NYC on a budget

Old Feb 14th, 2006, 09:49 PM
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NYC on a budget

I am a college student who is going to NYC for spring break. I will be on an extreme budget. How much do you think I would spend on an average trip to NYC (subway and bus fare, eating, any extra costs, etc.) ? This should not include travel to and from NYC or hotels. My friends that I will be travelling with do not have to worry about money as much as I do and it would make me feel more comfortable to know what to expect. Thank you!
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Old Feb 15th, 2006, 03:14 AM
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For bus, subway etc., you can buy a 7 day pass for $24 that will give you unlimited riding for that period.

Eating can be really inexpensive. Ethnic food (Chinese, Thai, Indian, pizza) are good options. Most coffee shops and diners are reasonably priced. Your biggest expense will be accomodation. Here's a guide on budget tips. Make sure to bring some student ID with you. Many of the museums and tourist venues have reduced prices for students.

nymetro.com/cheap

Here are things that are free

http://gonyc.about.com/od/freestuff/
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Old Feb 15th, 2006, 06:45 AM
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Meals also don't have to be expensive. Stroll around the E. Village, there are many inexpensive places. For breakfast, you could go to most delis (which are all over) and get a bagel and coffee for < $3. For lunch, you can get a slice of pizza or go to grey papaya or one of the better fast food burger places and eat lunch for around $4-8. Dinner, if really on a budget, you can eat similar to lunch. But there are restaurants with early birds that are quite reasonable. Also many Chinese places are cheap, you can have Indian on E. 6th st for about $10, and there's inexpensive Italian and other ethnic food as well. ANother option is the food bars at WHole Foods (union sq or time warner bldg), there's a huge variety and their prepared foods are quite good.

Years ago when I was in your kind of situation, I used to go to happy hours where free food was served, and in some cases ate quite well. I don't know what's out there today like this, but maybe someone else on this board can offer advice.

I would say, you can keep your food budget somewhere between $25-30/day depending on your appetite and snacking.
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Old Feb 15th, 2006, 06:52 AM
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Yes but traveling with friends who are not on a budget...she would need to know what to expect to pay in the moderate restaurants...they won't be seeking out the bargains probably.

I would say let your friends know up front about your budget so that you can eat lightly if need be and not worry about "splitting the check evenly four ways" after they've each eaten full meals and you've had just soup.
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Old Feb 15th, 2006, 08:46 AM
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Realistically I would budget the following if you are to not spend a lot of time hunting around to save a few dollars. Avoid timesquare and keep downtown.

Breakfast: Restaurant $10; Bagel shop $4; coffee cart $3. Do not eat in the hotel

Lunch- Restaurant $15; Deli $8

Dinner- Restaurant average $20 up to $50

I would assume you need to include alcohol so I have budgeted a drink. Check out happy hour otherwise a beer is $7 and a drink $10. I would put $80 a day as easy to rack up a food bill.
As on spring break I equate with partying so with alcohol make it $100. Going to clubs could be a cover charge 15-30 and drinks not cheap.
I agree stick with ethnic food. Check out the village voice and time out new york. Hang out around NYU with the other college students
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Old Feb 15th, 2006, 09:40 AM
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Thank y'all for all the suggestions. I already feel like I can have fun in NYC even with a budget!
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Old Feb 15th, 2006, 09:40 AM
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What do you want to do here in NYC?

In general, NYC is expensive. Cover charges at clubs are often $20-30 per person (if you can get in), and beers are $5-12 at most places.

Of course there are zillions of dive bars with cheaper booze, but they are dive bars (see shecky's and citysearch for listings).

The good news is, mass transportation is cheap, and you can walk all over Manhattan at pretty much any hour.

(Keep in mind, however, that sometimes a cab might be cheaper if you have 4 people.)
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Old Feb 15th, 2006, 09:49 AM
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There will be three of us together. Even though we are going on spring break, we aren't going to NYC just to party. We are going for the experience of New York.

