$120,000 is the minimum salary to live alone in NYC. (New York: rental, co-op)

[Miss J 74]

Originally Posted by HarperQuinn

I agree.

$75K after taxes, 401K (10%) is approx. $3600 a month.
Unlimited Metro - 30 days $116.50
Rent - Studio/1Bedroom $1200.00-$1600
Food - $200.00 month
Utilities - (Cable, Phone, Internet, Gas, Electric) $300.00

Balance is $1783-$1383 for the month.

For a single person? That's comfortable enough.

But wah, I can't go to brunch every weekend, and live among the cool people with that! I need coffee shops and yoga within walking distance! I need to be close to Whole Foods and Trader Joe's! You think I want to commute more than a half hour? Are you nuts? I have to live by the L train or in Manhattan or I won't have any street cred to my friends back home! *sarcasm*

[Aquarius37]

The people who can live on small salaries in NYC often have extensive parental allowance money coming in. Let's be real about this. I've seen it in my last 16 years of living in this city. It's actually disgusting how they try to hide it, but at the same time I don't blame them. I just wish they would go away. Can't stand how this city is a huge mecca for the uber privileged. At some point, probably a few weeks from now actually, these super privileged jerk offs are going to realize that they are not wanted here. who knows though...

[Miss J 74]

Originally Posted by Aquarius37

The people who can live on small salaries in NYC often have extensive parental allowance money coming in. Let's be real about this. I've seen it in my last 16 years of living in this city. It's actually disgusting how they try to hide it, but at the same time I don't blame them. I just wish they would go away. Can't stand how this city is a huge mecca for the uber privileged. At some point, probably a few weeks from now actually, these super privileged jerk offs are going to realize that they are not wanted here. who knows though...

Umm this isn't accurate.

I've lived on under 50K up until a few years ago. Some would consider that to be a small salary. And yet I haven't relied on my parents since I was 17. Most of that time I was actually living alone since I stopped living with roommates after 24. And I have never lived in a crappy area.

Sorry, but not everyone falls under your description. A lot of them actually live with roommates, from what I've seen. Even one of my old classmates does and he's 42.

[TiffaNYC]

Originally Posted by Aquarius37

The people who can live on small salaries in NYC often have extensive parental allowance money coming in. Let's be real about this. I've seen it in my last 16 years of living in this city. It's actually disgusting how they try to hide it, but at the same time I don't blame them. I just wish they would go away. Can't stand how this city is a huge mecca for the uber privileged. At some point, probably a few weeks from now actually, these super privileged jerk offs are going to realize that they are not wanted here. who knows though...

....what? No. That isn't true for everyone. Sure, there ARE those people, but not everyone is in that category. I have NO external parental income coming in, and I survive comfortably, in an "ideal" neighborhood in Manhattan, on $3200-$3600 a month. It's entirely doable/possible. I am in no way "uber-privileged."

[jad2k]

Originally Posted by HarperQuinn

I agree.

$75K after taxes, 401K (10%) is approx. $3600 a month.
Unlimited Metro - 30 days $116.50
Rent - Studio/1Bedroom $1200.00-$1600
Food - $200.00 month
Utilities - (Cable, Phone, Internet, Gas, Electric) $300.00

Balance is $1783-$1383 for the month.

For a single person? That's comfortable enough.

You forgot about student loans which a lot of young people would have...

Not to say that one can't live on that amount but there are other bill that need to be paid on top of the basics.

[city living]

Originally Posted by Miss J 74

But wah, I can't go to brunch every weekend, and live among the cool people with that! I need coffee shops and yoga within walking distance! I need to be close to Whole Foods and Trader Joe's! You think I want to commute more than a half hour? Are you nuts? I have to live by the L train or in Manhattan or I won't have any street cred to my friends back home! *sarcasm*

Ha. In a previous job, we barely made above 40K (and I am talking 2013) and my co-worker lived in a studio in Park Slope, alone, and managed to travel to places like Europe. She still went out too.

People are just ridiculously stupid with money sometimes. I grew up low income so I could easily live off of 50K here, even if I was single. It's just a mindset I have and I can be frugal without being cheap. But, to be fair, I wouldn't live in Manhattan because I prefer Brooklyn.

Originally Posted by Aquarius37

The people who can live on small salaries in NYC often have extensive parental allowance money coming in. Let's be real about this. I've seen it in my last 16 years of living in this city. It's actually disgusting how they try to hide it, but at the same time I don't blame them. I just wish they would go away. Can't stand how this city is a huge mecca for the uber privileged. At some point, probably a few weeks from now actually, these super privileged jerk offs are going to realize that they are not wanted here. who knows though...

How small are you talking? I do not know anyone who gets money from their parents and I've lived here all of my life.

The title of this thread is about needing 120K and my husband and I, for the first time ever, broke 120K for combined income last year. Two years before that we weren't even hitting 100K. We have a coop. We have a car. We just got back from Central America. Last year we went to Europe. We try to go out at least once a week, even though we work opposite schedules. I put money in an IRA even though I'm in a private union with a pension and have a lot of money in the bank compared to a lot of other people. Yeah, maybe I can't buy a million dollar home, but I would call that living comfortably, considering I have no debts other than my mortgage.

And since I grew up low income, except for the fact that I don't love living in a small apartment, I feel like I'm living pretty large compared to my parents.

[HarperQuinn]

Originally Posted by jad2k

You forgot about student loans which a lot of young people would have...

Not to say that one can't live on that amount but there are other bill that need to be paid on top of the basics.

I understand. I just noted the basic bills that EVERYONE has. Stuudent loans eh, some have - some don't - I'm not familiar with them nor do I know the cost of repayments but even if it's $800 a month, the individual would still have $980 (give or take) to pocket. All other bills outside of what would listed would differ person to person due to personal choices. A good 'budgeter' would avoid adding unnecessary bills to have more debt.

[SeventhFloor]

Originally Posted by HarperQuinn

I understand. I just noted the basic bills that EVERYONE has. Stuudent loans eh, some have - some don't - I'm not familiar with them nor do I know the cost of repayments but even if it's $800 a month, the individual would still have $980 (give or take) to pocket. All other bills outside of what would listed would differ person to person due to personal choices. A good 'budgeter' would avoid adding unnecessary bills to have more debt.

Add health insurance to that, because now it's a requirement, otherwise get penalized at tax time. And health insurance is not cheap. Unless they're fortunate enough to have their company foot all, or some of the bill.

[Aquarius37]

quote:
How small are you talking? I do not know anyone who gets money from their parents and I've lived here all of my life.

I'm just bitter lol. People seriously DO though. Obviously it shouldn't be any of my business, but when you see 22 year olds renting 4000 dollar apartments it makes you wonder.

[wawaweewa]

Anyone who believes that 120k is the minimum is either ignorant or dumb or a combination of the two.