As one of the most expensive cities in the US, Boston can be a difficult place for college students to live. Affordable shopping, fitness, dining, and event options are few and hard to find. However, I have searched the city to identify some of the best bargains in Boston to share with you.
If you are a lover of fashion with an admittedly thin wallet, finding deals on designer and “on trend” items is a must. One of the cheapest and most unique shopping experiences can be had at the Garment District – An Alternative Department Store. With prices starting as low as $10 and departments ranging from costumes to contemporary, this is your one-stop-shop! Though the warehouse feel and bales of clothing can be daunting, with some time and patience, you are bound to find something fabulous and inexpensive.
If you prefer a more conventional experience, Second Time Around provides affordable, upscale resale. By using a unique color-coded tagging system, Second Time Around offers a convenient way to identify items that sold at 30-40% of their original retail price. With 10 locations in and around the city, make sure to stop in as you start your fall wardrobe shopping!
When it comes to fitness, Boston seems to be ahead of the game when it comes to cheap and diverse options. One of the most well known groups is the November Project, “a FREE fitness movement.” Open to people of all fitness levels, the group meets for killer workouts on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday mornings at different locations around the city. Click here for more information.
Another great option is Public Body. Though a few of the events can get a little pricey, many are free with the aim of “building bodies while building community.” Based in the South End, the training sessions are always fun and challenging! For information about events, click here (and join me on October 5th for the Free Workout for Boston Children’s Hospital).
Then there is Project BeGritsy. A “community of people inspired by movement”, they host a variety of events from yoga to kickboxing to running. With some of the most motivational instructors in the city and at $9 a class, this group is not to be missed! Click here for more information and to sign up (and join me on September 30th for Run.Yoga.Beer with Cara Gilman).
Good food at low prices can be particularly hard to find in this city. One of my favorite places to get Italian is Café Rustico. They do not serve pizza (for that I recommend Santarpio’s in East Boston), but their pasta dishes and specialty sandwiches are amazing and under $10. A small, family business, all of their food is home cooked!
For a must-try pub and grill, I recommend going over to Cambridge to The Boathouse. The small room and nautical décor, inspired by the Charles River, create a warm and inviting ambiance. Though the menu is small, food items are not more than $10 and beer is only $6. Also make sure to check out their sister restaurant Daedalus.
A great choice for Chinese food is Allston/Brighton’s Shanghai Gate. The restaurant has an air of modern authenticity as an open room with minimalist design. Entrées are about $12 (seafood and specials can be significantly more expensive) and some of the best that I have had in the area.
And finally, there is the issue of finding fun events to go to that won’t break your bank account. One great place to do this is Eventbrite. I use this site all the time and love that it not only keeps you informed about so many of the happenings around Boston, but also gives you the option to search exclusively for free events.
I also recently signed up for Meetup, a unique type of social network site. After creating a profile, you can then join various groups based on your interests (or simply out of curiosity). These groups then arrange events that you can RSVP to. While some of the events do have cover charges, most are just groups of people getting together to do what they love. One of my personal favorites is the “Big dog playgroup” that facilitates socialization and hosts outings for people and their large dogs.
These are just a few of my favorite options for exploring Boston on a budget. If you have any other suggestions, please share them!