Small Salary Living In The City

Amanda Ernst is dancing for pennies as the new editor of Mediabistro's Fishbowl NY. This morning she appeared on the Today Show with her financial guru, telling the tale of how she went from making $50K/year at Condé Nast to just $1,666/month (about $20K/year) at the house of Laurel Touby. Livin' the dream. Some tips: cut out your gym membership, New York Times subscription, and social life whilst earning extra bucks babysitting.

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By Jen Carlson in News on October 12, 2009 2:46 PM

Comments [rss]

bluerain

There are grad student salaries that pay more than $20k. And they get "tuition"

debra88

I'm glad that Mediabistro is finally making the press for paying low salaries. I have a friend who was recently employed @ Jupiter Media (parent co. of Mediabistro), and said even the sales positions there are a joke salary wise.

Teddie Boy Eddie

Yeah, but at least Touby made her millions off of such a "useful" resource.

emilydickinson

Just informed by the nice folks @PRNewser that she's a freelancer. That changes the whole story, because that represents only her partial salary, as she is probably taking other paying gigs as well.

Mr Mel

And doesn't have much, if anything deducted from her paycheck or better yet is being paid in cash. That could make 50K feel like 65.

TT

does "living in the city" mean manhattan? cause $50k would barely cover it unless she saves nothing.

idiolect

Really? I'm living in manhattan pretty comfortably for about 36K (and could probably make it on 30, but not much less). Living expenses go down a fair amount if you're happy without a doorman, actually cooking your own food, not buying shit you don't actually need, etc. It's still expensive, but 50K seems like a crazy huge amount to designate as a *minimum* to me.

(Note: I don't have to support anyone else; I suppose if I had a kid I'd definitely want at least 50K).

TKaisen

I'm going to assume you have no extraneous expenses, because any student loan would crush that.

jibbly

$36K gross? I have to ask, how many roommates do you have, how much is rent, and is your apt in the upper boonies of Manhattan where it takes 45 minutes to get downtown?

idiolect

East Village, small but comfortable 1 bedroom 4th floor walkup, no roommates, $1600/month + electric. I have no debt to pay off, but am also not really saving much. It's a little tight, but doable.

neckbeard

i managed about 9 months at $22,000 a year. it sucked. you've got to really, really, really love your job to do something like htat.

hotstepper

don't forget collecting bottles and cans on recycling days for extra $$, although you've gotta watch your back and hold down your turf.

Wza

^Captain Save-A-Ho

OTC

I am not sure how she lived on 50k, but she's cute enough to get someone to pay for things.

She can put me down for dinner once or twice a week if she provides dessert.