Ways To Make Money?

Parents Forum
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<p>Hello Parents and assorted others,</p>

<p>I’m in a bit of a bind.</p>

<p>So, I decided a few months ago to take a gap year between high school and college. After going through a bunch of options, I ended up choosing, and being selected for, the City Year program in New York City (it’s a branch of Americorps focused on schools and community activism).</p>

<p>The salary for the program is approximately $1,000 before taxes. If I can manage to find a cheap apartment and some roommates, I should be able to get rent for around $450 a month…hopefully. This leaves me with about $400 (depending on the taxes, in my experience in VT, about 16% is taken off of each paycheck) a month for food (although I will qualify for food stamps…yay!), utilities if they aren’t included in the rent, and whatever else that I may need in the course of a month.</p>

<p>My parents worry that I won’t be able to support myself unless I have at least $3,000 saved up. Which I find to be totally reasonable, and given that the program is 10 months long, that would give me another $300 a month.</p>

<p>I currently only have close to $200 in my savings account, partially because over the past few years I’ve used most of my money to pay for extracurricular trips that needed to be paid for (the big ones, my parents would pay for the smaller ones), hanging out with friends, buying myself a bicycle (instead of a car), and a computer.</p>

<p>I definitely could have had more money saved up, but due to my past choices…I don’t.</p>

<p>The issue at hand, is that my parents refuse to financially support me in any fashion next year unless I have $3,000 saved up. Again, they think that I should mostly independent, and so do I. If I don’t raise $3,000, then I will probably enjoy living below the poverty line for the next year, and I won’t have the financial support of my parents.</p>

<p>So, I was hoping that some of the delightfully resourceful people on CC would be able to help me out with some ideas to raise this money.</p>

<p>Currently, I work part time for $8/hour, and the manager rarely gives people even 30 hours a week (because then they might have to pay us as full time employees, we’re actually limited to 2,000 hours a year max, although people generally don’t come close to that). So, if I spend the 8 weeks of summer working as much as I can I might be able to raise $1,500. During the school year they restrict me to maybe working 4 - 5 hours, so that income basically amounts to $300 by the end of the school year, maybe.</p>

<p>Also, I’ve decided to sell my body to science, and I’m currently participating in a study at a local University for $350 over the course of three weeks. After that finishes, I’ll look for others.</p>

<p>I’m trying to get another job, but given that this is a college town and there’s a high school nearby, we’ll see how that pans out.</p>

<p>Anyway, if you guys have any other suggestions as to how I can make more money, I’d greatly appreciate it.</p>

<p>Thanks!</p>

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<p>I think you are seeing the value of higher education!</p>

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<p>Is that $1,000 salary/month? Taxes alone will suck a good amount out of that. Where are you going to find an apartment in NYC and have enough money left over for utilities, food, internet, transportation, etc.? Please don’t base your NYC living expenses on what you would pay living in Vermont.</p>

<p>I do hope everything works out for you. I would not sell my body for science as you stated in your original post. If a summer job doesn’t offer you enough hours to earn the money you need, then get a second part-time job or find a full time job that pays better.</p>

<p>Make sure you seriously think this through. As I said, the cost of living is very high in NYC and your parents are correct in saying that you need to have a very solid financial cushion before committing to your plan. IMO–$3,000 bank account isn’t enough of a cushion.</p>

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<p>You could augment your spring and summer jobs by offering services of some type…babysitting, tutoring, odd jobs, lawn mowing, gardening, and the like.</p>

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<p>First-I want to THANK YOU for participating in City Year, and having the willingness to make a difference to people who will benefit from your compassion.
You sound like someone who is resourceful, and willing to think outside the box.
OK…I will play…
Have you talked to the City Year people, and asked how others have augmented the stipend?
Are there jobs in your area that pay commission only, or base plus commission. Then you will not be held to a ceiling of $8/hour for work performed. And you might even earn the full $3,000 or more this way.
G’Luck!-APOL-a Mom</p>

