<p>NYC is the type of place you can find a “survival job” to tide you over while you hunt for something in your field. It is true that the city is suffering from the recession like any other place, but I still see restaurants and bars filled to bursting. If you can save up a couple of thousand dollars and have skills (or can learn fast) in such areas as waitering and bartending, you can actually do pretty well for yourself if you hustle. (Retail doesn’t pay well, and it’s hard to find a job now anyway.) Apartment rents are super-high but have come down a bit, maybe 25%, from the peak. Check out Time Out New York’s website for tips on how to survive on very little money!</p>