Welsh & moving to NYC in Jan 2020 - advice?
Sep 15th 2019, 3:57 pm
#16
Account Closed
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 2
Re: Welsh & moving to NYC in Jan 2020 - advice?
Do you appreciate how long you would need to wait before you can work.
I assumed servers made that in NYC.
I assumed servers made that in NYC.
Sep 15th 2019, 3:57 pm
#17
DE-UK-NZ-IE-US... the TYP
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 2,855
Re: Welsh & moving to NYC in Jan 2020 - advice?
I was at a NYC Wagamama a while back and was surprised to hear servers with English accents, but from an employers point of view it makes sense... they probably have high turnover, so having someone tied to a visa stops them hopping to another job.
Also they would want staff that have experience with the product for consistency, salary seems to fit with a Sous chef there, it would make sense to be one of the UK “fast casual” chains:
https://www.indeed.com/cmp/Wagamama/salaries
Last edited by tht; Sep 15th 2019 at 3:59 pm.
Sep 15th 2019, 4:00 pm
#18
Deep in the woods of CT
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 7,002
Re: Welsh & moving to NYC in Jan 2020 - advice?
Probably because they don’t work 9-5, they probably work from 8am till after midnight with a couple of hours break at some point.
I was at a NYC Wagamama a while back and was surprised to hear servers with English accents, but from an employers point of view it makes sense... they probably have high turnover, so having someone tied to a visa stops them hopping to another job.
Also they would want staff that have experience with the product for consistency, salary seems to fit with. Sous chef there:
https://www.indeed.com/cmp/Wagamama/salaries
Sep 15th 2019, 4:02 pm
#19
DE-UK-NZ-IE-US... the TYP
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 2,855
Re: Welsh & moving to NYC in Jan 2020 - advice?
Last edited by tht; Sep 15th 2019 at 4:04 pm.
Sep 15th 2019, 4:13 pm
#23
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Re: Welsh & moving to NYC in Jan 2020 - advice?
This recent cnbc article reckons it takes an income of $350k/year for a family of 4 to live a “middle class” life in NYC.
https://www.cnbc.com/2019/09/11/you-...heres-why.html
https://www.cnbc.com/2019/09/11/you-...heres-why.html
Sep 15th 2019, 4:51 pm
#24
Forum Regular
Joined: May 2016
Posts: 97
Re: Welsh & moving to NYC in Jan 2020 - advice?
As ludicrous as 55k is, I think the numbers being thrown around in the last couple of posts are a bit silly too. Pulaski may well have lived in NYC, but 200k minimum is a bit hyperbolic. A young couple can make it work on 130-150 pretty easily, and a single person with that income will be very comfortable, unless they want to live in TriBeCa or somewhere like that. Any less than that, and it’d start to get uncomfortable, but still somewhat doable. I had a bonus, but my annual base was only slightly over 100k and I was fine there as a single person, lived in a small 1 bed in Williamsburg, had a very active social life, went home frequently etc
The 350k figure is just stupid. Perhaps for private school, Manhattan, multiple vacations etc...but it’s still a relatively small portion of the population who’ll have that kind of income. Obviously 350 isn’t ‘live wherever and do whatever you want’ kind of money, but it’s still very good. The idea that 350 is any kind of benchmark is silly.
Whenever these threads show up, it always ends up veering into ‘omg you need 400k minimum or you’ll be on the streets!!!’ territory. There is a happy medium.
The 350k figure is just stupid. Perhaps for private school, Manhattan, multiple vacations etc...but it’s still a relatively small portion of the population who’ll have that kind of income. Obviously 350 isn’t ‘live wherever and do whatever you want’ kind of money, but it’s still very good. The idea that 350 is any kind of benchmark is silly.
Whenever these threads show up, it always ends up veering into ‘omg you need 400k minimum or you’ll be on the streets!!!’ territory. There is a happy medium.
Sep 15th 2019, 4:53 pm
#25
Deep in the woods of CT
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 7,002
Re: Welsh & moving to NYC in Jan 2020 - advice?
As ludicrous as 55k is, I think the numbers being thrown around in the last couple of posts are a bit silly too. Pulaski may well have lived in NYC, but 200k minimum is a bit hyperbolic. A young couple can make it work on 130-150 pretty easily, and a single person with that income will be very comfortable, unless they want to live in TriBeCa or somewhere like that. Any less than that, and it’d start to get uncomfortable, but still somewhat doable. I had a bonus, but my annual base was only slightly over 100k and I was fine there as a single person, lived in a small 1 bed in Williamsburg, had a very active social life, went home frequently etc
The 350k figure is just stupid. Perhaps for private school, Manhattan, multiple vacations etc...but it’s still a relatively small portion of the population who’ll have that kind of income. Obviously 350 isn’t ‘live wherever and do whatever you want’ kind of money, but it’s still very good. The idea that 350 is any kind of benchmark is silly.
Whenever these threads show up, it always ends up veering into ‘omg you need 400k minimum or you’ll be on the streets!!!’ territory. There is a happy medium.
