Monthly Mashup: Budget Blogger Edition

We haven’t busted out a Monthly Mashup in a hot minute, and since we also haven’t been providing much new content on the site as of late (and we sincerely apologize for our slackerness), we’re going to throw up some of our favorite linkage from our favorite budget NYC bloggers.  Be on the lookout in the upcoming weeks for more heapings of original content — we promise.  And maybe a Tweetup too.

16 Strategies for Saving Money When Eating Out - The guys over at Coupon Sherpa have some pretty solid tips on how to save money when you’re eating out.  Most of us have tried these all out at some point, but you may have never done the “secret shopping” bit. I did once, and it was like being a CIA operative — only you don’t get a tranq gun and it’s not as cool.

Brooklyn Massages for Less Than $50 - Our friends over at Brokelyn have dug deep to find the cheapest massages in the BK.  Not surprisingly, they’re mostly those small Asian joints with the awesome signage that offer back and foot rubs, along with some reflexology.  But for some treatments as low as $25 for an hour — who cares?

Buy a Drink, Get a Pizza - The beer/pizza phenomon has been covered quite a few times in NYC, but if you’re a newbie here and you’re not aware of the calorie-inducing sobriety awesomeness that is free pizza with the purchase of a beer, you can read about 89th and Broke’s review of Manhattan’s seemingly favorite:  Crocodile Lounge.

Why You Can’t Stick With a Budget - WiseBread writer, Stacy Johnson, explains why you still suck at creating and sticking with a budget.  And she’s dead on.  She covers some smart ideas about being financially flexible, not depriving yourself, and why goals play an important role in the whole process.

Why You Should Sell Yourself Short - The ladies over at RecessionWire give us the lowdown on how to go about pitching yourself in today’s social media crazed climate.  They tell you how to perfect the 30-second elevator pitch for the Twittersphere — the aptly named Twesume.  (And yes, it makes me wince a little when I say that)

Photo credit: canna_w via stock.xchng

8 Money Saving Tips for Grocery Shopping in NYC

So you’ve moved into your new apartment, shelled out a few bucks for some Ikea staples, and realized that your place doesn’t come with a stocked fridge. Its time to head out into the nippy weather and hit up the local neighborhood grocery store.  Read more

Important Lease Vocabulary that all New Yorkers Should Know

Unless you studied real estate in college, signing a lease can be extremely overwhelming. There are so many new phrases and terms being thrown at you that you begin to wonder if your broker is even speaking English. However, it’s vitally important that you understand everything on your lease because once you sign that paper you’re legally bound to what it says. Read more

A Quick and Easy Dinner Party for $30: Holiday Edition

$30 Dinner Party is a Monthly Column that lays out a detailed 3-course meal (appetizer, entree and dessert) for a dinner party of four for under $30. With a detailed listing of ingredients (and their cost) and super easy recipes, along with budget wine pairings, you’ll never have to put off socializing due to budget restrictions again.  Recession be damned! Read more

Jeanette Pavini Dishes on Where to Save and Where to Splurge During the Holidays

Your credit card balance is increasing and your receipts are piling up because of the holidays. It’s the time of the year everyone expects to drop hundreds of dollars. Read more

5 Super Last Minute Gift Ideas for Less than $20

It’s two days before Christmas. Have you finished your shopping?  Don’t stress. There are plenty of last minute gifts that you can give to your family and friends without losing any money (or blood) in the Herald Square chaos. And no, you won’t see gift cards on this list. Read more

LifeStyler’s Last-Minute NYC Budget Gift Guide

It’s the holiday season again, and if you’re anything like us, you haven’t done a stitch of gift shopping.  It’s okay, though.  Laziness doesn’t always have to screw you over.  We’ve rounded up some easy last minute (and cheap!) gifts that are purchased easily and quickly from your home computer or in the nearby area — but be ready to have that shipping expedited.

Under $20

• KODAK Picture Movie DVD ($14.99) – Pull at their heart strings.  You know people love homemade gifts, so make them all teary-eyed by uploading sweet photos and adding in some sweet Marvin Gaye tracks.  The whole caboodle takes about 15 minutes, and its done at a Kiosk — can’t get much easier than that.  Once you’re done, wrap it up in some homemade paper created by your old Whole Foods bags, and voila!  DIY perfection.  *Kiosk locations here.

• Full Color Photo Book by Fast Pencil ($9.20) – Here’s another partial-DIY gem.  Fast Pencil is an online publishing tool that allows you to print your own books — but you can also use it to make a really fabulous thoughtful gift.  A 40 page full-color, saddle stitch photo book will run you less than $10 a copy.  Or you could publish a handful of mom’s best recipes, complete with glossy photos and personal anecdotes to give to everyone in the family.  The sky’s pretty much the limit with this one.

• Tenant Flash Cards ($10) – Tenant rights are always important, living in a city like New York.  Make looking up common tenant issues way easier by popping out some flash cards, instead of sifting through a hundred pages of Google search results.

Under $50

• First World Trash Brown Tote ($40) – Supporting local small businesses right now is key in helping them survive the Great Recession of ‘09.  Do your part by picking up this trendy, goes-with-everything, recycled (green!) tote bag from Queens retailer, First World Trash.

• 8×12 Fine Art Print of Macy’s at Christmas time ($39) – Remind your gift recipient that you did not have to stand in insane shopping lines with this fine art print of the crowds at Macy’s that you can purchase through Etsy, the web’s best online craft store.

• Lego Recreation of the Guggenheim Museum ($44.95) – Legos are awesome.  Lego recreations are even better.  And in a twisted sense of irony, the most unique gift I’ve seen this year is available at the cookie-cutter mega retailer, Wal-Mart.  It’s perfect for your geeky, artsy friend.

Under $100

• Quickbooks Accounting Simple Start Edition ($99.95) – Be practical. The best way to stay on top of that New Year’s resolution to finally get your finances in order is to actually make a step towards that goal.  There’s a reason why almost every small business uses Quickbooks — it’s actually a good product.  And the best thing about this version, is that it’s pretty much learning curve free — as long as you can pump out some data entry, it’ll do the rest.

• Dance Classes at Broadway Dance Center ($70) – A 5-class card at famed studio, BDC, is a way cool gift for for both the beginner or a seasoned dancer.  With 16 types of classes, you can test drive a few to find out which is your favorite.

• Transit Museum Membership ($80) – Give someone a real New York gift — a membership to the Transit Museum.  There’s all sorts of perks involved, including free museum admission for you, a guest, and four kids; discounts to museum events; and most importantly, access to train tunnel tours of old subway stations.

Win a Tote Bag from First World Trash!

Want to win an awesome tote bag made by a local New York artisan?  Of course you do!  First World Trash, run by Queens resident, Jenelle Marlbrough, has given us their awesome signature recycled tote bag (retail value: $40)  to give out to one lucky reader. 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

NYFA Sponsored Swap Meet on Thursday Evening

The New York Foundation for the Arts is a cool organization based in NYC that exists to promote and assist artists in a myriad of ways, including helping them find jobs, workspaces, and other awesome things.  But this Thursday, they’re hosting the holy-grail of starving artist events: a swap meet. Read more

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