Apartment and Rental Properties - Renting without lease

I didn't have a lease and paid the first and last month's rent in advance. I told my landlord that I was going to try to move out in December into graduate housing two months in advance, but that I wouldn't know until the last minute. I paid the rent the last month and she informed me that she was leaving the country. I found out the next day and it became official a few days later that I would be moving out. I tried to call her cell phone and left her a voicemail that I was moving out and to talk about the fact that I double paid the last month's rent. When I found out that she was going to be gone the entire month, I asked her sister in law to give her the message. She never called me back and when I called her back she told me the money was already spent and it was a shame I didn't know earlier. Because I didn't give her written warning and I didn't have a lease, is there a way to legally get my money back in California?

California tenants are required to give landlords 30-day notice.

http://californialandlordsolutions.com/

with or without a lease always do everything in writing. if you have an issue or complaint or whatever try to tell the landlord and always send a writen letter even if you told them personally. doesnt matter what state your in, it just helps if you run into issues like your in now.

Chalk this one up to experience and do better next time - most tenants don't realize the purpose of the lease is to protect both parties, not just the landlord.