Recently a friend called me from California, freaking out because she was coming to NYC for a few days, and after getting accommodations and food, she “only had $500 left”.
That made me laugh because many people who live in the city often only have $500 left for the entire month after paying for rent and food.
Our conversation inspired me to write a post about NYC on a budget and the things you should, (and should not) do to enjoy the city without spending too much money.
Do This Not That
Do this; stay calm.
Not that; freak out.
First; don’t freak out. This is an expensive city, but the trick is to find out what the locals do and you’ll be fine. If you go, do, see, eat and shop where locals in the city do you’ll be surprised to learn that NYC is much more affordable than you thought.
Accommodations
Do this; AirBnB/ Couchsurfing.
Not that; hotels.
This is killer. If you’re staying in a hotel in Times Square, yeah, I understand why you might be freaking out, and I don’t blame you. But why would you do that? NYC is so exciting and fun that you will spend very little time at your hotel, and possibly will not sleep at all, anyway.
Instead, use AirBnB, or, better yet, check out Couchsurfing where you can make a new friend and have a free place to crash.
Food
Do this; supermarket/ cheap restaurants.
Not that; tourist spots.
Some NYC food vendors pay about $300,000 dollars a year for their prime spots, so of course, you’re going to pay a premium for a piece of crappy hot dog that you can get in the supermarket for 10 cents a pop.
Instead, stay away from street vendors and restaurants, especially in the touristy areas, and find out where the students eat. For example, Dojo is a popular NYU student favorite hot spot a few streets away from Washington Square Park where you can get burgers, Japanese dishes, and healthy items for $5-10.
There are a string of Indian places on East 6th Street between 1st and 2nd Avenue. Check the signs outside for specials that include appetizer, entree, and dessert, but don’t be afraid to negotiate with the guys trying to lure you inside. They often throw in wine or have live music as an incentive.
If you are going to grab food from a cart, try the Halal chicken or lamb and rice street vendors. You can usually get a meal for $5 or 6 (and some include a free soda).
I think the best idea to save money is to just go to a supermarket and grab a loaf of bread and some deli meat or cheese and some fruit and have a picnic at Central Park or any of the city’s other parks.
Getting Around
Do this; Get a MetroCard & a free tour.
Not that; Hop on Hop off Bus.
Now if you’re a travel blogger, the Hop on Hop off buses are often a smart idea. When I first arrive in a city I sometimes do immediately get an overpriced ticket for these guided city tours because I need to get a bunch of Instagram shots and material for my blog, and I want to get it done as soon as possible so the rest of my trip there will be stress free and I can relax and wander around at my own pace. However, in NYC it’s just as easy to get on a public bus to get to the cool tourist destinations. I’ve taken a few Hop on/off busses in NYC and quite frankly, they were boring.
Instead, sign up for a free walking tour through Big Apple Greeter, or Free Tours by Foot which offers pay what you wish (walking, bike or bus) tours.
Whether or not you should buy an unlimited MetroCard for the subways and buses depends on how long you will be in the city, how much walking you’re okay with, and what things you want to do or see. If the weekly unlimited card fee is too steep, consider taking advantage of the free bus transfers. For example, I might buy a one-way fare after visiting Central Park and ride the subway to Union Square. From there I might walk to Washington Square Park, then catch a bus (using my free transfer within the time period allowed) uptown to 42nd Street on the west side. After checking out Times Square, I can walk over one avenue and take another bus (using another free transfer) up or downtown to another destination, or to my accommodations. If timed properly, I can do all of that for $2.75 (or half price if you’re a senior or disabled).
To decide which MetroCard is best for you, check out this article which breaks down the prices for you.
To be honest, I’m a bit jealous that there is a woman who is even more frugal and savvy than me when it comes to NYC subway and bus hacks, but I’m gonna’ give her props for being smooth and for sharing her tricks, and I’ll gipass this along to you. Check her article out here.
The Statue of Liberty
Do this: The Staten Island Ferry.
Not this; Statue Cruises.
I know you want to see The Statue of Liberty and climb to crown and take a bunch of photos. However, to do that you must first stand in a long line (especially during the summer) to purchase an expensive cruise ticket, and when you finally get to the island, if you made a reservation (and purchased yet another ticket) in advance, you then will have to rent a locker for your possessions, and deal with restrictions and regulations and red tape.
Crown Tickets cannot be purchased at the ticket offices in NY and NJ.
Crown Tickets cannot be purchased on Liberty Island.
My suggestion; skip the cruise and take The Staten Island Ferry (click on the link for details).
