Free Short Stacks at IHOP

It’s that time again.  National Pancake Day is upon us and on Tuesday, February 23rd, score a free short stack of buttermilk pancakes at IHOP between 7am to 10pm.  If you don’t know the drill by now, here it is: Read more

Job Scam Feeds on Desperation of Unemployed Workers

Unless you’ve been hiding out in a black hole, you’re well aware of the scantness of the job market.  Chances are if you are not among the unemployed, you probably know a few people that are in the scramble for a steady monetary flow and health insurance.  Read more

Five Ways to Celebrate Black History Month in NYC

Black History Month has arrived, and what better way to celebrate than to take advantage of the myriad of events that are happening all over the city.  We’ve picked out a few of our favorites for you to check out, so grab your coat and your hat, and head outside to partake in the celebration. Read more

Affordable Fitness Options with iFit TV

Ubiquitous New Year’s resolutions reign supreme at the moment, and loads of them involve adopting a healthier lifestyle.  So, maybe you’ve decided to quit smoking, eat healthier or (cue the music) hit the gym…consistently this time. Read more

DIY: Shampoo, Body Wash & Laundry Detergent

So you’ve tightened up your budget as much as possible.  You use your club card at the grocery store, buy your morning joe at the local bodega instead of Starbucks, and take advantage of the myriad of free events around the city on a regular basis.  But sometimes routine necessities, like toiletries, can easily add up during a trip to the drugstore. Read more

Yet Another Free Concert Alert

So we’ve already told you about all of the other free concerts series the city is hosting this summer, but there’s more!  The City Parks Foundation is presenting their free concert series at parks across the city. Read more

5 Daily Ways to Save (Part II)

Everyone’s pinching extra pennies right now.  Whether you’re frugally furnishing your apartment with vintage pieces, stashing for a quick budget staycation or filling up that emergency cash stash, saving a few coins here and there is now a necessity.  Following up on our last Daily Ways to Save, here are five more tips to saving some extra coin.

1. Buy Your Morning Joe on the Block. Resist the urge to buy those pretty little lattes with their tantalizing foam, cream and drizzles of caramel.   Treating yourself to one of these might be ok once in a while but it can easily become a habit.  Stop before the addiction manifests and your wallet feels the crunch.  On your way to work, grab a cup of coffee at your local bodega before hopping on the subway — rarely will it cost more than a buck.  You’ll be supporting local small business and saving some change in the process.  If tea is more your bag, that’s great; carry a couple of teabags with you in your wallet or purse.  You can always score a cup of hot water free of charge at a local cafe, deli or fast food restaurant.

2.  Grab Breakfast – Not Lunch. Waking up early enough to eat breakfast and get out of the house on time for work is not always an easy task.  Some commuters often skip breakfast and hold off for lunch.  But why skip the most important meal of the day?  Doing this can cause you to spend more at lunch, since you’ll be starving by noon.  As someone who works in midtown surrounded by overpriced lunch spots, I ‘ve found that I save quite a bit of money each week by buying breakfast in lieu of lunch.  For instance, the local deli I go to in the mornings during the week sells “eggs all the way” with two eggs, home fries and toast for $2.75 plus tax.   The same deli sells sandwiches during lunch time for around $7.  Throw in a bag of chips or a salad, and you’ve easily topped $10.  If you grab coffee on the way to work and stop by a deli and pick up a breakfast special, you could have a full meal that will stave off hunger until the afternoon for less than $5.  Or pair that breakfast with a brown bag lunch from home and save considerable cash.

3.  Buy Snacks at the Supermarket. It’s very easy to pick up a danish at the cafe or buy a granola bar at the newsstand that you pass everyday on the way to the office.  Instead of spending extra cash picking up these items individually, purchase a box of your favorite snack at the supermarket.  If you don’t have a supermarket savings club card by now, get one.  Savings cards always help you save a little here and there. A  good idea is to keep some of these snacks at the job so that you resist pillaging at home on your days off.

4. Make Simple but Pricey Treats at Home. Most people, at some point in time, have bought a parfait, yogurt cup, or fruit salad and griped about how expensive a simple treat was.  Buying this food in bulk and storing it at the office can cut the costs.  I’m a big fan of DIY yogurt cups.  Instead of picking up overpriced yogurt at the store that can cost as much as $5 for a pack of four, buy a large sized tub of plain yogurt and mix in some fruit with your blender.  You can find in-season fruit for cheap at your local supermarket and make flavored yogurt that will last longer than four days.  If you don’t already have some Tupperware, a quick trip to the Dollar will solve that problem, and you’ll be good to go.

