Photo Credit: -Marlith-

I went to New York City this weekend to see my cousin graduation with her nursing degree. I had a fun time overall, even though I went over a bit on my budget. More on that later.

My husband and I chipped in with my mom and my brother and we carpooled to the city. We got a rental car from Thrifty and drove for about 9 hours. Where we live, it’s about $3.89/ gallon for gasoline. In New York City, we saw $4.25/gallon and higher for regular gasoline. By the way, the NJ Turnpike’s gas was about $3.85 at the stations.

We parked the car at my cousin’s place in Staten Island and went to Brooklyn for our hotel. A friend recommended that we stayed with a family who rents their space to visitors. It was a great deal at $65/night for a 2 bedroom apartment just a block from the subway. Our last stay was $200/night to stay in Stanen Island, where it took an hour to get to the city.

We used public transportation during our stay in the city. My recommendation? Get a unlimited 7-day pass for $25. We went sightseeing and shopping, so having an unlimited amount of rides for a week gives more freedom and is a better value than paying $2 each fare.

Tourist Tip: IF you are looking for some affordable menswear, check out Graham Ave. in Brooklyn. There were several shops with men suits for less than $100, the cheapest being around $60. They were the same quality as $200 suits at some men’s stores over here.

My husband and I managed to visit the ING Direct Cafe on Madison Ave and 49th St. We got 2 iced coffees, 2 cappuccinos, and a gift set from there. My mom and brother were surprised at the setup of the place. They were imagining a regular branch. We explained that by not having branches, ING saves an enormous amount of money and their interest rates are much higher than traditional banks. While my mom seemed skeptical of the checking account, she is considering using the bank for savings. I hope see does, as I have found that seeing the interest add up in our accounts gives me a smile compared to the fees Bank of America tacked on.

There is so much I want to share from the trip. It was exciting and I learned that budgeting a head of time helps, even for a vacation. I’ll write about our shopping experience in Chinatown and how negotiating got me some great deals next time.

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