In this post, I’m going to be telling you some real ways you can save money when living in New York City.
In my opinion, New York is the greatest city in the world. It is also a pretty expensive place. I read quite a few blog posts to learn how to save money here. Most said things like “walk rather than taking a taxi” and “cook meals rather than eating out”. Are these things not obvious??
I’ve lived in here for a few months now and below are 5 real ways I’ve found to save money in New York!
1. Join your Local “Buy Nothing” Facebook Group.
This has been the absolute biggest money saver for me. The idea of these groups is to gift items you no longer need. I’ve seen people gifting everything from a bottle of Coke to a 50 inch TV!
Half the furniture in my apartment was free from this group. I also got a gorgeous Kate Spade bag (new with the tags still on!!)
To find your local group, search Facebook groups “Buy Nothing” and the area you live in.
2. Follow Free Instagram Pages
There are a few Instagram pages that focus on freebies in New York. My favourites are @nyc_forfree and @explorenycfree. There’s always something new in New York, coffee shops, restaurants and shops. Lots do launch events and freebies.
These accounts basically let you know where all the freebies are. Thanks to one of these pages; I recently got a delicious, free hot chocolate and macaroon from Ladureé worth $8!
3. Get an IDNYC Card
As a New York resident, these cards are free to get and give you a year’s free membership to lots of NYC attractions. Including, The Metropolitan Museum of Art and The Natural History Museum.
To get one is free but you do have to go to schedule an interview so you can show proof of ID and residency. I have booked my interview so will report back more on this soon!
Find out more and apply HERE.
4. Use the TooGoodToGo App
I have a kind of love-hate relationship with TooGoodToGo. The idea behind the app is that you get a surprise bag of food that is near the sell-by date for a fraction of the cost. Save money and reduce waste.
I’ve done it a few times with supermarkets and it can be hit and miss. My advice would be to use it at specific shops. E.g. from Bagle shops is generally going to get bagels. I also had one from a fruit and veg market. We got a massive basket for just $6, it was actually too much to carry on my own!
5. Shop on Instacart
Most blogs will tell you that Trader Joe’s is the cheapest supermarket. While I love Trader Joe’s and quite often shop there; I believe Aldi is cheaper overall. If you live near one of these supermarkets, definitely check them out.
If, like me, you don’t have either of these close by. Sign up for Instacart. An online order service where someone else does and delivers your shopping. Unfortunately, Trader Joe’s aren’t on there but Aldi and many other stores are. It certainly is a convenient way to shop.
Want to try it out for yourself? Click HERE. Using my link will give you a $10 credit. It will also give me a $10 credit.
I use Instacart a lot so I signed up for the premium membership. It’s a $99 yearly fee but gets you free delivery and reduced service fees.
Thank you so much for reading. I hope this post has helped you save money living in New York!
Please check out all my other New York blog posts HERE.
