SF Bay Area is relatively difficult to MS compared to other areas, but it's still definitely doable

1. Focus on getting a job first. Dont count your chickens before the eggs hatch. You may be smart, I dont know, But first get a job and then structure your MS accordingly.

2. If you get a job say in city X which is definitely great for MS, but if the cost of living is high, if you pay higher rent and more money for day to day commute and expenses. It will not be worth it. Peace of mind is imp at the end of the day.

3. What if MS is great in a City X but job opportunities and career growth is more in City Y. Please dont choose X for some extra MS money/miles. Be Prepared always for emergencies.

4. Even better -> Just a personal suggestion -> Save up money, start a business or invest in stock market wisely, put money into retirement. You can do lot of things and make WAY MORE money than MS and the effort and the risk that it involves.

Sorry for being your mom! I know this response will attract lots of haters...

But dont choose you life/future/career based on MS, structure MS around the life that you want.

Yeah, PacNW sucks, nothing to see here.. move on

My Vegas experience was cash only and some dude chasing me out of a CVS and trying to confiscate my license. When I talked to the manager the next day, he advised me their regional manager shut down purchases although their register allows them. Those of you who got through in Vegas must have had friendly cashiers. For the most part, you're going to get yelled at for trying - but I guess if you can just "get them to try" - it will work.

Get a notepad and write job prospects vs cost of living. In addition you need to consider quality of life and whether you want to be close to family or not that close.

When I was 27 I decided to have fun and see the world. So I started working for AA. ( IT is my job area ). Dallas was a nice base city and inexpensive. I had a blast traveling everywhere mostly in FC , and met lots of wonderful people. But that was pre 9/11 when it was lots of fun. Then moved to SoFla where got a great job, great weather, nightlife , convenient to lots of places and no taxes. And add to this good MS.

So, hopefully you will get a job that you like and pays you well in a city that you enjoy. No reason to move to a place you know you will hate just for a job or because it has lots of VR.
Maybe you will get a job that requires relocation to an exiting city like London or Paris. No MS there but honestly who cares !

I live in Vegas and can't disagree in my area of the city. I do more than I should on business trips, so my time at home is used to get rid of the cards.

well, SF Bay Area including South Bay is very difficult to make a living and to MS **

unless you you're making 80K+ Rent is crazy expensive... traffic and you need a car. if you don't live in the city of SF.

I read CVS is opening 3 stores in Seattle soon, and as of 2 weeks ago there's still one VERY nice opportunity in Portland.

I can't even find CVS in the Silicon Valley with VRs. All sold out.

I'm actually considering a move or Orlando. Any news from there?

$80k+ annually in SF will barely enable you to afford a studio in the mission district. Rents are terrible in SF. All the evil twitter and facebook new money is destroying the diversity of the city and ensuring that only pretentious coffee shops and pseudo hipster hangouts survive.

On another note, stay away from anywhere in NY and NJ. No MS opportunities there. All cash only. always sold out. etc. etc.

One thing I noticed is they VRs here don't seem to be bought up very quickly. When they are out, however, the CVSs can't seem to be bothered to replenish them for a while.

Living in a state that doesn't have abundant opportunities for MS doesn't preclude you from MS. Always the option of MS if you take vacations/business travel to other states with more MS opportunities. (I read about mileage runs in the other forums here, I wonder if people do beans runs?)

I can't even begin to comprehend what life would be like if my apartment/house was sandwiched by CVS to the right, Walmart to the left, Staples to the north, and some gas station/grocery store to the south.

Do not come to CT. It's a barren wasteland of rolling tumbleweeds, hard coded cash registers, and people paying cash for aspirational trips.