Living on a Budget
No doubt about it. New York can be an expensive place. But living here on a budget is not as difficult as you may think. To ensure that you’ll be able to support yourself in the city, we offer financial, health, and professional development benefits that will allow you to successfully complete your fellowship term.
Financial benefits
As a Blue Engine Fellow, you will earn $1,200 per month for 11 months ($14,400 per year, approximately $275 per week) before taxes. Additionally, we provide Fellows a monthly Manhattan Transit Authority (MTA) transit pass (valued at approximately $89/month) and all necessary school supplies.
How will I make it work?
Strategies for living on a budget in NYC include:
- Keeping a budget to monitor your expenses and see where your money is going.
- Sharing rooms / apartments with other Fellows or AmeriCorps volunteers.
- Packing lunch each day and organizing potluck dinners to save money on food.
- Taking advantage of your monthly unlimited MTA pass (provided by Blue Engine)
- Attending a number of free cultural events in New York City in the evenings and on weekends
- Using lists like Freecycle.org and Craigslist.org to locate free/cheap goods and services
Medical benefits
Blue Engine Fellows are enrolled in basic health insurance through Summit America, the primary health insurance provider for AmeriCorps volunteers nationwide. We encourage prospective Fellows with specific health concerns to contact Summit America directly to learn more about the plan’s coverage details and limitations.
Educational benefits
- Blue Engine has applied to receive AmeriCorps education-related benefits through the New York State Commission for National and Community Service. PLEASE NOTE: AS OF NOW THAT APPLICATION IS STILL PENDING. If approved, Blue Engine Fellows will receive the following benefits for their year of service. If Blue Engine does not quality for AmeriCorps participation this year, Fellows will only receive the benefits outlined above. The Eli Segal AmeriCorps Education Award, which is pegged to the maximum Pell Grant award (a little over $5,000) — the award is valid upon successful completion of your term, and good for up to seven years after the end of your term. Use the Education Award to repay student loans and/or to pay future tuition costs at qualifying institutions. Additionally, an increasing number of undergraduate and graduate institutions offer matching grants that double the value of your Education Award. For more information, check out the AmeriCorps Education Award site, as well as an AmeriCorps alumnus’s Ed Award site.
- Loan forbearance during your service term — for qualifying student loans. (Ask your lender or loan holder for details.)
- Student loan interest accrual payment. Upon the successful completion of your term, the National Service Trust will repay any interest that’s accrued on your student loans during your term.
