Going to live in New York City

[Mellow]

Alright. Some background:

A year from now, I'll be nineteen, and I plan on moving to New York City to intern at a recording studio. Because of connections I have, we can make the following assumption:

-- I will be able to get an internship, and work ~ 60 hours a week @ $6/hr for 50 weeks/yr

This means
$18,000/yr less %20 for taxes = An income of $14,400/year.
By this time next year, I will have $10,00 saved to get me started, before I move. This ives me a total income of $~25,000 for the first year

I have considered the following expenses

Rent $600/month $7200/year
1st month/ security $1,200/year for 1 year
Subway (@ $2 2x/day) $112/month $1,456/year
Health Insurance $200/month $2,400/year
Food $75/week $3,900/year
Laundry $25/month $300/year
Personal Items $50/month $600/year
Entertainment $100/month $1,250/year
Utilities $150/month $1,800/year
Clothing $250/year
Miscellaneous $20/week $1,000/year

This brings me to a total of ==================== $~21,365

Keep in mind the following:

-My place of work will be in Manhattan, and I don't really care where I live, as long as I can be assured relative safety, and a 35 minute or less commute

-I plan on getting some kind of roommate senario, and sharing an apartment, so I won't have my own place.

- Assuming I work 60 hours/week, I won't have much time for anything else.

My feelings on my numbers:

-I think I can eat for a lot less than $10/day.
-Just from a quick scan of local adds, I've seen that finding a place in the Bronx/Queens for less than $750/month (rent/utilities) is pretty commonplace
- I can sacrifice in-room internet and cable television, but have tried to account for some sort of cell phone plan under utilities.
-I think I could probably cut out most of untertainment with strong willpower.
-Health insurance is really a ballpark.
- After my first year, I expect to make some kind of pay raise

I'd like any input/advice/anything anyone can offer. Thanks!

I'm not looking for career advice. Thanks. I'm not interested in hearing your expert analysis of my disposition/ability. Thanks. If you're someone informed, and have an intelligent response to my questions/figures, feel free to talk it up

 

[isekii]

6 bucks an hour is damn low.

 

[nycxandy]

Good luck.

Unless you get promoted/a pay raise soon after, I can't see someone sticking to this for more than a year or two.

 

[PAB]

Originally posted by: Mellow
Alright. Some background:

A year from now, I'll be nineteen, and I plan on moving to New York City to intern at a recording studio. Because of connections I have, we can make the following assumption:

-- I will be able to get an internship, and work ~ 60 hours a week @ $6/hr for 50 weeks/yr

This means
$18,000/yr less %20 for taxes = An income of $14,400/year.
By this time next year, I will have $10,00 saved to get me started, before I move. This ives me a total income of $~25,000 for the first year

I have considered the following expenses

Rent $600/month $7200/year
1st month/ security $1,200/year for 1 year
Subway (@ $2 2x/day) $112/month $1,456/year
Health Insurance $200/month $2,400/year
Food $75/week $3,900/year
Laundry $25/month $300/year
Personal Items $50/month $600/year
Entertainment $100/month $1,250/year
Utilities $150/month $1,800/year
Clothing $250/year
Miscellaneous $20/week $1,000/year

This brings me to a total of ==================== $~21,365

Keep in mind the following:

-My place of work will be in Manhattan, and I don't really care where I live, as long as I can be assured relative safety, and a 35 minute or less commute

-I plan on getting some kind of roommate senario, and sharing an apartment, so I won't have my own place.

- Assuming I work 60 hours/week, I won't have much time for anything else.

My feelings on my numbers:

-I think I can eat for a lot less than $10/day.
-Just from a quick scan of local adds, I've seen that finding a place in the Bronx/Queens for less than $750/month (rent/utilities) is pretty commonplace
- I can sacrifice in-room internet and cable television, but have tried to account for some sort of cell phone plan under utilities.
-I think I could probably cut out most of untertainment with strong willpower.
-Health insurance is really a ballpark.
- After my first year, I expect to make some kind of pay raise

I'd like any input/advice/anything anyone can offer. Thanks!

20% for taxes?

I think you're underestimating this because you have to pay federal income, medicare, SS, etc which worked out to around 23% for one of my still punching the clock friends, plus NY state income tax, plus city tax (Yes, NYC taxes your income).

You can get an unlimited metrocard for $78/month and I don't think theres any way in hell you will be able to get health insurance for $200. Probably closer to $400 with a group rate.

You will not have a 35 minute or less commute to midtown manhattan with an apartment that's $600 a month. No way, no how.

 

[ThePresence]

$600/month rent is not gonna go very far in the city. There are areas in Brooklyn that are nice and about 40 minutes away by subway that you can get for $600 if you split it with a roomate. Or try Jersey, which will be nicer, but a longer commute.
Good luck.

 

[Paddington]

Why are you taking such a lousy job for $6 an hour? Go to college.

People who make $50,000 a year don't live in Manhattan because of the costs. On $21,000? Yeah, right.

-I think I can eat for a lot less than $10/day.

A slice of pizza at a mediocre place like Sbarro or Pizza Hut cost about $5 the last time I was in Manhattan some years ago.

