Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I was born & raised in Orlando, FL but I recently graduated from college after completing 3 magazine internships and I am looking to move to NYC to get a job in the publishing/magazine/TV/journalism industry. I'm 26, married and have 2 kids (ages 5 and 3) and NO money, but I am desperate for a job and have been dreaming of moving to NY for FOREVER (my mom grew up there). I also have cats and a dog that I WILL NOT get rid of.
I need ANY advice on how to get over there ASAP. I need suggestions on apartments/housing with good public schools (I can pay up to $1100/mo. I am willing to live REALLY slim for a while, trust me.) I have no idea where I should even start looking! All these neighborhoods and boroughs are really confusing!
Is it cheaper to live in NJ and commute? I have an SUV, so I can keep that and live farther, or I could get rid of it and use public transportation.
I was thinking of taking 3 weeks to come up by myself and job hunt/apartment hunt before I haul my family up here, but I don't even know where to start!
For $1100 a month you can find a large studio apt. in a good neighborhood in Queens, but that is too small for a family of 4. You need to increase your budget if you want to live in NYC.
I was born & raised in Orlando, FL but I recently graduated from college after completing 3 magazine internships and I am looking to move to NYC to get a job in the publishing/magazine/TV/journalism industry. I'm 26, married and have 2 kids (ages 5 and 3) and NO money, but I am desperate for a job and have been dreaming of moving to NY for FOREVER (my mom grew up there). I also have cats and a dog that I WILL NOT get rid of.
I need ANY advice on how to get over there ASAP. I need suggestions on apartments/housing with good public schools (I can pay up to $1100/mo. I am willing to live REALLY slim for a while, trust me.) I have no idea where I should even start looking! All these neighborhoods and boroughs are really confusing!
Is it cheaper to live in NJ and commute? I have an SUV, so I can keep that and live farther, or I could get rid of it and use public transportation.
I was thinking of taking 3 weeks to come up by myself and job hunt/apartment hunt before I haul my family up here, but I don't even know where to start!
Ideas! Help! Thanks so much!!!
1100 a month is not going to be enough for a living space for 4. If the kids could share a room, you can get a 2 br in Staten Island for about 1400-1800 a month. We have nice neighborhoods here, good schools, and proximity to the city for work. You won't be taxed twice like you would if you lived in New Jersey. You will have to keep that SUV though. Our public transportation is very lacking compared to the other boroughs. Keeping the animals will seriously restrict your search though. Just letting you know. Good luck !
I also wouldn't suggest moving your family up here to find a job, find the job first and then move up here. NYC is a very tough place to get by without stable solid employment.
For $1100 a month you can find a large studio apt. in a good neighborhood in Queens, but that is too small for a family of 4. You need to increase your budget if you want to live in NYC.
I was born & raised in Orlando, FL but I recently graduated from college after completing 3 magazine internships and I am looking to move to NYC to get a job in the publishing/magazine/TV/journalism industry. I'm 26, married and have 2 kids (ages 5 and 3) and NO money, but I am desperate for a job and have been dreaming of moving to NY for FOREVER (my mom grew up there). I also have cats and a dog that I WILL NOT get rid of.
I need ANY advice on how to get over there ASAP. I need suggestions on apartments/housing with good public schools (I can pay up to $1100/mo. I am willing to live REALLY slim for a while, trust me.) I have no idea where I should even start looking! All these neighborhoods and boroughs are really confusing!
Is it cheaper to live in NJ and commute? I have an SUV, so I can keep that and live farther, or I could get rid of it and use public transportation.
I was thinking of taking 3 weeks to come up by myself and job hunt/apartment hunt before I haul my family up here, but I don't even know where to start!
Ideas! Help! Thanks so much!!!
How did you figure you could afford $1100? An entry level magazine job (there are about 3 of them and you will be competing against girls who have degrees from amazing fashion schools with many internships and huge networks) pays around $29,000.
You have kids, no job, no real savings/money to speak of, starting on the ground floor, in one of the most expensive cities in the country. Advice? Look at other cities that have opportunities and lower COL. Or stay in Florida.
I think it might take a lot longer than three weeks to land a job here, as NYC journalism is highly competitive. Many of the people at newspapers, magazines, television, and even new media, started their careers outside the city and had several years experience before landing a NYC gig. Yeah, there are always exceptions, and you may prove one of them. But I'd recommend looking for a good strong first job outside of NYC before trying to work here. Were your internships in NYC or with NYC-based media organizations? That may give you a leg up. Still, there are a lot of reputable places to ply your trade besides Orlando and Manhattan, and maybe you should give one of them a shot first. Not only will a few years at a first rate media outlet outside NYC look better on your resume, but you will command a higher salary here. It will also almost certainly be easier to navigate school systems (and toddlers) outside of NYC, especially if you've never lived here.
But if you're still determined to come to the Apple, people here on CD will be hard-pressed to recommend a place to live without knowing where your office will be (it can makes a big difference in commuting choices) and what your budget will be. As others have said, finding a two-bedroom in a nice area of the city with good schools for $1100 will severely limit your options. Apartments here in those sorts of areas generally run a good bit more than that, even in non-trendy neighborhoiods.
Perhaps you could settle for a decent one bedroom for something more than $1100, by getting rid of your car and putting the costs associated with it toward your rent. The kids could share a bedroom with you sleeping in the living room. Then again, maybe you could find more reasonable rents in NJ, though you'd have to also consider the cost of commuting into Manhattan, the gas, insurance and repair costs for your van, and child care costs (I'm assuming you're a single Mom. If you're not the logistics of coming here obviously change.) Considering all that, living in NJ might be a wash, you might be better off, or you might be worse off. You can't figure that out, however, until you know what your job is.
Welcome (maybe) to New York and good luck.
EDIT: Sorry, I didn't see that you were married. What's up with the spouse? Would he/she have a job here or a prospect of one? Does he have money saved up? That would certainly make a difference. A big one. The trailing spouse can cut child care costs, for sure, but what else can he/she contribute to the move?
Last edited by citylove101; 11-16-2013 at 05:16 PM..
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