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<p>Waiting tables (tips can really help augment) and some bussing jobs in restaurants split tips. These are two ways my kids earn more than $8 an hour in restaurants. S1 has also worked in the food prep part of the kitchen and that typically pays more than $8 an hour. Yes, agree with the poster not to foget that taxes, SS, Medicare, etc. will be deducted from your paychecks. Another option some of my son’s friends have taken to earn money for college is to look for 3rd shift factory work which almost always has premium pay. Not as fun, but 3rd shift factory jobs pay much more than $8 an hour.</p>

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<p>He may have some taxes, but taxes are pretty low for a person with a $12,000 annual income. It’ll be a bit bigger by working on the summer job but still should be pretty low. Social security will still be 6.4% though.</p>

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<p>My son sold plasma twice a week for $35-$40 a shot. The price varied according to his weight any given time.</p>

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<p>I would definitely consult with the people at City Year about living arrangements and expenses. They must have extensive experience with it. </p>

<p>Making more money… you live in Vermont…assuming that you do not have experience waiting tables, if you can get a job bussing tables at an upscale resort-type restaurant or inn, you can make significant $$. A friend’s D made at least $3000 per summer, and more when waitressing. To be brutally frank, they want kids who are attractive, clean cut, fresh-faced, well-groomed, articulate, and polite and pleasant in their demeanor. (And reliable!) No visible tattoos or piercings, no aren’t-I-cool attitude, no mumbling, no Goth attire, no pink hair, etc. </p>

<p>Other than that, if you can get your boss to commit to a set schedule, you can get a second job.</p>

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<p>You can’t live in NYC for 1000/mon, not even as a single person. We looked high and low for housing for our daughter this summer. Best we could come up with was $3500-4000 for 10 weeks at a school dorm. Monthly subway pass is $75. Unless someone helps you out, you can’t afford this program.</p>

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<p>oldfort, the OP can share a cheap apartment with other CY volunteers–and not in Manhattan. That would be considerably cheaper, even in the NYC area. I still have doubts about living on $1000 per month, though.</p>

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<p>First, congratulations! Now the bad news: You will not find housing for $450 a month in NYC. Anywhere. Unless you find a fluke of a situation, which is known to happen, but I wouldn’t count on it. It will be more like $700, maybe closer to 600 if you’re willing to live in a closet with no window! (I’m not kidding.) Summer is a good time though, there are many sublet rooms available, which will get you a place, at least temporarily.</p>

<p>Monthly MTA pass is 80-something, can’t remember exact number. It is possible to get around on your bike but you need to get one of those super heavy chain locks and bolt down the seat, and be sure to lock up your back tire. And a helmet!! And watch those parked cars for people opening doors. Many, many people have gotten injured, being “doored”.</p>

<p>I would say that IF you find something for 700/month, you might get by on 1200 or 1300. But your parents are right, you need a cushion.</p>

<p>it’s time to get entrepreneurial: what skills do you have? You could offer yardwork, housework, babysitting, computer help, errand running, etc. My D found work helping someone organize their photos on their computer.</p>

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<p>What about health insurance?</p>

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<p>We’re given an MTA pass monthly from City Year, and they also provide a bare bones health insurance plan.</p>

<p>I was hoping to get two or three roommates through the program and then split an apartment, which was how I was hoping to keep the rent in a more reasonable range. I mean, I’ve definitely seen apartments for $1300 - $1400, are these just not possible to live in with more than one person?</p>

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<p>Less- anything’s possible.</p>

<p>Your own tolerance for noise, long commute, convenience to amenities (ATM machine, fresh produce, subway station within a few blocks, etc.) and how comfortable you feel in certain neighborhoods will determine your costs to a large extent.</p>

<p>There are laws in NY which govern how many unrelated people can live in an apartment (some landlords disregard these laws) and there are laws which determine if/when you can subdivide a living room into bedrooms or hack up a small apartment into smaller living spaces (many landlords disregard these laws). So you may hear about an apartment and think it’s a no-brainer to just get more folks to split the rent with you- it may or may not be feasible, and it may or may not be legal.</p>

