Five Frugal Things in NYC
by Katy on July 18, 2024 · 46 comments
I’m still in New York helping out my sister, which explains why my “frugal things” are all NYC based.
1) My adult nephew and I had an entire day to kill in the city, but needed to stay within a specific neighborhood. We’d already had coffee and free pastries at Paris Baguette, but we still needed a third space where we could park ourselves. Our first thought the NY Public Library for the Performing Arts, but my nephew had an online class, which would be too noisy for a library environment. Instead we chose to hang out in the Lincoln Center lobby.
They provided a climate controlled space, immaculate bathrooms, comfortable seating options and an infinite loop of digital interpretive dancers.
I kid you not.
My nephew also told me about NYC Privately Owned Public Spaces, which are:
“Privately owned public spaces, also known by the acronym POPS, are spaces dedicated to public use and enjoyment and which are owned and maintained by private property owners, in exchange for bonus floor area or waivers. More than 590 POPS provide a myriad of opportunities to sit, relax, people watch, eat, meet others – in other words, to partake and enjoy in urban life in one of the world’s greatest cities.”
You can find a “POPS” location by clicking HERE.
To clarify, I don’t think that the Lincoln Center lobby was an official “POPS” spot, but we were far from the only people using this beautiful space to hang out or meet up with friends.
2) I walked to the grocery store to pick up a couple nights of dinner ingredients. It’s always interesting shop at regional food stores when away from home, even when that travel is within your own country. My sister’s standard grocery store has frozen Arthur Avenue (“Little Italy in the Bronx”) frozen ravioli, fresh pickles and a permanent display of everything needed to make tiramisu. They also had fresh bagels, (duh!) and multiple non-corporate brands of ricotta.
My favorite souvenir to bring home from traveling is regionally specific food, as it makes a great gift and doesn’t contribute to clutter.
3) I might meet up with a couple of my NYC based friends while I’m here, but they’ll need come to me which’ll simplify my trip.
4) • I bought a bagel and cream cheese at the grocery store, but added my own tomato and cucumber at the house.
• My nephew and I picked up $9 halal cart lunches and brought them back to the Lincoln Center lobby.
• It rained with might and fury last night and I consequently didn’t need to water my sister’s extensive garden today.
5) I didn’t waste money on gauze for a non-existent injury.
Katy Wolk-Stanley
“Use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without.”
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{ 45 comments… read them below or add one }
I like to look around in grocery stores when away from home also. I’m traveling to Santa Fe, NM next week so I will get to do this.
1. I found a 5$ bill in the bushes near a Taco Bell last week.
2.I completed a short survey & I will be sent a gray (my favorite) tee in my size. (Often times the give away tees are XL which is my husband’s size not mine.)
3. Got a free chx enchilada burrito at Taco Bell w/ my reward points.
4. I redeemed Fetch points to get a 50$ GC at Advance Auto parts. I need an air filter. It won’t cost 50$ but I will save the rest for the next auto part I need.
5. Made some bone broth w/ chx frame. Tomorrow the broth will become chx veggie soup after I strain the broth. I have a few wrinkled potatoes & canned veggies to add.
Frugal Fails: Hubby burned the steaks we were to eat for din-din. Burned meaning charred and not in a good way. We had to eat left over tuna casserole instead.
Hubby went to look in a Dol Gen dumpster. On his way out of the parking lot a lady backed into his car. She has insurance so hopefully no cost to us. The brakes went out on his truck this week also.
It has not been a good week for hubby or vehicles.
The POPS concept is so cool!
I found a lovely restaurant, new to us, that is dedicated gluten-free (as the owner puts it, flour never comes through the door) and my husband and I had a wonderful meal last night. We eat out very rarely these days, so that was super nice. It’s one of those things one lives frugally 90% of the time.
We brought home leftovers in a reusable container. Otherwise, I rack dried some laundry, took a long indoor walk around a home decor store and was notv tempted to buy anything.
My city has a wonderful 100% GF restaurant as well, and there’s nothing like not worrying at all about being glutened. It’s actually safer than my own kitchen, as DH still eats some gluten foods.
I love that you found a five dollar bill in a Taco Bell bush!
I went to college in Albuquerque and used to enjoy going up to Santa Fe for lunch and sightseeing, have fun!
would love to see a picture of her NYC garden.
