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Old 11-26-2012, 04:19 PM
 
Location: Newport News Virginia
430 posts, read 1,188,640 times
Reputation: 189

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Me and my brother were having an extremly long debate of whether or not it's even worth it moving to New York City. Long story short, I believe that moving to NYC for the convenience of buying consumer products within a walking distance, dining out to the many ethnic authentic cuisines, participating in many community events almost daily, and working in the city with the fastest growing rate of tech jobs in the United States of America is a huge pull factor for me.

On the other hand, my brother responded saying in short, "What's the point, If the middle class is already being strangled in NYC?" Then he said "For example , being an industrial HVAC technitian will eventually yield you a decent living in the small town of Newport News VA. But if you try to do the same in NYC, it's just NOT going to work out. Such a trade will pass as the "working class" in Newport News, but will only equate to you being the "working poor" in NYC.... Why destroy your standard of living, dwelling in such a crampt up apartment, BARELY getting by on the life sucking taxes and cost of living when you can live in Virginia for less and have so much more?

I didn't know what to say, since I don't live there. So I was wondering if I could ask people who actually live there, YOU GUYS! what is the point of living in NYC despite the cost of living? What is that pull factor or factors that just tells you it's all completly worth it?

Excuse me if this question was asked a million and one times.
Thanks in advance!

Last edited by Mister Miaugie; 11-26-2012 at 04:35 PM..
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Old 11-26-2012, 04:23 PM
 
7,296 posts, read 11,807,587 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Mister Miaugie View Post
On the other hand, my brother responded saying in short, "What's the point, If the middle class is already being strangled in NYC?" Then he said "For example , being an industrial HVAC technitian will eventually yield you a decent living in the small town of Newport News VA. But if you try to do the same in NYC, it's just NOT going to work out. Such a trade will pass as the "working class" in Newport News, but will only equate to you being the "working poor" in NYC.... Why destroy your standard of living, dwelling in such a crampt up apartment, BARELY getting by on the life sucking taxes and cost of living when you can live in Virginia for less and have so much more?
I would say your brother is absolutely right.
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Old 11-26-2012, 04:26 PM
 
1,682 posts, read 3,156,486 times
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Cost of living depends largely on your lifestyle. Neighborhood you choose, sq footage/floor/building type, method of transport, roommates, family/single, occupation, ext.

NYC is probably cheapest for singles with roommates and professional careers who can deal with a smaller place and a bit of a commute. A struggle for those with limited education and large families who want cars and huge residencies.
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Old 11-26-2012, 05:14 PM
 
Location: Newport News Virginia
430 posts, read 1,188,640 times
Reputation: 189
Quote:
Originally Posted by nykiddo718718 View Post
Cost of living depends largely on your lifestyle. Neighborhood you choose, sq footage/floor/building type, method of transport, roommates, family/single, occupation, ext.

NYC is probably cheapest for singles with roommates and professional careers who can deal with a smaller place and a bit of a commute. A struggle for those with limited education and large families who want cars and huge residencies.
So how does having an HVAC job while living (single) in the cheapest apartments of Queens county play out for me? Sq footage would be no problem, so lets say small sq footage in the apartment,i'de take the cheapest floor avaliable, the metro station for choice of travel, with no roommates. I also don't don't party at all, don't drink nor smoke so I could have a lot of pocket change laying around.
On indeed.com, most of the HVAC jobs dish out a $40,000+ salary estimate, with further experience giving you a $60,000+ salary estimate in NYC.

So with everything above put into consideration, I have an impression that this will throw me in the category of the hardworking lower end bracket. Which is pretty close to the hard working poor class.
With a modest standard of living, a little below decent.

