Before moving to Manhattan, I fully expected to have mornings spent eating yogurt on the steps of the Met and evenings spent indulging in Cosmos. I saw myself having a reserved table at Butter and sporting newspaper dresses paired with YSL purses. Turns out, I have more in common with the man that hides in the bushes of Washington Square Park than I do with the Waldorfs and Bradshaws of New York. After years of blowing through my limited funds during the weekends and choking down ramen for the next two weeks because of it, I finally feel like I’ve discovered how to do NYC on the cheap.
Yoga To The People
To my utter despair, I’ve discovered that walking to and from class and living on the fifth floor of my walk-up building isn’t enough to keep my bod banging. Fortunately, NYC has a lot of affordable (or sometimes even free) workout options. Yoga to the People is one of them. You’re encouraged to leave a donation, but what’s $5 compared to a $37 SoulCycle class?
212 Hisae's
Pre-gaming doesn’t have to mean breaking the bank. This grungy spot tucked away in the East Village is an NYU favorite because of it’s insanely cheap drinks.
BYOB
These are gems that I only recently discovered. Goodbye to blowing $18 on a single cocktail to accompany your already-too-expensive plate of pasta. This is the cheap alternative to going out and getting krunk. Hit up a cheap liquor store prior and make sure to do your research to see if the restaurant allows for the type of alcohol you’re bringing and if there is an uncorking fee. Once you’ve done the dirty work, sit back and enjoy the boisterous and rowdy atmosphere that BYOB restaurants tend to have. Bone-apple-teeth!
Happy Hour Specials
It pays to do your research -- literally. If you just spend a hot second on your good friend Google or Yelp, you'll be sure to find some hot deals that make it all worth the while. My personal favorite is Bar Veloce, coming in with the glasses of wine at $7.
Promoters
For those nights when going out is a necessity, but your check account simply disagrees. Using old men to get free table service might be the epitome of rock bottom and is a last-resort situation, but Lord knows we're not above it. If you really aren’t thriving financially, you may even consider promoter dinners (hello, Catch's Hit Me cake). You may feel slimy and like you’ve hit an all-time-low, but when it comes down to it -- did you spend a single dollar?
San Marzano
For those of you running low on funds but still needing a meal out, San Marzano is the place for you. The atmosphere is adorable and the pasta is $9 — aka unheard-of-cheap-for-NYC. Get the pitcher of sangria (also cheap) for a more lively meal.
Apple Pay
Or just add your parent’s credit card to your Apple Pay, duh.
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