Paying for Pain: Mud Races

So far in my life I have ran several 5k’s, 10k’s, 15k’s, 1 half marathon and 2 mud race obstacle courses; Warrior Dash (3 miles) & Tough Mudder (12 mles).

All of these things cost money. Half/Marathons and the mud races all cost ~$100, for an experience of course. Paying for competition. Paying for a challenge. Often times because we need that to push ourselves, for additional motivation. Or because it is a challenge we, ourselves, cannot recreate.

Warrior Dash

Simply put, the Warrior Dash, a 3 mile long obstacle course, is a party. … Continue reading »

Independent Movie Theaters in NYC

I have long been a supporter of using Netflix or your local library to watch movies instead of paying full admission for a movie ticket. However, I will cough up the $13 here in NYC to see an indie or previously released film at one of the independent theaters.

Many theaters will do series over the course of a few months highlighting a director, composer, genre or theme. IFC Center offers late-night favorites, screening movies like Alien, Jaws and more at midnight on weekends.

If you go to a particular theater often, you can become a paying member to receive an admission discount (and feel good about supporting small theaters!)

Here is my hand-crafted list of independent theaters in NYC. It is by no means complete and I have not been to all of these, yet.

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Free Things: Brooklyn Book Festival – 9/18/11

The Brooklyn Book Festival takes place this Sunday the 18th in downtown Brooklyn around Borough Hall. All events are free, some require (free) tickets, and this all takes place from 10a-6p.

Just a few of the plethora of events:

  • The Phantom Tollbooth at 50: From the fantastic imagination of Norton Juster and the unforgettable sketch of Jules Feiffer, the classic children’s story The Phantom Tollbooth was created 50 years ago in Brooklyn Heights. Join the famed author/ illustrator pair in a conversation with Leonard Marcus.12p. – St. Francis Auditorium (180 Remsen Street) (tickets required)
  • Comedy in Comics: Join and laugh with four artists of comics that are surreal, political, and hilarious: Eisner-nominated and cult-favorite Michael Kupperman (Mark Twain’s Autobiography: 1910-2010); Harvey, Glyph, and Inkpot Award-winning Keith Knight (The Knight Life: Chivalry Ain’t Dead); web-comics phenomenon Kate Beaton (Hark! A Vagrant); and newcomer Jennifer Hayden (Underwire). Moderated by Heidi MacDonald of The Beat and Publishers Weekly Comics World.1p – St. Francis Screening Room (180 Remsen Street)
  • Moving Pictures: From B Movies to the Art House, film is possibly the most powerful broadcast medium of the past century—taking us on flights of fancy as often as it brings us face-to-face with the more unpleasant nature of the contemporary world. J. Hoberman (Army of Phantoms), Jason Zinoman (Shock Value), and Roberta Seret (World Affairs in Foreign Films) discuss the role of movies in understanding our world and ourselves. Moderated by film critic and Light Industry founder, Ed Halter. 5p – St. Francis Screening Room (180 Remsen Street)
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Friday Flicks: Leslie’s Netflix Instant Picks (Aug 19-21)

Every Friday I will list personal recommendations of movies that are available on Netflix Instant Watch so you can enjoy a frugal weekend instead of buying that stupidly expensive movie ticket.

Weekend Picks: August 19-21 – Classic Early 90’s Edition


Reality Bites
Genre: Comedy, Coming of age
Mood: 90’s
94 mins; 1994
Leslie Rating: 4/5
Summary: 90’s love story involving post-grads trying to figure out what to do with themselves.

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Friday Flicks: Leslie’s Netflix Instant Picks (Aug 12-14)

Every Friday I will list personal recommendations of movies that are available on Netflix Instant Watch so you can enjoy a frugal weekend instead of buying that stupidly expensive movie ticket.

Weekend Picks: August 12-14 – Goofy Movie Edition


Wet Hot American Summer
Genre: Teen Comedy
Mood: Goofy
97mins; 2001
Leslie Rating: 4/5
Summary: Hilarious summer camp comedy that balances perfectly between silly & stupid.

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Grocery Shopping in NYC is Depressing

I knew that groceries would be expensive in Manhattan. They were expensive in NJ so thought the difference would be negligible. It was not.

Here’s my first shopping trip on the upper west side:

Grated parm: $3.91
Grapes @ $2.69/lb: $5.33
100% whole grain bread: $3.99
Jarred Pesto: $3.59
Unsalted butter: $4.39
Cottage Cheese: $3.79
Strawberries: $3.99
Nellie’s Natural Eggs: $2.69
Chicken breasts: $6.01

Now, let’s compare this to the prices of some of these at a central New Jersey Wegman’s super market:

Cottage Cheese: $2.99
Unsalted Butter: $2.79
Strawberries: $2.49
Eggs: $3.69
Grapes @ $2.49/lb
Pesto: $2.49
Bread: $2.69

Shopping Around

Now, I am sure that the prices are cheaper in the outer boroughs and plan … Continue reading »

Friday Flicks: Leslie’s Netflix Instant Picks (Aug 5-7)

Every Friday I will list personal recommendations of movies that are available on Netflix Instant Watch so you can enjoy a frugal weekend instead of buying that stupidly expensive movie ticket.

Weekend Picks: August 5-7


The Fighter
Genre: Sports, Drama
Mood: Inspiring
115 mins; 2010
Leslie Rating: n/a
Summary: Heard it’s about boxing…

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Relatively Frugal

I have been living in Manhattan for officially a month now and have been out of the frugal loop lately. Every time I catch up on fellow frugal blogs and articles, I just don’t find anything I can relate to.

