7 ways to save money in New York

Saving money is a difficult task if you live in a big city. There is always something to do and what to spend your dollars on. For those whose financial resources are limited by the monthly budget, saving money in the city is very difficult. New York, with its high cost of living, is one of the worst cities to live in, if you decide to save money for something.

New Yorkers say they find it easier to save money during the warmer months. For example, in spring you can walk outdoors. “I’ve noticed that entertainment comes faster when it’s warm outside,” says Sofia de Guzman, a Brooklyn resident. “And in winter you can spend the whole day in museums or find a cozy pub with inexpensive beer and board games.”

Others suggest taking advantage of New York's unique offerings, such as Restaurant Week or Spa Week. Sarah Turney from Manhattan believes that working more can also help you spend less money. Many live in New York City for professional opportunities. “When you're at work all day, it's hard to spend money, but there's a risk of it becoming a waste,” Tierney jokes.

Resource CheatSheet prepared 7 tips on how to spend less in New York - from city residents who know how to save.

1. Save on housing

Saving on utilities and rent in New York is almost impossible - the city is considered one of the worst in the country in terms of the rented property market. For example, in the Bronx, the percentage of the average income that needs to be spent on rental housing reaches 69%. Low-income New Yorkers are forced to move farther and farther from Manhattan, so if you have a limited budget, get ready that you have to go to the city center by train for a long time.

Tips:

• Live with someone else
• Do not live in the best area
• Use one Wi-Fi with neighbors
• Use utilities moderately
• Give up cable TV and landline

2. Take a walk outside

Many locals agree that walking around the city is one of the best pleasures of New York. There are many interesting places to wander through. This is much better than sitting in your cramped apartment. De Guzmán advises people to walk in places like: Union Square Agricultural Market, 28 Street flower district, High Line in the western part of the city, Central Park, 12 Street in Greenwich Village and Williamsburg Bridge (from its middle wonderful view).

Tips:

• Take a trip to Rokaway and spend the day at the beach
• Eat dumplings in Chinatown (five per dollar) and watch polo playing in the park
• Have a picnic at the Green Wood Cemetery, the huge Victorian cemetery at Sunset Park (there are also many inexpensive Mexican restaurants in the area)
• On Tuesdays, you can walk for free in the Brooklyn Botanical Garden (in May there are cherry blossoms, in June rose gardens are rampant)

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In New York, it is becoming increasingly popular to buy food and other goods online with delivery to the door. This saves both time and transportation costs. Terni says that she buys almost all goods with delivery from large online retailers - Walmart, Target and others.

Tips:

• At Walmart.com you do not pay shipping charges for orders starting at $ 50
• On Target.com you do not pay shipping charges for orders starting at $ 25
• AmazonFresh delivers free of charge on the same day, provided you participate in the Prime club.
• Instacart offers same-day delivery from $ 4 to $ 6

4. Take advantage of cultural life

One of the reasons New Yorkers put up with the high cost of living there is its rich cultural scene. The good news is that many of the city's best museums, concert halls and cultural events are either inexpensive or free. Many can be accessed by paying an affordable donation fee - the Metropolitan Museum of Art, The Cloisters, PS1 MoMA and the American Museum of Natural History. The full list is on the website nyc-arts.org.

Tips:

• At Cobble Hill Cinemas (Brooklyn) on Tuesdays and Thursdays, tickets to some shows cost $ 8,50.
• Opening the exhibition is usually not only a great way to see artwork, but also drink a free glass of wine (usually on Thursdays at Chelsea)
• Joyce Theater and others sometimes offer the opportunity to work in the hall (to take people to their seats) for the opportunity to watch the show for free. Some also offer student discounts.
• The Metropolitan Museum is open until 9 evenings on Fridays and Saturdays - a great and free meeting place.

5. Look for discounts on food and drinks

Saving on food is not an easy task for a New Yorker. It doesn't matter if you buy food in supermarkets or eat in restaurants, prices will not please you. If food delivery to the door is not to your liking, use another opportunity to save money - buy in bulk. Brooklyn Elliott Keller says that you can become a member of a “grocery cooperative” and buy products at a wholesale price in exchange for a job — usually one shift per month.

Drink prices in New York are also among the highest - the average cost of a cocktail in Manhattan reaches $15. If you really want to drink, it is better to do it during “special hours” - happy hour. “If you really want to save money,” says de Guzman, “you can even find places that serve oysters for $1.”

Tips:

• Slices of pizza
• Bagels
• Chinatown
• Wholesale
• Buy beans and make coffee at home
• Do not throw away what you have not eaten.
• Happy hour
• Many restaurants allow entry with their drinks.

6. Be fit

The cost of a subscription to the gym in a big city can be transcendental, but there are many other ways to do sports. In addition to walking and cycling, which are especially pleasant in New York, also try ClassPass - this network of gyms can be a real boon during the winter months. For $ 99 per month, you get access to fitness classes in any of the studios and training centers of the network in the city. If this is too expensive for you, don’t donate to sports anyway - it will help save money on medical care.

Tips:

• Yoga to the People (yoga classes in 6 in different locations around the city for a donation fee)
• Classpass
• Free kayak trips on New York water sites
• Free fitness apps
• Free Fitness Video Tutorials on Hulu, YouTube
• Hiking and cycling

7. Save money on transport

Residents of the city often joke that they never leave their district. Sometimes it's a good idea to go out and air out somewhere else, but in general, the shorter your travels around New York, the cheaper. Transport can pull huge sums from the budget, if you do not use it wisely. For example, Uber and Lyft applications make it possible to share the trip with other passengers traveling in the same direction, which will definitely be cheaper than ordering a taxi alone.

Tips:

• Do not buy a car
• Try to drive less by taxi
• Try services Lyft line or UberPool
• Use buses and subways
• Buy a travel ticket on the subway for 30 days (if you use this mode of transport quite a lot)
• Walk and ride a bike (again!)

See also:

10 ways to save on Starbucks

25 tips how to save in the San Francisco Bay Area

How to save money by eating in restaurants

11 ways to save in Whole Foods supermarkets

10 costco benefits you might not know about

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