We found a good deal for the Mansfield Hotel... a good place to stay?
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Old Feb 15th, 2006, 01:43 PM
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I agree, you'd be surprised at how many reasonable places you can find. We are "on a budget" all the time, because we're young and live in NYC (and don't make a lot). And yet we don't starve...so it's possible! For dinner, don't be afraid to browse menus, as most places post them outside.

Without defaulting to pizza all the time, we've still managed to find some places we can eat for around $10 each. A few places we enjoy for a very casual meal, lunch, or late night snack:

-Cosmic Cantina, 3rd Ave. between 12th and 13th, has great burritos, along with quesadillas, nachos, etc. They originated in NC, and were a college favorite of ours.

-Empanada Mama, 9th Ave. at 51st. Serves empanadas! Enough said. Really delicious.

-Film Center Cafe, 9th Ave. between 44th and 45th. Pretty eclectic menu that leans toward American. Fun atmosphere, with lots of movie memorabilia.

Also, don't be afraid to try a great deli for lunch as well! A hearty hero sandwich will cost under $10, and fill you up for a while.

One final suggestion for you, if you just want a fun, cheap night out (or happy hour). Visit Rudy's on 9th Ave., between 44th and 45th. It's impossible to miss, because there is a huge pig statue in front (fun to take pictures with!). They have cheap beer and free hot dogs, so it's hard to go wrong!

Enjoy your trip! You'll have a great time. Definitely bring your ID, because you can use it to get discounts at museums and student rush tickets to many Broadway shows.
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Old Feb 17th, 2006, 10:05 AM
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Check out http://www.restaurant.com for some gift certificates to NYC restaurants (i.e. you can buy a $25 gift certificate for $10) pick out a few you like and enter discount code 91971 at check out, click "Recalculate Total" and you'll save an additional 60%.
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Old Feb 17th, 2006, 10:29 AM
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Mansfield is a great hotel in a good location, some rooms in the front can be noisy and some of the rooms are VERY small so if you are trying to squeeze three people in there it's going to be t i g h T !
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Old Feb 26th, 2006, 04:31 PM
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The Mansfield can be VERY noisy. The halls are tiled and there are open stairwells. I stayed there a few years ago on a business trip and did not get a wink of sleep. I heard EVERY door slam in the whole hotel all night long. It is a very pretty hotel and comfortable otherwise, but make sure you are away from the open stairwells.
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Old Feb 26th, 2006, 08:00 PM
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Cover charges to clubs can run $20-30 as posted, but a lot of great music can be had for much less. If you're into checking out new bands, try Tonic or Mercury Lounge on the Lower East Side (LES, just below the East Village) or North Six or Galapagos in Williamsburg, one stop into Brooklyn on the L subway train. Village Voice's website or even Citysearch should list what's going on for any given week. Or wander around Bedford Street in Williamsburg, Ludlow Street and environs on the LES (Bariket on Houston St has great cheap middle eastern food, and the sushi place on that block between Orchard and Ludlow is surprisingly good for the price; famous Katz Delicatessen is on the corner of Houston and Ludlow), or even Bleeker Street in the Village. Bleeker Street is known for its college kids and tourists, but there are a bunch of cheap eats and lots of music venues each vying for your attention; you'll feel like you're at NYU!

Midtown won't do you much good except as one poster mentioned along 9th Ave in Hells Kitchen: some good bars and inexpensive eats, try Pams Real Thai on 49th and 9th Ave for cheap, yummy Thai home cooking (tho the atmosphere leaves something to be desired!).

If you're in midtown to see the MoMA (free on Friday afternoons), the street cart food may be your best bet. In fact, one of the carts on 53rd Street where the MoMA is won first place in a street food competition last year! On a weekday, the carts near Rockefeller Center on 6th Avenue sell everything from all-fruit smoothies to brick oven pizza made to order! Look for the carts with a line of people at them: not only does the line tell you the food is good, but that it's fresh, since there's high turnover!
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