Monday, February 4, 2008

How the Giants' Victory Changed My Life...

I never pick up a newspaper to read, and by now the AM New York lady who hands out the paper at the West Fourth Street station doesn't even hold the paper to me anymore. I must have one of those faces. So today she was surprised when I went to take a paper from her. She even took back the paper I grabbed because there was a spot on it and replaced it with a nice clean one. My reason for taking this morning's free paper? Of course, it was because of the Giant's big win last night! But, I actually grabbed the paper for my younger brother--a giant, Giant's fan.

But now I might start picking the AM New York more often, because right on page three I learned that The Milk Gallery is giving out free $4.00 MetroCards! But I feel like there is a catch to this. The Milk Gallery isn't a bodega or anything (and for some reason bodega is what I think of when I hear free MetroCards), its an art gallery in the Meatpacking District. Today I wondered, what do I have to do for this four dollar metro card? Do I have to perform some odd breast-feeding pose? And what sort of gallery is the Milk Gallery anyways? Anyways, the AM had an http://www.amny.com/news/local/transportation/am-fares0204,0,3640458.story">article about ways to save money on MTA transit. The price for MetroCards will go up in March and this includes slashing the bonus rides. DAMN! So don't expect to get a $12 dollar MetroCard when you put ten dollars into the machine.

So this article gives different tips for ways that commuters can save money. The article really had my wheels spinning as I thought of different ways to save money. As of now, I'm paying $7/five days a week between the Path in Hoboken to work and then back again (the seven dollars includes my transfer at West 4th). That doesn't include the $12 round trip from my town to Hoboken. I basically spend around $300 a month on transportation fees and those bonus rides were just a tad bit helpful!

So what are the ways that I might be able to save money? Here are just a few ideas:
  • Walk from the Path Station to work. Except on rainy days. And when I'm lazy.
  • Go back to taking the bus to Port Authority.
  • Swim from Hoboken to Manhattan.
  • Find a suga-daddy.
  • Move into the city.
I think its pretty clear that right now my only choice is #1. I refuse to take the bus into the city ever again! Although, I have to take it tomorrow, damn! The last option is one I've recently been considering as living at home is driving me crazy, and I hate having to run back to Hoboken in order to catch the last train home on those "wild" weekends that I have. I'm beginning to feel like Cindrella, which includes almost losing a few shoes, but no Prince Charming :-(. Many of my friends and coworkers have been very helpful in swaying my decision towards moving into the city. The scenario usually goes like this:

"How much is your bus pass"
"Oh, $166 a month."
"Oh my God! That's so expensive! You need to move into the city!"
"You know what, you're so right, I definitely need to save money and move into the city."

In which my confidence fades as I remind myself that $166 a month is a lot cheaper than--oh, let's ballpark it--$900 dollars a month for rent. But now that I just figured that I'm really spending $300 a month, well that's only a few hundred dollars less than paying rent (if I move into a super small basement-level studio in Jersey City or Newark--most likely Newark). So for now, my money saving solution is to a). walk from the Path to work and b). pick up a free AM New York each morning to see if any other places are handing out free MetroCards.

I'd like to thank the Giants for winning the Super Bowl, because I would have never picked up today's paper if they lost.

***********
UPDATE: So the bonus rides will not be completely slashed! They're just going to be sliced. The bonus will decrease from 20% to 15%. For more information on the new prices go to the Crain's New York Business site. Whew, I'll take 15% over nothing.


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1 comment:

Dwyer said...

I have the same problem with my commute. It really does get very expensive after a while. I liked your money-saving ideas though! My favorites were swimming from Hoboken to Manhattan and finding a sugar daddy. Good luck with those! :P