Digging Through Trash For Food: A College Graduate's Life in NYC on Less Than 30K

[burningbright]

<p>

@WSJ

When our then-22-year-old daughter told us in the fall of 2008 that she intended to move out of our house and live in New York City on her own, we told her it would be tough.</p>

<p>She didn’t believe us.</p>

<p>Mariana proved us wrong. She not only lived in New York on a salary of less than $30,000 from a publishing-industry job, she managed to save $5,000 over the course of a year. On top of that, she stashed about $1,000 in her 401(k) account.</p>

<p>How was that possible in one of the most expensive cities in the world?

</p>

<p>[Living</a> Well in New York on Less Than $30,000 - WSJ.com](<a href=“http://online.wsj.com/article_email/SB10001424052748704363504575002970278299504-lMyQjAxMTAwMDIwNDEyNDQyWj.html]Living”>http://online.wsj.com/article_email/SB10001424052748704363504575002970278299504-lMyQjAxMTAwMDIwNDEyNDQyWj.html)</p>

[gapyearstudent]

<p>Haha, the trash thing was… kinda weird but otherwise, wow. I didn’t know you could live even on $50,000 in NYC. Smart girl. I will reserve judgement about her quitting and leaving NYC even as an artist, however.</p>

[dudedad]

<p>In this economy I’d stay in NYC with the paying gig and health insurance rather than move. It’s NYC, if you can make it there, you’ll make it anywhere…</p>

[nngmm]

<p>Some people manage to live within their means, others do not. It seems to have little to do with the amount of money they have.</p>

<p>My daughter is a grad student in Boston. Her stipend is well under 30K, yet she manages to save half of it mostly by renting a house with two other students, and cooking at home rather then eating out. The health insurance is covered by the university, which, certainly, helps.</p>

[runnersmom]

<p>My S is a 2007 grad working in NYC in an industry notorious for low wage entry level jobs. He is currently living at home, saving all he can so that he can move into the city. He is constantly making and revising a budget based on what his friends pay for thins like utilities/food/rent etc. Like the young woman referenced in the WSJ article, he is lucky enough to not have undergraduate debt and he worked this past summer as a lifeguard before getting this job. SO he has a small “nest egg” to support the move, but it will be tough. Multiple roommates, frugal meals and entertainment yes, but the ability to live on his own, and develop the independence that comes with that will be well worth it…I think many of these kids just do what they need to do to make it work.</p>