Saving Money in NYC as a Tourist

The first official stop of my world tour was New York City! I’ve been here once before in 2019 and loved it, so I was very excited to be coming back. I’ve had some of the best food of my life here - and even sat at the table next to Sam Smith at a small, hole in the wall dim sum restaurant in Chinatown.

Things were a bit different this time around, as my budget was much more limited. I’m trying to stretch my savings out over 6 months so I have to be a bit more picky about what I spend my money on. Here’s a few tips and tricks I found along the way.

Accommodations

  1. AirBnB: You can find decently priced AirBnBs around the city and even across the river. I found a private studio in Hoboken for about $175/night. Although farther from the city, there was a transit center just a few minutes away. What I like about AirBnB is you can read reviews and gauge if the room will suit your needs or not. Also, they typically have a more flexible cancellation policy. Be sure to read the rules and cancellation policy of each listing as they vary between host.
  2. Hostels: I ended up staying in the American Dream Hostel. Located in the Flatiron neighborhood, the location is really what made me choose this location over the Hoboken AirBnB. I was able to get a private double room (in the form of bunk beds) with an in-room sink for $150/night. Being in the city though meant significantly less space. Our room was about the size of a large walk in closet and the shared bathrooms were the size of coat closets. It’s exactly what you would imagine an older, city hostel to be. However, I’m typically only in my hotel room to sleep and spend most of the day exploring. Therefore, this set up suited me fine plus they had bagels/pastries/donuts every morning.

Shows

  1. Broadway/Off-Broadway Shows: There are a few ways to get discounted show tickets. Typically all Broadway and Off-Broadway shows have lottery tickets where if selected, you can purchase up to 2 discounted show tickets. The chances of actually winning the lottery tickets are pretty slim, but it’s always worth a shot. Entry periods can range from the week before to the day before a given showtime,so be sure to check the website of the show that interests you.

    Rush tickets are another way to get heavily discounted tickets to shows. Rush tickets are available for same day shows to sell any last minute tickets. Typically, each person is able to buy up to 2 rush tickets. Keep in mind that these tickets may be partially obstructed or not seated together. However, you may be able to score orchestra level tickets at a fraction of the cost if you the show isn’t that busy. To get rush tickets, you usually have to buy in-person directly from the box office. However, a few shows have digital rush ticket sales when available. If the show you want to see is a popular one, I recommend lining up 45 minutes - 1 hour before the box office opens. You can also increase your odds of getting a rush ticket by planning to go on a Wednesday when shows have a matinee performance in addition to the evening performance. With two shows available, you are more likely to score tickets.

    You can also buy resale tickets on the typical resale digital markets such as Stubhub, TicketMaster, etc. I recommend the app “Theatr”, as it’s oriented toward live theater events. The best deals can be found for same day performances, from people who can no longer attend. Be sure to check first thing in the morning and an hour or two before showtime, as these times typically have the best availability and prices.

  2. Talk Shows: All of the late night talk shows filming in NYC have studio audiences. It is typically free to attend, although you may need to request tickets a week or so in advance. Good Morning America also has a studio audience that you can request free tickets for. During the summer they even have a concert series you can attend. The key is to know in advance which date and/or show you want to attend and request tickets early. You can either google the show you want to attend + “studio audience” or check the shows website for information on how to request tickets. Tickets to Saturday Night Live are typically raffled off at the beginning of the season, but they also have a stand-by line if you’re feeling lucky.

Getting Around the City

  1. You can skip getting a metrocard altogether. NYC recently introduced OmniNYC, a digital version of a metrocard. You can pay directly at transit terminals with your smartphone/watch’s digital wallet. The system automatically tracks payments and has a maximum charge of $34/week - the cost of an unlimited, one-week metrocard. In this way, you don’t have to gauge if it would be cheaper to pay per trip or to purchase a one-week pass, the system will automatically charge you whichever is cheaper. However, it tracks spending not only based on the digital card used, but also the smart device. So if I have the same credit card linked to my Apple Watch and iPhone, they would each be considered a unique “transit card” to the OmniNYC system. Even though the same credit card is linked to both, the system considers them different cards. Therefore to make sure you don’t end up paying more than $34/week, be sure to be consistent in using the same card on the same smart device when at the transit terminals.

Military Deals and Discounts

  1. Blue Star Family Museums: Both the American Museum of Natural History and the Met are Blue Star Museums. From Memorial Day through Veteran’s Day, active duty service members and their families are granted free access to Blue Star Family Museums. I couldn’t find any information regarding this program on either of the museum’s websites, but if you go to the ticket booth and show an active duty ID card you’ll be given complimentary tickets.
  2. USO tickets: The NYC USO has an email blast you can join that alerts you of free/discounted tickets donated to the USO for use by active duty service members. You can join their email blast from their website. In the past, I have also called and asked if they had any tickets available.
  3. VetTix: If you haven’t signed up for VetTix yet, click here to sign up through my husband’s referral code. We use VetTix regularly back home in San Diego for concerts. Any veteran can join and gain access to thousands of donated tickets - from concerts, to sporting events, and even music festivals. While the tickets themselves are free, you will pay associated service fees. Typically it comes out to $20 or less for up to 4 tickets. Some tickets are given away on a first come, first serve basis while others are raffled off in a lottery. While we were in NYC, we saw tickets available for a Mets game, an off-broadway show, and comedy shows. I recommend checking the website a week or two before your trip for the best availability.

These are a few ways I kept the cost down on my stay in NYC. All of the tips I shared under “Military Deals and Discounts” can be used in different cities around the country, but I found them to be especially robust in NYC. Hope this helps!