Have you ever lived a decent life in an expensive city on little money

[drachillix]

@DrDeth

For a brief time we were quite poor in Santa Monica. 30 years ago or so. I remember making a chicken last for three meals.

Me and a roomie used to live on big batches of chicken fried rice and or chili.

[Teacake]

*Making *a chicken last for three meals? How many of you are there? The two of us make a chicken last all week! Roast chicken, cold chicken (or warmed up slices in gravy) with bubble and squeak, stew, curry, fajitas, soup, salad, sandwiches… we do the same with any roast we have. It’s one of the ways I survived an annual income of £6000 in London as a student, then we managed to live on my starting salary of £17,001(!) also in London, and to thrive on 200 euros a week all over Europe. I vividly remember the feeling of triumph and relief the first time I saw a monthly payslip with four figures in the take-home column!

[DrDeth]

@Teacake

*Making *a chicken last for three meals? How many of you are there? The two of us make a chicken last all week! Roast chicken, cold chicken (or warmed up slices in gravy) with bubble and squeak, stew, curry, fajitas, soup, salad, sandwiches… we do the same with any roast we have. It’s one of the ways I survived an annual income of £6000 in London as a student, then we managed to live on my starting salary of £17,001(!) also in London, and to thrive on 200 euros a week all over Europe. I vividly remember the feeling of triumph and relief the first time I saw a monthly payslip with four figures in the take-home column!

You’re right- counting soup it was more.

[monstro]

@even_sven

I lived in DC as a grad student, rented a shabby room in a bad neighborhood cheap, and spent my pennies having fun and it was fine. But I also had zero responsibilities and knew my situation was temporary.

Also, while graduate school is tough, it’s not like working a low-paying job. I relied on public transit a lot while I was a poor grad student. If I was late getting to the lab because I missed the 8:00 express train, no biggie. I wasn’t going to be fired. Chances are no one would even know, because there was no clock to punch.

But most low-paying jobs are the kind where you will be fired if you show up late too many times. The difference between “late” and “on time” could be as small as five minutes. If you’re at the whims of public transit, you’re going to have to build an extra hour into your depature time in the morning just to mitigate against the occasional late bus or train. Which will make your life that more suckier.

Grad school also came with fringe benefits. Like free food at seminars.

[LavenderBlue]

I grew up in Brooklyn. I remember the summer I was fifteen. I took the train into Manhattan then went to see The Mystery of Edwin Drood for free in Central Park. Lunch was cheap stuff from the dollar store and fresh local fruit. So I had an entire day out complete with Broadway bound show for a few bucks. A day at the beach across the street was our main entertainment when I was a kid and it was free. My parents probably managed because they had a rent controlled apartment and my dad had a steady job as a mailman. Many people manage middle class in the region because they opt for places like Staten Island where housing is much cheaper. They also employ strategies like buying two family houses. A friend pays her entire housing costs that way. My husband started out by renting an apartment with a good friend of his right after college.

There are parts of the city where housing can be the only real difference. I’ve never noticed a true difference in prices between my local ShopRite and supermarkets I’ve visited in other places.