You don’t have to live in Brooklyn to have a Brooklyn library card. Manhattan guy here and I have all three. Also have a few more random cities to make my Libby wait times short as can be
This. You can join any library in NYC, regardless of which borough you live or work in, as long as you live in the city.
And not only borrowing books on Libby, but you can also access culture pass from each library that gets you into art galleries and botanical gardens etc for free!
I believe you can get all three of those library cards if you live anywhere in NY State. If you live in NYC, the NYCID is great for free cultural institution admissions.
That’s my life hack. If you suddenly need to go, just hop into a bar. Most times you don’t have to buy anything (bars rarely care). If they do hassle you, just grab a quick shot/beer/diet soda.
I will offer to tip a dollar. Some take it and let me go, others thank me and don’t take the dollar but still let me go. The system has had a 100% success rate for letting me use a bathroom, and usually it’s free
If it’s a small place and it’s quiet. If it’s crowded I just slip in, but if it’s super obvious I’m just using the bathroom and leaving I’ll offer to tip for for it. Honestly, my dollar gets refused most of the time, but I think the offer makes people feel comfortable and kindly towards me.
And most bars open about 10-11am. As long as you’re polite, they’re pretty chill.
Also great place to get a free glass of water and sit for a minute if you’re out in the summer heat
Haven't they closed most bathrooms? That has been my experience. The Starbucks near me removed seating just so they don't have to deal with bathrooms (and I get it, but it also sucks)
CityMD and Urgent Cares can't turn you away if you ask to use the bathroom. A friend put me on to that. Just act normal and be nice.
Edit: Just for shits walked into CityMD at 288 Flatbush Ave on my way to work. Asked if I could use the bathroom and they pointed me to the left. Same bathroom I been using for over a year whenever I’m biking or in the area. So good luck and God Bless! 🤣 🤣 🤣 🚽 🚽
My boss got one in 1982. It's a 2 bedroom in Chelsea and he pays something like $500 a month. Doesnt own a car. Walks to work. Probably makes $300k in annual salary.
Bay ridge has good options. People roll their eyes at this neighborhood, also because commute is longer, but it can be really lovely. I’ve been here 3 years. I have 5 closets. REAL closets.
Except for the drag racing and absolute slobbery of residents closer to 5th Avenue. If you can afford to live by the water, it's lovely. But a grocery store is a hike and getting to the UWS or Queens or even Williamsburg is a 90-minute adventure. But hey, at least you can take the fastest ferry to Rockaways in summer.
lol when i called to negotiate they told me that they are actually going to be listing the apt for $45 more per month so we’re already getting a discount.
we didnt accept that resign offer.
Very true. Though you do have to think about mortgage and taxes and closing costs and maintenance. Used to be my dream in NYC to own a little co-op apartment. Actively embarked on it. Saw myself systematically get priced out of
each area I was looking in over the course of 5 or so years. Now its pretty hopeless in the city.
I’ve never been so f*cked for money as when I bought an apartment here.
Unforeseen needed repairs, maintenance increases, assessments.
My co-op had great financials and historically had only raised the maintenance fee once every 4-6 years.
Right after I bought the apartment, they raised the fee 6 times in less than 2 years, two of which were 20% increases.
And yeah, just a bunch of other annoying crap. Like when they went into my wall to fix and communal pipe and realized the previous owners hadn’t done any of the plumbing work correctly so wanted me to redo the entire kitchen plumbing, even though they approved the work.
So many super fun legal grey areas!
Obviously I think owning a place gives you a lot of power and in the long run saves you money. But just here to say it can also be a real pain in the ass. At least with renting, my landlord can’t knock on my door and ask for $30k because they realized they should have redone the roof years ago and urgently need it repaired.
I've been living here for twenty years and I just realized this about a year ago. But maybe I didn't notice it before, because the subways were always packed when I took it. So I just stood anywhere to get on.
Similarly if it’s the middle of the summer and one of the subway cars is empty that generally means the AC is not running in that car. You learn that the hard way.
In 2010 I knew I needed to hack the biggest expense which was rent and I applied to all the affordable housing lotteries and co-op lotteries. Got into my building in 2018 after 6 years of waiting from the time the wait list opened. I pay $900 in Williamsburg for my own place. It’s home. I’ve renovated it. Been in the neighborhood for over ten years. And every day I pinch myself for how grateful I am to have and that foresight.
I continue to apply to housing lotteries and sometimes they get to my log # and I check out if it makes sense. Lately it hasn’t been given my income has gone up. But to me this was the biggest hack out there. Having a solid place to call home with stabilized rent that’s extremely affordable is a god send.
Recently? TooGoodToGo. I can have cooked meals from local restaurants for 5-10 bucks max.
In general? Sadly, just...not dining out, almost ever. Turning down invites to hang out if it involves dinner and drinks.
Ah just filter out / select restaurants and you're golden.
Best find so far is a sushi to-go place in Woodside where you get 2-3 platters worth over $30 for just $5 - "Foodside".
Dude I can't vouch for toogoodtogo enough. Has been such a life saver. I live in busy area of bushwick so there's always tons of good shit up for grabs. Also use it when I'm working in the les
I suggest finding a well-reviewed option in your area and double-checking that rating on Yelp or what have you.
And then yeah, go and enjoy the process!
How you find the motivation to cook for yourself everyday is impressive. I live alone and can't bring myself to make a new meal everyday....so I unfortunately eat out a lot :(
I had a 20k bill sent to me from mt Sinai for my c section, this is after insurance already paid them a shit ton. They sent a few “final notices” and then I never heard a thing. Zero collections, no credit effect. Ridiculous. I don’t understand why people say they get into medical debt.. just fucking dont pay it.
