If you didn't know that it's expensive to live in NYC, then you're probably an extraterrestrial visiting earth for the first time. Welcome. We're nice here, usually, and we breathe oxygen. And, it's expensive to live in New York City.
Now that you're caught up, let's talk about this.
Why exactly is New York City so expensive? Is it because it's a hustling, gigantic metropolis with a ton of cool, niched stuff happening every night of the week?
I think so. I also think that because NYC is where it's at, everyone wants to live here, be here, hang here, whatever.
We're all trying to get at a piece of our own esoteric dream, and here it's possible. But it's a double-edged sword. Living the dream comes with a price, and that usually means a high level of stress and an empty bank account. With the right attitude, though, being poor can mean having more fun, if you think about it. Here's why.
Bars with credit card minimums
When the drinks are flowing and the inhibitions are low, you aren't really thinking about that carefully-planned budget you made up at the beginning of the month. You're sort of only thinking about getting your hands on a beer.
When the bartender tells you the bar has a $30 minimum, you're like f**k it. I'll buy beers for all my friends. Once your tab is open, it's so easy to continue buying beers for your friends.
Nothing can ruin a bank account like a credit card minimum at a bar. Do the bars know this? Definitely. Do they use credit card minimums as an avenue to take advantage of drunk people? I certainly think so.
NYC is huge...
Which means taking far cab rides. Which means demolishing my checking account.
I'm constantly astounded by the sheer size of NYC, how I can leave the bustling metropolis of the Upper East Side, ride a subway for over an hour, and emerge in a bustling Brooklyn that's no less busy, that's buzzing with just as much energy. Which means a giant stretch of land in between was also packed with tall buildings, rushing people, honking cars, and also radiating NYC's vigor.
This city's sheer multitude is mind-blowing. Of course, I could just stay at the bars on my block and save money, but I'm trying to experience the culture this city has to offer.
I'm trying to go to KGB Bar in the East Village and see poetry readings, go to Cubbyhole and have a fun night in the West Village, and visit my friends in Brooklyn. Sometimes I want to do this all in one night, which can mean spending over $40 on a single cab ride.
#Dating
The whole thing about paying for your date is you have to pay double, and in a city where everything is already absurdly expensive, the aftereffects of a date are known to devastate bank accounts.
Studies have shown that the remorse often following a particularly expensive date can feel worse than any hangover. This is particularly a problem when you really like someone you're dating, and you want to buy lots of things for her (or him). The good news is that you really don't have to buy your date a lot of things to get them to like you. In fact, it's actually the opposite.
Ever heard of the Benjamin Franklin effect? Basically, it's a theory that your date is more likely to reciprocate your affection if they also pay at times, rather than if you always buy things for her and never let them lift a finger. This is the result of cognitive dissonance. We're biologically prone to direct our affection towards things we've invested effort in.
Who would care about a relationship they've have no stake in? So, let your date pay... sometimes.
Restaurants
To put the situation in perspective, $9 burritos at Chipotle ravage my bank account, so imagine the aftermath of me going to a fairly nice restaurant and having a couple glasses of wine. That can sometimes add up to $50, which is terrible news.
One night of going out to dinner in a week, and I won't be able to stop feeling panicked, clenching my jaw, and checking my bank account for the rest of the week. I definitely won't be able to get one of those burritos at Chipotle, but the good news is that you can get one taco at Chipotle for $2, and if you get them to fill it up with just about all the options, it can actually do a pretty good job quenching your hunger.
The single positive aspect about being poor is that if you don't eat every meal at McDonald's, it helps you lose weight. Which is usually a plus.
,Lots of coffee
We're the city that never sleeps for a reason, and that reason is not because it's biologically wired not to need sleep. And that's because we're all gulping down gallons of coffee every day to keep up with our rockstar lifestyles.
The problem is that drinking tons of coffee can have serious repercussions when it comes to your bank account. Some of the coffee in NYC is super expensive. Starbucks, you're so vain, you probably think the number five is about you.
It is. Don't you think charging $4 for a cup of coffee is pretty absurd? Because I do.
The solution to this problem is to buy an inexpensive coffee maker and make coffee in your apartment, but who has time for that when you're an out-and-about New Yorker? No one. Just go to an independent coffee shop on your block and pay $2; that way you can get at least one more taco at Chipotle.
Expensive cultural events
Usually, events like comedy shows and concerts have a “two item minimum,” which means you're required to buy at least two of their $14 drinks. That is, of course, sneakily super expensive, especially if you already paid upwards of $15 to get in the show.
It's amazing that we live in a city where there's always something amazing going on, like a concert, talk show, or reading; but the people staging these cultural events need to eat too. When it costs $15 to get into museums and $10 to attend intellectual talks, the price of being a cultured, intelligent New Yorker can start to take tricky hits on your bank account.
Living in the center of the universe and experiencing its culture has a price. It's usually worth it, though. Have you ever seen Judith Butler ruminate on gender during the PEN World Voices Festival? I have, because I paid to do it-- and I don't even care that I'm broke.
