Help! Need to find an apartment in NY (Howard: for rent, transfer)

[char294]

Hi everyone. I would really appreciate any suggestions as to my situation. I just accepted a job in NY, however, I will only be making about 1500/mo and I need a place to live. I am presently in SC and do not have any idea where a good place to live for a single female. I can commute, as long as the subways run early in the morning, and I have short walk to the subway; however, a shorter commute would be much better. I just need a room with bath and kitchen; an efficiency would be great and Queens would be ideal because I need to be near the airport. I am on my own so have no other financial help. Any ideas?
Thank for any suggestions.

[Amisi]

You can probably find a studio for $950 a month in the areas close to the airport. Which airport? JFK or LGA?

[char294]

Thank you for your response.
I will be at JFK, working in 2- 2.5 hr shifts. So it would be nice not to have too long a commute.

[annerk]

Is that $1500 before taxes? if so, the most you can afford is about $500 a month in rent. You wouldn't even be able to pay rent and utilities for a $950/month place if your gross is $1500, let alone eat and pay transit costs.

[Chava61]

Originally Posted by char294

Hi everyone. I would really appreciate any suggestions as to my situation. I just accepted a job in NY, however, I will only be making about 1500/mo and I need a place to live. I am presently in SC and do not have any idea where a good place to live for a single female. I can commute, as long as the subways run early in the morning, and I have short walk to the subway; however, a shorter commute would be much better. I just need a room with bath and kitchen; an efficiency would be great and Queens would be ideal because I need to be near the airport. I am on my own so have no other financial help. Any ideas?
Thank for any suggestions.

Subways run 24/7 in NYC. If you are working at JFK you can probably find a small studio apt. in the Kew Gardens area to suit your needs.

[Miss J 74]

Originally Posted by annerk

Is that $1500 before taxes? if so, the most you can afford is about $500 a month in rent. You wouldn't even be able to pay rent and utilities for a $950/month place if your gross is $1500, let alone eat and pay transit costs.

This.

You would need to find a roommate situation or a furnished room. You can check into Howard Beach, Ozone Park or Briarwood. But if you're talking $1500 a month before taxes, it will be extremely rough to pull off.

[Henna]

I voted no because I don't think it's a good idea to try to make it alone in NYC on only $18,000 a year, although I'm sure it's been done.

[Henna]

Btw, if you're going to go for it anyway, here is the link to rooms for rent in Queens between $400 and $500. You have to read the ads to make sure this amount is per month and not per week. new york rooms & shares classifieds - craigslist $400-$500 Queens

Also, many of the rooms that cheap will probably not be walking distance to a subway -- they will probably be walking distance to a bus which would then get you to a subway. In terms of cost, this doesn't cost any more than being near a subway since there is a free bus to subway or subway to bus transfer if you are using a Metrocard.

[char294]

I want to thank you all so much for your suggestions. I know it is going to be a rough haul with such little income but I really want to work in NY. Fortunately, I am extremely frugal and I hope I will make it on my own. I know I will have to find another job to supplement my income but I won't be able to do that for a month or so. Btw the 1500 is before taxes!

[annerk]

You will not have a choice but to be in a roommate situation, and probably not all that close to the airport. After Sandy, housing near JFK is beyond tight.