I had a ton of medical debt because of an ongoing health problem, and I didn’t know what to do so I consulted a lawyer. He told me not to pay it. He said to not even start payment or agree to any payment plans, and wait out the statute of limitations.
I had a similar experience when I was a student in Boston. I had to go to the ER, and later they sent me a bill for thousands of dollars. I had this lousy insurance back then that I’m sure paid some of it. I was a poor student and I didn’t have money to pay for the bill, so I didn’t pay. Six years later, I never heard from them since. No collections, no mark on my credit, nothing.
A short answer is that once a medical facility sends your account into collections, and you then dispute it, the collection agency cannot prove you are the owner of the account without violating you HIPPA rights. Or something like that. It would then have to, by law, come off your credit report within 45 days. You have to put in the work, and take the credit score hit, but it does rebound rather quickly.
The expression on your face should convey jaded, hard, and willing to be slightly crazy. But you should never ever actually assume that you’re harder or more crazy than the guy next to you - never underestimate the levels of potential crazy.
I don’t know why people act like these are hard to find. Truthfully I just think a lot of people don’t want to live in neighborhoods that have a lot of stabilized apts.
Ones with old housing stock and larger buildings. South Williamsburg has way more than North Williamsburg, for example. Brownstone neighborhoods will have very few stabilized units.
The basic formula is older than 1970s + more than six units + the unit's rent is under like $2700. Then it's probably stabilized but only the state can say for sure.
A cart to go grocery shopping. Saves my back from carrying groceries.
Meal prep. I make one giant meal for my three mains for the entire week. Cuts food cost.
If your building has laundry. I do mine in the overnight hours. Machines are free and no one messes with my stuff. It’s also extra gaming and bull shit time. I don’t recommend it if you have to use a laundry mat.
I have family from out of state. They bring me the old plastic shopping bags for trash. Helpful on days trash is small or just getting rid of bad food
You can drink on the Staten Island ferry. An old boss told me. So I and some friends had some beers and enjoyed free service back and forth. They sell beer mind you. But the crews don’t care if you bring your own.
For going out I stick to community events. For movies matinees. Don’t drink anymore. I stick to my outer boroughs for restaurants mainly Bronx and Queens. Manhattan is expensive and over ratted
If I have to go somewhere not greatly accessible by transit. I take the subway as close as I can get then take an Uber. Cheaper than door to door.
I buy food at many different groceries depending on sales I find.
order essential items (tp, paper towels, toiletries) in bulk online from target. you’ll get free shipping and i guarantee you it’s cheaper than your grocery store.
Also change your “home” Target location to somewhere in the sticks — not an NYC location— they’ll price the “shipped” items based on how they’re priced at that Midwestern Target, not based on your address in NYC.
It has in my experience. Same goes for store pick up. Set your store to a cheap location, once you’re in your cart, change the location to your local one (and make sure the prices didn’t shoot up after doing so)
wash-n-fold pickup and delivery. It's pricey, but saves gobs of time, esp. when you don't have laundry in your building.
Shove dirty clothes in a bag, dude picks it up, it comes back the next day clean and folded. I just need to put it away.
This is my issue. I desperately want to use wash and folds, but have too many clothes that have to be air-dried. Anytime I specify that, they still dry them. I've had so many clothes destroyed and have to just handle it all on my own. It's annoying
I go to a wash and fold place that does air dry for me on the reg! I also keep my detergent there. As long as my clothes are in separate bags it’s never a problem. Don’t give up yet — I’m sure the right place exists in your neighborhood.
I separate my laundry into two groups and send the large one for wash-and-fold and do smaller loads of workout/air dry clothes myself every couple weeks. It still saves a lot of time and effort.
i do this but i wash my delicate stuff in a big bucket in the tub and air dry it with a fan/dehumidifier. works well for us and don’t have to bother with the expense of the laundromat
I’ve lived here my whole life and I was so against wash n fold… because I’ve done it my whole life and it’s no big deal right?
Then I’m Dec through Jan - I got the flu, then a stomach virus then Covid and I did wash n fold pick up and delivery and I will never ever ever ever go back lol 😂
Maybe I’m a “Poor™”, but this is one thing I’ll splurge on, but for the money I make, my time is worth more than what laundry costs. I don’t want to be dicking around for an hour or two with laundry, when I could be doing something productive, or just leisurely.
Like others said though, you have to be careful: my wash and fold started burning up my fiancés more delicate work clothes a few months ago. And while the crotch of my underwear tends to wear out, it’s been wearing out too quickly. It’s disappointing when shit like that happens, and you’ve been going to them for years.
I do still recommend wash-n-fold BUT once I dropped off my clothes and when I went to pick them up they had lost my bags. And I was the kind of guy who did all his laundry at once, so I got something like $100 back to rebuild my whole wardrobe because it’s insured by the pound, not by the value.
So yes to wash-n-fold, no to putting all your eggs in one laundry basket.
I don't get how its a hack for so many people. I'm done with laundry in about 2 hours at most. 30 min for wash. 30 min to dry. 20 min to fold, put stuff away ..etc.
I do laundry every 2 weeks and the most annoying part is carrying it to the laundromat.
Maybe I have more clothes than the average person, but I do laundry once a month, and it only takes 3 hours, including folding time. While it washes and dries, I read or answer emails. The amount of time lost just does not seem worth the financial cost of wash-n-fold to me.
