The Ideal Budget for You When Traveling in New York

We know that the Big Apple is an expensive city, but there are places you can visit and do things at even on a student budget.

The very first thing you need to do is get a New York Pass or CityPASS. It is the best option for first-time visitors who want to manage their money in a very expensive city. You can have more time sightseeing and less time waiting, the New York Pass does not allow you to wait in long line-ups. It is a prepaid stress-free sightseeing card that can be used to get FREE entrance or a flat-rate ticket to the city’s top tourist attractions. The pass gives you nine days to visit and get free entry over ninety other attractions including the Empire State Building, Top of the Rock Observatory, and Hop On Hop Off Bus Tour.

Hotel on a Budget

The Hotel Giraffe is worth every dollar. It offers a breakfast buffet, all day snacks with wine and cheese receptions, free Wi-Fi, cool view from the roof-top, spacious and decorated rooms and neighboring location. The Chelsea Star Hotel is a dorm-style room good for 4, shared bathrooms under $50.

In Brooklyn, there’s the Sofia Inn which has 4 rooms with shared bathrooms like a classic Brooklyn brownstone. They also offer 2 suites with private bathrooms. Sofia Inn does not have breakfast in the morning, but you’re just a walk away from restaurants, museums and subway lines.

Outdoor Activities

Things you can do for free are walking around Times Square and staring at billboards, follow pathways and have a picnic at Central Park with the locals. Promenade over the Brooklyn Bridge to glance at the Big Apple’s iconic landmarks and to get a glimpse of the lower Manhattan skyline is fun, too.

There are also free walking tours, but you need to make reservations in advance to Manhattan’s streets and sites, New York Federal Reserve Bank, and the Orchard Street Walking Tour.

Inexpensive Food

Food shouldn’t be expensive! Jean Georges has a 2-course lunch meal under $30 and there are tasty sandwiches at Tom Colicchio’s Witchcraft. Le Relais de Venise L’Entrecote is a Parisian bistro that serves salad and steak-frites. There’s a Japanese restaurant, Ippudo, that has different styles of ramen at very reasonable prices, too.

If you’re into some Italian food with a twist, the Meatball Shop, you can customize your own food. Never leave the New York without a slice of Brooklyn’s Grimaldi’s Pizza!

Nightlife

What is a night in New York without drinking and partying? There are extended happy-hour prices every weekday at the Blind Tiger Ale House and the Brooklyn Brewery. No cover charge at Arthur’s Tavern if you want to listen to live jazz.

To get information on free nightlife events, search local publications like New York magazine and the Village Voice. For an easier way for free booze around the city is website myopenbar.com which gives information on open bars around New York.

Cheap Way of Getting Around

Unlimited Ride Metrocard for 1 day, 7 days or more will save you money from cabs. But if you’re planning on getting out of the city, don’t get on the train and settle for an inexpensively priced bus ride with Bolt Bus or MegaBus with services to near cities like Boston, Philadelphia, Baltimore and Washington, DC. The power of a Metrocard will amaze you!

The Ideal Budget

If you’re deciding to visit New York, all you need is $100 a day for accommodation and food, really! You really don’t have to break the bank just to get around an expensive city. All you need is $100 and some great planning skills.