anyone know people who were priced out of boston/ma? (Newton: section 8, renting)

[civic94]

I have been thinking about moving back to boston, or at least around it, within 40 mins drive to downtown. I was born and raised there until I was 14. the cost of renting and cost of food is really high. It seems that i really need to make 11 an hour minnimum, full time to at least break even on my expenses, and not saving any money. And that is living with roommates, since i did all the calculations. min wage is 8. I have a BA degree but don't have experience, with the economy that it is, I don't see myself being in my field anytime soon.

im 25, and in the near future if i do get married and have kids, it seems that i really need to be at least in the middle class bracket to at least get a 1 bedroom place that is not dangerous. buying a home is another story with the heating bills, upkeep, etc. I have lots of family there, but it just seems like if I move back to Boston, I will struggle like crazy. it seems like the only way i wont struggle is if I am rich, or live in section 8 housing.. while the poor and middle class have a hard time.


does anyone here know people that are priced out of the whole Boston area or MA area that they moved to another state? where I went to college in Washington state, I have met a couple of people that had most of their family move out of new york because they are struggling too much just to have a roof over their head and food on the table.

[Cliff Clavin]

What's your degree in? $11 an hr seems low for someone with a BA. You could make that with a GED.

And no, I don't know anyone who was priced out of Boston.

[civic94]

Originally Posted by Cliff Clavin

What's your degree in? $11 an hr seems low for someone with a BA. You could make that with a GED.

And no, I don't know anyone who was priced out of Boston.

Education. I know, it was a bad subject. Tons of school districts around America is either laying off teachers or getting budget cuts. all of that plus the fact that i don't have experience, well you get the point.

as for the 11 an hour thing, I did the math and that's what i need to barely live here by myself, with roommates. anything lower than that I'm going to run a deficit. I can look for anything that is available, doesn't matter to me at the moment. all I would care about if i move to Boston is to find anything that pays 11 or more, so i can at least settle in. Rents are outrageous to say the least.

[Cliff Clavin]

I think you really need a masters to get a teaching these days don't you? If you got yourself into a masters program, you could probably find work as a teachers aid (or sub) until you graduate. You'd probably pull in more than $11 per.

[civic94]

Originally Posted by Cliff Clavin

I think you really need a masters to get a teaching these days don't you? If you got yourself into a masters program, you could probably find work as a teachers aid (or sub) until you graduate. You'd probably pull in more than $11 per.

yes i know about that issue. the problem is that If I peruse a Masters, I will need to borrow another 80k to do so (30k per year for tuition, books, fees, transportation, etc. and 10k living expenses per year). Also, i need to find a PT job in order to have a little extra spending cash.

I don't think having an extra 80k in debt, with a masters, and then praying that i can get a job will be a good idea, at least for now. I see it as a huge risk at this economy. I currently don't have any loans, I cant imagine having loans because some of my classmates did have loans and I am better off than them financially for now. it's sad to say but I have friends that don't have a degree have less stress than the ones that do, simply because they don't owe money. My friends that do have degrees, about 2 out of 10 have a good paying job, while the rest is either unemployed or working as a waiter.

thank you for giving me ideas tho

[Cliff Clavin]

Salem State has a well respected MEd program, and I'm sure it's no wheres near 80k. My cousin has a degree from SS, and is a working as a HS guidance councilor.

Salem State University: School of Graduate Studies

[civic94]

Originally Posted by Cliff Clavin

Salem State has a well respected MEd program, and I'm sure it's no wheres near 80k. My cousin has a degree from SS, and is a working as a HS guidance councilor.

Salem State University: School of Graduate Studies

wow it is cheaper.. I will be a out of state student if i do so, so its pretty much 13-14k per yr on tuition and fees, and maybe 1000-2000 per year on books.