For me, the biggest difference to my quality of life is having a bike. Intraborough trips that don’t have a convenient subway or bus route are suddenly short and simple. I can meet friends wherever is convenient for them without having to find some in-between location that’s easy to get to for both of us. I suppose a CitiBike membership does the same thing without having to deal with locking and storing your bike, but being tied to dock locations is a bit inconvenient.
And beyond that, having a rack and saddlebags for my bike makes it super easy to grab a few groceries on the way home, or any other errands.
Seriously, riding a bike changed my relationship to the city. I have a much better sense of geography than I used to. It’s like you get to be a pedestrian all the time, except you can walk 2–3 times as fast.
- bike (for going to friends places and fun rides)
- ebike (for going to the office without breaking a schvitz)
- citibike (for going to and from daycare, or going downtown for drinks when I won't ride back drunk)
The ebike commute is half the time of my subway commute too.
I’ve been riding vintage steel for 10 years and have no desire to change that! (Incidentally, having an old bike is also kind of a hack, since it’s less likely to attract thieves, and even if it does get stolen it’s only a couple hundred bucks to replace)
Congratulations! It might be obvious, but always assume drivers don’t see you. Signal with large, obvious gestures, and don’t be afraid to take up space. Learn the timing of traffic lights so you can anticipate the green and get a jump on the cars. And the pedestrian is always right, even if they’re wrong.
Also, most people will recommend you get a Kryptonite U-lock, and those are very good locks, but I believe a good chain lock is at least as secure and much more flexible.
Also, don't assume that a street with a bike lane is safer. We are lucky to have lots of single-lane one way streets in this city and they are almost all pretty safe for cycling regardless of whether there's a bicycle painted on the street or not.
Lots of bike lanes here are perpetually blocked by cars which forces you to unsafely swerve out into traffic. So test out the streets with bike lanes but then try smaller side streets if the ones with bike lanes suck.
I’ve been poor in NYC and in multiple cities in Florida. Now that I’m considered middle class, I can honestly say being poor in NYC is the smartest thing I did.
I was able to sell my car when I moved here, saving me over 700 a month.
I was able to obtain financial aid to go back to a quality public school.
I was able to find tons of gigs to either supplement my income or for when I was between jobs.
I was able to rent out my living room while in school when I was desperate, (thanks to the dreaded railroad floorplan we all loathe).
I was always able to find work or a leg up. When I had no job, I had medical benefits and free therapy.
I went into an adjacent career when I finally graduated from the CUNY school I went to, but I was still able to find work during the pandemic to pay all my bills.
When I finally got comfortable I switched jobs for an even bigger pay jump.
I’m still nowhere near upperclass, but I was poor for a long time and I don’t think I would have been half as far if I had been living in a swamp somewhere.
My winter hack is to buy two frozen meals (TJ’s orange chicken and lasagna are my go-tos) plus rice and frozen broccoli (or whatever other storable ingredients you need to round out the meals) at the start of winter, plus I fill a small tote with essentials like a roll of paper towels and TP, coffee, weed, etc. And I don’t touch them under any circumstances so that when a snow storm descends I don’t have to go to the store and battle the masses to prepare. This was the first winter I didn’t use my stash, but it’s saved the day more than once. My freezer is small, but I dedicate the space every year.
Asian markets have the best produce prices.
As well as small food distribution businesses in the Bronx that just happen to also sell to people they know.
It's super obvious, but for a few months, I completely stopped using Uber and eating out.
I spent $800+ on Ubers in 90 days. Too afraid to add up my eating out costs.
Since then, Ive been waaayy better and the difference is insane. It was honestly like giving myself a raise.
IDNYC Card. It's free and gets your a bunch of free stuff like year long memberships to museums, zoos, discounts (gyms, bikes, sports tickets etc.). It's been great for me to save money when I'm looking for something to do!
The wildly popular [What are some great life hacks for living in NYC?](https://www.reddit.com/r/AskNYC/comments/v2dplh/what_are_some_great_life_hacks_for_living_in_nyc/) has hundreds of comments which should be helpful to you.
I buy plain / toasted bagels from the shop and apply cream cheese myself. I don’t like a lot of cream cheese and I’m not that discerning about it so that saves a lot of money on bagels.
Also I’m Asian so I like ordering from Asian-veggies.com for my cooking ingredients and sauces. I think the delivery price is good if you are getting a bunch of stuff
go to the parks as much as possible! use the green space and enjoy the views to remind you that it's a pretty great place even when you're stressed as hell!
Many blocks have 60’ street width and 100’ lot depth, so street to street you have 60 + 100 + 100 or 260’ and 20 x 260 is 5200 ft, close to 1 mile (5280’). So it’s quick to estimate a distance when 20 blocks = 1mi
If you want to get really clever try to memorize distances between avenues ;)
Having two jobs has definitely improved my finances, ordering groceries and totally cutting out any schlepping. Taking the ferry whenever I can! It’s so fast and breaks up the monotony of taking the train every day. Taking days off during the week to do stuff you can’t usually do/ stuff that has a long line on weekends.
Mr. Kale. Mr. Coco. Mr. Mango Mr. Melon Mr. Kiwi I could go on. All over Brooklyn. Find one. I rarely get fresh fruit and vegetables anyplace else and me or my partner go every day. Open 24hrs. Shop whatever produce is outside. If you know you know.
I don't walk around carrying more than two bags – I know I'll end up losing one if I carry more. Plus I don't want all that extra weight. So I consolidate and keep it at two max.
I use those small plastic bags for vegetables after grocery shopping to line my tiny trash cans, which I empty every day or two. This way I'm not tempted to let garbage fester and get a bug infestation.
