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I know this post is somewhat old and was recently resurrected. I have to agree that moving in steps is not a bad idea. I originally moved to Asbury Park because I had a friend there. I would trek up to the city on the weekends. I then moved to downtown Jersey City which is where I still am. So while I don't live in NYC I have more than experienced NYC in the time I have been up here and I didn't need to live in Manhattan to do it. I also agree with having a job and finances in order. I delayed my move until my transfer at work was confirmed. I also saved up a substantial amount of money as well to use as an emergency fund. All in all, when I moved, I viewed it as moving to the NYC Metro area and not necessarily NYC itself. So being in the metro area was good enough for me. 50 miles away is better than 500. Anyways, I do understand the draw to Manhattan itself but you can take steps if you don't want to kill yourself.
I can sort of understand what you're saying, in a way, but this is the New York City section. So, in speaking for myself as someone who's lived in NYC for over 50 years, it just wouldn't occur to me to suggest a suburb in NJ (unless the person asked about Jersey and how it'd be for experienceing Manhattan). As someone from NYC I'm not familiar with NJ too much and wouldn't respond with suggesting NJ - and that isn't said in a negative way.
(it's enough that many young people asking about moving to NYC specifically want Manhattan, let alone a place in Queens or Bklyn. It's as tho' a train ride over 30 minutes would be just unexceptable or something.)
I also have a dream of moving to NYC. I'm 26 years old and have finally figured out that a big city is what I want. I would love to just move to Manhattan but it's just not realistic for me. So I have a plan and it is a bit of a step program. I have an associates degree right now so my plan is to do a year of harder classes here (I live in Knoxville, TN) then hopefully transfer to a school in NYC (I really love NYU but we'll see what happens). From there I plan to get a bachelors degree and build up contacts while in school which will help me find a job once I graduate. It will take me about 3 or 4 years, but as long as I end up in NYC by the time I'm 30 then it's all good. I'm not saying that this plan would work for everyone, but I understand why a person without the financial means to just up and move would want to take it a little slower. ) Wish me luck!
the safest thing to do is to find a job and then move.
but some part of me says that failure can be a good learning experience.
if youre gonna fail... fail when young. at least this way, you can get back on your feet again w/o having a deep profound impact on the rest of your life.
there is a huge difference in going into debt in your 20's versus going into debt in your 40's and 50's while being married with children.
I get that sometimes life experience is important, such as moving to a large city seeking a change from a suburban upbringing.
But it really sucks to be in your twenties, in a large city, and broke. I've been there. I'd never recommend that someone move to a place like NYC without having either a job or several months of rent in savings.
Hey I came here from the burbs. I was born and raised in the burbs then we moved to the country in WNY. I moved out to the burbs. Then out to LI while we tried to find a place in NYC. When I lived on my own in WNY I was always wishing to live in NYC because I was sick of not having anything around. Then I moved to LI and hated it because it was like where I grew up. Moved to Forest Hills and am very happy now.
So I guess I see what you mean by steps, but nothing says you can't find an affordable place in Queens, Brooklyn, or Bronx. I will agree that the perception from people outside of NYC is that you will live in Manhattan. Everyone assumes when you move to NYC you are moving next door to the Empire State Building. I constantly have to say, I don't live in Manhattan, I live in Queens. Hell, when I lived in LI everyone said I lived in NYC. People don't understand anything besides Manhattan because that's all they see on TV. I always tell them, unless you are very rich or living with 8 people, it's not worth it. I can live in Queens and be perfectly happy with a 35-40 minute commute.
quick question: why don't any of these newcomers consider temp agencies as a way to find quick work? i've never used one, nor do i really know how they work (just that you are hired to work for a set, typically short, amount of time and it can sometimes lead to a pt/ft job).
i plan to move up there in two years, in the mean time i'm saving money so i'll have a decent amount set aside (my goal is 25k) and i plan to look for a retail job (it's the field i'll be pursuing my degree in) with a temp agency as my back up. i'll rent a room (or stay with friends) the first few weeks i'm up there while i look for an apartment. my only concern is that i won't be able to get a place based on the stipend i'll receive from my gi bill (especially since i was just reading about a landlord having some problems with one of his tenants).
quick question: why don't any of these newcomers consider temp agencies as a way to find quick work? i've never used one, nor do i really know how they work (just that you are hired to work for a set, typically short, amount of time and it can sometimes lead to a pt/ft job).
i plan to move up there in two years, in the mean time i'm saving money so i'll have a decent amount set aside (my goal is 25k) and i plan to look for a retail job (it's the field i'll be pursuing my degree in) with a temp agency as my back up. i'll rent a room (or stay with friends) the first few weeks i'm up there while i look for an apartment. my only concern is that i won't be able to get a place based on the stipend i'll receive from my gi bill (especially since i was just reading about a landlord having some problems with one of his tenants).
Temp agencies are alright, but they aren't great. I went through one in WNY. There it was factory work and stuff that most people don't want to do. It's low pay with no benefits and often forced OT. Now here it may be different but I would assume these places are filled with people interested in jobs making it harder to get one.
Mostly, you are getting minimum wage, terrible jobs that have no problem letting you go since you are only a temp. If you don't like the work and quit, the temp agency doesn't try hard at all to find you another job.
Its known as gen y or mellennials who born between 1983 and 2000 anyone from that bracket may prefer to live in cities over the suburbs. This is one of the reasons so many young people from Ohio and Minnesota are moving to NYC and so many young native New Yorkers are moving to smaller cities like Miami, Charlotte, DC. Every gen y I met in and around my age bracket who moved to NYC tell me they love it Herr and vow not to return home.
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Dreaming of NYC
) Wish me luck!
