On the Cheap

I’m not going to lie. Starting my internship a week after the other bloggers – and the rest of the magazine-interning public, it would seem – has inspired a lot of envy. I really can’t wait to get up there and report from behind the scenes on what it’s like working in New York, but I am glad to have the time to prepare for the experience as best I can.

For example, I’ve been looking for sites and information that will make my stay in the city easier to manage. I’ve found a lot of great tools and resources, like Hop-Stop, a Web site that will show you the best train route to take from one point to another. And NYC Mugged is also pretty necessary, especially if, like me, you’re obsessed with coffee and not a complete Starbuck’s devotee. The site has catalogued and mapped almost every coffee house and café in the city, and rates all of the best (and worst) cups of coffee in New York.

I’m also looking for tons of ways to stretch my bare-bones budget, and luckily there are a lot of fun, free events to look forward to.  There’s the Today Show concert series, most of which I doubt I’ll see, as the performances all start at 7:00 a.m. Then, there’s also Shakespeare in the Park and the Central Park Summer Stage concert series. The plethora of cultural events available for no cost at all is a little shocking (in a good way!), and I plan to take advantage of every one I can.

Right now, though, I’m obsessing over packing all my stuff so that my luggage doesn’t weigh an ounce over the regulation 50 pounds allowed by my airline, and trying to decide if I really need to pack my hefty French press coffee maker (without which mornings wouldn’t be possible) or if I should try to find a cheap one in the city.

Eh. Maybe I’ll bring it. After all, I’m probably going to need as many ways to save money this summer as possible, right?

Just a tip: One of my favorite things I’ve found online so far is Free NYC. From shopping to food to travel, this blog has every discount in the city pegged, so it’s sure to come in handy.

Have a good night, interns! Tomorrow: how I’m preparing for the many different responsibilities of my internship.