City Year LA Orientation Guide May. 2015 | Page 26

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Reading materials
Leisure activities or hobbies
Childcare (AmeriCorps*CARES child care benefits are available to City Year corps members if they
meet eligibility requirements)
Credit card payments or bank fees
Remember:
Medical expenses
Your first payday is 3 weeks into your
Saving for holidays and birthday gifts
service. There will be upfront and moving
Parking Fees
costs for your first month in Los Angeles.
Utility start-up fees
Please consider that you may have to pay
Renting major appliances (if they are not provide in your
for:
apartment)
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#2 Plan your budget

Uniform pants
Deposit on your apartment
Renter’s insurance
A Metro TAP-pass (for the first
few weeks)
Groceries
Household items

The ultimate goal in budgeting is to make sure your expenses do not
exceed your monthly income. You'd never set out on a cross-country
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road trip without consulting a map. And, likewise, you can't expect to
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live on a stipend without developing a plan for spending and saving.
Budget around $1,000+ dollars for these
After you know what is coming in and what will being going out the next
initial costs
step is to figure out how they match up to ensure you are living within
your means. It's not about cutting out everything that gives you joy in
life. It's about better allocating your money. When you buy without a plan, emotions dictate your spending. A
budget can give you a sense of control over your stipend, which is very empowering.

SAMPLE Corps Member Budget with a roommate (’13- ‘14)

MONTHLY INCOME
Item
Stipend
Income 2
Food Stamps

MONTHLY EXPENSES
Item

Rent/mortgage
Electric
Gas
Cell phone
Groceries
Car payment
Auto expenses
Student loans
Credit cards
Auto Insurance
Personal care
Entertainment
Miscellaneous
Internet

Amount
$950.00
$0.00
$176.00

Amount
$485.00
$30.00
$10.00
$45.00
$150.00
$0.00
$120.00
$0.00
$0.00
$75.00
$50.00
$75.00
$50.00
$30.00

While every corps member’s costs vary, the table to your left is a fairly
accurate and normal depiction of what a corps member’s monthly
expenses could look like.
After taxes corps members may expect to get $950 from their monthly
stipend depending on their tax allowances.
If you qualify for food stamps, you can possibly get around $175+ for
food and subsidize your own cost of living. (For more information,
see the food stamps section). Likewise, if a corps member uses
public transit rather than a car they can save a significant expense as
well (See the public transit section).

What kind of expenses do you have?
 Fixed committed expenses: have a fixed monthly amount
 Variable committed expense: vary from one month to the next

month based on need, and would include groceries and gasoline.
 Discretionary expenses: optional expenses and include recreation
and entertainment.

What are the monthly portions of your expenses?
After you know what is fixed and what will vary, calculate the monthly portion of your expenses. This will help
you balance everything with your income. It’s important to also set aside money for unexpected emergencies
and miscellaneous expenses.
26 | C o r p s M e m b e r O r i e n t a t i o n & R e s o u r c e G u i d e
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