5. Grab a Free Paper. In this day and age of the Internet, many people are opting to read the news online.  (How eco-friendly and thrifty!)  But if you still need the feel of paper, resist the urge to buy a daily and grab a free one instead.  Here in New York, you can easily scope out a corner with a Metro or an amNew York distributor is handing out free copies.  Plus, the Post and the Daily News can usually be had for free in the late afternoon or early evening.

Free Shows with Carnegie Hall presents Honor!

As the days have turned noticeably milder from the clutches of brutal wind and snow storms, you’re probably willing to spend more days out and about.  Just in time for your outdoor wanderings comes the Carnegie Hall presents Honor!  A Celebration of the African American Cultural Legacy series, curated by Jessye Norman. Read more

Free Pancakes at IHOP Tomorrow!

Attention foodies:  this update is for you.  IHOP will be celebrating National Pancake Day (February 24) by giving away a free short stack of mouth watering buttermilk pancakes to patrons from 7am until 10pm tomorrow.  Read more

Four Fancy, But Frugal, Recipes

Entertaining friends with a low-key, intimate dinner at home can be pricey.  But we’ve gathered everything you need to move those after work dinners from the restaurant and into your kitchen — and at about a quarter of the cost.  You can downsize your supermarket bill without losing out on taste or presentation with these simple recipes for fabulously frugal meals.

Curried Rice
With only some cooking oil, white rice, vegetables and curry powder you can make a satisfying rice dish for only a few bucks.  First heat up some cooking oil (olive or vegetable) in a deep saucepan.  Add a tablespoon or so of curry and distribute it evenly in the pot let it heat up until it begins to bubble.  Stir in a cup or two of white rice evenly coating the rice with the curry and shake some salt over the colored rice.  After that add in some water, just enough to cover it.  Toss in some chopped onions and  a can of mixed vegetables.  Let it cook until the rice is done (about 20-25 min) and serve.  To beef it up a bit, saute and threw in some sausage along with the mixed vegetables for an even heartier dish.

Lemon Spaghetti
Begin by boiling a box of spaghetti in salted water.  Pour a cup of olive oil into a mixing bowl.  Zest a medium lemon into the olive oil and squeeze the juice of half the lemon into the mixture as well.  Stir in a cup of grated Parmesan cheese to create a cheesy olive oil sauce and set aside.  Once the spaghetti is al dente, stop boiling, reserve a cup or two of the pasta water and drain the rest.  Slowly add the sauce to the pasta and carefully add a bit of the pasta water as you desire to thin it out.  Season with black pepper and chopped fresh basil or sprinkle in some dried basil to taste.  The measurements are flexible so before serving, taste it and you can add more zest, lemon juice, pepper or basil as you like.

Salmon Croquettes
Empty a 10 oz. can of Pink Salmon into a bowl.  Stir in an egg, chopped onions and season with black pepper.  Drop in a couple scoops of flour and mix well.  Start heating up some oil in a frying pan.  Make medium sized patties with the fish mixture.  (If you’re having a hard time keeping the patties together, then that means you need to add more flour.)  Once you have some well formed patties, place them into the oil and fry until brown on both sides.  I’d suggest pairing with veggies and/or rice.

Beef Rice Pilaf
In a skillet, brown 2 cups of rice and some chopped onions or scallions in oil.  At the same time, have a cup or so of vegetable or beef broth simmering on low in a saucepan on the side.   Brown the onions and rice until onions are soft.  Add the rice to the broth and stir.  (You may need to level the the saucepan out with some water.)  In the skillet brown some ground beef and season with salt and pepper.  ( If your broth is salted be careful with how much salt you add to the beef if any.)  Once the ground beef is cooked add it to the rice along with some corn and chopped or sliced green and/or red bell peppers.  Add water if necessary and bring to a boil.  Sprinkle in some nutmeg for a spicy flavor and cook until rice is completely done.

Since beverages shouldn’t be neglected try these simple concoctions:

Cucumber Water
Slice a small cucumber (skin and all) and add it to a pitcher of water.  The cucumber will give the water a crisp and unexpected strong flavor.  You may drink more water with this simple trick and that’s always a good thing.

Tinto de Verano
A popular summertime drink in Spain, use this beverage to stretch out a bottle of red wine.  Just mix 1 part red wine with 1 part lemon soda or Sprite and you’ll have a tasty bubbly cocktail that is sure to prove popular with your guests.

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