How I Resist Impulse Buying and Love It!

Temptation to impulse buy is everywhere in New York City. Just walking home from work I have to resist the urge to buy those cute boots on sale at Zara's or a sweet-smelling cupcake from the bakery on the corner or that quirky lamp at the flea market that would look perfect in my room. Sure, impulse buying makes you feel great in the moment, but those purchases add up and ultimately leave you feeling depleted and depressed. To curb my impulse spending, I devised a system.  Each week I budget myself:

• $35 for groceries. I gave myself a grocery budget because I realized a lot of my impulse buying was happening at the supermarket. (It's hard to resist Trader Joe's Cranberry Almond Dunkers, am I right?)
• $30 for spending money- this goes towards eating out with my friends, attending events, clothing, accessories- anything not essential

I keep a piece of paper in my purse and jot down my purchases as I make them for each category (pictured above).  Then at the end of the week, I add up my purchases and whatever amount is left over, I withdraw from the bank. I then put the cash into a box I keep in my room so I can use it in the future. I've been doing this for the past month and have already saved so much. Seeing the actual cash accruing is really rewarding. And it motivates me to save. For example, this week I decided to use up a lot of the food in my cupboards and freezer. I ended up only spending $4 on groceries for fresh produce! The other $31 went into my Dinobox (it's the cute little metal box I use to store the money for future use).  I'm planning on using what I save to buy a new camera (or maybe a smartphone!). I can also dip into it when I have a sporadic expense like a haircut or when I need to get my shoes re-soled. Having the extra cash gives me a lot of piece of mind.

What works for me may not work for you but it's worth a try.  Curbing impulse spending frees up some cash that you can use to buy things you really want. I'd love to hear how you all resist the everyday temptations in New York!

Cheapest Places to Food Shop in NYC

Supermarket prices rise an astonishing 6% each year. And in New York City the cost of rent for large super markets drive prices up even further. As a frugal New Yorker, I've found that the best way to cut costs on groceries is to frequent several different food providers instead of one large super market. Here are my go-to spots:

1. Trader Joe's- Though technically a super market, Trader Joe's is unrivaled in value and quality. Almost everything in the store is produced under their own brand, cutting out the middle man and hence cutting costs. Where else in the city can you buy a pound of almonds for $5 or cereal for $2?  Trader Joes continually introduces new, tasty products. One of my recent favorites was their sweet honey apple butter which goes great on biscuits! But buyer beware, stores are usually crowded and lines long, especially in the evenings. It's not uncommon to see a line of customers just waiting to get into the store at the Union Square location. I recommend going on a weekday morning before the rush; shelves will be well stocked and you can forgo the hassle of shopping in a crowd.

2. Jack's 99 Cent Store- Call me crazy for grocery shopping at a dollar store but Jack's never disappoints. By purchasing excess inventory from other grocers, this off-price giant is able to offer a varying selection of food for just pennies. Their stock changes frequently and you literally never know what you'll find. The refrigerated section usually has some sort of unusually flavored hummus or cream cheese (I assume the flavors that manufacturers have a hard time marketing and are subsequently left over...like horeseradish cream cheese!). They have a mix of products from well-known as well as obscure brands . I once scored a jar of Biscoff spread (priced at $5.99 at Whole Foods) for just a buck! Again, lines are long and aisles tight, so come prepared to elbow your way for the deals.

3. Produce Carts- There are thousands of fruit carts in Manhattan. Vendors get the fruit from wholesale markets in neighboring boroughs so it is usually pretty fresh. Because vendors do not have to pay the overhead of rent, they are able to offer produce at a very low cost. Just yesterday, I stopped by one on 1st Avenue and 16th St and bought apples for 50 cents each. Carts are inspected at least once a year by the Health Department and are also subject to random inspection so sanitation should not be a concern (although resist the urge to eat your fruit right away...produce should always be washed before consumed regardless of where it comes from). An added bonus is you can always ask the vendor for a better price if you're buying in bulk or are a repeat customer.

4. Chinatown- Supermarkets in Chinatown offer great deals on exotic fish, spices, and produce. It's always a bit of an adventure braving the hoards of customers who frequent the market. It's equally as challenging communicating with the shop owners who rarely speak English. Even so, picking up a pound of fish for well-under the market value is nothing to turn your nose up at. And in the process you may even end up trying something new.

