New York City has an estimated population of over 14 million people, making it one of the busiest cities in the USA. Of course, with many people, essential services and utilities such as housing will be at a higher price range due to increased demand.
Though the cost of living in NYC is high, it does not mean that you reduce your quality of life to survive; if you have the proper guidance, you can efficiently afford living in New York without going into debts or draining your bank account.
Below are tips that will help you afford living in NYC while staying on your budget regardless of whether you are a student or someone who is living in New York due to your job.
Housing
Housing is the most costly expense. Below are ways to cut down on the cost of housing to afford living in NYC
Get yourself a roommate
Getting yourself a roommate will help you cut down on the cost of housing, electricity, and heating bills. You may use Apps geared to pairing up roommates to make your roommate search easy and fast. Before sharing a house with someone, at least ensure you know more about them.
But, of course, this technique only works if privacy is not of paramount concern to you.
Location
Renting an apartment outside the city’s outskirts will help cut down the cost of housing you are to incur if you live in the city. This is because houses located outside the city will charge less rent than those situated in the heart of megapolis. Ensure that you rent an apartment where commuting to the city will be easy and cost-effective.
Comprehensive house rent
Consider renting a house where the monthly gas, heating, and electricity bills are included in your monthly rent, especially if you are a student.
Transport
Below are a few tips that you may utilize to reduce spending more money on transportation.
Use public means
Using public means for your daily transport will see you cut down on costs you would have brought upon yourself if you used your car. For example, this helps you reduce parking fees and tickets due to violation of traffic rules and the costs of oil and gas used to run your car.
If having a car is necessary for your line of work, then purchasing an inexpensive vehicle that consumes small amounts of gas or oil and covers a considerable mileage is an ingenious way of reducing your cost of living in NYC.
Buy a monthly pass if you are sure to commute daily; this helps you budget the cost of transport monthly. Also, using a bus rather than a subway or a taxi which are much more expensive, will help you economize on your cost of living. However, you should be ready to commute for longer distances if you settle for a bus as your means of transport.
Walking and using bicycles
If you live near your workplace or school, then walking is the best option for you. However, you may also try to rent a bike if you do not want to purchase yours, though the latter is the most cost-effective if you are covering short distances during your daily commutes.
Food
What you eat affects your quality of life; that is why you should never compromise on the quality of your food to stay on top of your budget. Below are tips that you can implement to see you eat quality food and still afford living in NYC
Shop in large stores
Shopping in large stores helps you save on money as compared to shopping in your local corner stores. You may also shop for your food in bulk, and during days the store offers a discount, but ensure you check on the expiry dates of these products.
Carry your homemade lunch
This tip helps you reduce the cost of buying foods from expensive restaurants. Instead, carry small packed foods such as sandwiches and hamburgers for your lunches and early dinners.
Enhance your life
Living in New York City may first seem like a challenging endeavor, but if you carefully strategize and plan the amount you earn compared to your cost of living, you will find out that it is an effortless endeavor.
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