Spending most of the stipend on housing?

[cowgirlsdontcry]

There was a post on GC recently with someone looking for a roommate in NYC. Was a nice apartment. Looked to have an outside patio. Seemed reasonable.

[IBLaw]

Currently law student - also own in Hoboken which is only 10 minutes from New York by Subway- beautiful green town with lots of restuataurants and cafes. If you are grad student and looking for a place to stay for a few days before, during or after semesters, check out my Airbnb- https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/19548773 . Let me know you heard it about it from this forum and I apply the 15% grad student student discount.  If you would also like to stay for a month or more, let know! 

 

 

[klader]

I live in a rural college town, and housing prices can be pretty expensive. I'll be paying $850/month plus water and electricity this school year, but I managed to only pay $420/month plus water and electricity last year. 

The way I'm stomaching it is that I paid 35% of my stipend on housing last year and will spend 70% of it on housing this year, making it 52.5% average so far. Next year (if I stay at the same school for my PhD) maybe I can move in an actual house with friends I've made while here. That can cut some costs, but I do enjoy living on my own, so I'm not going to beat myself up too much for it. 

You gotta do what you gotta do, even if it means spending more money/working hard in the summer to pay for it/taking out loans. 

[maelia8]

I agree with what's been posted previously - If you're in the Bay Area or New York, anything under $1000/month for a private room in a shared living situation is probably either a scam or comes with significant issues (very dangerous neighborhood, crumbling apartment, landlord renting illegally without a proper lease so as to avoid rent control, etc.). I pay roughly 65% of my annual income towards rent/utilities, and I have what would be considered a really great deal in a mid-tier Bay Area neighborhood very close to my campus. The only way to get something cheaper in regards to rent is to commute over an hour by car or (still not cheap) public transport, and it basically saves you nothing when the cost of parking in central downtown Bay Area cities is factored in. I think that shopping around if you're in a different market makes sense, but if you're in a market driven by insane demand, the competition is too tough to turn down places that aren't dirt cheap if you get someone willing to accept your offer on the place.

[Levon3]

On 6/26/2017 at 3:18 PM, amstu said:

NYU and Columbia pay at least 30,000$ in stipends.

This, of course, depends on your field. Columbia offered me exactly $0 in stipend, and most of my colleagues worked multiple jobs + took out loans to afford their PhDs. 

[orange turtle]

I'm not sure if this will help, but I was an international student living on a very tight budget. For what it's worth, I hope this helps:

1) Like @fuzzylogician, I wanted to say you need to take into account you're an international student. When I came to Canada as an international student, I had several costs I didn't budget for. One example was needing to renew my passport so that I could get back into the country if I had an emergency at home. I also had to budget for students visas and permits (entry and work). I don't know what the US system is like, but in Canada, international students have a limit on how much they can work, especially during the school year. So any thought of working to supplement my income was not as "easy'" as I had hoped for.

2) @fuzzylogician raises a good point about climate. I don't know which country you are coming from (if you mentioned it, sorry that I missed it!), but I came from a country that had a drastically different climate than what I moved to. Many of the clothing items I had thought I could live without, but eventually, after weeks of suffering, I had to cave and buy them. By that time, of course, I had little choice and just had to buy what was there (which usually means they are also very expensive). If you are moving to a winter area, I suggest buying a multilayer winter coat in a solid colour, like black. It is more expensive, but having the option to remove the layers during the fall and piling them back on in winter will save you money in the long run. I would also invest in a good pair of boots with a solid sole. I would also invest in some form of sun-glasses as snow can be blinding. Clothing in a different climate is not just about "fashion." I had to learn to wear different pants and dresses during the different seasons or I would either freeze or melt. The same went for my blanket!

Both points 1 and 2 aren't meant to scare you. I just want you to be prepared that there are costs you might not foresee.

I agree with the other posters that spending 75% of your income on housing is too much. However, sometimes you don't have a choice, like the examples @Lycaon pictus suggested. If this is you (i.e., no choice), then you have to find ways to save in other areas.

My university has an internal version of The Grad Cafe that students can post to post items that affect them, like finding shared housing and places to eat for cheap. They also have a "swap" program that students can use to exchange services or items, or buy items for cheap (e.g., from students graduating). Nobody really tells you these exist, so you might have to poke around.

