Really cheap temporary housing, boston

Jebus314

Basically like the title says. I'm going to be in boston for about 3-4 weeks starting early january, and I'm trying to find some way to get some super cheap housing, like 100/week cheap. Quality doesn't really matter as I will be spending 100% of my non sleeping hours in a lab at MIT. I have hit up the usual craigslist, friends, random googling avenues; so I am mostly looking for anyone that maybe knows of a specific person/building complex that can get me an amazing rate. Or if there is some kind of MIT affiliated housing for guests that I am unaware of.

Pure Din

Have you asked the people you're going to be working with? Ask if they can post this somewhere like a message board or mailing list where MIT students are likely to see it.

My boyfriend moved to Somerville a few months ago; I'll pm you if he knows of anything, but probably not since he doesn't know many people yet.

Iceman.USAF

$100 a week in Boston would be nothing short of miraculous.

Remember those home buying threads where people mentioned its actually cheaper to rent for life in certain areas of NYC? Most of Boston is borderline on that theory. Good luck to you man.

In the spirit of advice, I think your best bet is to find an empty dorm room/couch. If you're gonna work in a lab just have them ask around. Barring that, is the lab 24 hours? I mean, I'd hate to sleep on the couch in a lab but hey I've seen weirder stuff.

Willeth

It's worth checking http://www.couchsurfing.org/ for someone really generous. I imagine also that MIT has accommodation for this sort of thing - universities rent out dorms when they're not in use all the time.

EggyToast

Was going to suggest couchsurfing as probably the only way for doing on the super cheap. You might have an easier time finding someone considering you're rarely going to be there, as well.

M_2

Could try hostels. Would be more than $100 a week but you could probably negotiate better with them than a motel. Or someplace that caters to international students.

Iceman.USAF

The US doesn't really "do" hostels. I've never actually seen one. I mean, I'm not saying there aren't any but I'd be surprised.

Pure Din

There are hostels in Boston, but they're more like $30-40 a night. Hostelworld.com lists 13 locations in Boston.

Iceman.USAF

Pure Din wrote: »

There are hostels in Boston, but they're more like $30-40 a night. Hostelworld.com lists 13 locations in Boston.

Wow! That's crazy! I guess it's one of those "live there but never see the sights" thing. Color me corrected!

y2jake215

there's one i believe on hemenway street near northeastern university, closer to hynes convention center stop. walk by it often. also, if you have the patience (and money for a monthly pass) to take a commuter rail into boston every day, the housing farther out is way cheaper. my friend just got an apartment with his girlfriend in attleboro, about 40 min from boston, for $800 a month, compared to my $1575 downtown boston apartment. i wouldn't limit my craigslisting to JUST downtown, if its an option

bowen

Iceman.USAF wrote: »

Pure Din wrote: »

There are hostels in Boston, but they're more like $30-40 a night. Hostelworld.com lists 13 locations in Boston.

Wow! That's crazy! I guess it's one of those "live there but never see the sights" thing. Color me corrected!

It's not really a popular concept in USA. It's more of a "I'm here visiting from Europe" or "I am really broke but need to travel and shower somwhere" kind of thing.

Most people will splurge and get a $40 hotel room before getting a $25 hostel.

tehnakki

What lab are you working in? It is totes possible to sleep on campus for weeks at a time. There are even showers in some of the basement bathrooms. I didn't leave the main campus buildings for all of IAP my freshman year. Also certain labs have lounges you can potentially sleep in, like MVL.

Pure Din

y2jake215 wrote: »

there's one i believe on hemenway street near northeastern university, closer to hynes convention center stop. walk by it often. also, if you have the patience (and money for a monthly pass) to take a commuter rail into boston every day, the housing farther out is way cheaper. my friend just got an apartment with his girlfriend in attleboro, about 40 min from boston, for $800 a month, compared to my $1575 downtown boston apartment. i wouldn't limit my craigslisting to JUST downtown, if its an option

I'm glad if that's working out for your friend, but uggh I hate that train so much. (Providence is only 20 minutes further on the same line.) Even during the rush hour it barely runs once an hour, and it hardly ever runs on the weekends. Plus if you have to take the T once you're in Boston it ends up being like $20 dollars for a round trip.

Heck, in Providence OP could definitely get a place to stay for under $100 a week (Brown has no classes in January, and people sublet their places for like $75-100 a week over the break.) But the daily commute would suck, I know because it's why my boyfriend and I are apart every M-F

badmamajama

MIT has a temporary housing website (http://housing.mit.edu/off_campus/temporary_housing) that may or may not have listings for places with the kinds of rates you're interested in. I imagine most of these listings are for people visiting the institute for a few days (not all of IAP), but there might be something there.

witch_ie

Granted it was 5 years ago, but I found a room in an apartment in Brighton for $370/month. You just have to keep looking...I think the main challenge you will have is the temporary nature of your stay, so subletting is a great idea. I would definitely suggest checking out areas like Allston/Brighton. You will probably need to take a bus or two to get to MIT (I was at the BMC campus).

Also, keep in mind that Roxbury and Dorchester are not areas that you probably want to be walking around late at night, so unless you're really desperate, I would advise a longer commute rather than that area.

Redstar

Hey OP, I'm an Enforcer, and live in a house in Somerville with 3 other [E]. We have a spare room (with a bed) that we can give you for the price asked. We might even have spare sheets (no promises :P).

I'll shoot you a PM with my deets and contact info. Let's talk!