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I don't mean to bump an old thread, but I feel like this one will always have some sort of relevance. I've been looking at places in the Bronx and Affordable Housing and living in either situation on $30K doesn't sound too bad.
I mean, if you found a legit place on Craigslist for $800 a month in the outer boroughs or Staten Island, would it not be feasible?
I don't mean to bump an old thread, but I feel like this one will always have some sort of relevance. I've been looking at places in the Bronx and Affordable Housing and living in either situation on $30K doesn't sound too bad.
I mean, if you found a legit place on Craigslist for $800 a month in the outer boroughs or Staten Island, would it not be feasible?
Staten Island is not an easy commute to Manhattan. You would have to own a car to drive to the ferry and then take a subway from the Manhattan side to where you have to go. This commute will probably be well over an hour.
City affordable housing is not just open to anyone that applies. People can be on the waiting list for years.
$800 a month rent plus utilities will easily be $900 at the least (if you don't subscribe to cable/internet) and then what about food and transit?
The take home on 30k will be less than that with NY State/NYC taxes. When I first moved here I made $30k, and my take home was roughly $1800/mo. I was a full time grad student and working full time, and I took out roughly $8k in loans a year to supplement my income. So with $38k/year at my disposal, I still lived on SUCH a tight budget. After rent/utilities/bills I was left with roughly $400 a month for everything else- food, entertainment, clothing, random expenses, etc. So basically, it can be done with a VERY tight budget, roommates and the understanding that you will be constantly broke (and my rent was only $647).
Staten Island is not an easy commute to Manhattan. You would have to own a car to drive to the ferry and then take a subway from the Manhattan side to where you have to go. This commute will probably be well over an hour.
City affordable housing is not just open to anyone that applies. People can be on the waiting list for years.
$800 a month rent plus utilities will easily be $900 at the least (if you don't subscribe to cable/internet) and then what about food and transit?
You don't need to drive to the ferry. Most neighborhoods on SI have a direct bus to St. George.
If you live near the Verrazanno-Narrows Bridge, you also have the option of taking a bus (the S53/79/93) to Bay Ridge and then taking the (R) train to Manhattan. Those routes serve other neighborhoods, but it becomes less practical to do that trip the further out you go.
In any case, for the most part, I'd say the best way to reach Manhattan is the express bus. You pay $50 a week for a weekly MetroCard (or $5.50 for a single trip). That MetroCard is also valid on local buses and subways in NYC. You're supposed to get a seat, though in practice, you could be standing from Manhattan to SI if you're taking a heavy route like the X1. Of course, if your place is by the ferry, your best bet is to just take the ferry.
Yes, the commute is long, but it's not too terrible if you do it right. I live pretty far out on the West Shore, and if I take the express bus, I could reach Downtown in 40 minutes, including walking (maybe 60 minutes if there's traffic). By local bus and ferry, it's at least 60 minutes to Lower Manhattan, but that's if everything goes perfectly. Realistically, it's closer to 70-80 minutes and could get up to 2 hours at times.
So if you do that, factor in the extra $100 for the express bus pass and remember that you get what you pay for as far as the commute from home.
Sounds like a low ball job offer from a sleazy company. Sure it's not on Wall Street? I would continue my job search and not jump at the first job offer just cause it's in Manhattan, New York City, or whatever you want to call it. In the state of Florida for example, you can own a whole house on 30k a year, my brothers mortgage is 550 dollars a month, I'm not kidding ya. I'm sure you're education cost more then 30k so why accept less then what you worked for?
My gf has the possibility of getting a job in Manhattan, and they want her to name her salary. They "suggested" 30k (she is entry-level, new college grad) but were unsure how much she would really need to live. The job also would want her close to work (Tribeca), so I'm not sure if we could get by moving to Queens or something!
You should tell your gf to tell the employer to go F itself.
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