If you are comfortable, perhaps you can also try speaking to your supervisor, especially if they are of the same gender? I mention this because sometimes, supervisors have stuff they can lend to you (e.g., a winter coat...so same gender helps), or can put you in touch with other students they know who had similar issues so you can swap items. Mine let me use her old bike to get to the lab while I was saving to buy one. I also knew one supervisor (not mine) who generously bought a simple study desk and chair for her student when she found out her student couldn't afford one. Some labs also have emergency funds their students can access, to be repaid in an agreed on date.

IF you can get away with it, take public transit (in Canada, you can claim transit on your taxes), bike, or carpool. Parking is a b**** on many campuses, and you also have to factor in gas, car maintenance and repair, and insurance. Some universities also have shuttles and carpool programs, so ask. Somebody somewhere can usually tell you.

You will be tempted to eat very cheap and stuff yourself completely with "bad" carbs to stay full. Unfortunately, that usually also means not so healthy. That won't help you finish school with the right frame of mind. As much as possible, avoid doing that. You don't have to eat organic and from high-end stores, but make simple, healthy choices as much as possible. I start my day with a good bowl of oatmeal and eggs--cheap and gives me my fiber and protein. I also make energy bars every week at a fraction of the cost of buying bars outside (look up energy bar recipes; many use dates as the base and a food processor). Usually, I can make bars for about $5 that last me the entire week. I vary it up by what I mix in, like peanut butter, coconut flakes, etc. Usually this means whatever is on sale. I eat fruits that are in season as they are cheaper. I sign up for the community garden and grow my own vegetables. Stuff like that. To figure this out, give yourself a few months where you scout out places to buy or make food at a fraction of the cost and what nourishes you in a way that lets you do your best in school.

Apply for all and any money you qualify for. The worst they can say is no.

I understand this can be difficult. But know that you are not alone. Also, going in with eyes wide open helps because there is nothing more stressful than being hit with something you weren't expecting. And stress does not help a student.

Good luck, from one international student to another.

 

[TakeruK]

4 minutes ago, orange turtle said:

1) Like @fuzzylogician, I wanted to say you need to take into account you're an international student. When I came to Canada as an international student, I had several costs I didn't budget for. One example was needing to renew my passport so that I could get back into the country if I had an emergency at home. I also had to budget for students visas and permits (entry and work). I don't know what the US system is like, but in Canada, international students have a limit on how much they can work, especially during the school year. So any thought of working to supplement my income was not as "easy'" as I had hoped for.

It's very different in the US. Most international students in the US cannot work extra at all because the TA or RA ship that is already funding them takes up all of the allowed work hours (as in the OP's case too). Generally, it's only unfunded students (i.e. no work assigned since no funding assigned) that can seek employment and it's already limited to on-campus work (e.g. work-study type programs). Off-campus work is only possible by using the special training statuses (OPT, CPT) and they would have to be related to your field of study (e.g. cannot work as a server to supplement income etc.)

There are some exceptions for extreme financial hardship where you could appeal to Immigration to waive your restrictions. But it seems like these are meant for something catastrophic to have happened after you arrived (e.g. you get very sick and lose your work assignment and/or have large bills you cannot pay otherwise). If you need this in order to make ends meet at the beginning, it's likely you wouldn't get admitted to the US on F-1 or J-1 status at all, since these require you to have the funds (whether through the school or personal funds) to pay expenses.

[orange turtle]

44 minutes ago, TakeruK said:

It's very different in the US. Most international students in the US cannot work extra at all because the TA or RA ship that is already funding them takes up all of the allowed work hours (as in the OP's case too). Generally, it's only unfunded students (i.e. no work assigned since no funding assigned) that can seek employment and it's already limited to on-campus work (e.g. work-study type programs). Off-campus work is only possible by using the special training statuses (OPT, CPT) and they would have to be related to your field of study (e.g. cannot work as a server to supplement income etc.)

That's what I mean. Because of the cap on the number of hours, I couldn't take on work outside my hours in the university. 

Sorry, I should have said "So any thought of working *outside my RA/TA hours* to supplement my income was not as "easy'" as I had hoped for."

[cowgirlsdontcry]

13 hours ago, TakeruK said:

It's very different in the US. Most international students in the US cannot work extra at all because the TA or RA ship that is already funding them takes up all of the allowed work hours (as in the OP's case too). Generally, it's only unfunded students (i.e. no work assigned since no funding assigned) that can seek employment and it's already limited to on-campus work (e.g. work-study type programs). Off-campus work is only possible by using the special training statuses (OPT, CPT) and they would have to be related to your field of study (e.g. cannot work as a server to supplement income etc.)

