The 9 best tips for New York on a budget

New York, concrete jungle where dreams are made ooooofff… Yes, dreams are definitely made there and dreams are also completely crushed. Because New York is really amazing, but also really incredibly expensive. I'm going there myself again at the beginning of February — CAN'T WAIT — and I've already set my financial mind to zero. Because if I have to think about how much I would pay for each expense in the Netherlands… Well, then you won't be happy. And then you think you have a good deal in the hospitality industry and then there's tax on top of that and also a tip. And then you end up spending a considerable amount again. Of course, you know that when you go to New York, it just gets pricey (otherwise, I believe you skip this city), but having to pay a decent amount for every simple lunch is also not very fun. As long as everything is in balance, it makes it a lot less of an issue, and that's why I present to you the best tips for New York on a budget.

Score tickets for a late night show
There are quite a few late night shows recorded in New York where you can score free tickets. Emphasis on can, because you need to have good timing. As in: keep an eye on the site a month in advance and reserve those tickets as soon as possible. Didn't manage that? For many of the shows, you can also show up at the studio at nine in the morning on the day itself, after which you get a number and the chance is very high that you can still get in that evening. And voila: a free evening of entertainment. My brother went to The Late Night Show Starring Jimmy Fallon and got free tickets for the concert of Gwen Stefani, so with a bit of luck, you might also take home some free stuff. Win-win. The following shows are recorded in New York: The Late Night Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, Saturday Night Live, Late Show with Stephen Colbert, The Daily Show with Trevor Noah, Late Night with Seth Meyers, Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, and Full Frontal with Samantha Bee.

View the Statue of Liberty from the free ferry
To be honest: I like the Statue of Liberty, but viewing it from Liberty Island (the little island it stands on)… A bit of a waste of your time and money. Because you have to pay for that ferry to Liberty Island. And the ferry to Staten Island is completely free. You can get off at Staten Island, I didn't do that myself: just stay seated and then it sails back towards New York. All in all, you're busy for about an hour to an hour and a half, you've spotted Lady Liberty from a good distance, and you're not a cent poorer. Awesome.

Free tours or pay-what-you-wish tours
City Hall is a beautiful building that has served as New York's city hall for almost two centuries. And it also offers free tours, you just have to reserve online. The organization Free Tours By Foot — the name says it all — organizes more of these kinds of tours. And not the least, for example, a three-hour tour through Lower Manhattan. This is a tour that uses the pay-what-you-wish principle. Whether you're being super stingy or not, you can definitely get away with it. And you're on the road with a local, which I always find one of the best things during a vacation or city trip. This organization also offers free tours through Wall Street and 9/11. Check the site for the complete calendar. Every Friday afternoon at 12:30 PM, there is a free tour at Grand Central Station, The Grand Central Station Neighborhood Tour (meet at the sculpture garden at 120 Park Avenue), given by two New Yorkers and it lasts about an hour and a half.

Brooklyn Brewery and Smorgasburg
Beer lovers, this one is for you. At this brewery in Williamsburg they offer free tours every Saturday (1:00 PM – 5:00 PM) and Sunday (1:00 PM – 4:00 PM). Also, make sure to check out Brooklyn Bridge Park, a pretty large park that covers about 35 acres. There you will also find the weekly food market Smorgasburg, which is closed in winter but open every week (on weekends) otherwise. You'll find a huge number of food stalls, super delicious food, and you pay a lot less than at the standard hospitality venues in New York. Are you going in winter? Then head to the indoor location of Smorgasburg, where there is also a flea market. You can find it at 2 Kent Avenue, on the eighth floor (so a nice view as well).

Visit different museums for free
The MoMa — not the least when it comes to museums — is also free to visit. Every Friday between 4:00 PM and 8:00 PM, you can enter for absolutely nothing. As you might expect, it can get quite busy then, so make sure to arrive a bit early to avoid standing in line for too long. That would be a shame. The 9/11 Museum has free access every Tuesday between 5:00 PM and 8:00 PM, but make sure you're inside before six, as that is the last entry. The Guggenheim uses the pay-what-you-wish concept, every Friday from 5:45 PM to 7:45 PM.

Kayaking on the Hudson River
Yes, for the daredevils among us (not me) this is a very fun — and completely free — activity. The volunteer organization Downtown Boathouse offers this service, and borrowing the equipment costs you nothing at all. And that Hudson River is not a small river, where it can still get quite wild. So definitely check the website beforehand for the weather forecasts and the opening hours, which can vary. It's very special to see New York from the water like this, and if I weren't such a scaredy-cat, I would have definitely tried this too.

Walk the High Line
The High Line is a former railway that has been transformed into a pretty long walking path. They also offer free tours here: every Tuesday evening at 6:30 PM (between May and September). But exploring this public park on your own (because especially in spring and summer everything is beautifully in bloom) is also not a punishment. Along the high line, you'll find various eateries (definitely grab a pizza at Artichoke) and you can also take a detour to shop in the Meatpacking District.

Take the cable car to Roosevelt Island
This isn't completely free, but it's not worth it: with a metro ticket, you're already there. Roosevelt Island is a mini-island in the East River that you can reach by cable car. Such a cute little gondola and you're about 75 meters above the ground. That means you have a great view of Manhattan, but it might not be so handy if you're afraid of heights.

Go out with a promoter
Especially if you're going with friends and not with your lover (or parents), this is an absolute recommendation if you want to get to know New York's nightlife. Because that is — you probably guessed it — quite expensive. There are many promoters to be found in NYC (you can find them easily on Instagram) and their job (let's call it a job) is to provide the clubs with fun girls. Where in Amsterdam there is a surplus of women, in New York there seems to be a shortage, and the coolest clubs are quite happy with some ladies. It might sound a bit wrong, but believe me: it's mostly a lot of fun. You meet a lot of people this way and it costs you nothing at all. Not for the entrance and not for the drinks. Vodka anyone?