Me too!
Me three!
I continue to be the recipient of free produce. My daughter brought me cherries. A friend brought me apricots. They are all the sweeter because they were given in friendship and love.
I love shopping at grocery stores for souvenirs when I travel. I’ve also been the one getting souvenirs of grocery items such as, wild sage honey, real maple syrup, ollalaberry jam, smoked salmon, and recently a yummy Hawaiian pineapple salsa. It is a fun to receive a gift from a friend or family member’s trip. That way we both get to share in the memory.
Had to laugh at your gauze reference!
1. I have been selling small odds and ends on FB MP for both my household and a couple of items for a neighbour. This weeks grand total is $90.
2. I took a lovely early morning walk to pick up a free, nice quality pancake flipper from my Buy nothing group. It replaces a broken utensil that has lingered in a drawer until I found a replacement. Patience pays off.
3. Made bread in the bread maker.
4. Froze leftover coffee in an ice cube tray; This makes delicious iced coffee in the blender with a bit of milk, sugar and cocoa.
5. I completed a cross stitch project and sewed it onto a tote bag to cover an advertising logo. My bag now reads “Chaos Co-ordinator” in lovely script.
6. Heading over to my neighbours house this evening to drop off her portion of money from FB sales. We will visit and cuddle kittens she is fostering.
7. Offered 2 items up on the Buy Nothing and they were both picked up.
I freeze husband’s leftover coffee for iced coffee too. I don’t like hot coffee but an iced coffee on a hot day hits the spot. I use my blender also to make a tasty drink. Sometimes I put some sugar free caramel flavoring in it too. Yum Yum!
On my trip next week I am taking my mini blender so I can have an iced coffee. No need to pay high prices at the coffee shop. I can make coffee in the room for free, chill in the mini fridge, get ice in hotel, and voila an iced coffee.
Playing with kittens sounds lovely. I love my soft, purring cats.
Were traveling north today by car. Glad we decided to drive not fly. Lots of planes grounded due to computer issues. We plan on stopping in savannah and then DC. The boyfriend is retired military and wants to give us a wel informed walking tour. Very excited as we’ve only been to DC once for a few hours.
Packed a cooler. Can’t believe gas station and rest area food prices!! Holy cow!
Continue to have fun in NYC!
Food there while expensive is less expensive than here in Maine. No idea why.
Our garden is coming in and I play my own version of “Chopped” every dinner time.
Dropped by new neighbor’s house with a bag of blueberries we harvested from our yard. They did not answer the door so I brought them home. I did not want them to get ruined in the sun and had no way to contact them to let them know they were there.
Will start harvesting our 300 heads of lettuce soon. They are popular with friends. And most of the garlic at the market is a Product of China. We’ll grow our own thank you!
NYC sure does have some amazing food. Glad you are enjoying it.
1. Our neighbor(75) was in the hospital 2 weeks ag0. I let his wife know I would handle their garbage/recyclables for them. She has feet problems so walking is hard enough for her. I also grabbed her mail and made them muffins. They brought me a dozen bagels today as a thank you. Yummy.
2. The figs have begun and we are enjoying each and every one.
3. My mom and sister came for a visit. We celebrated my YD’s birthday that is next week. I sent them home with garden goodies. My sister brought a bunch of stuff for me to try to sell. My mom made me chocolate chip cookies.
4. Hubby and I went to a free concert in the park. It was a lot of fun. It was a cover band for Journey. We brought chairs, water and cookies.
5. Hubby works in IT and dealing with the craziness that is going on. I brought him lunch. He works 2 miles from the house. He usually comes home. He ran out the door this morning.
You get the good person of the week award for caring for the hospitalized neighbor and his wife. Really, what a thoughtful thing to do.
Thank you. They are really great people. We have lived here 24 years. Their daughter babysat our kids when they were little. We take care of each other.
Marybeth, I’m glad to read that you have neighbors as good as mine. We all need them.
I find the Crowdfire (which it technically *not* Microsoft) clusterfake nothing but good old karma. All these companies are falling all over themselves to “go to the cloud” and 3rd party hosted applications/utilities. They all got hit upside their heads with a 2′ x 4′ today. We’ll see if any good comes out of it but I highly doubt it.
