual job.
 
Airspray said:
That's true I guess... and regarding this, I wonder - how does that work moving to another state with your entire home content? from what I saw moving to a distant state can cost a few thousand dollars... Do you think it's better to rent a furnished apartment (like those corporate housings) or is it better to rent an empty one and start stocking up?
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It’s better to buy cheap second hand furniture off Craigslist and eBay and OfferUp, etc. than to rent a fully furnished apartment or condo. Sometimes you find great deals at 70-90% cheaper than the retail price (last year I found a 1-month old recliner leather sofa for $90 while the same piece costs $1,200 brand new in a retail store, the previous owner is in the military and was unexpectedly deployed somewhere else and wanted to get rid of the couch ASAP). Moving across State lines is not that expensive, you can rent a UHaul truck and tow your own car with all your home effects for a reasonable price. What might be more expensive is retaining the services of a moving company. I’d suggest you look into suburbs near major metropolitan areas, they tend to be liberal and have a lot of leisure activities options, plus, most large metro areas have lots of pet owners and competitive pay for vets (in addition to the good prospects for residency training, etc. especially on the East Coast, West Coast and in the MidWest).
 
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HurricaneTU said:
I love MN (esp the twin cities) despite the snow six months out of the year. I'm trying to find my way back there. In NC right now and I'm not feeling it. Maybe given time, I'll get used to it. Don't know.
I'm getting a temporary job to earn money while I go thru the long hiring process for my actual job.
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I've heard Minnesota is pretty amazing all round, if you can deal with the weather.
 
The_Dreamer said:
Hi all, some questions:
1-what is the best way to move savings from your country to the USA (over the 10k cash limit)?
2-Is it easy to open a US bank account?
3-Do I still have to wait to receive the SSN, or could I already open it with VISA only?
thanks!
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1 - I have found Transferwise to be the cheapest and best solution for international currency transactions.
2 - Yes
3 - I opened a bank account with Wells Fargo only with a visa. My wife opened one with Chase only with a visa. YMMV from bank to bank but I never ran into a problem.
 
damo1089 said:
1 - I have found Transferwise to be the cheapest and best solution for international currency transactions.
2 - Yes
3 - I opened a bank account with Wells Fargo only with a visa. My wife opened one with Chase only with a visa. YMMV from bank to bank but I never ran into a problem.
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@damo1089 thanks,
1-Is it better to open two bank accounts (one for a wife and one husband) or one for the whole family?
2- Considering that I will ask for the credit card and I will start from the minimum credit score, is it worthwhile to buy the car with a part of the loan with the bank, to increase the credit score?
:)
 
The_Dreamer said:
@damo1089 thanks,
1-Is it better to open two bank accounts (one for a wife and one husband) or one for the whole family?
2- Considering that I will ask for the credit card and I will start from the minimum credit score, is it worthwhile to buy the car with a part of the loan with the bank, to increase the credit score?
:)
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1 - unless there is a checking account bonus when you're opening the accounts that will apply to both of you, I don't think there is any real advantage or disadvantage. I enjoy the ease of a joint account.
2 - they will probably only offer you a secured credit card, which is a good way to start building credit. Make sure to only spend one third of the limit before you pay it off for best results. The car loan doesn't exclusively need to be from the bank to build your score. In most places the interest rate is usually very low. Make sure you do some good research before you start car shopping so you know what kind of rate is possible.
 
@damo1089 thanks,
1- considering that we are two, can I ask for two credit cards linked to the same account?
in that case each card has its own limit?
2- for the purchase of the car, what percentage would you recommend me to pay in cash and with financing? 50 and 50?
thanks! :)
 
The_Dreamer said:
@damo1089 thanks,
1- considering that we are two, can I ask for two credit cards linked to the same account?
in that case each card has its own limit?
2- for the purchase of the car, what percentage would you recommend me to pay in cash and with financing? 50 and 50?
thanks! :)
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1. You can get two cards linked to the same account, they will share the credit limit
2. Do what makes financial sense to you at the time, it'll also depend on what the bank/financial institution is willing to offer you. There are so many options and variables on this one, I'm not going to comment further and start going down a car loan rabbit hole.
 
The_Dreamer said:
@damo1089 thanks,
1- considering that we are two, can I ask for two credit cards linked to the same account?
in that case each card has its own limit?
2- for the purchase of the car, what percentage would you recommend me to pay in cash and with financing? 50 and 50?
thanks! :)
Click to expand...
1. You can get two cards linked to the same account, they will share the credit limit
2. Do what makes financial sense to you at the time, it'll also depend on what the bank/financial institution is willing to offer you. There are so many options and variables on this one, I'm not going to comment further and start going down a car loan rabbit hole.
 
Your choice on how to proceed with the car loan stuff. If you put 2 names on a credit card, make sure that the single card will contribute towards both of your scores. I had my wife as an authorised user on 2 cards but she was never accumulating any credit history, which I didn't realise.
 
Aidyn said:
1. You can get two cards linked to the same account, they will share the credit limit
2. Do what makes financial sense to you at the time, it'll also depend on what the bank/financial institution is willing to offer you. There are so many options and variables on this one, I'm not going to comment further and start going down a car loan rabbit hole.
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thanks @Aidyn
 
damo1089 said:
Your choice on how to proceed with the car loan stuff. If you put 2 names on a credit card, make sure that the single card will contribute towards both of your scores. I had my wife as an authorised user on 2 cards but she was never accumulating any credit history, which I didn't realise.
Click to expand...
thanks @damo1089
 
damo1089 said:
Your choice on how to proceed with the car loan stuff. If you put 2 names on a credit card, make sure that the single card will contribute towards both of your scores. I had my wife as an authorised user on 2 cards but she was never accumulating any credit history, which I didn't realise.
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You can get both names put on the car loan to help with credit history too.
 
I have been doing all the right things to facilitate a smooth move, building my credit for nearly 2 years etc. Ideally I'm trying to get a job before moving but am having ZERO luck, even with GREEN CARD HOLDER at the top of my resume and having enough experience for the role. I'm even putting a US address and number which I already have.

What's the deal?? Is international experience not valued at all? Do employers have to see US work history listed or they aren't going to bother?
 
These questions might seem obvious but....

Are you applying in places where there are jobs?
Is your resume in a US format?
Are you following up with the recruiters post your application?

I got a job within six weeks of being here with no US work history so it's definitely not that. Something else is at play.
 
Follow up question: how are you maintaining residency if you aren't living and working in the US?
 
Wingpin said:
I have been doing all the right things to facilitate a smooth move, building my credit for nearly 2 years etc. Ideally I'm trying to get a job before moving but am having ZERO luck, even with GREEN CARD HOLDER at the top of my resume and having enough experience for the role. I'm even putting a US address and number which I already have.

What's the deal?? Is international experience not valued at all? Do employers have to see US work history listed or they aren't going to bother?
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Where are you now? Where do you want to live / where are you applying for jobs? What kind of job are you trying to get? Do you have any other skills that could get you something away from your target job to at least get a foot in the ground?
 
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