This weeks Frugal Tip Friday is in honor of Blogher! Blogher is this once a year conference where bloggers get together and get to spend time together, learn new blog stuff, and meet new and old bloggie friends!
Because this years Blogher takes place in NYC, I've gathered a few frugal tips for those who are visiting, (and for anyone really visiting a big city!) Next years Blogher will be in California, so hopefully I'll be able to do a Frugal Tip Friday for spending a weekend in that big city:) But for now, in New York City a few ways to be and stay frugal are:
1- Never settle for a first offer. When buying scarves, bags, jewelry or pictures from street vendors, never settle on their first offer. I learned this one early on. I would approach a street vendor for a bag, I'd be wearing a nice outfit, nothing so fancy that the vendor would think I was made of money, and I'd ask how much for one. They'd quote me 30$. Now 30$ normally in a store is a great deal, but at a street vendor (where we don't actually know where the bag comes from) 30$ is a ripoff. As I walked away I heard someone else negotiate him down to 20$. The next cart I went to, I walked up and asked how much. He said 30$. I said I'll give you 15$. He said I can do 25$. I said how about 20$. He said 22$. Deal, Sold! So just make sure when buying anything, especially gifts for family or for yourself, negotiate before agreeing to buy, it'll save you a ton!
2- Never buy magazines. If you see a newspaper booth, and the magazines call out to you, just remember there is most likely a Borders or a Barnes & Nobles nearby where you can walk in, take a seat and read as many as you'd like for FREE! Thats right, totally absolutely free!
3- NYC cabs will charge you an arm and leg for a ride. Its always great to taxi pool (which is totally allowed now in NYC) or use the subway system. Once you get the hang of it, the trains can be easy to navigate and only cost 2.25 per ride, or you can purchase an all day pass for 8.25$. Honestly, if you can and are able, the cheapest thing to do is walk so I'll be doing alot of that this weekend too!
4- Coffee Carts. Starbucks charges upwards of 3$ for coffees and maybe 4$ for pastries. I love Starbucks for their chai, but if I were just drinking coffee, I would most definetly head over to the coffee cart. They are usually on every block and in the mornings the line is pretty long so you know the stuff is good! Coffee is 1$ and a pastry (croissant, donuts) are 1$. Great deal!
5- Free fun events! Any any time during the day there are always fun and most importantly free things to do in the city like free concerts, free plays and free museum entry! A great site that shows free events is Club Free time and About has some good ones too. Before spending money on an event for something to do, check out those sites! If you're set on seeing a Broadway Show, you can head to Times Square and stand in a line outside of the TKTS booth. Here you can get half priced tickets for Broadway shows!
Hope you have a great weekend!
Good tips! We taxied it or walked - mainly walked every where when we were in NYC - so much to take in and walking is the best way!
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