Sometimes you have to get creative in order to survive in this city. Lucky for you, we put together a list of ideas so you don’t have to think of them yourself:
1. Buy the unlimited Metrocard
2. Use iTrans
Ever stood in the subway station for ten minutes thinking, “Damn, I would have had plenty of time to grab that cup of coffee”? You don’t have to be in that situation anymore. iTrans is an app that will tell you exactly when the subway (or bus or ferry) is coming.
3. Know which direction you’re going
4. Get your coffee from a cart
5. Grocery shop in a borough that isn’t Manhattan
Groceries, cleaning supplies, and even services like haircuts will be cheaper in less expensive areas of Brooklyn, Queens, or the Bronx. You may look silly riding the subway with your groceries, but your bank account will thank you.
6. Buy clothes in New Jersey
New York taxes clothes and New Jersey doesn’t. It costs $5.50 to ride the PATH to Jersey City or Hoboken and back, which is less than you would be spending in tax for a decent-sized purchase from a retail store in NYC.
7. Carry a water bottle
If you don’t have anything to drink with you, you’ll end up buying a beverage every time you buy food to eat on the go. That money adds up. Tap water is free and it easily goes with you.
8. Use the Sit or Squat app
This free app by Charmin helps you find a bathroom, which can be a challenge in the city. Some of the bathrooms listed in the app might be a toss-up as to whether the proprietors will let you use them without paying. But if you’re in a pinch, this app is better than nothing.
9. Create storage space in your apartment
NYC apartments are small. Here are some ways to create more storage space:
- Buy storage bins which fit under your bed
- Put long tablecloths or table skirts on your coffee table and store things under there
- Buy those ottomans which are actually chests
- Angle your furniture in front of a corner and store things behind it
10. Use Fever
There are multiple event discovery apps in New York City, but Fever is by far the best. It’s a free app which selects the best quality events in the city and lets you buy tickets for them right on the app. You can always find things to do for $10 and under, or even for free.