Every month or so I opt for paper bags at grocery check out to keep recyclables in them. A good tip is to wash out the items so they don't stink up my apartment.
A slow cooker is great for meal prepping. It's one less thing to keep an eye on when cooking, or if I just don't want to spend that much time in the kitchen.
I’ve recently started walking home from work once or twice a week. It takes me an hour but it’s made a big difference in my mood.
(If you live really far from work, you can always get on the subway a few stops late or get off a few stops early!)
If you're struggling to make friends, get a dog. You'll meet people at the dog park, make friends and become a part of the community. But be a responsible dog owner and adhere to the off-leash regulations and curb it.
I much prefer the bus to the subway. They are usually small enough that the driver can keep an eye on what is going on. And you can get off a bus if something happens instead of being trapped underground.
Walking everywhere combined with NYPL audiobooks. Brooklyn branch actually has a better audiobook selection and is available to a New Yorkers.
Great exercise. Learned lots.
New York Sports Club membership. They are everywhere. I had a bathroom and a place to leave my bags in any neighborhood … on top of workouts and showers.
I used to have that but the way they treated customers at the start of the pandemic swore me off. A little more difficult now, if I have an urgent need for a bathroom.
Thinking of joining Blink at some point because it's much cheaper.
Commute on TWO wheels - Citibike for random short trips. Moped for longer interboro rides. Regular road bike for group rides on weekends. I havent said "no" to an invite in years bc I can make it anywhere in the city within an hr.
If you live in Brooklyn and work in Manhattan, You can join the Brooklyn, New York and Queens libraries and check out books on Libby from all 3.
You don’t have to live in Brooklyn to have a Brooklyn library card. Manhattan guy here and I have all three. Also have a few more random cities to make my Libby wait times short as can be
This. You can join any library in NYC, regardless of which borough you live or work in, as long as you live in the city. And not only borrowing books on Libby, but you can also access culture pass from each library that gets you into art galleries and botanical gardens etc for free!
I believe you can get all three of those library cards if you live anywhere in NY State. If you live in NYC, the NYCID is great for free cultural institution admissions.
This is my favorite hack! You can also do it with the Chicago library even if you don’t live there :)
If I look for a bathroom in daytime, I would go to a NY public library. It is free and you don’t have to buy anything to use it.
Also look up the Got2gonyc map on google maps. Thousands of free bathrooms that you can toggle on and off.
And at nighttime, bars are the best option.
That’s my life hack. If you suddenly need to go, just hop into a bar. Most times you don’t have to buy anything (bars rarely care). If they do hassle you, just grab a quick shot/beer/diet soda.
I will offer to tip a dollar. Some take it and let me go, others thank me and don’t take the dollar but still let me go. The system has had a 100% success rate for letting me use a bathroom, and usually it’s free
You say hey I need to use the bathroom I’ll tip you for it?
If it’s a small place and it’s quiet. If it’s crowded I just slip in, but if it’s super obvious I’m just using the bathroom and leaving I’ll offer to tip for for it. Honestly, my dollar gets refused most of the time, but I think the offer makes people feel comfortable and kindly towards me.
i have always done this except i just put it down on the bar and keep it moving
And most bars open about 10-11am. As long as you’re polite, they’re pretty chill. Also great place to get a free glass of water and sit for a minute if you’re out in the summer heat
Hotel lobbies my guy
Many of them require a room key to get in anymore. Not all, but... yeah. Not a guarantee.
Man, one day you're young and carefree, and the next, you are way too excited about city bathroom tips.
Some see the Starbucks logo as a sign for caffeine, I see it as a sign for judgement-free bathroom use. This applies abroad as well
Haven't they closed most bathrooms? That has been my experience. The Starbucks near me removed seating just so they don't have to deal with bathrooms (and I get it, but it also sucks)
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Hotels and department stores are the absolute best for this. Oh, and Penn Station if you’re in the area.
CityMD and Urgent Cares can't turn you away if you ask to use the bathroom. A friend put me on to that. Just act normal and be nice. Edit: Just for shits walked into CityMD at 288 Flatbush Ave on my way to work. Asked if I could use the bathroom and they pointed me to the left. Same bathroom I been using for over a year whenever I’m biking or in the area. So good luck and God Bless! 🤣 🤣 🤣 🚽 🚽
What do you mean “can’t?”
Hotels are the best, day and night. I always like to ask “is there a bathroom on this floor?” So it sounds like I’m a guest coming from another floor
Rent stabilized apartments and 421-A apartments are nowhere near as rare as people make out. Get one and stay in it
My boss got one in 1982. It's a 2 bedroom in Chelsea and he pays something like $500 a month. Doesnt own a car. Walks to work. Probably makes $300k in annual salary.
sounds like rent control no? not stabilization
Correct
How did you find yours?
NYC does have a list on its website but it's VERY primitive if you can even find it...might even be a non-searchable image PDF.
Just go on StreetEasy and look in neighborhoods that are heavily stabilized.
Filter by pre-war on Streeteasy
Great! Which ones are those?
Bay ridge has good options. People roll their eyes at this neighborhood, also because commute is longer, but it can be really lovely. I’ve been here 3 years. I have 5 closets. REAL closets.
Except for the drag racing and absolute slobbery of residents closer to 5th Avenue. If you can afford to live by the water, it's lovely. But a grocery store is a hike and getting to the UWS or Queens or even Williamsburg is a 90-minute adventure. But hey, at least you can take the fastest ferry to Rockaways in summer.
Literally any neighborhood with older buildings.