Urban Living

I no longer have a car so I don’t need gas saving tips. I have no storage space, so I can’t buy in bulk. I have access to a plethora of free events, so I don’t need ideas on cheap dates. I rent an apartment, so I don’t need homeowner’s tips. I live with roommates, so I don’t need information on co-habitation budgets. I have to carry my groceries home, so I can’t stock up on sale items. I don’t do my own laundry, so I don’t need homemade detergent. Groceries are exorbitantly expensive and eating out can be really really cheap.

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Strawberry Pasta Sauce is Delicious

I was looking through a friend’s pasta cookbook when I saw a recipe that used strawberries, balsamic vinegar & canned tomatoes to make a pasta sauce. I had never thought of strawberries being used in that way and was immediately intrigued.

Fast forward to several months later, I stumbled upon this article about the strawberry pasta sauce. After just buying some strawberries recently, I decided to have a kitchen experiment of my own and give it a shot.

Honestly, I had my doubts, but the result turned out much better than I expected!

Note: I didn’t measure … Continue reading »

Friday Flicks: Leslie’s Netflix Instant Picks (July 8-10)

Every Friday I will list personal recommendations of movies that are available on Netflix Instant Watch so you can enjoy a frugal weekend instead of buying that $10 movie ticket.

Weekend Picks: July 8-10 (Last Year’s Movies edition)


Let Me In
Genre: Horror, Vampire
Mood: Suspense, Dark
116 mins; 2010
Leslie Rating: 4/5
Summary: Surprisingly good remake of a coming-of-age tale about a young girl who struggles with being a vampire.

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This Weekend: Free in NYC (5/26-5/29)

With summer closing in, weekends are full of free events in NYC. Here are a few fun things to do this weekend, without spending a dime!

Free Cab Ride

Thursday May 26, 4p-6p
To celebrate some show moving to a new time, all cabs with a Dr. Oz promo on top will be free! These cabs will begin at major Manhattan destinations (Grand Central, Penn Station, etc) but once they drop off their initial passengers, they are free to anyone until 6p!

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Monthly Budget Recap: April ‘11

Since incomes are relative, my recaps are in percentages instead of dollar amounts.

April 2011 budget recap

Income

I received an income tax refund but also had to pay some taxes, however the refund did make for some nice extra income this month. This is fortunate since I forgot to factor it into April’s budget.

Fixed Expenses

I am still adjusting to the new apartment utility expenses which are, thankfully, much cheaper than at the last apartment.

Total April Fixed Expenses: Budgeted – 44%; Actual – 35%

Variable Expenses

I became a bit too excited about updating my summer wardrobe and spent far too much on clothes. Also, I did my annual hair highlights and should have factored that into my budget from the beginning. Thankfully my tax refund helped to balance out this over spending.

This was the first month I tracked my alcohol expenses individually. My estimate wasn’t too far off but I was surprised by just how much I spent on alcohol alone. Really, it is more the cost of socializing with friends, but I would like to cut this down next month.

This was also my first full month of commuting from Jersey City into Manhattan. The commute was far less than I expected with a total of $63 for the entire month! I separate MTA (nyc subway) because that is for my own leisure purposes and is not related to my commute.

Total April Variable Expenses: Budgeted – 32%; Actual – 22%

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Only Buy What You Can Carry

Often when grocery shopping we only focus on prices, discounts, sales and coupons. The best deal often means buying in bulk or multiples of an item (buy one get one free). However, shopping in this way is only possible if you have 1) a lot of storage space and 2) an easy way to get all this home.

If you own a car, purchasing large amounts of groceries at one time is not a problem. You can bring them all out to your car in a cart then make multiple trips from the car to your house once home.

Next time you are grocery shopping, imagine you have to walk home from the store; at least a 10 minute walk. How would you shop differently?

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Friday Flicks: Leslie’s Netflix Instant Picks (April 29-May 1)

Every Friday I will list personal recommendations of movies that are available on Netflix Instant Watch so you can enjoy a frugal weekend instead of buying that $10 movie ticket.

Weekend Picks: April 29-May 1

Hot Tub Time Machine
Hot Tub Time Machine
Genre: Comedy
Mood: John Cusack, 80’s
100 mins; 2010
Leslie Rating: 4/5
Summary: The hot tub is a time machine.

The Graduate
The Graduate
Genre: Classic
Mood: Dustin Hoffman
105 mins; 1967
Leslie Rating: 3/5
Summary: Classic.

Karate Kid (remake)
Karate Kid (remake)
Genre: Remake
Mood: Nostalgia, Inspiration
140 mins; 2010
Leslie Rating: n/a
Summary: Haven’t seen it yet…

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Leslie’s Guide to Moving: Part 2 – How To Move In A Week (in 4 easy steps!)

I am putting together a moving guide to chronicle my most recent move to a new apartment. The guide will include finding a new apartment, moving cheaply & efficiently, and adapting to a new lifestyle.

How To Move In A Week

  1. Create a new budget
  2. Find subleaser
  3. Sell car
  4. Purge belongings

I will highlight each of these in future blog posts. Let’s start with the first.

Create A New Budget

My first post in the “Guide to Moving” series was determining what you can afford. This involves planning. Thinking ahead to where you will be moving to, what the rents are like in the area and creating a perspective budget. But sometimes, moves happen faster than we expect.

When I was looking ahead at these NYC budgets, I knew my lease did not end until May. I was merely planning ahead but did not want to get too ahead of myself. However, at the end of February, I received an email from a friend.

Her roommate had moved out unexpectedly and they needed someone to take the room. The apartment was an hour closer to work and the same exact rent as my current one in central New Jersey. I would not need a car and the cost and time of commuting would decrease drastically with absolutely no change in rent!

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