Applying for a social security number was the number one thing I did after coming to New Jersey. Without an SSN, I could not be enrolled on the company payroll, I could not open a bank account, and I certainly could not apply for an apartment.
Unfortunately, it took time to get it. A good one month. All this time, I stayed at three different places: first at a friend's house, then at an inn and finally at a boarding house. I am still staying at the boarding house because I haven't found an apartment that I would like to move in to yet. Sure, there are lots of apartment complexes right where I am - but they are way over my budget.
My requirements are a bit different: since I am not planning to buy a car right away (no credit history = no attractive loans), I want to stay in a town that has a train station. Or is at least close to my workplace so that I can ride a bike.
In the past one month, I have spent over $150 on public transportation (including over $50 spent to get to NYC and back three times). That's a lot of money. My expenses on food have been a bit over the top as well. I need to control the spending for just one reason: clearing out debts built up over the last 3 years in Bangalore. Once I do that, I should be able to secure and build a financial future.
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