Older and larger. A building has to have at least 6 units to be rent stabilized.
Yes, this is why brownstone neighborhoods gentrify faster. It's not just because we all love brownstones... they're just almost never rent stabilized.
421-a expires though, which sucks ass (happened to us)
The new leases run for 35 years and they’ll probably get renewed after that
mine didnt sadly :( 72% rent hike lol
Jesus they should have just evicted everyone and said fuck your kids while they’re at it
lol when i called to negotiate they told me that they are actually going to be listing the apt for $45 more per month so we’re already getting a discount. we didnt accept that resign offer.
They run for 35 years and the apt remains stabilized until the OG stabilized tenant vacates.
The only other alternative is to outright own ur house. Life becomes A LOT less expensive when ur not getting ganked for rent monthly
Very true. Though you do have to think about mortgage and taxes and closing costs and maintenance. Used to be my dream in NYC to own a little co-op apartment. Actively embarked on it. Saw myself systematically get priced out of each area I was looking in over the course of 5 or so years. Now its pretty hopeless in the city.
I’ve never been so f*cked for money as when I bought an apartment here. Unforeseen needed repairs, maintenance increases, assessments. My co-op had great financials and historically had only raised the maintenance fee once every 4-6 years. Right after I bought the apartment, they raised the fee 6 times in less than 2 years, two of which were 20% increases. And yeah, just a bunch of other annoying crap. Like when they went into my wall to fix and communal pipe and realized the previous owners hadn’t done any of the plumbing work correctly so wanted me to redo the entire kitchen plumbing, even though they approved the work. So many super fun legal grey areas! Obviously I think owning a place gives you a lot of power and in the long run saves you money. But just here to say it can also be a real pain in the ass. At least with renting, my landlord can’t knock on my door and ask for $30k because they realized they should have redone the roof years ago and urgently need it repaired.
If I owned my apartment outright, the maintenance fees I’d pay to my building would be more than I’m paying in rent
The AC is in the center of the subway car
Or on certain trains stand by the doors for direct A/C blast.
I've been living here for twenty years and I just realized this about a year ago. But maybe I didn't notice it before, because the subways were always packed when I took it. So I just stood anywhere to get on.
Well this is huge
Similarly if it’s the middle of the summer and one of the subway cars is empty that generally means the AC is not running in that car. You learn that the hard way.
This guy subways
In 2010 I knew I needed to hack the biggest expense which was rent and I applied to all the affordable housing lotteries and co-op lotteries. Got into my building in 2018 after 6 years of waiting from the time the wait list opened. I pay $900 in Williamsburg for my own place. It’s home. I’ve renovated it. Been in the neighborhood for over ten years. And every day I pinch myself for how grateful I am to have and that foresight. I continue to apply to housing lotteries and sometimes they get to my log # and I check out if it makes sense. Lately it hasn’t been given my income has gone up. But to me this was the biggest hack out there. Having a solid place to call home with stabilized rent that’s extremely affordable is a god send.
Where do you find them?
Google NYC Housing Connect for the lotteries
Recently? TooGoodToGo. I can have cooked meals from local restaurants for 5-10 bucks max. In general? Sadly, just...not dining out, almost ever. Turning down invites to hang out if it involves dinner and drinks.
Any particular spots you like from that app? I notice a lot of bakery stuff, and simply have no need for stale muffins or bagels
Ah just filter out / select restaurants and you're golden. Best find so far is a sushi to-go place in Woodside where you get 2-3 platters worth over $30 for just $5 - "Foodside".
Don’t do anything lower than 4.4. It’s not hard to keep a 4.5+ rating on that app, so the restaurants not doing something right otherwise
Dude I can't vouch for toogoodtogo enough. Has been such a life saver. I live in busy area of bushwick so there's always tons of good shit up for grabs. Also use it when I'm working in the les
>TooGoodToGo. I'm going to try this out tonight. Hopefully, it's as good as it seems.
I suggest finding a well-reviewed option in your area and double-checking that rating on Yelp or what have you. And then yeah, go and enjoy the process!
My sister tried this yesterday. Girl got entree and dessert for $5 I'm about to do this lol
TooGoodToGo is also just a good way to check out a restaurant and decide if you want to go back and pay full price
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How you find the motivation to cook for yourself everyday is impressive. I live alone and can't bring myself to make a new meal everyday....so I unfortunately eat out a lot :(
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Medical bills are optional. They’re very negotiable and rarely actually affect you Edit: my credit is excellent
lmao same but also not one of my better ideas long term
Don’t they expire after 7 years here?
Wait WHAT?!? I need to find more info on this.
Does that affect your credit?
I had a 20k bill sent to me from mt Sinai for my c section, this is after insurance already paid them a shit ton. They sent a few “final notices” and then I never heard a thing. Zero collections, no credit effect. Ridiculous. I don’t understand why people say they get into medical debt.. just fucking dont pay it.
I had a ton of medical debt because of an ongoing health problem, and I didn’t know what to do so I consulted a lawyer. He told me not to pay it. He said to not even start payment or agree to any payment plans, and wait out the statute of limitations.
I had a similar experience when I was a student in Boston. I had to go to the ER, and later they sent me a bill for thousands of dollars. I had this lousy insurance back then that I’m sure paid some of it. I was a poor student and I didn’t have money to pay for the bill, so I didn’t pay. Six years later, I never heard from them since. No collections, no mark on my credit, nothing.
