I’ve been out of work for a while now, and I’m attempting to enjoy all that NYC has to offer without blowing through my Latin America trip budget.  To be perfectly honest, it hasn’t been too much of a struggle.  Food and drink were a huge part of my budget while I was working, but I’ve cut back on drinking and now that I have the time, I’ve rediscovered grocery shopping.  It’s amazing how much cheaper life is when you’re not eating at least 5 meals a week in TriBeCa and going out to bars until midnight twice a week.  Okay, so that may cover food, but what about entertainment?  What am I supposed to do with my day?

Here’s a sample of some of the cheap (mostly free) stuff I’ve done:

• Walk down to Sunset Park to enjoy an afternoon of excellent skyline views
• Ladysmith Black Mambazo concert in downtown Brooklyn
• Head up to Prospect Park to play Ultimate or just explore the trails
• Stalk StubHub for cheap seats to a Mets game (actually got lucky enough to see a Mets’ win for $6/seat!)
• Experience the High Line
• Walk across the Brooklyn Bridge
• Brother Jimmy’s BBQ Happy Hour ($2 domestic pints, 50% off appetizers)
• Sit on my roof and read my book
• Walk around Manhattan and stand in awe of some of the amazing architecture (The Guggenheim, Grand Central, the Public Library, the Flatiron)
• Bela Fleck and Toumani Diabate concert at the Summerstage in Central Park

And I still have plenty of free museums to see, free concerts to hear, and free ferries to ride (I’m looking at you, Staten Island).