So fun to read 5FT NYC!
We are the happy grandparents of a new baby girl, born this week at just over 4 lbs. Mom and baby are doing well. Now we get to do the NICU wait. Not grumbling though, it’s just a road I haven’t traveled before…
So happy for you! Best wishes to the whole family!
Kara, I rejoice with your and yours that the baby was born safely and that both she and her mother are doing well. Best wishes to you all on the road you still have to travel.
Congratulations!! Such happy news.
So pleased to hear this!
So glad mama and baby girl are well!
Kara,
I’m overjoyed to hear of the baby’s debut into the world, albeit rather early. Glad mom and babe are well.
Among my friends are two young women (now grown, how time flies!) who were born prematurely and stayed in the NICU for quite some time. At the time, the families were extremely worried because their doctors said that the preemies probably would be disabled, possibly intellectually disabled. Do not let such talk bother you: Erin was top of her class all through school and college and is a scientist; Heidi had equally high grades (was even taking Advanced Chemistry in high school) and now she is a business owner. Back then, both little girls were a bit small for their ages but still normal (or above normal!) in every way.
Kara, I’m so happy for you and everyone else! Thanks for sharing your good news.
Congratulations on the new addition to your family
Congratulations to you and your entire family!
First, Katy, thanks so much for the link to the POPS site. Even JASNA BFF, Manhattanite born and bred as she is, may not know about some of these. And I look forward to exploring a few of these the next time I visit her.
Now, FFT, Some NYC Suggestions and Some At-Home Stuff Edition:
(1) When I visit JASNA BFF, I enjoy hitting the thrift shops in her Upper West Side neighborhood. There’s an excellent Housing Works shop near her, and although the prices are high by my Upstate standards, she and I do find unusual things there. (She’s also been donating things there regularly since her husband’s death a couple of years ago.)
(2) I discovered Zabar’s last trip and would definitely recommend it as a source for both edible and kitchenware souvenirs.
(3) And I’ve been able to introduce JASNA BFF to birding through the birds we see from her building’s rooftop. We occasionally see red-tailed hawks (offspring of the famous Pale Male, no doubt), and she’s gotten quite fond of her resident mockingbird. Katy’s sister’s garden may attract birds as well.
(4) On the home front, none of my neighbors has claimed the working Timex Ironman Marathon watch I found in the street early Monday morning (I did send an email about it to the street’s Google Group), so I’m declaring finders keepers.
(5) And I gave a quart of refrigerator dill pickles to my next-door neighbor’s other close friend (CF) today. CF is recovering from shoulder replacement surgery, so she was much amused that the jar was an old “Atlas Strong Shoulder,” which I found at a local Goodwill a few weeks ago.
ha, Zabar’s. When my dad was young, his West Side gang would go to Zabar’s to steal snack foods for the movies. Dad would steal a small salami, but the fearless gang leader would steal a huge salami.
Todaro Brothers was my own favorite source for salami but it closed in 2019 after more than a hundred years. Dammit.
1. This week I am patting myself on the back so much I think I wrenched my shoulder. Every day I am pulling up produce from the garden and getting enough to eat that day, freeze or dehydrate, and share with the harried mother of twins next door. She did not have the energy to put in a garden and I am pleased to have a place to put the excess. When my chronic illness is rearing up, I have to give myself a stern talking to in order to force myself to get things planted and this spring was a bugger. The husband helps but he really never paid attention to all my gardening lectures over the years so is pretty hopeless at anything other than watering. (Example: he pulled up all the sunflower transplants, proudly reporting that he got rid of the giant weeds taking over one bed!) Today I am so very glad I pushed through and put in a garden.
2. It is raining salmon at our house. Friends who fish have given us so much our freezer is full and yesterday my husband went to a meeting and the moderator brought in a cooler full of frozen salmon fillets, enough for two packets per person. She promised at the next meeting she will bring smoked salmon; she is Alaska Native so it will be the old style that you cannot buy in the stores and that we were spoiled on when living in the bush. I will be making sure he does not forget to attend that meeting!
