New York

Tusky

If I were to go to New York on a J1 for the summer, say May-July/August. How much money would I need to have when going over ? I have no idea and am looking for a rough figure. Maybe someone who has done it before ? I would of course, intend to work over there.

Charlie

How longs a piece of string......

Ah no, I did a J1 there last summer. I worked for the whole summer and actually managed to bring home a sizeable amount of cash.

However, when you first go over, you'll be haemorrhaging the Yankee dollar.

Ideally, you'll need to expect that for the first two weeks you may not be working. You'll also need enough for one months rent and the same amount again for the security deposit. Also, unless you have housing set-up before you go(which is very difficult) you should budget spending at least a week in a hostel. Of course, there's also general living expenses, food, and startup costs (pre-paid mobile numbers aren't free like here, household stuff, bed/mattress,)

Therefore I would say you'd need:

Hostel - $250

Rent + Security (this really depends on where you stay, and how many people are sharing, but roughly) - $900

General living costs + food until you work -$300 (that's on the lowside)

Startup costs (again, this depends on how fussy you are and whether your housing is furnished) - $200 (again, probably on the lowside. Mattresses are at the cheapest $125. Don't buy a blow-up bed, everyone in our house did and they were a waste we eventually shelled out for mattresses.)

Total $1650! :eek: :eek: Further, this doesn't really factor in booze and havin the craic early on, and some how hidden expenses always crop up, but $1650 will mean that you at least have a decent chance of making it work.

However that probably is a conservative estimate for the average J1er, but, if you get lucky with securing accommodation early (or better still before you go), and that is furnished and kitted out (rare enough) and securing a job early on (not working means yo find more ways to spend money you don't have) than those costs could be dramatically reduced.

However, you'd be foolish not to cover those bases before you go over and have to come home early.

I know it seems hefty, but New York is one of the few J1 destinations where you can make a ton of money for the summer and still have a great time. I was making between $800-$900 per week. So, if you get over early and snag a decent job, that small fortune that you bring over:(, will seem like a pittance when you're heading home .

New York is savage, please don't be put off by those figures.

Nutty

ive just priced my visa and flights at 1200

Tusky

charlie mchugh wrote: »

How longs a piece of string......

Ah no, I did a J1 there last summer. I worked for the whole summer and actually managed to bring home a sizeable amount of cash.

However, when you first go over, you'll be haemorrhaging the Yankee dollar.

Ideally, you'll need to expect that for the first two weeks you may not be working. You'll also need enough for one months rent and the same amount again for the security deposit. Also, unless you have housing set-up before you go(which is very difficult) you should budget spending at least a week in a hostel. Of course, there's also general living expenses, food, and startup costs (pre-paid mobile numbers aren't free like here, household stuff, bed/mattress,)

Therefore I would say you'd need:

Hostel - $250

Rent + Security (this really depends on where you stay, and how many people are sharing, but roughly) - $900

General living costs + food until you work -$300 (that's on the lowside)

Startup costs (again, this depends on how fussy you are and whether your housing is furnished) - $200 (again, probably on the lowside. Mattresses are at the cheapest $125. Don't buy a blow-up bed, everyone in our house did and they were a waste we eventually shelled out for mattresses.)

Total $1650! :eek: :eek: Further, this doesn't really factor in booze and havin the craic early on, and some how hidden expenses always crop up, but $1650 will mean that you at least have a decent chance of making it work.

However that probably is a conservative estimate for the average J1er, but, if you get lucky with securing accommodation early (or better still before you go), and that is furnished and kitted out (rare enough) and securing a job early on (not working means yo find more ways to spend money you don't have) than those costs could be dramatically reduced.

However, you'd be foolish not to cover those bases before you go over and have to come home early.

I know it seems hefty, but New York is one of the few J1 destinations where you can make a ton of money for the summer and still have a great time. I was making between $800-$900 per week. So, if you get over early and snag a decent job, that small fortune that you bring over:(, will seem like a pittance when you're heading home .

New York is savage, please don't be put off by those figures.

Excellent reply, thanks very much! I was actually expecting it to be more than that. What kind of jobs are available and what were you doing to be earning that much ?

Is accommodation hard to find ? I take it its easier the further outside the city you go.

Charlie

Good to hear that you expected it to be more than that as I was hoping that such a post wouldn't put you off. Some idiots head over with fook all thinking they'll land a job day 1 and be squatting for the whole summer.

Depends whether you're male or female. I'll give you a breakdown of the types of jobs me and m roomates were doing.

Myself and one other lad were doormen in apartment buildings in Manhattan. It pays about $15hr and then there's tips which are pretty decent. To get this job its pretty easy. You go to a managing agent ( I went to a company called Rose Associates) they interview you (but its more of screening test to make sure you're not an idiot) run a criminal background check and make you do a drugs test. I know it sounds a bit much, but its not. As long as know you'll pass a drugs test and have no criminal record, then you'll have a job. The managing agent then will send you down to one of the apartment buildings they manage. The job is piss easy and very enjoyable.

Three of the other lads were doing furniture moving. Seemed like a pretty easy job to get and it paid well, between $150-$200 per day, but it seemed like it was tough enough work. You're lugging and packing heavy furniture for 8 or so hours a day.

One of the other lads worked in Abercombie on 5th Avenue. he seemed to enjoy, and I imagine the work is relatively easy. But the money is **** (about $7 per hr and you only get about 25 hours a week, you do get a discount on clothes though) and the place is uber creepy, pumping trance music, in what i can only describe as a gay nightclub vibe.

A girl who lived with us did bar work. this seemed like a fairly decent job. Money is savage (barworkers rake it in with tips) and i imagine that the craic is fairly good in the Irish bars or if you're an Irish person working in an American bar. From what i heard though, to get this sorta job you have to be over earl late May-ish I guess.

As far as accommodation goes it is fairly tough, but I think it depends on the numbers. There was 8 of us so we needed to get a minimum of a 3 bed decent size apartment which is difficult. But form my experience of looking is that if you're looking for a place for 4 or lower it shouldn't be too hard. Craigslist.org is your friend.

We stayed in Woodside in Queens which I found to be a great area. Subway stop on your door and only 10 mins on it to Times Square. The area is mainly Irish in its shops and bars but, whilst there is some Irish living in the area, i wouldn't say its exclusively Irish by any means. However, its safe and there are plenty of shops and bars so I found it to be good. There are other Irish area in Queens that would be similar, Sunnyside and Maspeth, and these are near Woodside.

The other area that I have heard of Irish people staying in is Woodlawn in the Bronx, but I have no experience of it. It sounded good though. But you should be looking at areas like these in Queens and the Bronx as Manhattan will be too expensive.

However, do your research about what area you're gonna live in as parts of New York are carved up ethnically and, without sounding racist, you don't want to be the only white people living in certain areas, if you catch my drift. Therefore, Woodside and its surrounding areas (Maspeth, Sunnyside, Astoria) and Woodlawn should be the areas you should look at. Don't worry though, these places aren't paddy fests and you'll still get to meet some great people from all over the world and the states.

Hope that all helps. Would love to be going back .

greentoymonkey

Great post wish usit gave us this amount of info!! Do you know names of places or websites we could look up for work? did you make up a resumé?