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Hi, fairly new around here but been lurking the NYC board for a while. I'm considering applying to an internship that has a location on Staten Island at Fort Wadsworth. It would be unpaid, but I'd receive both housing and 3 meals/day in lieu of pay.
Planning on a budget of $3000, on the low end to be safe, probably as high as $3700-$4000 depending on what my student loan amount totals out to. Would that be enough to "live a little" in the city, explore the boroughs, eat out every now and then, see a show sometime? I'm not a big partier but imagine I'll test the nightlife a time or two!
I have been to NYC once and absolutely loved it. Never made it out of Manhattan though, sadly. I understand that the only non-vehicle transport from Staten Island to Manhattan is the SI Ferry (free, always a perk!)--is it easy to use and access? I'm also considering taking my car, mainly for a few Saturdays of skiing in the Poconos or upstate NY and maybe one or two weekends to NH/VT/ME...is having a car worth it? Have no desire to drive it into Manhattan or anything like that.
So essentially....3 questions: Budget good/bad, high/low? Car? Access to the rest of the city, as SI seems a little "cutoff" from the other 4 boroughs? I appreciate any responses and have been hoping to spend an extended time (this would be about 4 months) in NYC. Also open to any tips, suggestions, ideas for saving money in the city, etc. THANK YOU!!
If I were moving to Staten Island, I would want a car. But first, you should find out what the parking situation is where you will be living. Ask if there is on-street parking and whether there are alternate side regulations. (On many city streets there are signs on both sides that post one or more times per week that you cannot be parked there because of street cleaning). The one thing you do not want to add on to your costs is a parking garage or tickets.
How accessible is the job/housing location to the ferry?
Have you looked at the location on google maps/ street view?
If you're careful with money, you should be fine with that amount of spending money. Some attractions can be expensive, whereas many are free, so it's a balance between the two for non-work, touristy things to do. Clubs and bars in Manhattan can eat a lot of your disposable income, as in a couple of hundred per night, so I'd watch that a bit, but since meals are covered, that's a great plus.
I agree that you need to find out the parking situation where you would stay, since a parking ticket, or worse, tow/impound redemption and ticket will eat a large proportion of your funds. The car can come in handy, but only if you're able to keep it without tickets/hassles. Also, the tolls would eat into your funds, and I'd definitely recommend getting an E-Z Pass transmitter if you do not have one already, both for the time/fuel savings at toll plazas, and for the discounted tolls.
Fort Wadsworth is only a couple of miles from the ferry terminal at St. George, and you could take the bus to get to the terminal in a few minutes. It would be less expensive, by far, than driving, or than taking the express bus from Staten Island to Manhattan. Once across the harbor, you could take the subway anywhere you'd need to go in Manhattan. You'd probably do best with an unlimited monthly MetroCard if you plan to extensively use the subways and bus during your visit. It would be $89/month, as of now.
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All the world's a stage, and all the men and women merely players: they have their exits and their entrances; and one man in his time plays many parts, his acts being seven ages.
~William Shakespeare (As You Like It Act II, Scene VII)
Thanks for the info on the subway and the monthly pass card! I'm still in the very early planning phases of gathering a list of places to apply to, and this is pretty much at the top because I love the NYC atmosphere and the internship role.
From what I understand on the website, the housing would be on-base, as well as the parking. It'll certainly be one of my questions to ask if they offer the position. I'm totally comfortable on the subway, bus, mass transit, etc. and I've done it in other major cities and regularly ride the city bus where I go to school (although it's only a town of 30-40k!).
I'll probably do a ton of touristy sight-seeing while trying not to be the tourist that everyone points out to their friends! I like museums, would love to spend a few days checking out Central Park (didn't get to go last time we visited), want to see each of the boroughs, etc. I'm pretty excited about the chance to be there!
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