The 350k figure is just stupid. Perhaps for private school, Manhattan, multiple vacations etc...but it’s still a relatively small portion of the population who’ll have that kind of income. Obviously 350 isn’t ‘live wherever and do whatever you want’ kind of money, but it’s still very good. The idea that 350 is any kind of benchmark is silly.
Whenever these threads show up, it always ends up veering into ‘omg you need 400k minimum or you’ll be on the streets!!!’ territory. There is a happy medium.
Last edited by Nutmegger; Sep 15th 2019 at 5:25 pm. Reason: Phone rang before I'd finished my thought!
Sep 15th 2019, 5:30 pm
#26
DE-UK-NZ-IE-US... the TYP
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 2,855
Re: Welsh & moving to NYC in Jan 2020 - advice?
When I moved to NYC in 2010 I rented my first place in the EV for $1,650 a month with no fee. No credit was the issue so I just did a 3 month rental and paid it all up front, so 4 months total with deposit. That was a wing 2 bed, but I used the larger bedroom as the living / guest room. My bedroom fit a double bed but that blocked opening the closet. The place I rented from had a studio today for $2,200, up in Harlem, that’s still Manhattan: Short term rental apartments in NYC | Nofeerentals.com
Also compared to other places most buildings in NY include heat and water etc, I only had to pay electric and cable (which is optional) and there is plenty of open WiFi in some buildings.
Way back in the day when I lived in London, I had friends who worked in hospitality, they all seemed to share flats, I had 1 friend who had 6 people in a 2 bed with people in the living room and sharing bed rooms, they all seems to go out drinking after work and he places that had deals for people who worked in the industry, they also often go free meals at work.
Also compared to other places most buildings in NY include heat and water etc, I only had to pay electric and cable (which is optional) and there is plenty of open WiFi in some buildings.
Way back in the day when I lived in London, I had friends who worked in hospitality, they all seemed to share flats, I had 1 friend who had 6 people in a 2 bed with people in the living room and sharing bed rooms, they all seems to go out drinking after work and he places that had deals for people who worked in the industry, they also often go free meals at work.
Sep 15th 2019, 7:42 pm
#27
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Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 1,157
Re: Welsh & moving to NYC in Jan 2020 - advice?
I wish people wouldn't throw around numbers like $200K or the preposterous $350K. How are new posters supposed to take anything they read on BE seriously if these kind of fantasy land numbers keep being thrown around??
NYC is home to a huge cross-section of people, from most walks of life. There are thriving art, music, theatre, dance, etc. communities -- do people really think they just all live in abject poverty?? It is possible to live a decent existence on modest wages here. No, you won't have two cars (wtf you would do with ONE car let alone TWO here is beyond me) and you will almost certainly need to leave your building to do your laundry. But that is hardly living in squalor.
There are decent groceries to be had, at non-extortionate prices, once you leave Manhattan, which means feeding yourself can be quite economical. As for eating out, there are wonderful options at all price points, more so than anywhere else I have been in this country. No, you won't be eating steak in the City, but you can get delicious, authentic examples of most cuisines from around the world; it is not so difficult to find non-fast-food dinner for two for $30.
As has been said already: the OP needs to find out about the health insurance situation. I would also recommend asking whether this job is "exempt" (i.e., exempt from overtime) and looking at the estimated hours per week. My first job here was low-paying, exempt, with high base hours, which made for a particularly terrible deal.
NYC is home to a huge cross-section of people, from most walks of life. There are thriving art, music, theatre, dance, etc. communities -- do people really think they just all live in abject poverty?? It is possible to live a decent existence on modest wages here. No, you won't have two cars (wtf you would do with ONE car let alone TWO here is beyond me) and you will almost certainly need to leave your building to do your laundry. But that is hardly living in squalor.
There are decent groceries to be had, at non-extortionate prices, once you leave Manhattan, which means feeding yourself can be quite economical. As for eating out, there are wonderful options at all price points, more so than anywhere else I have been in this country. No, you won't be eating steak in the City, but you can get delicious, authentic examples of most cuisines from around the world; it is not so difficult to find non-fast-food dinner for two for $30.
As has been said already: the OP needs to find out about the health insurance situation. I would also recommend asking whether this job is "exempt" (i.e., exempt from overtime) and looking at the estimated hours per week. My first job here was low-paying, exempt, with high base hours, which made for a particularly terrible deal.
Sep 15th 2019, 9:35 pm
#28
Deep in the woods of CT
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 7,002
Re: Welsh & moving to NYC in Jan 2020 - advice?
I wish people wouldn't throw around numbers like $200K or the preposterous $350K. How are new posters supposed to take anything they read on BE seriously if these kind of fantasy land numbers keep being thrown around??
NYC is home to a huge cross-section of people, from most walks of life. There are thriving art, music, theatre, dance, etc. communities -- do people really think they just all live in abject poverty?? It is possible to live a decent existence on modest wages here. No, you won't have two cars (wtf you would do with ONE car let alone TWO here is beyond me) and you will almost certainly need to leave your building to do your laundry. But that is hardly living in squalor.
