Stupid Money: NYC
July 20, 2009
Sitting in the cab, sweaty and frustrated over the thwartion of the subway, I wondered how much money I’d spent foolishly in NY.
The biggest hit was the cab fare to JFK: $52 after tip, plus $2.50 for a drink that I only half finished but desperately needed during that hour-long ride.
Aside from that, though, most stupid offenses were of the minor variety: $20 flats from Target that were Blister City, $8 for Blister Block which got me through 3 days of walking, $5 for two pairs of flip flops that I could have avoided spending if I’d just brought my trusty Rainbows.
Then there’s the $56 of makeup from Sephora. If I’d only the prescience to realize that I’d shop there, I could have redeemed Sephora gift cards from Thank You points and avoided spending that out of pocket.
Total spending came to just under $550 for 18 days, or an average of $30/day, so you can either say I didn’t spend much at all anyway, or that I managed to waste 20% of the total.
You barely spent anything for nyc! I wouldn’t be to hard on yourself.
Hey that is super cheap for NYC, you should be proud. We all blow money from time to time, you are so good at saving money that these little slip ups don’t matter to the big picture. Hope you had fun!
Wow, good job! $550 for 18 days – I couldn’t do that!
You practically got out of the place for free! NYC is spectacularly expensive. It’s the site of my most outrageous unnecessary traveling expense: I had breakfast in the hotel where we were staying.
By and large I don’t care for most things Americans think of as “breakfast food”–eggs make me upchuck, loathe milk, detest dry breakfast cereal. So that doesn’t leave much: maybe an English muffin or bagel and some bacon? I ordered my customary modest breakfast snack, and they gouged me almost thirty bucks! Turns out they had a standard fee for breakfast, which assumed most people pig out on bacon, eggs, hash browns, cereal, juice, milk, and coffee. What a rip!
Every time I travel, I always forget something that I end up having to pay for at the destination. Seems to be part of the trip!
Give yourself credit. that’s not a lot for new york considering how easy it is to spend money. you had no choice( well yes you did but they were necessary).
asgreen: True, I did forget to mention (again) that I was treated to at least 6 or 7 quite nice meals. That would definitely have increased the total.
Miss M: Big picture, right. I did have a great time, I’m glad I stayed as long as I did.
L.A. Daze: Just had to keep telling myself: You don’t need stuff and you’re unemployed! If I were on a real vacation, I’m pretty sure I’d have been in real trouble!
Funny About Money: Considering my plane ticket was free.. yes! š
I hate the breakfast rip off: either they give you too much food for ~$50 or they give you too little food for ~$50. Luxury hotels are awful that way, I prefer a standard econo-hotel that provides free wifi and continental breakfast.
sfordinarygirl: I’m just glad it wasn’t much more than that.
Ouch on the cab fare!
BF and I had to pay that ONCE because we kept missing the train (it was being re-routed via a shuttle on ANOTHER train..)
But we normally take the train to airports (most major cities have a stop or at least a bus going there)
You didn’t do so bad š $550 for 18 days is killer
$1000 for a week was what we could do LOL (hotel, everything included)
I agree w/ Funny about Money re: American breakfasts. Gross. I like eating a real meal. Like steak. With rice. And mushrooms.
Or noodles.
Nevermind that bacon.
Whoa, you are on a frugality ride right now. No wonder you have been posting about specific money expenditures. Don’t sweat it so much, I am compensating for your lower contribution to the economy. Can’t stop the bleeding of my wallet…