Local Travel: Doin’ Philly, Baltimore and DC on the Cheap

New York’s a microcosm of the whole world, right?  Well, sort of.  Sure, the city has it all, but sometimes a change of scenery just does a body good.  Like milk.  What’s more, is that Philadelphia, Baltimore and Washington – the three major cities to the south – often get overlooked when compared to big, bad New York.  And that’s a shame.  It’s also what we seek to remedy.  So let’s head out of town and explore Philly, Baltimore and DC – on the cheap. Read more

Hook Up at The Brookyn Meatup

Park Slope may possess more baby carriages per square foot than any other location within Brooklyn, but all of those little seedlings signify one thing: Mama and Papa once got it on – - and you can too. Three of the borough’s finest blogs (Brokelyn, Brooklyn Based, and F.I.P.S) are tossing a party on September 30th that will hopefully allow Brooklyn singles’ to meet and, uh, do other stuff.

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The Peek Turns One and Gets Facebook and Twitter Updates

Last week the Peek, the low-cost e-mail device and one of our favorite gadgets we’ve ever fondled, celebrated a year of existence. To mark the occasion, the little-handheld-that-could sees the addition of a number of free feature updates that may leave naysayers that rag on its “lack of functionality” a little less vocal. Read more

When Budget Weddings Breed Budget Attendees: 10 Gift Ideas for Under $20

There’s no avoiding it — weddings cost money. You can scrounge through your closet for your go-to little black dress and those shoes that kill your feet after 10 minutes, but the one thing you can’t get around is spending money on a gift. When the recession is causing the average wedding costs to drop $6,000 last year, and probably even more in 2009, brides know money’s tight. With that logic, it’s perfectly acceptable for guests to spend less when the couple is cutting back too. So after my third wedding invitation this year, I knew I had to dig up a gift that was classy, yet affordable, for my recession-friendly friends.

Kitchen essentials and personalized gifts are great ideas for the newlywed couple, and unless you’re throwing down the big bucks at Williams Sonoma, they typically don’t cost an arm and a leg. So put down your checkbook and grab one of these gifts for the soirée.

Glassware
Every couple needs glassware to fill up those empty kitchen cabinets. Target has great, complete sets like their lines of Polaris and Derby. Each comes with 16 pieces, 8 of each kind of glass. It’ll leave the couple wishing for company so they can break them out.

Flatware
China is expensive. So why not opt for its less expensive counterpart: flatware. Target has 20-piece sets that run as low as $14.99. The Winfield collection comes with five each of dinner and salad forks, knives and teaspoons. Its stainless steel, sleek design gives it a sophisticated look for less.

Cookware
Pots and pans are a necessity for any fully equipped kitchen. And they look expensive. You can nab a 7-piece cookware set from IKEA for only $19.99. The SNITSIG set comes with three lidded pots and saucepans and stainless steel frying pan.

Ceramic Plate Set
An entire place setting can reach costs up to $30 a person. So a 4-person set would be pricey. But for a simple, sophisticated every-day set, Pearl River Mart has you covered. You can pick up their off white ceramic flat plates and soup bowls for only $1.50 each! That’ll give your recipients a lovely dinner set for four, and it’ll only cost you $12.

Wooden Bowl Set
If you’re looking to get something more intricate yet functional, try Pearl River Mart’s Lacquer Wooden Flower Bowls. They’re painted beautifully with a black and red motif. For only $4.50 each, you can get a set of four that can be used for anything from cereal to soup.

Dessert Kit
Bring out the pastry chef in anyone with an all-inclusive crème brulee set. A dessert that can be found on any high-class restaurant’s menu, crème brulee seems to be a daunting treat to wrestle with. But with Target’s 5-piece set, the newlywed couple will have the ramekins, torch and even recipe to follow that will impress any in-law.

Bakeware
From cookies to cupcakes, baked goods are always a favorite. Stock the couple’s kitchen with everything from a measuring cup ($2.99 at Target) to cookie sheets, cupcake pans or cake pans ($6.99 each at Target). Ikea’s BULLAR set comes with a baking tin and pie dish for $5.99. Combine a selection of any of these bakeware items to get the couple’s dessert-making career off to the right start.

