The following is a guest blog from Caroline, who is a multi-talented creative I have the pleasure of knowing as a friend here in New York City! By day she is a costume coordinator and you can see her gorgeous creations on Instagram @modernromantic. She also co-manages really fun social accounts at @queensofqueensny and @drinkthecity where you can see her put her tips below to action. The reason I really liked having her share her expertise is because you don’t want to be stuck indoors with NO FUN when you are on your #earlyretirement or #debtfreejourney. Her advice is so practical when it comes to cool experiences in New York City.
Being on a budget doesn’t mean you have to miss out on having fun and going out in NYC! You live in the greatest city in the world and deserve to take advantage of it without spending tons of money. People are always asking me how I do so many things around the city while saving money, so I am excited to share my best advice with you. Some of my tips are totally free and just require a subway ride each way, and others like all of my BYOB options you can easily fit into your weekly “fun” budget.
Clubbing With Promoters: Free
This option is primarily for ladies. Club promoters are typically employed by agencies that do marketing and promotion for clubs, or the clubs themselves, from new to established places. They get paid to bring girls out, and create the sense that the club is a hot, desirable spot in the city with a lot of people there.
Use Instagram to identify promoters by searching hashtags – such as #nycpromoter, #vipnyc, #clubpromoter, or the hashtag of the club you want to go to. Or search for a location, by typing in the name of the club and going to “Places” to find other promoters who promote for this location. Once you find one or two promoters, you can see who they follow or tag to find even more, and often they will recommend their co-workers or partners’ events to you as well. A lot of them have “promoter”, “vip”, or “nyc” in their username. These people WANT you to follow, message, or text them, so do not feel weird about it! They will usually have their phone number and a weekly schedule of events in their Instagram bio, and you can also DM them that you are interested in going to their party and if there is something they could do for you if you arrive early.
The most important thing to keep in mind is that this works for females only, sorry guys! Second, you must dress nicely. Wear a nice outfit and heels, like typical club wear so you don’t look out of place. Set a time with the promoter and meet them outside to have free bottle service all night- sometimes there is even free food from the club’s kitchen given out like sliders or pizza! Depending on the place and time, I have been with only two friends at a totally private table with our own personal bottle of Grey Goose while the promoter left us alone (usually when it’s earlier in the night like a “happy hour”). The more you’re involved in the promoter scene, the more you’ll see and learn. Want to bring a guy? If you have more girls than guys, the guys are likely welcome – they may pay a $20 cover change.
Art Gallery Hopping: Free
On most Thursday evenings between 6-8PM during the warmer months, galleries in Chelsea have “gallery opening” parties to celebrate new exhibits, where the public is welcome to come see the art and have free drinks! The scene is always quite classy and intellectual. I recommend professional dress code. To find these events, visit the NY Art Beat website and save as many parties as you’d like to attend. You can also visit ArtCards for events, the types are a bit different from the NY Art Beat website. If you go in springtime and start at 6 pm on the dot you can hit up quite a lot of galleries in one night because most are in a walking range of a few blocks in the 20’s between 10th and 11th avenue.
Free drinks are usually located at the back of the gallery, sometimes with an optional tip jar, and this is mostly wine and occasionally beer and, rarely, cocktails. Take photos! The artists want to get the word out about their work, and social media is a great way to do that. Sometimes Saturday openings are available as well. Whatever you do, make sure you are attending a “gallery opening reception” for the cocktail party atmosphere, and not just visiting a gallery that is currently open and on view to the public.
Queens: Every third Thursday of the month there are gallery openings in LIC, usually at The Factory Building. Visit the LIC Arts Open website for more information. You can enjoy local art, free drinks and snacks. Every May there is also a huge art event, which I would say is worth coming to Queens from the city for. This year it is May 16-May 20, and the LIC Arts Open website will have a full listing of every gallery opening on it.
Brooklyn: WagMag has various listings for events. There is also Bushwick Open Studios, which used to be in the summertime and in recent years has occurred in September. Almost every gallery is open and having some sort of party or function on the weekend in the middle of the day, usually with free drinks. You can find some events just by walking around, but also look online for listings. If you go, you’ll see crowds of people milling about, and public art performances in the streets. It’s great fun and most of it is free.
House of Yes: Free with RSVP in Advance
There is an amazing art, dance, and music space in Bushwick called House of Yes that you can go enjoy and not spend any money on if you just register for tickets in advance. Their “events” section lists everything they have planned on their upcoming calendar. Register about a month in advance to snag a limited number of free tickets. For the weekend parties they sometimes require you to wear a look inspired by the event theme. I did an endless summer party, where we all wore bright shirts and leis.
Sofar Sounds Concerts: $20 and BYOB
Sofar Sounds has created a unique experience where music fans can come see a surprise musician at an intimate venue. The locations are separated by neighborhood or borough but remain secret until a day or two before. The venues can range from a from a coffee shop to an art gallery to a coworking space to someone’s living room. The musicians you will discover once you get there- I’ve done it in Long Island City and the people I’ve seen have been amazing! There was one or two openers in addition to the headliner. Past artists have even included Grammy-winning performers, their website claims. All events are BYOB and you can bring whatever you like to drink, just be respectful of the artists as they perform.
Party or Pregame at Home or A Friend’s Place: BYOB
I can’t say enough about good ol’ pregames. If you’re going out to drink at a bar with friends but not looking to spend much you need to carve out a pocket of time in which to drink at home first, for a fraction of the cost! I almost always pregame if I want to go check out a cool spot that has expensive drinks, so I don’t buy as much there.
If you live out of the city, did you know it is even legal to drink on the LIRR and NJ Transit? That’s right! Unless there is a ban on a specific day, like a holiday, this is your money hack if you don’t live in the NYC limits but like to go out there.
Don’t be shy and go ahead and host a party if your friends don’t plan. You control how much fun you allow in your life. Don’t be ashamed of a small apartment – you can have a few people come over if that is the case.
Pulsd Events and Brand Sponsored Events: Free
Pulsd is a fantastic website with some free and affordable activities to do in NYC – there are paid and free activities, and is usually used by businesses to draw a crowd. If you search “free” up top, you’ll find a few events each week that you don’t have to pay for. There are usually liquor tastings, food giveaways, and even workout classes posted.
Along the lines of a Pulsd event, sometimes if I am just walking around an area like SoHo I will stumble upon a similar event at a clothing store advertising a new line of clothing or brand partnership that is open to the public! I’ve had free drinks, appetizers or desserts by just keeping an eye out when I am around certain parts of the city. The key is to not buy anything, but just look, and mingle with others!
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