There are decent groceries to be had, at non-extortionate prices, once you leave Manhattan, which means feeding yourself can be quite economical. As for eating out, there are wonderful options at all price points, more so than anywhere else I have been in this country. No, you won't be eating steak in the City, but you can get delicious, authentic examples of most cuisines from around the world; it is not so difficult to find non-fast-food dinner for two for $30.
As has been said already: the OP needs to find out about the health insurance situation. I would also recommend asking whether this job is "exempt" (i.e., exempt from overtime) and looking at the estimated hours per week. My first job here was low-paying, exempt, with high base hours, which made for a particularly terrible deal.
NYC is home to a huge cross-section of people, from most walks of life. There are thriving art, music, theatre, dance, etc. communities -- do people really think they just all live in abject poverty?? It is possible to live a decent existence on modest wages here. No, you won't have two cars (wtf you would do with ONE car let alone TWO here is beyond me) and you will almost certainly need to leave your building to do your laundry. But that is hardly living in squalor.
There are decent groceries to be had, at non-extortionate prices, once you leave Manhattan, which means feeding yourself can be quite economical. As for eating out, there are wonderful options at all price points, more so than anywhere else I have been in this country. No, you won't be eating steak in the City, but you can get delicious, authentic examples of most cuisines from around the world; it is not so difficult to find non-fast-food dinner for two for $30.
As has been said already: the OP needs to find out about the health insurance situation. I would also recommend asking whether this job is "exempt" (i.e., exempt from overtime) and looking at the estimated hours per week. My first job here was low-paying, exempt, with high base hours, which made for a particularly terrible deal.
Sep 16th 2019, 12:55 am
#29
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Joined: Oct 2011
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Re: Welsh & moving to NYC in Jan 2020 - advice?
I've heard that from someone else, but always difficult to know what 'comfortable' means to other people. Currently I'm in London (also a ridiculously expensive city) on around £28k pa and for me that is really liveable at this stage in my life. My husband is on £45k in the UK and has been told he'll be on a comparable salary in the US, but that hasn't been completely confirmed yet. Good to know we should probably try to negotiate if poss anyway.
This may be wrong - but from your posts it looks like you're expecting life in the US will at least afford you a standard of living equivalent to what you now enjoy in the UK.
And that the amenities, indulgences and pleasures you can afford - (modest tho' they may be) - will be affordable in NY.
But keep in mind that to maintain that standard of living - you and your husband rely upon your combined salaries of £73k (don't you?).
As a couple, if you suddenly had to depend upon your husband's salary alone - could you (as a couple) continue to afford your current London life style?
Could you maintain the standard of living you now enjoy - if your total annual income was reduced to just £45k?
And if the answer is NO - then I'd suggest you not make this move !
Unless your OH is offered a base salary of :
£73k (which is your combined current total income ) ....
x 2 (this is the suggested doubling of current income - necessary to achieve an equivalent uk / us lifestyle when moving from London to NY) =
£146k TOTAL = ~ $180,000
(and this figure doesn't even address the serious issue of Medical Insurance costs etc.)
Lots of numbers have been thrown around in this thread. It's easy to get confused.
I am not saying one must earn $180,000 pa to live in NY
I am saying that to approximate your current London living standard - that is what you would need.
Also...keep in mind - furnished rentals in NY are few and far between.
So in addition to the expenses you'll face for security deposits and possible broker or rental agent fees, utility deposits, etc. - you will have the additional costs for furnishing the rental and buying the necessary kitchen basics (maybe the restaurant can make a house-warming contribution
) etc.I hope you'll be able to embark on what could be a great adventure - but also hope you turn it down if it's not affordable.
And, with the current salary offer - it's definitely not!
Sep 16th 2019, 2:23 pm
#30
Concierge
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 46,387
Re: Welsh & moving to NYC in Jan 2020 - advice?
As ludicrous as 55k is, I think the numbers being thrown around in the last couple of posts are a bit silly too. Pulaski may well have lived in NYC, but 200k minimum is a bit hyperbolic. A young couple can make it work on 130-150 pretty easily, and a single person with that income will be very comfortable, unless they want to live in TriBeCa or somewhere like that. Any less than that, and it’d start to get uncomfortable, but still somewhat doable. I had a bonus, but my annual base was only slightly over 100k and I was fine there as a single person, lived in a small 1 bed in Williamsburg, had a very active social life, went home frequently etc
The 350k figure is just stupid. Perhaps for private school, Manhattan, multiple vacations etc...but it’s still a relatively small portion of the population who’ll have that kind of income. Obviously 350 isn’t ‘live wherever and do whatever you want’ kind of money, but it’s still very good. The idea that 350 is any kind of benchmark is silly.
Whenever these threads show up, it always ends up veering into ‘omg you need 400k minimum or you’ll be on the streets!!!’ territory. There is a happy medium.
The 350k figure is just stupid. Perhaps for private school, Manhattan, multiple vacations etc...but it’s still a relatively small portion of the population who’ll have that kind of income. Obviously 350 isn’t ‘live wherever and do whatever you want’ kind of money, but it’s still very good. The idea that 350 is any kind of benchmark is silly.
Whenever these threads show up, it always ends up veering into ‘omg you need 400k minimum or you’ll be on the streets!!!’ territory. There is a happy medium.