moving to Austin - advice needed

[StellaBlue]

Sorry to post twice in the space of half an hour, but I just got an email that has me totally unable to sleep. It's like this:

I lived in Austin, Texas for five years while a student. I have returned to Texas after living abroad since then, and I have been working and saving up money while living with my parents for the last six months. I was planning to move to Austin around April 1st, when I estimate that I will have about $3000 saved up, or before then if I can manage to get a job (since August, I've had two interviews and, obviously, got neither of them!). Right now I have $1000 saved, but I have monthly outgoing of at least $600 ($210 student loans, $175 car payment, $85 insurance, plus gas, some food, incidentals) and I take home only about $1200. I only have $1000 right now because I a) bought a car; b) bought some necessity items, a bit at a time, to get ready to get an apartment (like sheets, dishes, etc.). I have probably more furniture than I will be able to fit into an apartment in storage with relatives, waiting to go.

Now. Here is my dilemma. One of my friends has told me about another friend, who I don't know, who wants to sublease his furnished room in a 3/2 house downtown (!) for $325/mo plus utilities, available Feb 1st. On Feb. 1st, I will have about $2000, as I prepaid my student loans/car payments with my Xmas bonus and they are not due until the end of Feb. I am SICK of being stuck here in Hicksville and desire nothing more than to get to Austin and get on with my life (my parents are allowing me to stay at their house for free and pay no bills except some food, but will not actually loan or give me any money to move for some reason!), especially since I am back here because of a bad breakup and, as long as I am stuck here, feel that my ex's decisions are still controlling MY life. I want to just get on with it. And of course be someplace that ISN'T 'Bush Country'. It's driving me nuts. Slowly.

Should I jump at this chance?

I figure that to have an apartment that costs a meagre $550/mo, make my standing debt payments, and eat, I will have to earn a minimum of around $30K/year in Austin. At my previous job in the UK, I was an administrator making about $40K plus great benefits including company car and all that jazz. I am now working in customer service for peanuts in Podunktown. I figure if I take this opportunity and move into this house for Feb/March, that might be just the jumpstart I need to get a job in Austin (it's understandably hard when you are about 400 miles away!). I am willing to waitress, temp, or whatever, in the meantime, and, if it really came down to it, I could always put my loans on hold (with interest), though I have been desperately trying to avoid doing this for the past 2.5 years. I cannot count on any relatives to help me with bills if I can't make it, so factor that in.

If you were in my position, what would you do? Thanks in advance.