Money Diary- NYC

[nycmmae]

Here's my money diary for the past few days.  This is for my elementary school aged kid and myself in Manhattan.

Edit- work pays for my metro card so transportation expenses aren't mentioned.

Monthly Income
Income 11250 
taxes 2667
401K 1500
FSA 217
Insurance 175 
Total take Home: $6691 

Fixed Monthly Expenses:
Rent 1080 
Utilities 120 
Cell 120
Internet 80 
School Tuition 1000 
Kid Activities 400 
House cleaner 200
Savings 2000 
Total Fixed Expenses: $5000


Sunday
breakfast coffee and eggs at home, made raspberry scones
grocery run at Eataly (pre-made ravioli) $15
grocery run (snacks, eggs, chicken, salmon, salad kit, asparagus, bread, strawberries, blackberries etc) $80
lunch: Friend of a Farmer $30
enjoyed the nicer weather in a park by Eataly
dinner:roast chicken with asparagus

Monday
Early morning: Coffee and bagels $5
Lunch: Salad from work $7.50
Dinner: dinner party- brought wine $40
went to yoga- $10

Tuesday (House cleaner cleaned)
Early morning: Coffee and bagels $5
lunch out with colleagues at a hole in the wall Mexican restaurant $11
dinner: salmon and spinach salad at home

Wednesday
Early morning: Coffee and bagels $5
lunch: salad at work $7.50
dinner: made risotto at home 
went to yoga- $10

Thursday
Early morning: Coffee and bagels $5
forgot to eat lunch (schedule was crazy and didn't have time)
dinner- Italian on the UWS (Gennaros) $45

Friday
Early morning: Coffee and bagels $5
Lunch- provided by work
went to yoga- $10
Dinner- Thai in midtown $27

Saturday
Breakfast at home (coffee and eggs)
Spent the day in Battery Park City at the parks and on the river
Lunch at Le District $40
Ice cream for kiddo $5
met people for pizza dinner in the west village $15

Sunday
Breakfast at home (coffee and eggs)
Brunch at an Irish gastro pub $30
Spent the day in Central Park
grocery store run: $75 (salmon, ground beef, chicken, salad kit, taco shells, snacks, broccoli, Brussel sprouts, potatoes, eggs)
Dinner- cooked fajitas at home


Total Spent: $483

Edit- I did the exercise incorrectly. The actual amount I spent for the week was $378.  I accidentally included an additional Sunday instead of having it Sunday through Saturday.

[tacom]

you are such a better NYer than me. I love that you hit so many different cuisines during the week in different neighborhoods but managed to not spend $$$$.

[nycmmae]

Apr 11, 2017 9:00:21 GMT -5 tacom said:

you are such a better NYer than me. I love that you hit so many different cuisines during the week in different neighborhoods but managed to not spend $$$$.

Thanks! We love getting out and about in the city.  That week was more expensive than normal.  We gravitate toward hole in the wall places and try to mix up the neighborhoods/cuisines as much as possible.  We've been eating a lot in the LES and East Village and some of those places are amazing and super cheap. 

The kid activities line item covers museums and activities for rainy days- and since it's been so nice out that wasn't used this past week.

[Violet]

Wow, you must be great at scouting out cheap eats or I have a skewed view of NYC prices. Do you have roommates? How is your rent so cheap?

[nycmmae]

Apr 11, 2017 10:37:27 GMT -5 Violet said:

Wow, you must be great at scouting out cheap eats or I have a skewed view of NYC prices. Do you have roommates? How is your rent so cheap?

no roommates. I live in a neighborhood that is not desirable by New Yorker standards (Inwood- northern Manhattan) in a 1000 sq ft pre-war apartment. I am extremely lucky. I have a great landlord, the apartment itself is amazing, and great neighbors.  A lot of the apartments up here are not through brokers, which lowers the prices, and a lot of them are word of mouth type situations (how I snagged mine).  

Generally I'm good about scouting out inexpensive places to eat in NYC- but the places I went last week (Le District, Friend of Farmer, Gennaros) are middle of the road and not places I'd generally call cheap. Prices also range dramatically by neighborhoods. Some of my favorite places are the less expensive places, and there have been a few really expensive places where the food has been disappointing (and some expensive places where the food was worth it 100%). I've been cutting down on my alcohol consumption and that has had an effect on the price of eating out.  

[kicks]

Apr 11, 2017 10:37:27 GMT -5 Violet said:

Wow, you must be great at scouting out cheap eats or I have a skewed view of NYC prices. Do you have roommates? How is your rent so cheap?

Granted I lived in Brooklyn last year, so not Manhattan, but I think her prices are average. Not everything in the city is $$$$. Most people living there aren't millionaires.
In a typical week when I lived there I definitely didn't spend that much and it was soooo easy to find really inexpensive and delicious food.
My rent was $1350 for a large one bedroom a half block from the train.

[brooklyn]

Yup, you're much better with money than I am! I'm a native NY'er and like inwood! I'm the worst at figuring out ae's but now I'm curious because I love all these places you went to

[nycmmae]

Apr 11, 2017 11:57:49 GMT -5 kicks said:

Apr 11, 2017 10:37:27 GMT -5 Violet said:

Wow, you must be great at scouting out cheap eats or I have a skewed view of NYC prices. Do you have roommates? How is your rent so cheap?

Granted I lived in Brooklyn last year, so not Manhattan, but I think her prices are average. Not everything in the city is $$$$. Most people living there aren't millionaires.
In a typical week when I lived there I definitely didn't spend that much and it was soooo easy to find really inexpensive and delicious food.
My rent was $1350 for a large one bedroom a half block from the train.

Thats one of the reasons I wanted to put this out there- not everything here is crazy expensive.  I could easily reduce the amount I spend on eating out, and still eat healthy at home or out by making different food/restaurant choices or eliminating alcohol.  

brooklyn,- I'm a lurker who doesn't really post much

[Deleted]

Well, now I want to live in NYC

Your rent is less than $100 more per month than mine, and I live in eastern Iowa. I am pretty sure you win!

Thanks for sharing.

[dochas]

I know this is not the point of the thread but what's the Thai place and was it any good? I live in NJ now and the food is...underwhelming. I like small, hole in the wall type places too.

[daisypaloma]

That is a cheap rent. Is that a 1 or 2 bedroom?

[D2M]

That is amazing rent! Is your place rent controlled? And are you taking your child out to eat at these restaurants or just yourself? I am also impressed by how much you get around the city and enjoy the best aspects of it without breaking the bank.

[nycmmae]

D2M, daisypaloma, dochas,

rent is for a large one bedroom (800 sq ft). The kitchen is eat in, and the large living room is partitioned to make a "2nd" room.

It is not rent controlled. The rents in this area of Inwood are consistently this price for one bedrooms and ranges from 1300 to 2000+ for a 2 bedroom depending on amenities.

I am taking my kid out with me, and these prices reflect meals for both of us. The city is really easy to get around with kids either wearing/using a stroller/ using a scooter or making kids walk depending on the age of the kid.

dochas, the Thai place was to meet a friend who needed to remain in that area due to time constraints. It was New Topaz. I'm certain there are better Thai places, but it was good!