NYCPHP Meetup

[wkamm at rvyriptide.org]

It's interesting to listen to all the opinions.  One says don't raise a
family in NYC, and one says it's the best thing.  It all depends on what
YOU want.  Personally, I grew up in central NJ and am still in the area. 
I don't get to NYC too often, but I have neighnors who commute every day. 
Some drive, but most take the train or bus.  Driving into the city every
day will become tiresome very quickly.  The train goes to Penn Station
(under Madison Square Garden); the bus goes to Port Authority (just across
the river from NJ).  Either way, you will need to get to the office from
there.  Probably take a subway.  The commute won't be short from central
Jersey, but I personally love the suburbs and would not want to live or
even work in the city.  You should go visit the Manhattan, visit the other
boroughs, visit northen NJ and central NJ.  If you look to the
Woodbridge/Edison/North Brunswick area, it's not too bad.  South
Brunwsick, East Brunswick, West Windsor, and Princeton are a little
further away, but are very nice areas.  And the public schools are great
compared to the urban areas.  You won't have to worry about where to park
your car at night.  You might even want to rent a house instead of an
apartment, and eventually buy one to build some equity.  Again, it all
depends on what you and your family want.  Don't necessarily go by what
any of us recommend, but take our advice into account when making up your
mind.  What part of VT are you from?  I think you will find that neither
NY nor NJ is anything like VT, but central Jersey is a lot closer.

As for salary, $65K is too low for living in the city.  Living in NJ, you
could do it, but remember that commuting is not too cheap either.  Now
here is another idea altogether.  Look for something in the Princeton area
and live in South Brunswick for example.  Princeton is expanding, with a
lot of new office space being built.  The salary they are offering you is
really a NJ salary, not a NY salary.

Bill


> I'll second all of that.  I spent half my childhood in the city and half
> in the suburbs and grew to hate the suburbs.  I still do.  I moved
> myself - and my kids - into the city as soon as I could, and I haven't
> regretted it for a second.  We're 2 blocks from a park, walking distance
> from a museum, a zoo, a lake... (we're in Brooklyn) plus a simple subway
> ride away from everything else the city has to offer.  I love it here,
> and they love being here.  Having said that, the suburbs do tend to be
> cheaper.
>
> When I first started out I had a family of 3 and managed to support us
> on $40k - we lived in NJ, rent was cheap, and the commute was long.  It
> was doable, if painfully threadbare at times.  $65k is tight, but you
> can do it.  I'd recommend more for a family of 5 - a few people have
> said $80k and I'd concur - but it's definitely doable.  It may not be
> entirely comfortable.
>
> Nicholas
>
>
> ________________________________
>
> 	From: talk-bounces at lists.nyphp.org
> [mailto:talk-bounces at lists.nyphp.org] On Behalf Of Edward Kozek
> 	Sent: Thursday, August 03, 2006 1:36 PM
> 	To: NYPHP Talk
> 	Subject: Re: [nycphp-talk] [OT] - NYC Salaries
>
>
> 	It'd be tough on $65K, anywhere within commuting distanct of
> NYC, unless you found a sweet deal on rent. In many neighborhoods you
> can just park on the street for free, so that isn't necessarily a
> required expense.
>
> 	As far as raising a family in NYC. I wouldn't want to raise a
> family anywhere else. I hated growing up in the burbs; I had very little
> exposure to different cultures/people/work/food/you name it. Here you
> get it all, and overall NYC is one of the safest cities in the world.
>
> 	/Ed
>
>
> 	On 8/3/06 1:20 PM, "LeeEyerman at aol.com" <LeeEyerman at aol.com>
> wrote:
>
>
>
> 		I LOVE NYC, and have partied there my whole youth.  It
> is the best place in the world to be single and completely alive.  I
> miss a lot about it, the food, the bars, the clubs, the parks, etc.  But
> I would never raise a family there, ever.
>
>
>
>
> ________________________________
>
> 		_______________________________________________
> 		New York PHP Community Talk Mailing List
> 		http://lists.nyphp.org/mailman/listinfo/talk
>
> 		NYPHPCon 2006 Presentations Online
> 		http://www.nyphpcon.com
>
> 		Show Your Participation in New York PHP
> 		http://www.nyphp.org/show_participation.php
>
>
>
>
>
>
> 	Edward Kozek, Director
> 	Right Media Inc. | 212 5th Avenue, 8th Floor | New York, NY
> 10010
> 	212.561.6483 | ekozek at rightmedia.com
> <mailto:ekozek at rightmedia.com> <mailto:ekozek at rightmedia.com>   |
> 	http://www.rightmedia.com <http://www.rightmedia.com>
> <http://www.rightmedia.com>
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> New York PHP Community Talk Mailing List
> http://lists.nyphp.org/mailman/listinfo/talk
>
> NYPHPCon 2006 Presentations Online
> http://www.nyphpcon.com
>
> Show Your Participation in New York PHP
> http://www.nyphp.org/show_participation.php
>