New York is a great city to spend the weekend in and if you love it that much, you might even decide to move there. But if you do, you’ll be in for a big shock. There’s a big difference between visiting New York as a tourist and living there. That doesn’t mean you shouldn’t move to the city because it’s an incredible place to live, you just need to learn how to deal with some of the challenges of living there long term. If you’re considering a move to New York, here’s everything you need to know to survive.
Getting Around
If you’re coming from a city where you drove everywhere, you’re going to have a hard time to start with. Some areas of the city aren’t too bad but places like Manhattan are basically impossible to drive around. There are so many pedestrians everywhere and parking is extortionate. You’re much better off using public transport instead. Taxis and buses are good but the subway is probably your best option. When you first get there, you need to start getting used to using it right away. If you do have a car, you’re probably best off putting it in storage, there’s no point trying to use it.
If you don’t want to keep spending money on public transport, you could also consider cycling around the city. It’s a lot cheaper and it’s good for you as well. Just be aware that the roads are going to be quite busy most of the time.
Shopping
When you’re not using a car, your shopping habits are probably going to change. You can’t really stock up on a week’s worth of food anymore. Most New Yorkers tend to go to the small bodegas on the corner and get enough for a couple of days and do that a few times a week, rather than doing one big shop. Things are also going to cost you a lot more than most other cities so you need to adjust your budget and make sure that you can actually afford to eat.
Avoid The Tourists
Once you’ve been living in New York for a bit, you might start to get fed up with the tourists. A lot of locals .go away during the busiest periods so they can avoid the tourists. There are some great weekend getaways from New York so you can get a bit of respite from the crowds. The fall is a great time of year in New York but it’s also one of the busiest so it might be best to head out somewhere for the weekend during that time. People also tend to go away a lot in the summer.
Downsize Your Stuff
The price of housing in New York is sky high so you’re not going to get half as much space as you would elsewhere. Unless you’re earning a lot of money, you’re probably going to end up living in a pretty tiny apartment. That’s why it’s important that you downsize your stuff before you move, otherwise, you’ll be living in amongst a pile of boxes.
Surviving New York can be tough but once you get used to it, you’ll absolutely love living in this amazing city.
Roaming free - tales of wanderlustbykelley 