New York City. What's not to love? If you asked me this when I first moved here a week after my high school graduation, my answer would be nothing! I discovered that everything from scrambled eggs to Insomnia cookie cakes could arrive at my door with a simple phone call. I could buy a cup of coffee on almost any corner. Craving food from Ethiopia? India? Mexico? Brazil? Restaurants from every ethnicity are waiting for your arrival! The world was at my fingertips, and I was eager to indulge in every opportunity that I could. Then one day, as I gave the cashier at Trader Joe's my credit card to ring up for my weekly groceries, I found something not to love about New York City. After a panicked phone call to my mother (which may or may not have involved tears on my end) and a declined credit card, I came to accept an unavoidable conclusion: this city is really dang expensive!
I've gotten better about my finances since that first summer, but the truth is, I'm still not a budgeting saint. After signing up for mint.com this past month (and fainting when I realized just how much money I spend on restaurants a month) I realized that it's time once again for a budget overhaul. In an attempt to hold myself accountable—and what better way to do it than to publicize your goals on the billboard that is the Internet—I have started this blog as a resource for budget-friendly happenings in the city. From affordable restaurants, to discounted movie tickets, to free activities to do on the weekends, I will blog about ways to save in a city that charges $4 for water (it happened, I swear). I'll be posting a few times a week so check back often, and feel free to leave comments if there is a subject you'd like to know more about. In the meantime, happy Penny-Pinching!
As a young person living in the city, I too find myself struggling with Finances. My older cousin introduced me to Mint and its really helped me learn to manage my funds better.
ReplyDeleteThe added "loans" section factoring into your finance record has helped me begin to pay off some of my loans as well.
I plan on writing about Mint in my blog at some point!
I'm looking forward to reading your blog, as I am fighting the same battle presently!
Yes the loans section is a great feature. The whole site is really eye-opening, great for young New Yorkers finding the balance between experiencing the city without breaking the bank!
Deletei found your point of view to be write on. I too love to eat out. But i do know it can add up. You would think i would have it together but i don't. As a mother of three i admit takeout does help when your working all day long.
ReplyDeleteBut I am a daily contributor. Instead of taking leftovers, i see myself buying lunch at three times a week. No good. As much as I would like to bless the local eateries I had to re-evaluate because I too was suffering at the hands of the atm.
i'm gonna check out your site and see how I can downsize.
The food portion of my budget is definitely the hardest part for me to manage, because you're right, takeout is just so easy at the end of a long day! But I'm determined to find more affordable ways to eat/cook without making it too time consuming. I look forward to sharing these solutions with you!
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