Cup and Saucer Set
It’s hard to come by someone who doesn’t enjoy an aromatic cup of morning coffee or soothing tea. And if the bride is anything like my mother, she’ll love to have all her cups and saucers match when she has guests. Pearl River Mart’s cup and saucer sets are as low as $2.50 for each cup and $2.50 for each saucer. Its forest green glazed color is just as attractive as its price tag. Get a set of four for $20.

Crock Pot
The chef of the house will adore you for this amazing invention. These slow-cookers allow you to just throw the ingredients in, set the temperature and go on with your day. Target sells a 4 qt. crock-pot for $16.99. Add some recipes to your gift to get the chef started. Crock-pot.com has some great ones like Beef Bourguignon and Fiesta Chicken. Just print out the recipes small enough so it will fit on a recipe card but big enough so it can be read. Mat it onto construction paper or scrapbook paper. Scrapbookscrapbook.com offers free, printable designs. Using scissors or pinking shears from some added flair, cut out the recipe card. Punch a hole into each card and string them together with a ribbon.

Gift Basket
Little things add up. Fill a basket with gadgets the bride-or groom-will have fun with or need in the kitchen. Here are some you can pick up at IKEA:

Can opener-$2
Pizza wheel-$1.50
Rolling pin-$4
Colander-$2
Corkscrew-$2
Ice cream scoop-$3
Grater-$1.50
Whisk-$1.50
MIXA Spoon, spatula and fork set-$.50!

You can pick up a basket and some clear or colored cellophane at the dollar store and arrange the goodies inside. Tie it up with a bow and you’re done!

Still not satisfied?  Get some more great budget gift ideas here, from our partner at Cheap Wedding Solutions.

Fall for Dance Festival: $10 Every Seat, Every Day.

The Fall brings about many wonderful things in New York — excellent weather, Fashion Week, and the highly sought after performances of the Fall for Dance Festival.  Held each year at the New York City Center, Fall for Dance features 20 companies from all over the world to perform each night for two weeks.  And the best part is that the tickets are subsidized and are each sold for $10.  It’s probably the best deal you’ll find every year when it comes to the performing arts. Read more

4 Fail-Proof Ways to make and Save Thousands of Dollars a Year on Craigslist

When you need a new roommate to help cover half the costs of your midtown (or uptown or downtown) studio – because your previous roommate decided to skip out on the lease early to “find” himself somewhere in Sumatra – Craigslist is likely the first place you look.

But Craigslist’s network of online communities isn’t limited to helping you hunt down your next live-in archenemy. The global Web site allows you to buy, sell and search for almost anything you can think of – goods, services, jobs, dates – just enter a word, and Craigslist is on the case. There’s money to be made on Craigslist too. Real money. (Much more than the $10 you pocketed from hocking your dearly departed bunkmate’s ZZ Top cassette collection.)  We’re talking thousands of dollars a year if you use the site to its full potential.

And who knows – maybe one day you’ll have enough dough to afford an apartment where Creepy McCreepington doesn’t watch you sleep.  OK, maybe that’s wishful thinking. But look on the bright side – at least you’ll pocket enough green to buy a lock for your bedroom door.

1. Pimp Yourself (street corner not required)

Everybody’s good at something, and these days people are seeking services on the cheap. Whether it’s planning kids’ birthday parties or rewriting others’ resumes, there’s a whole gaggle of Craigslist users out there looking to avoid pricey operations in favor of a one-man or –woman shop. The key to success is in researching your competitors and offering your services near or below their price points. Also, be professional. Even though someone is actively seeking your expertise, they’re still weary of the potential dangers, i.e. that you’re gonna take ’em for a ride. Craft a compelling pitch and follow through as you would at your day job. Unless, of course, you were recently fired from your day job. Then just remember that your rent depends on it.