My top tip for NYC; when you get on the ferry, go to the back of the boat. Every single person will rush to the front so they can get pictures of Liberty Lady where they will be pushing each other and crowding together in a tiny area. By going to the rear of the ferry, not only will you get amazing shots of the statue, you’ll also get some incredible Instagram pics of the NYC skyline. Oh, and the best part; you will most likely be alone.
However, before the boat docks in Staten Island, you may want to join the crowd in the front so that you can run (literally, race to the other side of the terminal) in order to catch the ferry returning to Manhattan, otherwise, you’ll be stuck at the terminal for at least 20 minutes waiting for the next boat. The terminal is actually quite nice, though, since they did some major renovations. There’s a cool aquarium and a place to get snacks while you’re waiting.
Museums
Do this; Ignore the “Student Discount” Price.
Not that; Pay full price for NY museums.
I’ve always loved sharing with tourists my tricks for getting into just about any of the city’s museums for free, but sadly, some things have changed. Last month on March 1, 2018, The Metropolitan Museum changed their “Suggested Donation” Admission policy. However, I still have a few tips (posted below) on when & where you can get into museums for free.
According to their new policy on their website
Met Museum Admission changes;
- For New York State residents as well as New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut students, admission is pay-what-you-wish. Please be as generous as you can.
- For visitors from outside New York State, there will be a mandatory admission fee: $25 for adults, $17 for seniors, and $12 for students. Admission for all children under 12 and Members and Patrons will continue to be free.
Any full-priced admissions ticket is valid for three consecutive days at The Met Fifth Avenue, The Met Breuer, and The Met Cloisters.
The Guggenheim, The Museum of Modern Art, and The Whitney and many others are either free or pay-what-you-wish on Fridays or other days. Click here for details.
Itinerary
Do this; Relax; slow down.
Not that; NYC in 1 day.
Imagine trying to do Disneyland in a day. Yeah, crazy. Well, that’s what we New Yorkers think when our friends tell us their fantasy itinerary of all the tourist attractions and things they want to do and see in the city in one afternoon. New York City may be small, but it takes time to see it all. It’s best to decide which places are musts, then have a list of things you’d like to do if you have time, or if they’re in the same area.
This article has several great sample itineraries for one, two or three days in the city.
Personally, I’m a hardcore Brooklyn fan and think it’s sad that tourists overlook this hidden gem. I prefer Prospect Park over Central Park any day. Check out my articles on the most romantic things to do in Brooklyn, and the sexiest, most scandalous places to see in the badass borough.
Broadway Shows
Do this; Apply via lottery/ usher
Not that; Pay $$$
I love theater, especially Broadway shows, but spending $100-200 (or more) to see a performance is a bit much when I get use that cash for yet another plane ticket. In the past, I used first apply at each theater (running back and forth like a crazy person) for their in-person lottery drawings. If I didn’t win, I would then go hang out at the TKTS booth in Time Square and wait for the (probably illegal) touts to come to me (and they always would) and I would bargain with them until it was about 15-20 minutes before the show because I knew they would be willing to let tickets go for about $20.
Instead, I’ve found ways you can see shows on and off Broadway without going through all of that hassle.
Broadway for Broke People is an amazing website with specific details about which plays offer a digital lottery, student rush, and standing room only tickets. You can try for Hamilton tickets, and if you are chosen you can get two tickets at $10 each!
Another way to see shows is to be an usher. Most Broadway shows hire people to usher, but there are some Broadway and many off-Broadway shows that accept volunteers. To find out more, click here.
A Day in the Park
Do this; Prospect Park.
Not this; Central Park.
I’m sorry, I know tourists (and some locals) will strongly disagree with me, but I have a deep love and preference for Prospect Park in Brooklyn for many reasons. The free outdoor concerts, movies, and festivals are amazing, I love the paddle boats and the ice skating, there is a free drum circle during the summer, and the free foraging walks are really fun because you will end the walking tour with a picnic which often includes some edibles you find growing in the park during your walk. Very romantic! Check out my articles for more details (and other romantic date ideas) here and here.
There are many, many other budget travel tips that could be added to this list, but I tried to stick to the ones that I get asked about the most for this article.
If you want a more detailed list, check out one of the most popular posts on this entire website; The Ultimate List of Free Things to do in NYC.
If you have any secret tips for saving money in NYC, please share them below, and we would be insanely happy and eternally grateful if you were to share this article by sending it to every single person on your friends list, on your timeline, your Instagram account, on Twitter, send a forwarded mass text spamming everyone you’ve ever met…
Oh, sorry. We don’t really want you to spam people. But it would be pretty awesome if you would share this at least once or twice, though.
Thank you, thank you, thank you.
