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We are immigrants and a family of six...my dad used to be a banker but after moving here, he owned a business and we all got by on 19k in Dallas....from what ive heard from ppl it sounds as if everybody has a hard time financially adjusting in NYC....i am about to join the FBI as a special agent in which i will get a starting base salary of about 50k as a rookie....i REALLY wanna transfer to NYC but from what ive heard i cannot afford moving there with both of my parents...is this really true........and trust me WE KNOW how to adjust on low income......
NYC as it currently stands is a city for the rich or the poor. It's not designed at all to accommodate middle class people. A salary of $50,000 for a single person in NYC is decent but with bills and taxes you'll struggle at times.
You'll get much more bang for your buck and a higher quality of life overall in other parts of the country. I was doing pretty well money wise when I lived with my parents but now that I'm out on my own it's rough. I'm one of those that is stuck in between, I have to think of a plan to get out of here...
NYC as it currently stands is a city for the rich or the poor. It's not designed at all to accommodate middle class people. A salary of $50,000 for a single person in NYC is decent but with bills and taxes you'll struggle at times.
You'll get much more bang for your buck and a higher quality of life overall in other parts of the country. I was doing pretty well money wise when I lived with my parents but now that I'm out on my own it's rough. I'm one of those that is stuck in between, I have to think of a plan to get out of here...
He's going FBI, 50k is his starting salary. I think he will be okay, goes up fast. What is the top pay for FBI now? I know it is triple digits.
It is a city for rich and poor, but working for the FBI you should eventually be able to afford a decent neighborhood.
It's hard for me to compare living expenses in ny to other places in the country, considering I've only lived in boston and ny, but I will tell you that I had PLENTY of (single) friends - mostly in creative fields -who get by on under 30K. Your biggest expense will be housing, so if you can figure that out, then the rest shouldn't be too bad. Rent stablization still exists and you could easily get a $1300 900 sq foot "junior 4" (meaning there is one large bedroom, a large living room and usually a small room off the kitchen that might be about 7x10 feet that could be used as a tiny bedroom) in Jackson Heights or Kew Gardens. You may have to figure in paying a brokers fee as I'm not sure how easy it is to find one of these on your own.
It's easy (preferable) to live in ny without a car, so you can eliminate car expenses from your budget. You will need a $76/month metro card for transportation. It's easy to eat very cheaply in queens, especially in Jackson Heights. Other bargains abound as well, tons of 99 cent stores and a really great bargain clothing store called something like Famous Brands.
A rent stablized apt. usually comes with heat and hot water included so your other utilities would be electric, phone and internet. Taxes and fees on cell phones are really high in NY.
You will of course have to consider health insurance costs and medical expenses for your parents (assuming FBI will pay yours). Don't know how NY compares to other parts of the country in this regard.
It seems to me it's the housing costs and life style expenses that make people think it's so hard to get by in NY. But if you can find a reasonable rent by living in an unhip neighborhood, and cut costs by not having a car, and not living a NY lifestyle (restaurant food, bars, cabs, expensive clothes) then it seems like you can get by.
It's hard for me to compare living expenses in ny to other places in the country, considering I've only lived in boston and ny, but I will tell you that I had PLENTY of (single) friends - mostly in creative fields -who get by on under 30K. Your biggest expense will be housing, so if you can figure that out, then the rest shouldn't be too bad. Rent stablization still exists and you could easily get a $1300 900 sq foot "junior 4" (meaning there is one large bedroom, a large living room and usually a small room off the kitchen that might be about 7x10 feet that could be used as a tiny bedroom) in Jackson Heights or Kew Gardens. You may have to figure in paying a brokers fee as I'm not sure how easy it is to find one of these on your own.
It's easy (preferable) to live in ny without a car, so you can eliminate car expenses from your budget. You will need a $76/month metro card for transportation. It's easy to eat very cheaply in queens, especially in Jackson Heights. Other bargains abound as well, tons of 99 cent stores and a really great bargain clothing store called something like Famous Brands.
A rent stablized apt. usually comes with heat and hot water included so your other utilities would be electric, phone and internet. Taxes and fees on cell phones are really high in NY.
You will of course have to consider health insurance costs and medical expenses for your parents (assuming FBI will pay yours). Don't know how NY compares to other parts of the country in this regard.
It seems to me it's the housing costs and life style expenses that make people think it's so hard to get by in NY. But if you can find a reasonable rent by living in an unhip neighborhood, and cut costs by not having a car, and not living a NY lifestyle (restaurant food, bars, cabs, expensive clothes) then it seems like you can get by.
Yeah speaking of housing, i can adjust if you give me just a bathroom so no problem with that lol..and YES THATS THE GREAT THING! THE FBI PROVIDES ME WITH FREE HEALTHCARE, TRANSPORTATION, LIFE INSURANCE, AUTO INSURANCE, ETC ETC. so i have that covered. and Henna, i can tell by your name that you are south asian like me (at least i think you are). Could you tell me about the Little India area in Jackson Heights and if that is a good neighborhood and if there are a significant number of Pakistanis there as well?
We are immigrants and a family of six...my dad used to be a banker but after moving here, he owned a business and we all got by on 19k in Dallas....from what ive heard from ppl it sounds as if everybody has a hard time financially adjusting in NYC....i am about to join the FBI as a special agent in which i will get a starting base salary of about 50k as a rookie....i REALLY wanna transfer to NYC but from what ive heard i cannot afford moving there with both of my parents...is this really true........and trust me WE KNOW how to adjust on low income......
So then you will be in the academy for at least six months, and given your first assignment there; If you have completed your phase II and are just waiting for the TO, I would suggest waiting for something like Newark. For all the reasons listed here and other places, and for all the reasons you already know if you are that far along in the process, the NY field office is not considered the best of assignments. You can take that salary and LEAP and live considerably well just 50-100 miles away. The same if not better caseload. BTW, did you inform the Bureau that you planned on moving to your new assignment and living with your family of six as a SA?
Yeah speaking of housing, i can adjust if you give me just a bathroom so no problem with that lol..and YES THATS THE GREAT THING! THE FBI PROVIDES ME WITH FREE HEALTHCARE, TRANSPORTATION, LIFE INSURANCE, AUTO INSURANCE, ETC ETC. so i have that covered. and Henna, i can tell by your name that you are south asian like me (at least i think you are). Could you tell me about the Little India area in Jackson Heights and if that is a good neighborhood and if there are a significant number of Pakistanis there as well?
Well - I'm as white as can be and just chose the name henna on a whim, but I can tell you that there are some Pakistanis and Indians in Jackson heights. You will be able to get all the food you're used to. But JH is a VERY diverse area, not just south asians (actually the percentage may be fairly small but they are concentrated into a small area and own alot of shops and restaurants so they have a large presence) but there are also hispanics (lots) whites (lots) and other various groups. It's a nice area, esp the historic district - you can google this to find the exact boundaries.
Well - I'm as white as can be and just chose the name henna on a whim, but I can tell you that there are some Pakistanis and Indians in Jackson heights. You will be able to get all the food you're used to. But JH is a VERY diverse area, not just south asians (actually the percentage may be fairly small but they are concentrated into a small area and own alot of shops and restaurants so they have a large presence) but there are also hispanics (lots) whites (lots) and other various groups. It's a nice area, esp the historic district - you can google this to find the exact boundaries.
oh i see but isnt the historic district a little bit more expensive too?
I think all the rents in Jackson Heights are pretty reasonable at this point. The one bedrooms I've heard of (around 800-900 sq feet) are around $1300.
And there are lots of nice streets that are not technically in the historic district as well.
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sorry I'm white