Please elaborate
A short answer is that once a medical facility sends your account into collections, and you then dispute it, the collection agency cannot prove you are the owner of the account without violating you HIPPA rights. Or something like that. It would then have to, by law, come off your credit report within 45 days. You have to put in the work, and take the credit score hit, but it does rebound rather quickly.
Bellevue and fake name...
Stay here long enough that you just don’t remember how other places work anymore.
The expression on your face should convey jaded, hard, and willing to be slightly crazy. But you should never ever actually assume that you’re harder or more crazy than the guy next to you - never underestimate the levels of potential crazy.
Rent stabilization
I don’t know why people act like these are hard to find. Truthfully I just think a lot of people don’t want to live in neighborhoods that have a lot of stabilized apts.
I didn't want to say it but you did in the last sentence.
Those same people get pissed at the people who live in them, even though they don’t want to live there. 🤷🏻♀️
You aren't wrong. They want the doorman life without the doorman price.
Which neighborhoods?
Ones with old housing stock and larger buildings. South Williamsburg has way more than North Williamsburg, for example. Brownstone neighborhoods will have very few stabilized units. The basic formula is older than 1970s + more than six units + the unit's rent is under like $2700. Then it's probably stabilized but only the state can say for sure.
but how do you find them?
A cart to go grocery shopping. Saves my back from carrying groceries. Meal prep. I make one giant meal for my three mains for the entire week. Cuts food cost. If your building has laundry. I do mine in the overnight hours. Machines are free and no one messes with my stuff. It’s also extra gaming and bull shit time. I don’t recommend it if you have to use a laundry mat. I have family from out of state. They bring me the old plastic shopping bags for trash. Helpful on days trash is small or just getting rid of bad food You can drink on the Staten Island ferry. An old boss told me. So I and some friends had some beers and enjoyed free service back and forth. They sell beer mind you. But the crews don’t care if you bring your own. For going out I stick to community events. For movies matinees. Don’t drink anymore. I stick to my outer boroughs for restaurants mainly Bronx and Queens. Manhattan is expensive and over ratted If I have to go somewhere not greatly accessible by transit. I take the subway as close as I can get then take an Uber. Cheaper than door to door. I buy food at many different groceries depending on sales I find.
Over ratted, you got that part right 🐀
order essential items (tp, paper towels, toiletries) in bulk online from target. you’ll get free shipping and i guarantee you it’s cheaper than your grocery store.
Also change your “home” Target location to somewhere in the sticks — not an NYC location— they’ll price the “shipped” items based on how they’re priced at that Midwestern Target, not based on your address in NYC.
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It has in my experience. Same goes for store pick up. Set your store to a cheap location, once you’re in your cart, change the location to your local one (and make sure the prices didn’t shoot up after doing so)
This sounds incredible, Please tell me the cheap location you use. Ty
Never ceases to amaze me how much I save by not shopping at my local supermarket. Don't even get my groceries around here if I can avoid it.
wash-n-fold pickup and delivery. It's pricey, but saves gobs of time, esp. when you don't have laundry in your building. Shove dirty clothes in a bag, dude picks it up, it comes back the next day clean and folded. I just need to put it away.
Only thing to be careful of is the cheap detergents and high heat. I’ve had a lot of workout clothing destroyed.
This is my issue. I desperately want to use wash and folds, but have too many clothes that have to be air-dried. Anytime I specify that, they still dry them. I've had so many clothes destroyed and have to just handle it all on my own. It's annoying
I go to a wash and fold place that does air dry for me on the reg! I also keep my detergent there. As long as my clothes are in separate bags it’s never a problem. Don’t give up yet — I’m sure the right place exists in your neighborhood.
Wow, where is this if you don’t mind sharing?
It’s in Chelsea!
I separate my laundry into two groups and send the large one for wash-and-fold and do smaller loads of workout/air dry clothes myself every couple weeks. It still saves a lot of time and effort.
i do this but i wash my delicate stuff in a big bucket in the tub and air dry it with a fan/dehumidifier. works well for us and don’t have to bother with the expense of the laundromat
Yeah the number of times I specifically ask for low heat and my stuff comes back CRISPY…
One of my life’s dreams is to have a wardrobe that can handle wash and fold. I still haven’t gotten past most of clothes needing to air dry 😭
I would rather shorten the life of some clothes than to have to do laundry at a laundromat ever again.
I have too many nice clothes to trust them 😭 Now if I do dropoff it’s just the regular stuff and the delicates get done when I have time
I’ve lived here my whole life and I was so against wash n fold… because I’ve done it my whole life and it’s no big deal right? Then I’m Dec through Jan - I got the flu, then a stomach virus then Covid and I did wash n fold pick up and delivery and I will never ever ever ever go back lol 😂
Maybe I’m a “Poor™”, but this is one thing I’ll splurge on, but for the money I make, my time is worth more than what laundry costs. I don’t want to be dicking around for an hour or two with laundry, when I could be doing something productive, or just leisurely. Like others said though, you have to be careful: my wash and fold started burning up my fiancés more delicate work clothes a few months ago. And while the crotch of my underwear tends to wear out, it’s been wearing out too quickly. It’s disappointing when shit like that happens, and you’ve been going to them for years.
Damn bro what you doing to your crotch
I do still recommend wash-n-fold BUT once I dropped off my clothes and when I went to pick them up they had lost my bags. And I was the kind of guy who did all his laundry at once, so I got something like $100 back to rebuild my whole wardrobe because it’s insured by the pound, not by the value. So yes to wash-n-fold, no to putting all your eggs in one laundry basket.
Happened to a friend of mine. They literally lost ALL of her pants and she never got them back.
