Small town girl moves to New York with $50 in her pocket and finds fame and success.
This is the fantasy of many. As the saying goes, “If you can make it here, you can make it anywhere.” Everyday, thousands arrive ready to for their dreams come true. As the newbies step off the bus, they pass thousands on the way out – those who have failed, given up, thrown in the towel, and walked away from the promise of it all. A very few stick it out and persevere, but most wither under the extreme pressure just to survive. What separates those who stay, from those just passing through? The answer is simple: it is all in the preparation, baby.
New Yorkers are hard workers. They have to be, because New York is one of the most expensive places to live in the United States. What the average New Yorker pays in rent (with a roommate, no less) is what other people pay for home mortgages. Surviving in this town without a trust fund is extremely tough, and most come to New York with just a few dollars in their pockets and very little resources. Survival is possible, but rare. The more money you have when you arrive, the easier it is to stay. So, for most of you, the best bet is to borrow funds from parents, hit up Grandma for cash, or work, work, work and save. For the rest of you – those who cannot wait, who have a fire burning inside, or just plain need to get out of the everyday rut that is small-town life – the following tips are for you. This is just the basics (food, shelter, desire), the rest you must discover for yourself. This is the common sense way to move to New York City on a shoestring budget:
- Know people – a lot of people. Roommate or no roommate, funds are required to get an apartment. The days when potential renters walked in off the street and were given a “lucky break” by landlords are long, long gone. But you do not have much money, remember? This is why you need to know people, so that you have some place to sleep until you earn enough to get an apartment. Contact distant relatives, old friends of your parents, acquaintances from college, anyone really, and ask to sleep on their sofa. Have a list of people and rotate out every two weeks (or less if your list is very long). This way, you can avoid strange bedfellows at the YMCA and not waste precious cash on “discount hotels”. The two-week rule will keep you from wearing out your welcome. New Yorkers understand survival, so most will be patient, but only if you are gracious and neat. Leave early, arrive late is the standard, and chip in wherever possible. Once you have enough money saved to rent somewhere (first/last month’s rent and security deposit), then you can afford to be a mess. Until then…
- Get a job, and work your ass off. Duh. This is really the first step. There is only one way to make money (without being a dancer at Scores or doing something illegal) – and that is to work, work, work. If you have any kind of college degree or office/clerical experience, go straight to a temp agency and sign up right away. Go to three or four agencies so that you stay in constant rotation. Temp agencies are found in the phone book and most phone books are free. Some temp agencies even offer health insurance (which you will need, eventually). Remember, you are poor and no job is beneath you. If you have book store experience, hit every single book store in town. Worked at The Gap as a teenager? Then find one (or all of them, and there are a bunch) and apply. Now. Right way. Do not wait for tomorrow. Perhaps you have big dreams to be a tap dancer, but first you have to fund your survival. Work, work, work. Take every single job that fits into a 24 hour day, and only discriminate if there is danger to your health or physical person. Seriously. Work makes you a better person and a richer person (not to mention a better artist). As a bonus, when you land a “steady” job, this will feel like a vacation.
- Have a goal and get started right away. You must have a reason for being in New York. If you do not have a goal or a dream, then you are lost and will fail. This is a harsh reality, but true. This goal/dream will keep you motivated when you are working a crappy job at a crappy company and cannot afford to do anything fun. It is too hard and too much of a struggle to be in NYC for giggles alone. If you are an actor, find an inexpensive (or free – they exist) workshop, or a non-paying role in a crappy off-off Broadway play (Queens is the better bet for a novice). If you are a writer, join a writing group. If you are a singer, find other singers. You need New York know-how in your chosen profession and this can only be acquired by meeting others like you. The easiest way is to explore Craigslist.com, Time Out New York, or the trade papers (they abound). The more people you meet, the more people you can ask, the more you will learn. This is the law of the world, by the way, not just New York. Fill every minute of your spare time. This will keep you happy and focused. Oh, and the minute you can afford a class, take a class.
- Find the cheap eats. Once upon a time, a pizza slice cost a mere buck. Those days are long gone, but pizza is still relatively inexpensive ($2.50 in most places). So are hot dogs, and just about all street food outside of Central Park and Times Square (note – NEVER eat here, only tourists do this). Take notes. If a place sells two sandwiches for the price of one after 7pm (this happens frequently, actually), then go there and buy two sandwiches. You have just fed yourself for two days. Find street vendors that sell a lot for a small amount of money (chicken over rice near Rockefeller Center is under $5 and VERY good), and the Chinese restaurant that sells egg rolls for $1. Get acquainted with the dollar menu at the fast food joint on the corner. You cannot afford to eat gourmet, or even nutritionally sound, so eat whatever you can, whenever you can. All of that New York City walking will keep you slim (or in the vicinity) until you can afford vegetables again. If you are desperate, potato chips and lettuce will keep you full, if not satisfied. Remember: you are surviving, not prospering (yet). You have no standards.
- Save every penny. Sounds standard, right? Surprisingly, this is the first mistake people make. Think you can afford those sunglasses? You cannot. How about a hardcover book? Nope. That top looks great? Too bad, unless it is for work. Obviously, there are times when money must be spent, but there are many more times when you should put the dollar back in your pocket and keep walking. While US Weekly may only cost $3.49, a hotdog and a bottle of water is $3. You can survive or move back home. Your choice.
- Know when to say goodbye. The greatest lesson to be learned is when to quit. The reason most people leave is because New York is just not for them. If you are this person, you will know sooner rather than later. Listen to your heart, buy a bus ticket, and memorize every detail of this adventure to tell your grandkids.
These steps may seem simple, but simple usually works best. Take it from an expert.
