I will be moving to New York next Fall for school , any good advice?

Question

I need to know how much living expenses will be (I will be in the Brooklyn area)...how are those cheap apts. the ones that are in the $800-900 range (do they have rats) ?..How safe is it there?...Is it tough to get a good part time job there?..man I have soo many questions, this will be the first time I live on my own and I'm moving 3,000 miles away to a HUGE city from my little beach town!! Can someone help me just get an idea of what it will be like over there?

Answer 1

there will be a lot of different people, chinese and afrain americans. the 800-900 rent apt are pretty good, and they don't have rats. it will be really exciting even at 10 in the night time.
if you ride the subway you can buy a $60 per month metro card,
and the food is great at a cheap price, like 5 dumplings for $1
or milk tea for 70 cents it will be fun so good luck.

Answer 2

Brooklyn is huge and the closer to Manhattan you are, the more expensive the apartment will be. Honestly, I would be suspicious of any apartment that is in the $800-900 range. A lot of these affordable apartments are in East New York, Brownsville, East Flatbush/Flatbush, Crown Heights, and Bed Stuy. These are some of the most dangerous neighborhoods in NYC. Bushwick/'East Williamsburg' is getting better but it's still a little rough. Under NO circumstances should you EVER move to East New York or Brownsville. The other 'bad' neighborhoods may have sections or certain blocks that are safe but as a whole, they are still considered pretty dangerous. They are predominantly black neighborhoods so sometimes white/light skinned people won't risk it at all, even on a good block, since they naturally would stick out more and feel like a target.

The apartments may be clean and nice but what's the point if you have to worry about constant street crime and burglars. You may find a building/block that is safe but find that you have to walk through a warzone to get to the subway. Know the exact address and research the neighborhood before you choose to move anywhere.

If you're in school, it's easy to meet people that you could possibly move in with. Huge expensive places in desirable areas are worth looking into when you get together 3 or more roommates. The bedrooms may be small but the common areas can sometimes be gigantic. Loft spaces are are a great deal for groups of people for this reason.

Answer 3

Okay, time for a real answer. First of all, a 30-day unlimited MetroCard is currently $76, which is a great deal if you plan on riding the subways (on average) twice a day, every day. (A single, one-way fare is $2, and there are also unlimited weekly cards available so you'll have to do the math for yourself when you get here and see which makes the most sense for you).

Now, as for your rent budget I strongly suggest you get a roommate. You'll be much more likely to find something in your price range in a convenient area if you split the rent. Splitting $1800 (with $900 being your share) is well within the range of finding not just a clean apartment, but a nice one in a great location. There are loads of websites you can check, Craigs list is a good place to start. The best areas in Brooklyn (most convenient to Manhattan) are Brooklyn Heights, Cobble Hill, Carroll Garden, and Park Slope. I'd start with those areas first.

As for a part-time job, that should be no problem at all. The city is full of college students, and most of the major employers understand a school/work schedule. I'd start with the big chains first - Starbucks, Barnes + Noble, The Gap and see which one is the most flexible (moving here in August or sooner also might not be a bad idea, if only to get a jump on everyone else who'll be arriving in September).

The last thing you need to know is that New York really isn't as gigantic as it seems. To the people who live here, it's really just a series of tiny towns right up against one another. People here see their neighborhood as a small, self-contained town in the larger city. So for myself, Brooklyn Heights is my neighborhood, my town, and that's where I live. The dry cleaner knows me, the bartender around the corner calls me by name, the local diner always clears a spot for me at the counter. That's how it really is to live in New York, you live in your little corner of it, and venture into the bigger city when you want.

Best of luck to you. You're about to have the time of your life.

Answer 4

I moved to Manhattan when I was 18. So this is my advice for a young woman.

The city is safer now than it was when I moved here, but if you were my sister, I would counsel you this way, being on the safe side:
-- Always have enough cash on you to take a cab. Don't take the subway at night after 10 by yourself.
-- Don't walk home drunk by yourself (or with a man you don't know very well)
-- Learn to tell good blocks from sketchy blocks... in general, stay on the more populated blocks night and day.
-- Pick up Pepper spray (if you can find it) from a sports supply/ hunting store.

NYC is a great place with tons going on. It's very easy to get work here, and the $ is good for waitressing, babysitting ($15 /hr!), etc. You won't have a problem with that. However, it is expensive to pay rent. There are a lot of free/cheap activities in Brooklyn and Manhattan -- check out the colleges, like BAM (Brooklyn Academy of Music), Lincoln Center, etc.

Good luck. If you like NY you'll have a hard time leaving!

Answer 5

Metro cards are $78 for the montly unlimited. Still well worth it. $800 might be ok, depends where in Brooklyn. Yes, some apartment have mice / rats, some have roaches. You will probably at least meet a roach once in a while.
Part time jobs are easy to get since retail stores need alot of help.
You should probably send your items (clothing etc,) via UPS ground. Its cheaper than any other way.