I'll think about it, but for the most part debt is a issue for me. even if i went there, i will still need to borrow about 50k since i still need to eat, live somewhere, and have a part time job close-by if i get lucky. I ate cheaply in my undergrad years and I will never do that again! ramen noodles and hot dogs is what made me not borrow money.. my health took a nose dive.. my friends that have loans are really digging themselves a bigger hole without a job.

thanks cliff clavin for the ideas

[beth98]

Depending on what level of school you want to teach you need a masters to get a job
(though it certainly helps), but you will need to get one with the first couple of years. Have you considered substitute teaching? It's a great way to get into a school system and become familiar with the people who will be making the hiring decisions. I imagine if you signed up with a couple of school systems to sub and got a part time job serving or bartending you could make ends meet pretty easily. Most people in the area at 25 do live with roommates to cut down on the cost of living. With a roommate or two you could move to Brighton, Somerville, Watertown, parts of Newton, or JP and probably keep your housing expenses (rent and utilities) under $900/month.

[civic94]

Originally Posted by beth98

Depending on what level of school you want to teach you need a masters to get a job
(though it certainly helps), but you will need to get one with the first couple of years. Have you considered substitute teaching? It's a great way to get into a school system and become familiar with the people who will be making the hiring decisions. I imagine if you signed up with a couple of school systems to sub and got a part time job serving or bartending you could make ends meet pretty easily. Most people in the area at 25 do live with roommates to cut down on the cost of living. With a roommate or two you could move to Brighton, Somerville, Watertown, parts of Newton, or JP and probably keep your housing expenses (rent and utilities) under $900/month.

yea 900 is a problem. that's 20k for 2 years, without food, plus school. I pay 750 a month for a 2 bedroom now, all utilities included. yes, I know, that's why i started this thread about Boston's high rents. I was thinking about moving to Boston, have a full time job, and maybe find a better paying job in a unrelated field that requires any BA.

its just the way the economy is, I really think twice about getting into loans that maybe I cant pay back because Jobs are not there. I have a friend that has a masters in social work, has 90k in loans, pays 900 a month for the loan, while working as a security guard making 10 an hour in nyc. he works tons of overtime, but he lives with his parents. He's been trying to find a social work postion, but no luck.

He keeps on telling me to never, ever get into any student loans . He also said when he was in school, teachers, the university, etc. make it seem easy to find a job, and everything was great. then reality hits and its a different story.

[mdovell]

Originally Posted by civic94

yes i know about that issue. the problem is that If I peruse a Masters, I will need to borrow another 80k to do so (30k per year for tuition, books, fees, transportation, etc. and 10k living expenses per year). Also, i need to find a PT job in order to have a little extra spending cash.

I don't think having an extra 80k in debt, with a masters, and then praying that i can get a job will be a good idea, at least for now. I see it as a huge risk at this economy. I currently don't have any loans, I cant imagine having loans because some of my classmates did have loans and I am better off than them financially for now. it's sad to say but I have friends that don't have a degree have less stress than the ones that do, simply because they don't owe money. My friends that do have degrees, about 2 out of 10 have a good paying job, while the rest is either unemployed or working as a waiter.

thank you for giving me ideas tho

A masters doesn't cost 80K. I might finish mine in the next few months and it was 1/4th of that. I don't know where you got that information from. Not all education is on debt. If you look at the figures the average undergraduate education is about 24K. Which under a payment plan at 52 weeks at four years is $115 a week. Yes books and fees might raise it a tad but that is still not that much. A new car is roughly the same price and that goes down significantly.

Student Accounts : Student Accounts : Bridgewater State University
Out of state rates are ONLY higher in a undergrad degree. Graduate is the same rate for resident and non resident. Programs vary by credits. I've heard criminal justice is 33, mine is 39-45ish.



I'm not claiming that degree automatically means a job but nearly 45% of adults in the state have a bachelors and it keeps going up. Within the next 8 to 10 years it will be over 50%, so it will be assumed as a baseline. Experience cannot be totally trusted with blind faith as it used to be.