Times are rough and we’re all trying to cut back a little. You buy a few less drinks at your favorite Happy Hour and you’ve been skipping your favorite dessert with dinner. But you can’t control the costs of most of your necessities- like where you live. But you sure can try.

A friend of mine, who is excited about her big move to Manhattan, asked me for some expert advice when it came to apartment hunting. Since many people jump straight from their dorm room to a new pad in the big city, there’s always an influx of New Yorkers searching for a new place to call home in the spring and summer months.

From my own personal experience, finding an apartment isn’t as challenging as you may think. Between Craigslist, realtors, social networking sites and print ads, you can easily line up a few appointments. The tricky part is what to do when you get there.