Taxis vs. public transportation vs. jet packs

I was looking at my bank statement today and noticed that the word "TAXI" appeared like 312 times. Not really, but geez Louise I take a lot of cabs. OR I DID.

My excuses?

• "It's too late to take the train"
  
• "It's raining"
• "It's too hot"
• "I have on heels"

No more excuses, chief!

I am now going to make a valiant effort to either take the subway or bus or just walk my chubby ass home. I wanted more exercise, right? The whole city is what? Thirteen miles long? Washington Heights to Williamsburg, I should be walking with my income. I fortunately live, work and play downtown, so I walk. And when I do take cabs they rarely run over 10 bones. But still! It adds up.

One trick that has helped me through the years when I'm debating between the cost of anything is what I like to call, "Manhattan Math." Three cab rides is one week's worth of groceries. Or three loads of laundry. Or three drinks at the bar. The last one is dear to my heart.

It's really not worth it unless you're sharing a cab with friends. So I'm saving my cash and paying $2.25/per ride on the subway (I don't get a monthly card since my commute is pedi one, so I buy a few rides at a time). Plus that $2.25 gets you to your destination AND offers panhandler entertainment and Missed Connection sideways glances! Can't get that added value in a taxi.

And yes, jet packs will soon be an option. The future is near! You can count on it!


FIN

Way better blog than mine.

This post has nothing to do with money or saving, but just the pure awesomeness that is Tavi.

Tavi is 13. She is also amazing. She knows more about fashion than most folks I know. She styles shoots and is currently in NYC for Fashion Week, blogging away. What a big (little) life! Check her out. Oh! Thought of how I can her blog is related: had I been an ingenious and clever thirteen-year-old and started my blog then, perhaps I'd be stuffing my duvet cover with dollar bills by now. Tis all.

http://tavi-thenewgirlintown.blogspot.com/

FIN

"It may be years until the day...

...my dreams will match up with my pay."



That is all.

Check out old school Feist (above) while I work on post number 8!

I'm fit, mate.

Okay well, "fit" might be a stretch, but I'm relatively healthy. I eat alright (see previous post - i'm working on it), I try to drink like 64 ounces of water a day and I have the great advantage of being able to walk to work. It's about fifteen minutes each way, so I get my thirty minutes/day in just by showing up to my job in Battery Park.

I used to pay $85/month to go to New York Sports Club, but canceled my membership last July to save cash. I now run the Brooklyn Bridge or East River Esplanade to get in cardio and I play soccer for a Sunday league in Astoria.*

But I miss the machines of the gym. I don't want to get all Madonna or The Man Whose Arms Exploded or anything, but a nice tone all-around would be nice. Also, running and the running around in soccer burns a lot of fat, but I have no muscle. I can barely replace the water cooler at work without hyperventilating. And that's only 40lbs.

Any tips on getting buff sans Bally's? I mean, I can do curls with cans of green beans, but there's gotta be other ways to get toned without the help of gym machines. What are ways to stay strong without spending a ton on a gym membership? What do you folks do??

*Rereading this, I sound sooo athletic and active! Ha ha. If only I didn't compound all that activity with booze and brie.

bad news, good news: lunches

Bad news: I bought lunch today at Flavors.
Good news: I cut that ish in half and will eat the rest tomorrow.
Spent: ~$10
Paid: via Debit Card

My mother taught me to do that years ago, but since living in NYC and even back in college years, I never wanted to take stuff home because I was rarely going home. I was always going to straight to the bar after dinner or to a friend's house or something - and I never wanted to carry my foil duck around the club. Tres tacky, no?

But now we exclaim, "We're in a recession! Wrap it up!" at dinner tables the world over. I've been in a personal recession since I signed my soul over to the College Foundation circa fall 2000, but in typical (and former) Blaire style, I never took left overs home. The next day at work, I would charge a soup and salad at Pret instead. Pathetic.

Thoughts? What are your tricks and tips on getting by for cheap when it comes to lunches, dinner, etc? Do you buy in bulk on Sunday to last all week? How can you buy healthy but cheap options? That is my biggest concern.


*Would also like to mention that I will NOT be documenting my spending like this. Not this often, not daily. I think I'll just write about topics where I can save or where I have made mistakes - in this case, both somehow.