And there you have it! Food shopping that's fun and frugal. Do you know of any other places in the city that carry cheap groceries? I'm always on the look out!

Cheap Gyms in New York City

Asser Levy Recreation Center

Gyms, like so many things in New York City, are overpriced. A monthly membership to New York Sports Club or 24 Hour Fitness is $90, Crunch charges $100, and Equinox will run you close to $200. And that's not including initiation fees, personal training sessions, or the expensive fitness gear you'll need to buy to fit in. If you're like me, that's way out of your budget. Luckily, the New York Department of Parks and Recreation offers fit and frugal city dwellers a solution to this problem. Their 49 government sponsored recreation centers are scattered throughout the five boroughs and provide weight rooms, cardio centers, gymnasiums, and dance studios to the public. Some even include indoor pools!

 What's even more amazing is the price. At only $150 per year you gain access to all 49 facilities. And, as of 2015, they're offering a "Young Adult" membership option. If you're between 18 and 24 years old, annual membership is just $25. That's $2 per month!

Not every recreation center is created equal, I've found. I've been trying out a couple since signing up in September. The first one I checked out was dingy and small. The equipment was a bit outdated and to my chagrin, they only had one elliptical.

My favorite thus far has been the Chelsea Rec Center. They've got a wide variety of cardio equipment including treadmills, stair climbers, and ellipticals. They also have a separate spinning room where members can spin independently or drop in for a class. And the pool is huge! It is usually not too crowded and there is a certain community feeling amongst the members that I didn't feel when working out in some of those bigger name gyms. I would highly recommend exploring some of these facilities if you're searching for an affordable way to work out, especially now that temperatures are dropping. Here's a full list of locations. Let me know how you stay fit on a budget or if you know of any other cheap gyms in New York City.

The Pool @ Chelsea Rec Center

A Yoga Class in Session @ Chelsea Rec Center

Cardio Room @ Chelsea Rec Center

Japadog on the House

I was walking through Union Square the other night on my way home from work. As usual, there were a bevy of people handing out flyers on the street. Anyone who lives in New York City can attest that this is an annoyance and most people just avoid the flyer-wielding individuals. Which is what I did, until I heard one of them utter "free". My ears perked up and I immediately strolled over to one. Lo and behold, they were passing out coupons for a free hot dog at Japadog! If you're unfamiliar with Japadog, it is a restaurant that specializes in Japanese hot dogs who recently opened a branch at St. Mark's Place. With toppings like seaweed, pickled ginger, miso sauce, fried cabbage, and noodles these hot dogs are truly an Asian taste adventure. I redeemed my coupon yesterday for a Terimayo dog. Teryaki sauce, Japanese mayo, and seaweed topped the hearty beef hot dog.

Japadog is definitely not a budget restaurant. The Terimayo usually retails for $4.51 (and is the least expensive dog on the menu). But don't fret! While I was dining, I spied some of the employees organizing another stack of coupons. Head down to Union Square and you may find yourself with a free Japadog coupon! It's well worth it!

Penniless Recipe: Leftover Taco Casserole

My roommate and I hosted taco night at our apartment for a few of our friends last week. Needless to say, we had quite a bit of left overs. I've been slowly picking at them for the past few days but I knew I would have to throw a lot of the ingredients out if it didn't get eaten soon. So I made a taco leftover casserole! Casseroles are a great (frugal) way to use up leftovers. Even if you don't eat the whole thing, you can always freeze individual portions and then stick them in the microwave for a quick meal.

My "taco leftover" casserole (which can serve 2) consisted of:

• 2 soft corn taco shells
• 1 cup of mexican rice
• 1/2 cup of frozen peppers (I defrosted them in the microwave before adding them to the casserole)
• 1/2 cup of canned corn
• 1/2 cup cheddar cheese
• Several tablespoons of salsa
• Tortilla chip crumbs (probably about 2 chips worth)

I greased my casserole dish and laid down the first taco shell. Then I layered on the rice, salsa, peppers, corn, and cheese. I laid down my second taco shell and did the same. Then I sprinkled the top with the tortilla chip crumbs for an extra crunch. I baked it at 400 degrees for about 15 minutes.

The resulting casserole was a warm, cheesy, spicy delicacy. And I managed to use up a lot of the leftovers. I still have probably 10 corn tortillas. I'm thinking about baking them into tortilla chips...but I'll save that for another post.