Nightclub covers
I can't with covers. I think covers are completely obnoxious. If I have to pay $10 to get in the bar, then that's $10 less I'm going to spend on alcohol once I'm inside.
I usually refuse to even go to bars with covers because I think they're absurd, mean, and elitist, but clubs with covers are even worse. Sometimes it costs $20 to get into a club, sometimes more. Last year on New Year's Eve, I paid $150 to get into a club, which was a mistake that I will never repeat, ever again.
Who wants to wait in a giant line only to pay $20, get rubbed up against by creepy guys, get stared down by judgmental girls, wait in giant lines for the bathroom, and spend the rest of your bank account on watered down drinks? Not me, for sure, and a lot of the time girls can't even get into these spots unless they're wearing heels. Which is misogynistic bullshit, if you ask me.
Rent
Maybe this is the most obvious item on the list. This was probably the first thought that sprang to mind when discussing “reasons you have no money in NYC.”
When my friends that live elsewhere tell me how much their rent costs, I have to resist the impulse to rent a U-Haul and move immediately. That's because the price to rent a tiny two-bedroom apartment in NYC costs about the same amount as a decent-sized house with a backyard anywhere else. I do, however, have some consolation for us. Our city is much more fun.
My friend who lives in Philadelphia and whose apartment costs a fraction of what mine costs, recently came to visit me on a Tuesday. We had dinner and then went for a drink at Supply House on the Upper East Side, where different bands play live music every night of the week.
She said we were spoiled. Which is probably true.
When you wake up every morning with the thrumming, electric possibilities that come with living in NYC right under your fingertips, an empty wallet actually doesn't seem so bad.
,Party favors... and booze
Whenever I go to a bar anywhere that's not New York City, I usually drown in euphoria for a minute when the check comes and four beers doesn't cost $30.
In NYC, though, if you're buying a round for your friends, you should be prepared to drop $30 or more. You should really pre-game before you head out to the bar, to avoid depleting your entire paycheck on just one night of drinking.
Marijuana costs the same here as it does everywhere else, even though it's slightly more legal than most cities (besides Seattle and Denver, of course), and we probably smoke more here than most cities, since we have more fun.
Also, you probably won't get arrested for having weed in NYC unless you have more than 23 grams or it's your second time getting caught. But, consistently buying weed certainly depletes your bank account. Even though it's necessary for those of us who like enjoying our lives. I honestly have no idea why it's illegal. Our government must hate fun.
Clothes and shoes
Let's face it. We live hard. If you lived in a quiet suburb you could probably buy a $10 dress at Forever 21 and wear it all year. Your $12 H&M sneakers could last six months, maybe.
If you weren't constantly treading long-ass New York City avenues, climbing subway stairs, bar hopping, and trekking around this giant city, you could definitely wear things more than six times.
But, since you do live in New York City, that $10 dress is probably going to rip the second time you wear it, hate to break it to you.
Oh well. At least you looked fabulous for those two nights. And at least you're making the most out of your one ephemeral existence.
Monthly fees
Dropping that $112 for the subway at the beginning of the month is rough, as is paying the internet, cable, electricity, etc.
I know people in other cities have to do that too, but still. Definitely takes a hit on my bank account. Real rough.
Paying street performers
Some days I'm like “Yay! I have a bunch of extra cash floating around in my wallet!”
That usually only lasts until the end of my morning commute, because I'm inevitably charmed by a couple of teenagers swinging around on the subway poles, or a guy singing his whole heart out, or an electric piano player whose quick, nimble fingers struck a melody that instantly elevated my mood.
So I'll throw them a few bucks. And then, all that cash I was so excited about is, unfortunately, no longer mine. But at least I get to see live entertainment on the way to work. Woo hoo!
Brunch
Who doesn't love brunch? The answer is that everyone loves brunch. For some reason, NYC is amazing at making all foods.
If you're in the East Village and you're at Supper and you order pancakes, they're going to come splattered in all kinds of delicious fruits and infused with the most delicious cinnamon explosion in your mouth. And if you're not in the mood for sweet food, you can order eggplant parmesan with eggs in it. I know, right?! Amazing.
Also, Supper is certainly not the only place in NYC to get brunch, obviously.
All the good bars offer it, and each neighborhood is sprinkled with little gems that serve the most deliciously cultivated brunch, engineered perfectly for your taste-buds.
Last but not least, it's the only way anyone in NYC socializes on the weekends. It's the perfect way to reunite with old friends, catch up with current friends, and meet new ones. If you haven't had at least one brunch date a weekend, your weekend is pretty much a failure. Oh, and it usually ends up being pretty expensive. Which is why, since it's integral, most people in NYC end up being broke. Always. #BRUNCHFORLIFE
If you enjoyed this article, check out 8 Things New Yorkers Pay a Mind-Blowing Amount of Money For!