<p>But definitely start by asking the City Year folks who lives where and definitely start looking on Craigslist. If you don’t have a lot of stuff and don’t mind moving frequently you may be able to do a serial sub-lease (or crash in friends empty apartments for a few days at a time)-- I know kids who have survived for a year in NY by being a serial house guest. If you are good at cooking and cleaning that will help- you can cadge a weeks free rent in exchange for a full service white glove cleaning of your friends apartments.</p>

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<p>^The young man is coming from Vermont. He doesn’t know anyone or have friends in NYC.
Thus, it would be very difficult to roam from one friend’s couch to another in NYC. This is why we are trying to explain to him that $1,000/month isn’t nearly enough to live in NYC.</p>

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<p>If you are willing to clean the garage/basement, maybe you can talk your folks into letting you have a garage or yard sale with stuff they don’t want and you can keep the $$ (if you do all the work AND don’t inconvenience them in the process). Also, do you have any stuff you want to sell on Craigslist or eBay?</p>

<p>Agreed about the health insurance question, and also insurance for your possessions.</p>

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<p>Insurance for his possessions is not a great use of money at this point. He’d be better off to leave things at home and go without rather than spending 5% or so of his expected income on an insurance policy.</p>

<p>I’m also guessing that (other than perhaps a laptop) he probably won’t have very much worth stealing at this point in his life.</p>

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<p>Actually, I lived in New York City before we came here to Vermont. That doesn’t change the fact that you are completely right about me lacking the kind of friends in NYC whose apartments I could crash in.</p>

<p>Moving back to what the thread was originally about, I know that $1,000 is way to little for NYC. I would practically be asking to line up for a homeless shelter for that much. Even in VT life would suck at that pay-grade.</p>

<p>Which is why I need to raise money, once I hit $3000 saved, that effectively gives me $1,500 a month (I will also have $200 of food stamps), and whatever my parents and grandmother decide to support me with. My parents are still working out how much they are capable of giving me, I mean, our EFC was something like 4,000, so it probably won’t be that much, but it will still be economic support.</p>

<p>Also, I’m not that averse to living in a closet. I literally live in a room under our stairs about the size of a large closet. No joke, I am Harry Potter.</p>

<p>The housing isn’t that much of an issue at this point, it’s unreasonable for me to try and find an apartment now that I won’t occupy until August. I’ll start seriously looking a good two months before August using the resources that City Year provides, along with any other listings that I can find.</p>

<p>I’m not expecting a nice spacious loft right next to a subway. I’m expecting a cockroach infested hell hole with a moldy Murphy bed. I’m not going into Americorps and taking a gap year for the lavish living circumstances and perks, I’m going because it’s important to me to help those who need it.</p>

<p>I know that this is going to be hard, but the program has had people doing this since they were founded in '88. We’re a collection of fresh college grads, high school grads like myself, and many others. Most of us are not being supported from on high.</p>

<p>So, as much as I appreciate your concerns regarding my ability to live on next to nothing, that is not the question on hand. I’m young, I can put up with a lot, and I will survive.</p>

<p>If you guys could continue with the suggestions about how I could make money, however, I would really appreciate that. I hadn’t thought of just doing oddjobs around town until it was suggested. We actually have a group email that goes around the neighborhood which advertises things like that which I hadn’t even considered.</p>

<p>Thanks again for all your help so far!</p>

<p>Oh, and health insurance is provided by City Year; and bigtrees is quite right regarding the value of my possessions…it’s all quite sentimental.</p>

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<p>Their EFC is a moot point because that number is how much the government thinks they can help you with your college expenses. But in this case, you’re not going to college. They don’t have an obligation to give you the money they would have spent on your education and let you use it for cost of living expenses.</p>

<p>And besides, you probably would like them to help you out once you get into school, right?</p>