2. Sell That Junk (and its trunk)

You may like to live in excess, which is why you’re currently hard up for cheddar, but if your home is an urban apartment, you have limited space – space that’s undoubtedly being consumed by stuff you neither use nor need. The solution? Sell it – sell it all. Sure, a service like eBay offers more guarantees and protections against flakes, but, let’s be honest, are you really gonna ship your old college couch to Cincinnati? Probably not. Don’t underestimate the value of an item you may consider valueless, either. As they say, one person’s junk is another’s treasure. Suckas.

3. Think Like a Hilton (the hotel, not the ho)

Instead of finding a roommate to fill that second or third bedroom, consider renting it to tourists. Yes … tourists. Before you scoff, hear us out. You see, roommates pay a flat fee per month – let’s say $1,000 – but tourists are willing to pay a per-night rate, allowing you, if you set a reasonable rate for decent accommodations, to make up to three times more than a roommate would pay. The average rate for a room listed on the “Vacation Rentals” section of Craigslist NYC is $100. If you’re the ambitious type who’s committed to making a situation like this work, go head and multiply that per-night rate by 30 days, then again by 12 months. The numbers don’t lie – you’re the proud new owner of a Benjamins-birthing cash cow. Just don’t be stupid. While this is the mother of all Craigslist moneymakers, you can’t rely on it 24/7. There will be down times, especially during the winter months. Make sure your bills are covered before you start going berserk at Balenciaga.

4. Get Your Free-k On (getcha, getcha, getcha)

Need a crate for your pet or a slightly used set of used martini glasses? Chances are you can find what your heart and wallet desires on the “Free” section of Craigslist. In addition to useful items you need but don’t want to pay for, this section is usually ripe with free tickets to museums, comedy shows and other cultural events. Did somebody say cost-effective night out? Yeah we did! And if you’re a real go-getter, you can use the free section to scout valuable wares that you can grab at no cost and then resell. Some call it unethical. We call it economical.

Using Craigslist to make money is sort of like an AA meeting: It works if you work it.  Hundreds of posts populate in each section every day, so you have to post frequently for your ad to have an impact. Craigslist is smart, however; it doesn’t allow users to post the same ad more than once every two days. Still, we think you’re smarter. To beat the system, simply register two or three different e-mail addresses (and for added convenience, set these addresses to forward incoming mail to your primary e-mail so when users contact you you’ll know right away).

This posting method will allow you to publish your ads – whatever they may be – at least once daily, maximizing not only your exposure but also your earning potential.

Mikey Rox is the principal of Paper Rox Scissors, a copy and creative consulting company in New York City. His work has appeared in more than 70 print and digital publications across North America and Europe, including The Advocate, the Examiner newspapers and The Baltimore Sun. He’s also the proud owner of a black belt in making Craigslist his bitch. High-ya!

Photo credit:  sibaudio

Brooklyn Named One of America’s Most Frugal Cities

Brooklyn kicks ass in many ways, but now they have one more reason to boast about their awesmeness.  Brooklynites have cut back their spending by 28%, and the city was named as one of five of America’s Most Frugal Cities according to Mint. Read more

And The Winner Is…

A huge Thank You to everyone who participated in the Broadway ticket giveaway.  We had an enormous response from you guys — and it was awesome.

The winner of the Phantom of the Opera tickets and a $100 Dinner Certificate to Tony DiNapoli’s is: Read more

The Rules of Budgeting — Tailored to a New York LifeStyler

We’ve all heard the typical budget allocations for the rest of the country — 30% to rent, 20% to transportation, 15% for food.   But how does this tie in with New Yorkers who tend to average about 50% of their salary or more on rent?  Late last year, CNN posted a budget pie chart to show Americans where they should be allocating their monthly income. But we’re going to take a closer look at how New Yorkers are — or should be — budgeting their money. Read more

Need a Realistic Budget? Make One According to Your Spending Habits

Make a budget. That’s what everyone tells you to do when you’re trying to save a buck here or there, but no one tells you exactly how to do it.

Back in the 10th grade we learned all about balancing checkbooks — something I’ll admit I still don’t do — and how to create a budget. Read more

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