New to the US 101

After almost 2 years I think I'm qualified to put together a list that could be help to anybody else who just have arrived to the United States and is about to start a new life here. The first 6-12 months will need some adjustments and you will face some limitations for sure.

I hope this helps all of you!

Basics

1. SSN - Social Security Number: This you need for everything: getting paid, opening a bank account, get credit cards, cable TV, internet, mobile phone. Fill out and bring this form with you to your local Social Security Office. You cannot get an appointment for this. Go in the middle of the day. Everybody else will go early in the morning.
2. Open a bank account. You can try one of the credit unions, too. You most likely will be allowed to open an account, but you'll have to update them with your SSN once you have it.
3. Once this you have your SSN get a secured credit card from an issuer. I suggest to deposit $2000 and never have a balance bigger than $600. Pay it off every month. After 6 months you should be eligible to get a real credit card. This will start building your credit history. You need to have a good one! Google what that is, it's too complicated to sum it up in this post. But you have to have credit to get credit. Strange system. To monitor your credit you can either pay $10-$15 every month, or you can sign up with Credit Karma. Less service but it's free and gives you a basic idea where you are at.
4. You need a car. Without car you won't be able to get around unless you live in a big city with good public transportation system. If you have at least $10000, you could aim for a new car. Used cars are not cheap. Only the ones that are very used... If you don't have that kind of cash, you'll have to settle for a 12 years old Toyota Camry. If you put down 40-50% of the price of your new car, you'll get credit. No credit is better than bad credit! Your APR will not be the best though. You probably won't get financed for a used car, even if it is certified pre-owned. Never accept sticker price on a car, and you can negotiate on the maintenance plan for your new vehicle, too. Instead of the standar $2500 you can get it for something between $1000-1500 depending how good you are negotiating.
5. Car insurance: with the 12 year old Camry go for liability only, it will be something around $50-$70 a month. For a new car you need the full coverage. A 6 months premium can vary between $700-$1200. Try AAA, Allstate and StateFarm. Others charge way too much as I saw. Once you have 18 months of US driver history (i.e. 18 months after your driver's license is issued) rates will go down on your premium.
6. Driver's license: get it as soon as you can. In California, you need to take a test. Easy as pie compared to the European ones :) You can get the handbook from DMV, read it and go take the test. Once you pass you'll be scheduled for a behind the wheel test. Watch this video and follow the guidelines and you'll pass. Once you get your DL you're no more required to carry your passport with you all the time.
7. Mobile phone: No credit history? You'll probably have to give a $400 deposit or so per line. You'll have to live with pre-paid for 5-6 months, sorry, if you don't want to leave the deposit. Difference between the providers:

• AT&T and T-Mobile are GSM providers. If you have your SIM free phone, all you need is a SIM card
• Sprint and Verizon are CDMA based, so you'll need a phone as well.
• Verizon and AT&T does not give unlimited data
• T-Mobile slows your data down after you reach a limit
• Sprint claims to have real unlimited data
• Verizon has the largest network, you'll get signal probably everywhere
• Unlimited nationwide calling means: you can call as much you want, but you'll have to pay the per minute fees once you reached your included minutes. The possibility is unlimited, not the service :)

8. Cable TV and internet. Again, needs SSN, and probably you'll have to give a deposit, but I didn't have to... It varies.

Company perks

1. Health insurance: most important thing. If your employer provides only HDLP you are screwed and they're cheap. Health will be expensive for you. If they don't offer FSA open an Health Savings Account to save at last the tax on your health expenses. For foreigners your only option is Chase HSA as I found. If you don't travel much, you're good with an HMO plan, otherwise go with the PPO. The difference is: HMO - you have a health care provider, you can only go to their facilities and pharmacies, you'll have a primary physician that you need to visit anytime you have a problem, he'll transfer you to a specialist; PPO - you can go to anybody in the network and you're free to visit a specialist right away. PPO is more expensive, might require higher co-pay from your side. I'm with Kaiser and I'm satisfied so far. Kaiser is an HMO.
2. 401k: that'll be your retirement money. Try to contribute to the max, and use whatever contribution your employer offers. Besides this you'll only get social security once you are retired. I don't believe the government will be able to give me any money in 40 years... Your call :)
3. Vision and dental: this covers your eye-care and dental care. Eye checkups, contact lenses, frames and glasses, fillings, crowns, root canals, professional teeth cleanings. Usually you get $1500-2000 coverage per year. Co-pay varies per service.

A place to live

Now that's expensive in California. If you are OK with it, live with room mates, otherwise you'll pay around $1200-2000 for rent per month, plus $200-250 for utilities (water, garbage, heating, electricity). When you rent, they'll check your credit. If you don't have children, choose freely your place. Avoid very cheap areas: you'll get rubbed, mugged, and you'll wake up for gunshot noise. If you have children you need to choose an area with a good school district. More expensive. Locate these areas using Trulia or Realtor, and than look for listings on Craigslist. That'll be your cheapest source! You can save some money if your children are about at the same age. So you can settle for a good middle school and when they go to high school you'll move to another place.

Mobile home is an over-sized RV, cheap but it's like camping all the time! If you choose to live in an apartment, aim for the highest floor, otherwise you'll be bothered by people walking.

Until you find a place to live, you can find extended stay rentals. Either an apartment or you try Extended Stay America or Marriott Residence Inn. Bit cheaper than a hotel, bit more expensive as an apartment, but you get WiFi, cable, furnished apartment with kitchen. A place of your own.


Let me know if I missed something! :) Good luck!