Are you overwhelmed by the fact that your hometown drugstore mascara suddenly costs $11 at a CVS in Manhattan? Do you feel like most of your interactions now involve your credit card? Does the school cafeteria even feel like a luxury when it comes to spending?
If the answer to any of the previous questions was yes, then like myself, you need some help saving money in Manhattan. This is not just a list of tips that sound nice in theory but don’t actually work – these tips have all been tested and proven to work by your fellow TNS women. Read on to lessen the burden of some of your financial woes!
Tip #1: Skip Beacon’s Closet and try Goodwill.
We all know how tempting it is to sneak into Beacon’s Closet’s convenient location on W14th Street in between classes, but how about trying Goodwill instead? When shopping at a high end consignment store like BC, it’s easy to wind up with a $60 price tag, but Goodwill has two convenient locations at W14th and W8th that attracts a lot of the same donors. Brands like Calvin Klein, J. Crew, and Levi’s are not uncommon at both of these locations, and you can get them for as little as $4 a piece. You can still call your items vintage, but you don’t need to break the bank when doing so.
Tip #2: BYOB: Bring your own bottle.
Did you know that if you bring your own water bottle or coffee mug to the cafeteria, those beverages are either free or highly discounted? That’s right, TNS actually rewards you for being eco-friendly and reusing the cups and mugs you probably already have. Coffee will be reduced to $0.99 and water is completely free at all New School dining locations. You could also show off your New School pride and buy a water bottle from the New Store!
Tip #3: Become an Amazon Prime Student.
Remember that aforementioned $11 mascara? Well, on Amazon Prime Student (which you can sign up for here for a free six-month trial) you can order all of your groceries and beauty supplies for flat rates that don’t have the ridiculous mark ups that you’ll find in New York City. Don’t believe me? The CoverGirl Full Lash Bloom mascara retails for $8.99 at the 1st Ave CVS, but is only $5.69 on Amazon. You can also stream movies and TV shows that are not offered on Netflix as well as enjoy ad-free music and photo backup services.
Tip #4: Take advantage of UNiDAYS student discounts.
I promise this is not some gimmick website that only features brands no one actually cares about. UNiDAYS has proven time and time again that it is a reliable source for student discounts. Featuring brands like Bed Bath & Beyond, New Balance, American Apparel, and Wildfox, this is your one stop shop for every label that offers a student discount. While you used to always receive a 10% discount at American Apparel for being a student, I was recently told by an employee that they have now bumped it up to 15% for students who show their UNiDAYS coupon (available on the free app). Told you it was legit!
Tip #5: Keep an eye out for TNS events.
We are lucky enough to be part of an incredibly diverse campus, meaning that the events are as exciting and innovative as the students running them. Most of these events tend to feature raffles, tokens of participation, and of course, FREE FOOD. By keeping an eye out on the class Facebook page and reading flyers in your dorm building and the Student Development and Activities weekly newsletter (you can sign up here), you’ll always be in the know when it comes to every opportunity for free cookies on campus.
On a side note, remember that we are not the only campus around! NYU offers tons of free community events open to all, which can be found here.