3. Husband bought me something I have long coveted: a library cart in cherry red and it has giant sturdy wheels. I can wheel it to wherever I want to work that day—from my recliner, on the back porch, in the dining area. This is frugal because he sold some tools he no longer uses in order to pay for this beauty. So, no money out of pocket and clutter out of the work shed. I almost cried with joy, not only because I have wanted one for years but because it means he pays attention when I talk. This time it was double paying attention, in that he got the cart but also he sold junk to get the money for it.
4. From my shift at the food bank, I brought home a boatload of rhubarb. It has been hanging about but no one wanted it so I rescued it from an eventual trip to the compost heap. I turned it into rhubarb sauce, just like applesauce in the way we eat it.
5. Did a mystery shop for a free pizza plus $10. Not my favorite pizza place but we doctored it up a bit and it was quite tasty.
Money that I happily spent: we have a summer arts festival that attracts some very renowned individuals who pretty much get little money but a free trip and room and board to go to Alaska for two weeks and conduct classes for the locals. This year they are doing a fund raiser and the theme is Motown music and I rushed to spend the money for tickets. Appetizers and old favorites played and sung by accomplished musicians and singers, raising money for future festivals, you bet. One of the kids who started attending the festival years ago now is an adult and the talent she has and connections she made here have led to her current career playing with Broadway shows. Now she comes back to teach in the summers. I remind myself of things like that when the political news of the country makes me feel like nothing is going right.
Lindsey, I’m so glad to hear all of your good news. (In particular, as you already know and as I’ve often said in the past, the husband is a treasure. Give him an extra kiss from me, for the kiss I can no longer give my own treasure of a DH.)
And it’s “raining salmon”?? I’d be out there singing “Singin’ in the Rain”!
I didn’t need my DH to uproot my sunflower seedlings. The resident woodchucks did it by eating the little plants down to the nub. I’ll try again next year in a different section of the yard.
Christine, what with the deer, the woodchucks, and the rabbits, the few neighbors of mine who are still trying to grow veggies out in the open are going berserk. In fact, one neighbor put up a 7-foot fence around his veg garden, and then reinforced the bottom with chicken wire when he saw rabbits–and a baby bunny STILL squeezed in through the chicken wire and ate all his lettuces. He’s conceded defeat and says this is the last year he’ll be trying to grow veg.
As for the sunflowers, I’ve found that they do much better (in terms of both critter resistance and general survival) when I let them self-seed from year to year, rather than trying to grow transplants. I’ve had a successful self-seeding sunflower patch going for almost 20 years now.
Thanks for the advice about the sunflowers. I will try to establish one that keeps going indefinitely next year. I do love sunflowers. The front yard seems to be my best bet as the critters mostly stick to the back yard where there are plenty of woods for them to hide in (between feedings, of course)! Like your neighbor, I gave up vegetable gardening years ago after a beautiful garden I planted with my grandchildren was decimated by woodchucks (and maybe their friends, too). Disappointment all around. This was the first summer Woody the Woodchuck learned to climb the three steps to the deck and chow down on the marigolds I planted in pots to keep the mosquitos away while we spend time out there. Marigolds of all things! Not to be deterred, he ate roughly half of them in one day before I moved them to the front of the house.
Free food is great. Free seafood is the best.
Oh, Lindsey! So sorry to laugh at your lost “giant weeds.” If my husband did that I would be tempted to transplant HIM! 🙂 And I absolutely love hearing about the arts festival!
I hope your foot isn’t giving you too much trouble. NYC sounds like a place where you do a lot of walking.
1. A very tiny frugal thing. I found a penny on the ground at Costco. Yes, I too can say I recently came into some money.
2. I clipped my dogs nails. I’m lucky she’s very cooperative.
3. I found a pair of white crop jeans at Goodwill. They were 50% off and just the thing I’ve been looking for. I love when I find things used that are on my want list.
4. I also found a beautiful frame to hold my great-nephew’s tiny little school photo at an estate sale for $1. This was also on my want list.
5. I mowed my own lawn. I finished another library book on my kindle. I’m drinking tap water and making meals at home.
Oh, I am enjoying hearing about the Big Apple! Thanks for sharing!
I’d love to see photos of the garden, and hope your sore foot isn’t hurting you or slowing you down.
