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Can I survive in New York on the following monthly budget?
Rent 1,800
Food 1,300
Transportation 150
Communication 120
Health insurance 300
Sundry (entertainment, laundry, etc) 650
Are you a single person? Because 1300 for food a month seems astronomically high!
I get paid weekly and that would mean I was spending over half of each pay check on food! I go out to eat a lot (dinner) too and I do not spend even close to that. I usually pick up $40-$60 in groceries on sunday evening and treat myself to lunch out once a week. I also kind of have a stock pile of stuff in my freezer.
The cost of food and small expenditures, the ones that you don't count eat up income fast..this rings true more for NY where the cost of living is high to begin with.
Try to eat out at a restaurant once or twice a week if you can. Just bringing lunch to work can save you a bundle.this, and quitting the cigarettes recently has helped me. And as for entertainment, it looks like a good budget. You want to save but not deprive yourself of enjoyment that you work hard to earn. I was on this side of the coin for 4 months trying to save more..awful. put something away each week/month but live and enjoy. Enjoyment of the now and planning for the future can be achieved. Enjoy NY and have some good times!
Can I survive in New York on the following monthly budget?
Rent 1,800
Food 1,300
Transportation 150
Communication 120
Health insurance 300
Sundry (entertainment, laundry, etc) 650
Rent sounds about right , although you can hit 1300 in Urban Jersey and parts of the outer boroughs. Transportation sounds abit off , it might cost you more then that..... Communication sounds low , although i don't know what NYC's rate is... Health sounds about right , the Sundry think is abit off...try 1000 if you want to live like a New Yorker.
Many thanks for your reply. I must admit the 1,300 does include an element of entertainment (ie, dining out and the occasional indulgence). But I'm heartened by the responses I've gotten, because they indicate that my budget is realistic.
Yes the food quote is high but what is not realistic is the Heath Insurance. Unless you have a company paying the bulk of it. Private health insurance starts at about $900/mo. these days.
(I tallied food this month and it came to $600 for TWO, about half eaten in and half out, but the food had NO entertainment component attached...just calories.)
you should set down and write out what is beening spent on that month cost of liveing ..
Rent-
electrical
cable internet
cell phone
food at the grocery store
eating out
laundry
dry cleaning
monthly personal medications
health care for yourself
metro card for subway
taxis service that you use in the month
personal things that you spend money on for your personal enjoyment
Food is about right if you buy good groceries and eat out 2-3 times per week.
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