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so right now i have the choice between getting a place with roommates or getting my own lil studio apartment. i'm new to NYC and don't know anybody right now, so was wondering which would be the better way to go?
Eh, really depends on what kind of person you are. I always prefered cheap studio apts solo, but if the roomates are cool then I dont see why not. You'll defenitly get alot more space with the roomates if thats important to you.
You will also be able to split things like cable/internet bill if you have roommates, and perhaps not spend so much on furnishing for kitchen and living room. If you think you can find a good roommate situation and you like living w/ others, then go for it. If you tend to like to be by yourself more, then go for the studio.
If you go for roommates - I'm sure you can search online for things like roommate agreements, but it's good to get as much stated up front as possible, like cleaning schedules and if the other person is going to have out of town guests staying on the couch frequently; who is responsible for paying the shared bills etc.
I would be wary w/roommates. Keep in mind, you'll be depending on them to pay their 1/2 of everything and you don't truly know the type of person they are until you're already living with them. What if they decide a couple of months into the agreement that they don't like the place and they move out? Or if they lose a job and can't pay their half? Or if they're lunatics who want to blast music at all hours of the day/night? Or they're drug users? Or they decide they're not going to keep up with their portion of the chores?
I would go solo and get a studio. You'll have your own space and your own peace of mind.
Personally I love living in a studio alone. I think its great to come home from work and just cuddle up on the couch in my underwear. If I decide to be messy no one cares. No one wakes me up at night. Its fantastic.
Having one's own apt. means you have privacy and can do what you please without disturbing other people and being depend on others.
This is true. But, i have had roommates before and it went well. As long as there is an understanding, and all give the same respect as you would on a job, then there should not be a problem. But, some ppl want a "family" so they would rather indoctrinate you instead of coexist with you. Basically if you don't bother others then it is expected they don't bother you.
e.g. (this situation is slightly different as it concerns one of my daughters therefore placing a slant on the situation):
my daughter's boyfriend and family is where i'm at now to recover from financial losses. we are in new england but their culture is traditional southern right wing conservatives. well, my daughter is siding with them of course. i really don't care. their son only instigates secretly. i retaliate openly. they take his side. again, i don't care. they will make comments when i'm in room to "teach me a lesson" about life and how our values contradict each other. I defend myself sometimes and sometimes i don't. and, then they say, well you don't have to stay here. and my daughter lets them and cheers them! It's basically really dysfunctional. their son also got beat up constantly for running his mouth in school and had to see a psychologist for anger management. fortunately, this family will be moving into another house they bought and i will be here with just a border. Who IS conservative, but he's not violent and aggressive about changing ppl. so , he's more tolerable.
oh yeah, the boy does not work, the mother does not work, my daughter does work and i work......so it gives them plenty of time to start trouble. We also share a computer, so i hope each day they don't sabotage my computer files or nose around in my history. they've proven themselves to have double standards which is not an ideal situation for any living situation.
so, to me this is a nightmare situation. but the whole point is to recover and save to get to nyc. i don't think i personally would encounter this situation in nyc. this family has done nothing but slight nyc and based on their politics. And, they are VERY political within the town, city and state. So, i guess they think they have something to prove. So, if THEY hate nyc, then hopefully there won't be any ppl like this to choose from in nyc.
Last edited by livelifetothefullest; 10-29-2009 at 10:43 AM..
It would have helped if you'd bothered to provide more information, like your age and the exact financial situation. I think having a good roommate is a huge bonus if you're new in NYC. Provided it's a good roommate, of course. My first one was fabulous - we each broadened the other's appreciation of the city. And of course it broadened our social circles as well.
Also, even if you can afford to live alone, remember that it's not a good idea to be spending the most you can afford - because your rent will continue to go up.
Def. get your own place if you can. Roomates can be unreliable for many different reasons.
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