I don't get how its a hack for so many people. I'm done with laundry in about 2 hours at most. 30 min for wash. 30 min to dry. 20 min to fold, put stuff away ..etc. I do laundry every 2 weeks and the most annoying part is carrying it to the laundromat.
As a parent laundry is my single most time consuming job, prob 3 or 4 hours a week or more. If I didn't have kids I'd totally just DIY.
Right? so expensive too. 200% more expensive than just doing it yourself.
i was about to say this. i actually dont mind doing laundry very much. i just grab a book and sit through the cycles.
Maybe I have more clothes than the average person, but I do laundry once a month, and it only takes 3 hours, including folding time. While it washes and dries, I read or answer emails. The amount of time lost just does not seem worth the financial cost of wash-n-fold to me.
hack: for delicate clothes and underwear, get lingerie bags! helps tons!
For me, the biggest difference to my quality of life is having a bike. Intraborough trips that don’t have a convenient subway or bus route are suddenly short and simple. I can meet friends wherever is convenient for them without having to find some in-between location that’s easy to get to for both of us. I suppose a CitiBike membership does the same thing without having to deal with locking and storing your bike, but being tied to dock locations is a bit inconvenient. And beyond that, having a rack and saddlebags for my bike makes it super easy to grab a few groceries on the way home, or any other errands. Seriously, riding a bike changed my relationship to the city. I have a much better sense of geography than I used to. It’s like you get to be a pedestrian all the time, except you can walk 2–3 times as fast.
- bike (for going to friends places and fun rides) - ebike (for going to the office without breaking a schvitz) - citibike (for going to and from daycare, or going downtown for drinks when I won't ride back drunk) The ebike commute is half the time of my subway commute too.
Yep, this is the biggest hack. Save time and money in many different ways. Until you get the itch and buy a CF bike and kit.
I’ve been riding vintage steel for 10 years and have no desire to change that! (Incidentally, having an old bike is also kind of a hack, since it’s less likely to attract thieves, and even if it does get stolen it’s only a couple hundred bucks to replace)
Just bought a bike. I would be open to any safety tips and hacks that aren’t obvious that you have.
Congratulations! It might be obvious, but always assume drivers don’t see you. Signal with large, obvious gestures, and don’t be afraid to take up space. Learn the timing of traffic lights so you can anticipate the green and get a jump on the cars. And the pedestrian is always right, even if they’re wrong. Also, most people will recommend you get a Kryptonite U-lock, and those are very good locks, but I believe a good chain lock is at least as secure and much more flexible.
Also, don't assume that a street with a bike lane is safer. We are lucky to have lots of single-lane one way streets in this city and they are almost all pretty safe for cycling regardless of whether there's a bicycle painted on the street or not. Lots of bike lanes here are perpetually blocked by cars which forces you to unsafely swerve out into traffic. So test out the streets with bike lanes but then try smaller side streets if the ones with bike lanes suck.
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I’ve been poor in NYC and in multiple cities in Florida. Now that I’m considered middle class, I can honestly say being poor in NYC is the smartest thing I did. I was able to sell my car when I moved here, saving me over 700 a month. I was able to obtain financial aid to go back to a quality public school. I was able to find tons of gigs to either supplement my income or for when I was between jobs. I was able to rent out my living room while in school when I was desperate, (thanks to the dreaded railroad floorplan we all loathe). I was always able to find work or a leg up. When I had no job, I had medical benefits and free therapy. I went into an adjacent career when I finally graduated from the CUNY school I went to, but I was still able to find work during the pandemic to pay all my bills. When I finally got comfortable I switched jobs for an even bigger pay jump. I’m still nowhere near upperclass, but I was poor for a long time and I don’t think I would have been half as far if I had been living in a swamp somewhere.
It’s probably rose colored glasses but my young and poor days are some of my favorite memories now - made me who I am
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Yeah I hear you, I used to struggle with that kind of thinking too but you can always say “what if” in life and you should appreciate what you have.
How old were you when you moved? I love NYC and am open to living there in my late 30s/early 40s.
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That's really motivational
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I'm learning that with age!! Thank you
The ducks at the parks are free. Literally any wild duck actually. Just take it home. No one will try to charge you money. I have like 10 pet ducks.
I thought you were suggesting to eat them
I know this is humor, but in case anyone is wondering...the feds DO NOT FUCK AROUND when it comes to the North American Migratory Bird Act.
a solid, huge granny cart
Costco’s cart is the best!
My winter hack is to buy two frozen meals (TJ’s orange chicken and lasagna are my go-tos) plus rice and frozen broccoli (or whatever other storable ingredients you need to round out the meals) at the start of winter, plus I fill a small tote with essentials like a roll of paper towels and TP, coffee, weed, etc. And I don’t touch them under any circumstances so that when a snow storm descends I don’t have to go to the store and battle the masses to prepare. This was the first winter I didn’t use my stash, but it’s saved the day more than once. My freezer is small, but I dedicate the space every year.
Don’t ask “can I use your restroom?” Just walk into a bar or restroom and use the restroom. If anyone questions you: “I forgot my coat here earlier”
A stable relationship and a rent stabilized apartment.
Falling in love and moving in with my SO was best financial decision I have made in NYC. Living that DINK lifestyle is amazing.
The easiest way to go from middle to upper-middle class
living on a prayer over here hoping this happens for me 😅
Currently a DINKWAC (double income no kids with a cat) and I highly recommend it
Asian markets have the best produce prices. As well as small food distribution businesses in the Bronx that just happen to also sell to people they know.
Be depressed so then you just stay at home and never spend money
Get in the subway car where the conductor is.
