Anyone who claims it’s impossible to live in New York City on less than $60K must book an appointment with Julia, a New Yorker who manages to thrive on nearly half that income. She lives in a decent Brooklyn apartment, she eats out, and she also has fun. NYC may be one of the most expensive cities on Earth, but this young woman has found the cheat code to make it work, and she does have an actual life. She opened up her spreadsheet to the internet, and, unsurprisingly, people stopped scrolling. This isn’t one of those fantasy budgets or the kind of advice that only works if your parents have money. Julia’s budget blueprint is foolproof and has the real maths of existing in New York City when you’re on a budget, and it turns out there’s an art to it. “I make $35,000 a year and I live in New York City. So here’s exactly how I break down my budget to be able to make it work. I promise you this is way more realistic than you think,” she said. The $35K is after tax, so she gets about $2,800 every month, which, according to Julia, is ‘tight for NYC, but still doable’.
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