The 405 Club

(Ed. Note) It’s no secret that the unemployed like to or have to save money where they can.  As such an important component of our lifestyle it was only right to team up with FrugalNYC, a premier resource for frugal city living, as we present Frugal Fridays! Enjoy.

The weekend is nearing once again.  If you don’t already have something planned or are just looking for something low cost to do here are five things you can do this weekend.

1. Go to Dylan’s Candy Bar, if you have a sweet tooth, this will be your favorite destination.  It is quite different from most candy stores.
2. Visit Grand Central and check out the Transit Museum’s 8th annual Holiday Train Show! It is available until 1/18/09.
3. While you are at Grand Central, check out the whispering gallery of Grand Central Terminal.  Read more about it at NewYorkology.
4. If you like tech and gadgets, go visit the Sony Wonder Technology Lab.  This is where I’ll be heading to this weekend.  You’ll enjoy a couple hours of fun for FREE.
5. Take the Roosevelt Island Tram.  You’ll get a bird’s eye view of the East river that you can’t get any other way.  It costs the same as a subway ride.

What low cost activities can you suggest for this weekend?

If you’re looking for some FREE business cards to help you Network, today is the final day to enter the Business card giveaway!

For additional links to frugal tips and tricks follow me on Twitter. If you would like to contribute to FrugalNYC in any way feel free to contact me via email. Click here to add FrugalNYC to your RSS reader or Subscribe to FrugalNYC by Email.

(Ed. Note) It’s no secret that the unemployed like to or have to save money where they can.  As such an important component of our lifestyle it was only right to team up with FrugalNYC, a premier resource for frugal city living, as we present Frugal Fridays! Enjoy.

It’s cold out there.  Winter is here to stay, so I’m sure you are looking for indoor activities more than outdoor activities.  If you love the outdoors, you can always ice skate for free at The Pond at Bryant Park.  If you are looking for something to do away from the cold, I have a suggestion that may pique your interest.

While in elementary school, I was fascinated by science.  I wanted to be a scientist at one point, and perhaps one day I may explore that once again.  For now, I can relive my childhood at the New York Hall of Science - for FREE!

From September through June, you can get in free on Fridays from 2 - 5 PM and Sundays from 10 - 11 AM.  If you visit during other times, you can find pricing on the NYSCI website.  So what will you find there?  There is something for everyone.  Young children and older adults will all find something to explore and enjoy.  There are over 450 hands-on exhibits at the New York Hall of Science.  All of the exhibits invite you the touch, explore, and manipulate them.  From jumping and climbing to building models or exploring computer simulations, there is something for everyone.

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(Ed. Note) It’s no secret that the unemployed like to or have to save money where they can.  As such an important component of our lifestyle it was only right to team up with FrugalNYC, a premier resource for frugal city living, as we present Frugal Fridays! Enjoy.

If you didn’t get a chance to grab the great deals on Black Friday and Cyber Monday this year, there are some other strategies that you can use to save this holiday gift season.  A recent twitter personal finance chat inspired some of the below ideas.  Some ideas are just common sense.

1. Focus on those who matter most in your life and get them great gifts they will like.  You know who they are because you actually know what to get them.
2. Do Secret Santa or White Elephant gift exchanges instead of getting everyone a gift.  These events may end up being more fun than the gifts themselves.
3. Use Groupon to find gift ideas and great deals.  Each day, Groupon emails you one exclusive, unbeatable deal on the best things to do, see, eat, and buy in New York.  Some past deals are: $18 for Three Games of Bowling and Shoes at Chelsea Piers & $15 Historic NYC Pizza Walk (Half Off $30 Value).  Check out other past Groupon deals.
4. Don’t buy last minute.  Plan ahead and use sales and discounts to your advantage.  This is one of those common sense things I mentioned.  When you wait till the last minute, you end up with a bad gift or paying too much for a decent gift.  Always plan ahead.  Write your list and check it twice - for sales and deals!
5. Purchase Gift cards at a discount.  This was a suggestion from the #bp twitter chat.  Some sites you can check are Citydeals and Gift Card Rescue.
6. Use coupons or online coupon codes.  There are numerous online coupon codes sites.  Just search google for them and you’ll never pay full price again!  I recently bought an online gift and save $10 on the shipping, which I would have paid if I didn’t do a quick search for a coupon code!

What strategies do you use to save on your holiday shopping?  Please share your ideas and let everyone benefit!

For additional links to frugal tips and tricks follow me on Twitter. If you would like to contribute to FrugalNYC in any way feel free to contact me via email. Click here to add FrugalNYC to your RSS reader or Subscribe to FrugalNYC by Email.

I love NYC this time of year, I truly do.

You know what I even love more? How countless holiday delights are free-free-free or in some instances, next to nothing! For starters, Gen Art is having their annual Styles 2009 Presentation/Awards on Wednesday, December 2nd at 7W (7 West 34th Street). They’re combining it with their Shop NYC event which means one thing: delish. For $15/ticket you can get full access to the shopping main event with complimentary drinks and spa treatments from 7 to 10 pm. http://www.genart.org/shop/shop-nyc-with-styles-awards

Secondly, if you haven’t seen the Nutcracker at Lincoln Center in a while, whatcha waiting for? I haven’t seen it since ’05 which means I am due for a little bit of splendor before they stop bedazzling the stage (show goes dark on January 3rd). Tickets start at $10 for standing room only and if you actually go on foot to the box office you’ll save a few more bucks by not paying ticket fees. http://www.nycballet.com/ticketing_info/nutcracker.html

As for freebies in the city that never sleeps?

1. The tree at Rockefeller Center. This one’s a no brainer.

2. The spectacular light show inside Grand Central Station.

3. The tree at Lincoln Center.

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(Ed. Note) It’s no secret that the unemployed like to or have to save money where they can.  As such an important component of our lifestyle it was only right to team up with FrugalNYC, a premier resource for frugal city living, as we present Frugal Fridays! Enjoy.

The Thanksgiving holiday is just around the corner and many of you are making plans for your long weekend.  Whether you are driving or flying, there are always steps you can take to save a little bit more without compromising too much.  Planning and budgeting will help cut costs down.  Here are some tips to help you do just that…

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