My 5FTs:
1. An out-of-town friend came to visit me. I save cans for her to recycle and gave her 2 bags of same. She gave me leftover cookies and fruit(yum!) from her church’s Vacation Bible School, which ended yesterday, and told of some of her wild adventures volunteering at VBS, working with third-graders. We went out for lunch and over to the store, where she picked up some bargains she can’t get in her town.
2.When we went out to her 12 y.o. pickup truck, I noticed that the headlights had a heavy coating of road film on them. I had just the solution: insect repellent. We sprayed some on the headlights and voila! the gunk came off and the headlights were much clearer. This will make it safer to drive in the dark, and it is much cheaper than the kits and stuff you pay for.
3. I had food stains on my white capri jeans. Still on there, albeit in a different color, when coming out of the wash after the first pre-treatment. That product did not work, except to turn purple stains red. Was able to use Lava soap and wash everything out. Capris are now in my closet rather than in the rag bag.
4. Was able to reconfigure my computer/home office/desk setup. All the cords, along with some lamp cords, were in a tangled mess behind and beneath the desk. Got a long surge protector/multiple electric outlet/extension cord thing that I already owned and used that fancy double-sided gel tape (the stuff advertised on TV that supposedly can hold anything and everything to the wall without damaging any surfaces) to fasten it to the back of the desk and off the floor. Much better!
5. Shopped the bargain areas of the store and got some snacks, Hershey’s (chocolate and vanilla-coated) Cookies’n’Creme Popcorn, regularly $3.79 for a 5.25 oz bag for 99 cents. At that price, I got 5 bags. Yum!
5.
Inspired by Katy’s post on reading challenge I found out my local library has one. I’m now a participant
Dinner out to celebrate both sons’ birthdays and son and DIL upcoming anniversary. Enough left overs for dinner the next evening
My sister has lost weight so I’m the recipient of multiple pairs of pjs
Worked a few more hours the last couple of weeks which has offset more medical co pays
Friend was going to Costco so I asked her to pick up olives for me. Paid her $6 and probably saved $100
I am loving your frugal trippin’. Today I went to quilt club and enjoyed a free swim in the clubhouse pool. Went to a couple of estate sales and picked up a new in box ottlite easel lamp for $1. Picked up 6 books from a book club selection for a quarter each and 2 new flannel shirts for a donation to a FFA cowgirl (I gave her $10). I will re-sell the light and read and send the books to Little libraries.
Bought parts to fix my garden hose .50. I always say…ask the universe and she will provide! I bought a winch for my atv for $10 from a former hs teacher. He was a kick and he said he would come over to install it for me! Yay!
I love an immaculate public bathroom.
Nice to see you’re enjoying yourself in NYC while keeping things on the frugal side Katy!
1. DH and I attended a free folk concert at the town hall. Wonderful music and we got to see some friends while there. The parks and rec person handed out free water and bags of popcorn to enjoy while watching the show and then told us to take another popcorn on the way out. Yes please!
2. I went to a free yoga class at the library.
3. I made a blueberry cake with $2/pint blueberries and a yellow cake mix I had on hand. I took a large piece to my friend who resides in a local nursing home. She loved it and it lifted my spirits to see her enjoying it so much. Frugal in that I often bring her store-bought candy to satisfy her sweet tooth, but I’ve decided I will try to make her homemade treats in the future.
4. Still gathering things from closets and drawers to sell at the yard sale I’m having a week from today. Now to mark them all. I read a long time ago: people are more inclined to buy items at yard sales if they are clearly marked. Hopefully it will work for me. What doesn’t sell, I will attempt to consign. What doesn’t consign will be donated to my church’s thrift shop. Either way, I’ll make a little money and more things will stay out of the landfill/incinerator.
5. Our property taxes went down (a bit) but better than going up.
Good luck with your sale! I agree with your comment: I hate not knowing how much the seller is expecting or wants when things are not priced, and I hate bargaining.
However, this worked in my favor at a sale yesterday when I asked how much a box with several new items stamped for embroidery was. She said what did I think, I said three dollars, she said two, and I now have some pillowcases to create.
So unusual for a seller to ask for LESS than the buyer offered. It was your lucky day!
Seller wanted said item out of the house. Potential buyer proposed a reasonable offer, seller appreciated that and countered with less. Seller was *not* looking to make top dollar.
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