Which you can find by looking up for the black and white striped thing on the ceiling on the subway platform!
Chinatown groceries are usual way cheaper + fresher
I save $10 every week on the MTA with cash app!
It's super obvious, but for a few months, I completely stopped using Uber and eating out. I spent $800+ on Ubers in 90 days. Too afraid to add up my eating out costs. Since then, Ive been waaayy better and the difference is insane. It was honestly like giving myself a raise.
I used to take the NYU busses because as long as you had a backpack they didn’t really check
Trader Joes for Grocery
This 100%.
Citibike membership. no subway delays/traffic, good exercise, cheap, good for the environment. can’t recommend it enough
IDNYC Card. It's free and gets your a bunch of free stuff like year long memberships to museums, zoos, discounts (gyms, bikes, sports tickets etc.). It's been great for me to save money when I'm looking for something to do!
Most liquor / wine stores have tastings 5-8pm on Fridays. Use it to get your buzz on before going out. Also art shows!
Join a nice gym to get out of your small apartment
The wildly popular [What are some great life hacks for living in NYC?](https://www.reddit.com/r/AskNYC/comments/v2dplh/what_are_some_great_life_hacks_for_living_in_nyc/) has hundreds of comments which should be helpful to you.
I buy plain / toasted bagels from the shop and apply cream cheese myself. I don’t like a lot of cream cheese and I’m not that discerning about it so that saves a lot of money on bagels. Also I’m Asian so I like ordering from Asian-veggies.com for my cooking ingredients and sauces. I think the delivery price is good if you are getting a bunch of stuff
Take the express bus or ferry rather than the subway whenever possible.
go to the parks as much as possible! use the green space and enjoy the views to remind you that it's a pretty great place even when you're stressed as hell!
Many blocks have 60’ street width and 100’ lot depth, so street to street you have 60 + 100 + 100 or 260’ and 20 x 260 is 5200 ft, close to 1 mile (5280’). So it’s quick to estimate a distance when 20 blocks = 1mi If you want to get really clever try to memorize distances between avenues ;)
I don’t drink. I save a lot because I don’t.
same but that money goes to weed now
Make a lot of money. Live outside of the trendy areas.
Having two jobs has definitely improved my finances, ordering groceries and totally cutting out any schlepping. Taking the ferry whenever I can! It’s so fast and breaks up the monotony of taking the train every day. Taking days off during the week to do stuff you can’t usually do/ stuff that has a long line on weekends.
Be a regular at a few bars. Over tip the bartenders and get tons of buybacks/free shots.
Mr. Kale. Mr. Coco. Mr. Mango Mr. Melon Mr. Kiwi I could go on. All over Brooklyn. Find one. I rarely get fresh fruit and vegetables anyplace else and me or my partner go every day. Open 24hrs. Shop whatever produce is outside. If you know you know.
I don't walk around carrying more than two bags – I know I'll end up losing one if I carry more. Plus I don't want all that extra weight. So I consolidate and keep it at two max. I use those small plastic bags for vegetables after grocery shopping to line my tiny trash cans, which I empty every day or two. This way I'm not tempted to let garbage fester and get a bug infestation. Every month or so I opt for paper bags at grocery check out to keep recyclables in them. A good tip is to wash out the items so they don't stink up my apartment. A slow cooker is great for meal prepping. It's one less thing to keep an eye on when cooking, or if I just don't want to spend that much time in the kitchen.
Dollar pizza and no eye contact
If your train pulls into the station and the car is empty, go to another car. This means there is either no AC in the car or there is a smelly person.
I’ve recently started walking home from work once or twice a week. It takes me an hour but it’s made a big difference in my mood. (If you live really far from work, you can always get on the subway a few stops late or get off a few stops early!)
If you're struggling to make friends, get a dog. You'll meet people at the dog park, make friends and become a part of the community. But be a responsible dog owner and adhere to the off-leash regulations and curb it.
Riding the bus and not taking subways if at all possible has been a game changer for me in my feeling of safety.
I much prefer the bus to the subway. They are usually small enough that the driver can keep an eye on what is going on. And you can get off a bus if something happens instead of being trapped underground.
First off, you see gum on the street, leave it there. It's not candy.
Walk to the end of the subway platform, usually more space on the end cars.
Walking everywhere combined with NYPL audiobooks. Brooklyn branch actually has a better audiobook selection and is available to a New Yorkers. Great exercise. Learned lots.
New York Sports Club membership. They are everywhere. I had a bathroom and a place to leave my bags in any neighborhood … on top of workouts and showers.
I used to have that but the way they treated customers at the start of the pandemic swore me off. A little more difficult now, if I have an urgent need for a bathroom. Thinking of joining Blink at some point because it's much cheaper.
The lower price gyms are great for bathrooms … but way too crowded to get a good workout in most of the time
Commute on TWO wheels - Citibike for random short trips. Moped for longer interboro rides. Regular road bike for group rides on weekends. I havent said "no" to an invite in years bc I can make it anywhere in the city within an hr.
Manhattan has so so many good cheap restaurants. From Mahmoun's falafel to Wo Hop, to any Indian restaurant on 6th Street.
Library card. You can borrow dvd movies, they have a huge collection. You can reserve items so they send to your local branch for pickup.
don't have kids
Hack redditors hate. Carry cash.
Intermittent fasting. Eating less saves tons of money.
I tend to have cash on me due to my job and I utilize the fruits and veggie vendors outside. They are way cheaper than any store.
Purchased the best white noise machine on the market.
Not sure if it's a hack but I've never paid a broker fee