I just started my job in greenwich about a month ago, and here's what my monthly income/expense looks like: Income: $5000 - salary $130 - interest/dividend income Total: $5130 Expenses: $1700 - rent, 1 bedroom apt $11.16 - carry cost of security deposit $300 - utilities $1380.62 - Tax (Filing status: Single, 2 exemptions) $500 - food and alcohol $10 - Gas (only takes me about 60 seconds to drive to/from work) $100 - Car Insurance $300 - Allowance for other misc. expenses Total: 4301.78 0 saving for 401k, as my company's plan is a piece of shit (ironic considering it's a hedge fund) Net: 828.22 Damn this place is expensive. I swear, the supermarket here jacked up the price like 20 - 30% just because it's greenwich, and gasoline even costs like 10% more! If I had to pay any student loans, or I was working a regular job (I work ~ 11 hrs / day now for a hedge fund), I'd probably be deep in the red for monthly PnL just on basic living expenses.
Cut back on the booze and you'll probably break the $1000 mark. And go dutch. Snatch is easier to get these days witout having to wine and dine it.
You work your balls off...11 hrs a day for a HF and they aren't making it worth your while??? (equty, profit sharing, big bux, 401k etc.) What gives?
cause there are 1000s of other high IQ gambler types to plug in if/when demoship gets a case of the dt's and cant make the mile drive to work.
Have two friends that work in Greenwich. One lives in Danbury, the other in Westport. Rents are cheaper, no gas/food markups, commute isn't that bad either. Norwalk is even cheaper I imagine. Hang in there for a few years and absorb absolutely everything. If after that time they aren't giving you adequate raises/bonuses, consider parting ways and getting your MFE. With CS undergrad, >3 years working for a HF, and MFE, you'll be heavily sought after.
I would tend to agree, although Westport can be fairly expensive as well. I lived in Westport for 4 years and loved being near the Beach. It's a Family type setting, but the Beach community at Compo Beach attracts a lot of young people during the summer. The same is true for Norwalk. A much younger crowd and tons of bars to hang at. Only 125 miles up to Newport, Rhode Island too, which happens to be one of my favorite places in the world. Do yourself a favor and get out of Greenwich! Try Westport. Leave your car at home and simply hop on the Metro-North train down a few stops to Greenwich. You can read the paper and enjoy a cup of coffee during your ride. You don't have to hassle with traffic and poor weather on I-95 and you'd be surprised how many new "friends" you can make at the Station seeing each other day after day . . . You should be able to cut your rent in Westport (or Norwalk) by $500-$700 per month. As a resident, you also get free use of Longshore Country Club, the golf course there along with the tennis and paddle tennis courts. Therer's a nice patio bar behind the clubhouse/restaurant with a view of the water and it serves as a huge "meeting" place when the weather turns nice in Spring and Summer. Lots of women at the Patio Bar at Longshore and decent live music too. Your residency also gives you a parking sticker that allows you free parking at the beach. You can always "mingle" with people after work in Greenwich at a couple of the local watering holes . . . But living in Westport will be cheaper and give you a greater social outlet as well. Good Luck.
room for rent in rooming house om Stamford - $700 (craigslist.org, roommates.com, newspaper, etc.) - get out of the 1br. Also cuts your utilities by half or so costco/walmart instead of eating out and pricey , take your lunch to work - cut your food bill a lot in other words, stop spending it all and you will triple your net. You might "deserve" it living that way, but you cant have both and 60 second drive will kill your car earlier. lots of short cold drives are bad for car.