American students with funding and a stipend who work 20 hours per week cannot work additional hours on campus either without permission from their department. Honestly, by the time, I figure out my office hours, and add in teaching schedule plus my own class time, I don't know when I would be able to work any additional jobs unless it was in the middle of the night when I should be sleeping because when I get home, I still have to do close reading for classes and grade papers (I will be teaching English Composition 101 and there's lots of writing). 

[MastersHoping]

I am also a Ph.D student. I know that we're super busy and all, but if you want some extra work that you don't have to report to your university and you're a native English speaker from Canada or the USA, check out this company:

[[Mod note: referral link to an online english language teaching company removed, send a PM to this poster if you want their link]]

You can make around $20 an hour working online. I figured out a way to get $25 an hour recently. It's done at your convenience and it's quite fun. It has helped me out quite a bit - maybe you'd be interested? Even just working 3 hours a week can get you an extra $250 - $300 a month. 

Let me know if you are interested or if anyone else reading this is interested. Full disclosure: The link I posted is my personal referral link. If you choose to use it, I do get a small, modest bonus but it doesn't affect you either way whether you choose to use it or not. 

 

Edited August 16, 2017 by TakeruK
see note above

[meep95]

On 6/15/2017 at 9:00 AM, Beezwax said:

Hi guys,

i see many discussions about budgets, and I am facing a similar problem as an enrolling student to a PhD program. I would really appreciate all of your help/ advice. 

To introduce myself briefly, I am an international student who will be studying in the US for the first time, and this means many things:

1) Have hard time grasping the local situation/ making sense of things at the moment 

2) Cannot work more than 20 hours due to my visa status, so even if I need money to work more in the campus, I cannot (the uni has already designated my 20 hour worth TA work)

3) Most importantly, I could not find other options for housing, especially the options outside the campus. Tried craigslist but failed due to many unresponsive landowners, and there weren't many houses/ apartments available (at least on craigslist) near my campus area anyway. 

(I am a fully funded PhD student, but my stipend is clearly not enough considering the living expenses of the area. )

In the end, I decided to go for in-campus residences, at least just for the first year. The apartment that the school is offering seems to be clean, safe and decent, and I am pretty content with it. Since i do not have any sense of direction/ knowledge of the area, I feel secure about living inside the campus.  

 

However, the school just updated the rate this year and it's ridiculously expensive--in fact, it is almost equivalent to 3/4 of the stipend that I will be receiving in my first year. 

 

Now, I am prepared to lead a thrifty lifestyle. I don't eat a lot, I am ready to control my shopping habits, and I will bring most of the stuff from home (clothes, books, etc). I also have some money that I saved from doing many part-time jobs in the past, and I am ready to spend it if necessary.

 But then, spending 3/4 on housing seems a bit too much. I can't grasp, as of now, the things i will need in the process of settling down and living a life as a Ph.D. student. 

Am I making a terrible choice here? Should I try every other option (can't think of one now, but I may be able to find one until August) that is cheaper and affordable? 

I feel really lost  

 

has no one else mentioned looking outside of craigslist? I read through everything and didn't see it. When finding my apartment (and i was looking from several states away so I couldnt visit anywhere), I googled "apartment complexes in City, State" and then narrowed down my list by cost, floor plans, utilities provided, and how close it was to campus. I asked my future advisor to put me in contact with current students to see if they had suggestions on what the better places to live were or if they knew of anything lower cost. Also, apartmentlist.com is nice because you fill in what things you want and it lists all apartments that have those things. 

(For anyone still looking for apartments i would definitely recommend apartment list, its the only website I found that factors in commute time different ways (bus, bike, car, etc.) and you can select amenities you do/dont care about. )

My stipend is pretty small as well (although my assistantship covers health insurance so that helps), and even with finding the lowest cost apartment in the area that wouldn't put me in an unsafe neighborhood, it will be about 2/3 of my monthly stipend before utilities. However, I don't have a car (I bike everywhere) and will have low costs otherwise. I hope its not too late, but maybe some of my suggestions for finding a cheaper place will help ?

Edited August 26, 2017 by meep95