Affordable transportation options in New York City.
Paying attention is the key to
effective financial management while living in New York City and
maintaining a budget. NYC's yellow taxis are bright yellow and may be
familiar to you from all the movies that have been made; the subway,
buses, ferries-even gondola rides-are far more practical and
interesting.
More importantly, what about walking and biking? These
free ways of getting around New York City will take you a long way.
Let's, therefore, look at some of the best ways of navigating the busy
life in NYC on a budget.
1. Always walk
It is suggested that one should walk when all possible. This means walking to stores, locations, etc. that are less than one mile from your location to avoid subway or bus fare expense. Know your walking routes to stores, appointments, daily tasks, etc. Also, if at all possible, consider living near a place of work to walk to work and avoid daily transportation costs.
2. Get a CitiBike membership
A CitiBike membership is an
excellent way to make affordable moving within New York City,
particularly for those people that have to commute daily. I was lucky
because my workplace gave me an annual CitiBike membership free of cost.
It
is possible to use CitiBike by buying a single ride, not very
economically attractive; day pass is the more favorable option; or the
annual membership-my favorite choice and most advantageous deal. Since
it is so financially worthwhile, I try to take the CitiBike to work
whenever possible. Besides, it's a good exercise. It is highly
recommended that one wears a helmet and also makes sure to "dock" the
bike using the app in finding an available docking space.
3. Get a bicycle
In Manhattan, I had two
different bicycles. For me, a bicycle served both as a source of
exercise—I bicycled about 12 miles a week from my apartment its fun and an economical way to get around town.
You can get a bicycle
on Craigslist or Facebook Marketplace, which are also some of my
favorite places to sell items online. This can give you an affordable
way of moving around: to short and long distances, provided that you
have a bike lock to secure it when parked.
4. Take the subway, or a bus
You can ride for one price-one stop, sometimes a couple of blocks in parts of Manhattan-or for almost two hours, from the northern Bronx to southern Brooklyn or eastern Queens. If looking to live in New York City on a budget, you are in luck. In addition, it should be noted that at this stage free transfers are provided from the subway to the bus.
For those who would use the subway more than twice a day throughout the entire month, it would be better to invest in a monthly MetroPass. Once you average 2 to 3 rides a day, this dramatically cuts the price per trip. You can now have the luxury of commuting via subway as frequently as you want, and it's all for a single monthly expense.
Eating on a tight budget in NYC
It's actually not nearly that
expensive if you just don't go out to eat all the time, drink $4
coffees, or pop into bars and order up glasses of wine for $15 plus tax
and tip. Yes, there are ways to keep a budget in New York City, eat
well, not starve, and still feel good about your financial situation.
Let's take a closer look at how to pull it off.
6. Purchase groceries at budget-friendly grocery stores
I have been to several in my
area, such as Whole Foods, West Side Market, which
is ridiculously overpriced. I even tried going to Gristedes, but that
place was a total disaster. The other options were Associated
Supermarkets and Key Food, marginally superior, but I truly felt I was
not getting my money's worth.
The appeal of Trader Joe's is
undeniable, and for those who ever experienced it, the reason for the
long lines becomes crystal clear. The excitement around this charming
and cheap grocery store has always been extreme, and still continues
unabated.
We've encountered a number of great local grocery
stores-most distinguished by the outdoor displays of fruits and veggies
with daily handwritten signs, but we have also developed some good
strategies for grocery shopping: We go grocery shopping several times a
week, always seem to have a full refrigerator, and feel pretty good
about our grocery budget in New York City.
7. Maintain a vegetarian diet while avoiding highly processed foods, pre-packaged meals, and costly brand-name products.
Grocery shopping as a vegetarian or vegan can be a bit of an eye opener. You may hear a very convincing argument when you consider all of the health benefits associated with either diet. You may also find yourself being convinced once you realize how much money you spend on groceries is taken up with purchases of meat and fish.
8. Never order UberEats, DoorDash or Postmates
To live within a lifestyle budget, take-out orders should not be placed as much as possible. In case a person intends to have dinner from a restaurant, they can place an order through the internet or on the phone and then pick it up by either walking or riding a bicycle there or on the way home. This way, one can still have a somewhat more economic life in a metropolis like New York City.
9. Choose fast casual establishments instead of traditional sit-down restaurants.
One of the nicest things about dining out in fast-casual dining is the ability to dine outside, like restaurants that relied on waitstaff traditionally did. Another nice thing about this type of dining and experience is the availability of options within a budget, as diners have the option to order a small dish, a drink, or a dessert or snack and still be able to experience the restaurant atmosphere.
10. Prepare your coffee either in the comfort of your home or at work
The prices for coffee can be
rather high and usually do not range below $2 in New York City, as it is
often $4 to $5 for more specialized drinks, such as lattes, cold brews,
or iced beverages to go.
