How to live cheaply in one of the most expensive cities
This city is very expensive. Everyone tells you that. I'm telling you that. I've been to clubs where a vodka soda is $16 and I have a $50 lipstick in my purse. Salads will cost over $20. So much for eating healthy, McDonald's is down the street.
But since I'm a makeup lover, foodie, and cocktail sipper, I can't live everyday on water and top ramen. I've learned how to get around in this city without people knowing I'm broke. For all they know, I could be loaded.
The Starbucks next to my work is awful. In a good way. They always mess up on my drinks and end up giving me all the drinks they messed up on plus my correct one (grande skinny hazelnut latte). So I walk into my work with four coffees (it's happened) and I pass them out and make my coworkers the happiest, caffeinated people for an hour or so. In turn, they share their food. Thank you, fellow coworkers.
My friends Emily and Juliya visited me about a month ago and we explored this city and spent way too much. But I learned something I'll try to do again. They wanted to check out this chick pea restaurant in the lower east side but they were closing. We walked back out only for the two guys to call us back in. They had leftovers. Lots of them. That they were going to throw away. So they gave us all the food--for free. Too bad I don't like chickpeas, or hummus, or falafel, but hey, free food. I'm going to go into every restaurant at closing time.
I'm 23 living in New York City so I'm not going to lie and say I spend my nights reading books in bed and going to bed at a decent hour. Regardless of what hour I work at in the morning, I go out and enjoy this city. The meatpacking district is where a lot of the hot spots and top clubs are. I've gone to one in particular twice now, Le Bain, that's on top of The Standard with a view of Manhattan. Both times the group of girls (good looking too) in front of me has been denied. My secret is I look up on Facebook what DJ's are playing that night in Le Bain, and I tell the bouncer so-and-so invited me. I get right in. Plus there's complimentary coat check. Win.
Drinks. Well, that's a no-brainer. Find a guy to buy you drinks, or go out with guys with better paying jobs who will buy the drinks. Or just buy a cheap bottle of wine and drink it on the subway. My commute is long enough. Another trick is to use Foursquare. Some bars have a check-in special on Foursquare for a free drink on your first visit. Sh, but I take a screenshot of the special so I always have it on my phone, even on my fourth visit.
There are several bars here that have a free personal pizza with any drink order, or $1 after 9 pm. A $4 beer and a free pizza? Call me a regular. Or there are places like 123 Burger Shot Beer:
My extensive makeup supply from my beauty internship is slowly disappearing. That's a serious problem I haven't figured out yet, except that I just need a well-paying job before my favorite products run out so I can replace them. Or else it'll be back to 99 cent lipsticks from the drugstore (which probably won't last well through make out sessions).
I've also become quite the cook. Eating out is expensive and I recently discovered a 24 hour farmer's market close to my apartment that has amazing prices. On my days off I usually cook a feast and have leftovers for several days. I'll discuss my usual meals in another post, but I've gotten into roasting lots of veggies and potatoes to pair with grilled chicken. Delicious.
As usual, I'm writing this at 2 am, my most productive time. But I should try to go to sleep at a decent hour. On my air mattress. Anyone want to donate to the Danielle-really-needs-a-real-mattress fund?
But since I'm a makeup lover, foodie, and cocktail sipper, I can't live everyday on water and top ramen. I've learned how to get around in this city without people knowing I'm broke. For all they know, I could be loaded.
The Starbucks next to my work is awful. In a good way. They always mess up on my drinks and end up giving me all the drinks they messed up on plus my correct one (grande skinny hazelnut latte). So I walk into my work with four coffees (it's happened) and I pass them out and make my coworkers the happiest, caffeinated people for an hour or so. In turn, they share their food. Thank you, fellow coworkers.
My friends Emily and Juliya visited me about a month ago and we explored this city and spent way too much. But I learned something I'll try to do again. They wanted to check out this chick pea restaurant in the lower east side but they were closing. We walked back out only for the two guys to call us back in. They had leftovers. Lots of them. That they were going to throw away. So they gave us all the food--for free. Too bad I don't like chickpeas, or hummus, or falafel, but hey, free food. I'm going to go into every restaurant at closing time.
I'm 23 living in New York City so I'm not going to lie and say I spend my nights reading books in bed and going to bed at a decent hour. Regardless of what hour I work at in the morning, I go out and enjoy this city. The meatpacking district is where a lot of the hot spots and top clubs are. I've gone to one in particular twice now, Le Bain, that's on top of The Standard with a view of Manhattan. Both times the group of girls (good looking too) in front of me has been denied. My secret is I look up on Facebook what DJ's are playing that night in Le Bain, and I tell the bouncer so-and-so invited me. I get right in. Plus there's complimentary coat check. Win.
Drinks. Well, that's a no-brainer. Find a guy to buy you drinks, or go out with guys with better paying jobs who will buy the drinks. Or just buy a cheap bottle of wine and drink it on the subway. My commute is long enough. Another trick is to use Foursquare. Some bars have a check-in special on Foursquare for a free drink on your first visit. Sh, but I take a screenshot of the special so I always have it on my phone, even on my fourth visit.
There are several bars here that have a free personal pizza with any drink order, or $1 after 9 pm. A $4 beer and a free pizza? Call me a regular. Or there are places like 123 Burger Shot Beer:
My extensive makeup supply from my beauty internship is slowly disappearing. That's a serious problem I haven't figured out yet, except that I just need a well-paying job before my favorite products run out so I can replace them. Or else it'll be back to 99 cent lipsticks from the drugstore (which probably won't last well through make out sessions).
I've also become quite the cook. Eating out is expensive and I recently discovered a 24 hour farmer's market close to my apartment that has amazing prices. On my days off I usually cook a feast and have leftovers for several days. I'll discuss my usual meals in another post, but I've gotten into roasting lots of veggies and potatoes to pair with grilled chicken. Delicious.
As usual, I'm writing this at 2 am, my most productive time. But I should try to go to sleep at a decent hour. On my air mattress. Anyone want to donate to the Danielle-really-needs-a-real-mattress fund?
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