Living Well and Spending Less (At the Same Time!)

The average one-bedroom New York City apartment is rented out for around $1,150 a month, give (usually) or take (rarely) a few hundred. And, if you've got a shitty job like I do, you're barely making that a month.

Money. Don't. Come. Easy.

Most of us transplant-tenderonies arrived to this city with stars in our eyes, cotton-candy dreams, and chump change in our back pockets. We might have a similar dating pattern and taste in clothes as Miranda or Carrie, but our mere scruples can't hold a candle to their dividends, let alone that of well-to-do millionaire wife Charlotte, or PR powerhouse Samantha. In the real world, trying to keep up with your bills, your kids, your family, and your man is more than enough, without having to worry about keeping up with the Joneses.

Nonetheless, every woman wants to live well and - occasionally, enjoy the finer things in life. It may seem impossible when you're in the midst of a financial crisis, but, if you follow our guide to being financially stress free, worrying about bills could be an all but played-out phase of the past. By reinventing how you have a good time out, focusing on what you already possess, all the while, working towards something in life that brings you not only money, but joy, you'll find that you've had access to the finer things in life the entire time!

We here at SSNY used this week as a warm-up for our upcoming "Budgeting in Your Borough" issue, following the official launch of ShesSoNewYork.com. We've been gathering information on any and every bargain store/cheap restaurant/bar with a great happy hour/sample sale/museum/breathtaking park/free show that we come across.

What we're trying to prove is that there's no price tag on living well. Don't worry about what name brand is stamped on the back of that cute top, just try it on! And yes, you can trick your lover into saving money and spending time outdoors exercising by suggesting a nice walk in the park would be romantic.

Life is too short and precious to constantly worry about bills and how much money you don't have. Instead, appreciate what you've already got and follow our guide to living well and spending less!

If you have any suggestions on places we should highlight, or, great ways to save/make money, write to us as walkergordonproductions@gmail.com


Tamela J. Gordon