Is my impression on my job/lifestyle correct???
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Old 11-26-2012, 05:23 PM
 
2,770 posts, read 3,513,641 times
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Both of you are right. It just depends on how much you value those things that you list as positives of city life.
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Old 11-26-2012, 06:25 PM
 
Location: On the Rails in Northern NJ
12,380 posts, read 26,755,655 times
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You can always live outside the city in Jersey City , Harrison , Newark, Hoboken , Bayonne which all have cheaper areas to live and are 10-20mins from all the action aside from the community events in those cities. Most People with the dream of coming to NYC end up living there for a while or permanently...
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Old 11-26-2012, 07:06 PM
 
26 posts, read 30,434 times
Reputation: 15
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mister Miaugie View Post
Me and my brother were having an extremly long debate of whether or not it's even worth it moving to New York City. Long story short, I believe that moving to NYC for the convenience of buying consumer products within a walking distance, dining out to the many ethnic authentic cuisines, participating in many community events almost daily, and working in the city with the fastest growing rate of tech jobs in the United States of America is a huge pull factor for me.

On the other hand, my brother responded saying in short, "What's the point, If the middle class is already being strangled in NYC?" Then he said "For example , being an industrial HVAC technitian will eventually yield you a decent living in the small town of Newport News VA. But if you try to do the same in NYC, it's just NOT going to work out. Such a trade will pass as the "working class" in Newport News, but will only equate to you being the "working poor" in NYC.... Why destroy your standard of living, dwelling in such a crampt up apartment, BARELY getting by on the life sucking taxes and cost of living when you can live in Virginia for less and have so much more?

I didn't know what to say, since I don't live there. So I was wondering if I could ask people who actually live there, YOU GUYS! what is the point of living in NYC despite the cost of living? What is that pull factor or factors that just tells you it's all completly worth it?

Excuse me if this question was asked a million and one times.
Thanks in advance!
You are right.

As long as you do not plan to open your own bussiness and run there, it is pointless to move there and lower your standart of living.

NYC ,The only city i saw in USA that is dynamic and livable, may not be so appropriate to live if you do not intent to make good money.
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Old 11-26-2012, 08:04 PM
 
Location: Newport News Virginia
430 posts, read 1,188,640 times
Reputation: 189
Quote:
Originally Posted by Nexis4Jersey View Post
You can always live outside the city in Jersey City , Harrison , Newark, Hoboken , Bayonne which all have cheaper areas to live and are 10-20mins from all the action aside from the community events in those cities. Most People with the dream of coming to NYC end up living there for a while or permanently...
I'll take this into very strong consideration. If I can't make a modest living in NYC, then working in NYC and living in New Jersey could be just fine. But me and my brother are hell bent on being computer technitians with a shameful GPA of 2.5. I'm working very hard to pull it up to a 3.0 so that I may attend Old Dominion University. Their medium wage is about $80,000 in NYC to be a computer analyst, so that'll give me a pretty decent living. I've been going to tutoring and everything for math, and so far, nothing has really helped. But i'll save that for a different thread...

But yeah, again...New Jersey commuting sounds like a fabulous idea!
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Old 11-26-2012, 08:15 PM
 
Location: alexandria, VA
16,352 posts, read 8,027,203 times
Reputation: 9726
"Everybody hates Joisey but somebody's gotta live there."--Archie Bunker.
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Old 11-26-2012, 08:30 PM
 
107 posts, read 84,932 times
Reputation: 168
Two words: public transportation. I don't drive and NYC is the one city I know which truly caters to the pedestrian first. All of those points you made to your brother, plus some you did not, are very valid. I don't have to go anywhere to do or get anything, niether do I have to constantly figure out how I'm going to go somewhere or else miss out because I don't have a car and can't find a ride. Public transportation = access. When I open my door, everything is right there, already in progress. I simply step across the threshold, lock the door behind me, and leap into the action.

Of course, the points your brother made are just as legitimate. In the end, it all depends on each individual's personal needs, preferences, and risk/safety comfort level. While others who know you well and love you can advise you, and while you should seek input from people who know first-hand about living in the city and/or about the process of relocating, whether or not such a move is ultimately worth it can only be determined by you. Also, while it is not without real risks, such a move does not have to be permanent. Some things are only for a season; you discover it doesn't suit you after all, or eventually you change and what is important to you changes too, so you move on. Sometimes you really can go back home again, even if all you return with is the satisfaction of knowing you tried it, and the memories of an adventure with the successes and scars--aka souvenirs--to show for it. For some people that's enough, for others it's either not enough, or costs way too much to have.

Probably not the response you wanted, but it's the truest one I know. God's blessings and guidance to you as you decide which way is best for you.
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