Millennials, Money & Marie: Moving to New York City

After college, I knew I wanted to move to New York City. There was never a question of “should I move to New York”? It was always, let’s do this. I think it had to do with watching too many episodes of “Friends” and “How I Met Your Mother”.

That fall I packed up some suitcases and moved to the city. Was it what I expected it to be? No. Was is better? Yes and No.

There are pros and cons to moving to New York, but I’ll let you judge some of these for yourself. Here are my top 10 tips for relocating to NYC:

1. Know your budget. This will determine how much you have to spend on rent. Figuring out where to move in NYC (because neighborhoods matter) will be determined by your budget. You may want to live in a SoHo loft but your budget says Upper East Side 3-bedroom shared with 4 other people. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.
2. Downsize your stuff. Everyone says that Manhattan apartments are small, but when trying to figure out the logistics of how to move to NYC, less stuff is key. No number of trips to the Container Store will make all your clothes fit in the hole in the wall the landlord calls a closet. Konmari your stuff before you move. You can thank me later.
3. Learn the Subway. Or at least download some apps, sign up for alerts and learn how to read a map so you can know how to get somewhere ahead of time. Don’t be the person trying to figure it out as the train pulls into the station. And leave plenty of time for traveling to your destination. Subway delays, changes and cancellations are frequent.
4. Find the best local pizza. It may seem small but after a long day at your great new job (that really doesn’t pay enough to live your ideal NYC life) stopping by the local place for a slice will hit the spot.
5. Use the codes for free delivery or order discounts. Tons of companies that do grocery delivery, furniture shopping or countless other things advertise discounts on the subway or in the mail. Take a picture of that ad and use that code. Ordering groceries can get expensive so make the most of discounts. Used that saved cash for a dinner out (or rent).
6. Figure out the laundry situation. It is a rarity to find an apartment with laundry in the unit. If you do, consider it a miracle. If not, figure out if your building has a laundry room or if you need to find a laundromat nearby. Or if you are going to have the dry cleaner do your laundry. Because, yes, in New York City some dry cleaners do regular laundry by the pound. If you hate doing laundry, this might be a reason that you should move to NYC.
7. Find some culture. Visit the TKTS booth in Times Square for last minute deals on theatre tickets. And if you’ve never been to Times Square, go once. After that avoid at all costs. Walk around Central Park. See Shakespeare in the Park. Go to the Met. Some of these are classic NYC destinations and full of tourists but they are part of what makes the city so great.
8. Avoid the tourists. Once you have seen the icons once, don’t go back. There are so many amazing things to see that you should explore the smaller museums, galleries and restaurants. One of my favorite Italian restaurants is on the Upper East Side buried amongst townhouses. You wouldn’t know if it you weren’t looking for it.
9. Buy good shoes. You will walk so much. Don’t even worry about hitting your step goals for the day. Your feet will thank you for the support at the end of the day. Also, don’t commute to work on the subway in heels. You won’t be able to climb the broken escalators or speed walk to make the train. Find a cute pair of supportive flats and don’t worry about the fashion. Change your shoes outside of your destination or at your desk at work.
10. Chase the food trends. Why not? If you want the best Instagram post that all your friends envy, then go get in line for the Cronut, edible cookie dough or whatever the latest food trend is. You live here so why not get it first? Explore the city through its food. Each neighborhood is unique, and you can find some incredible food if you go looking.

There is nothing that can compare to living in New York City. It is an exciting city that is always changing. Don’t be afraid to explore a new neighborhood or try a new restaurant. You will learn so much about the city and yourself if you are open to new experiences. Hopefully that answers your questions about moving to New York. Good luck!