 

[ThePresence]

Originally posted by: PAB
You will not have a 35 minute or less commute to midtown manhattan with an apartment that's $600 a month. No way, no how.

I disagree with that. I did it myself a few years back. Lived in Brooklyn commuted by train, took about 40-45 minutes. I split a $1100 apt. with another guy.

 

[mugs]

Highly doubt it.

 

[slackerinabox]

$100 for entertainment? Why live here if you're not going to enjoy it?

 

[Mellow]

To get a job in my field of choice (audio engineer), a college degree isn't so important as a general understanding of the technology and processes of recording.

 

[Howard]

Originally posted by: Mellow
To get a job in my field of choice (audio engineer), a college degree isn't so important as a general understanding of the technology and processes of recording.

It probably has more to do with who you know.

 

[Mellow]

Originally posted by: Howard

Originally posted by: Mellow
To get a job in my field of choice (audio engineer), a college degree isn't so important as a general understanding of the technology and processes of recording.

It probably has more to do with who you know.

Thus my connections. Just by getting into the door, I have a good chance of moving up, based on how well I handle my job, how motivated I am, and how easy I am to work with.

 

[buck]

NFW unless you get more money/second job/roomates/etc.

 

[Xyclone]

Originally posted by: buck
NFW unless you get more money/second job/roomates/etc.

 

[z0mb13]

no way possible, unless u plan to rack up on cc debt, or eat ramen all the time. Probably you'll have to do both

 

[ohmide]

gj trying to plan but it will seriously cost more than that to live there. There are a ton of extra expenses that you would not have thought of in addition to more taxes as pab specified. A friend of mine was living in this one bedroom shoebox that he shared with 2 other people and it cost him 1100.

 

[AgentUnknown]

Haha, good luck. I lived in NYC and it was expensive. Raise your estimates, this is the most expensive city. $6 is ridiculous, stop making me laugh.

 

[FoBoT]

you might look for a cardboard box behind the dumpster at Arby's


assuming they have Arby's in NYC

good luck

 

[Paddington]

I don't know. You just seem like a naive country boy who wants to move to the big city to make it big in the entertainment industry. It just reads like a bad cliche. It's all poorly planned out and unrealistic.

 

[giantpinkbunnyhead]

Do you at least earn overtime for those hours beyond 40 each week? That should add another $3K. Are there any pay increases down the road?

 

[PAB]

Originally posted by: ThePresence

Originally posted by: PAB
You will not have a 35 minute or less commute to midtown manhattan with an apartment that's $600 a month. No way, no how.

I disagree with that. I did it myself a few years back. Lived in Brooklyn commuted by train, took about 40-45 minutes. I split a $1100 apt. with another guy.

I said you can't do it in 35 minutes or less, you said "yes you can, I did it in 40-45" - am I missing something here?

By the way OP - if "your connections" are hooking you up with a job that pays $6/hr, I probably wouldnt consider them "connections". They're friends, or friends of friends. "Connections" as you like to call them is a term thats usually reserved for larger, more important favors.

 

[Paddington]

Originally posted by: PAB

Originally posted by: ThePresence

Originally posted by: PAB
You will not have a 35 minute or less commute to midtown manhattan with an apartment that's $600 a month. No way, no how.

I disagree with that. I did it myself a few years back. Lived in Brooklyn commuted by train, took about 40-45 minutes. I split a $1100 apt. with another guy.

I said you can't do it in 35 minutes or less, you said "yes you can, I did it in 40-45" - am I missing something here?

By the way OP - if "your connections" are hooking you up with a job that pays $6/hr, I probably wouldnt consider them "connections". They're friends, or friends of friends. "Connections" as you like to call them is a term thats usually reserved for larger, more important favors.

I can hook him up with an entry level job packing groceries at a Kroger in Ohio for more than $6 an hour. :laugh:

 

[mugs]

Let me put it to you this way... have you ever seen the movie Midnight Cowboy?

 

[ThePresence]

Originally posted by: PAB
I said you can't do it in 35 minutes or less, you said "yes you can, I did it in 40-45" - am I missing something here?

You're right, but I don't think 5-10 extra minutes of commuting time is gonna make it or break it for the OP.

 

[watdahel]

In Queens, a lot of college students look for roommates for $400/month. I'm currently renting a basement from a Chinese family for $800/month with all utilities included. In my area a lot of Chinese family partition their houses and rent them out even though it may be violating housing safety codes.

Five years ago I lived in a 3 bedroom, two floor apartment house with 2.5 bathrooms and a kitchen for $1400/month. If you can find 4 roommates that would be good. The problems with roommates is that they can leave at anytime and you'll have to look for new ones.

I would secure at least one hour for subway transportation from Queens to Manhattan. Although, subways come frequently on time, buses can be more unpredictable. Sometimes the wait can be 40 minutes long during rush hour where the buses will be packed and you'll have 4 packed buses pass you by.

I don't have health insurance because I'm tuff like that.

I think you can survive it. People have survived with far less that's why I think New Yorkers are the tuffest folks around. A lot of people work just to get by on a day to day basis leaving little for anything else. The minimum wage should really be $12/month if you ask me.