To begin with, visiting NY with a tight budget is a lousy idea. I wouldn’t recommend flying to NY with no money. It’s better to visit the Big Apple with a tidy little sum of money in your bank account and your suitcases empty.
To get a real sense of the New York spirit, you can stay in The Plaza Hotel and entertain yourself with the Home Alone movie, immersing yourself in a distinctive atmosphere. On top of that, you can take a stroll around the Upper East Side feeling like one of the Gossip Girl characters. And of course don’t miss the chance to have a croissant and coffee outside Tiffany’s, like Audrey Hepburn did. Actually, it’d be better not only to have breakfast near the store but also to go there and buy at least silver famous Tiffany’s key. Also, I would recommend you to go shopping with someone who’ll enjoy it, for example, your best friend. Don’t bore your partner with it.
Another thing worth considering is waking up early. As Frank Sinatra sang, New York is “the city that never sleeps”, however, the queues in the shops are smaller in the morning as compared with the afternoon. If you decide to buy something right after lunch, it can take you up to fifty minutes to stay at the checkout. If you know for sure that you will be shopping at this time of the day, upload some books to your phone beforehand so that you could kill some time usefully.
Getting back to the money, it’s safe to say that it’s better to buy goods with Apple Pay or pay with your credit card. This way, it’ll be easier for you to part with your money. And don’t forget your passport or ID because some cashiers in the malls may ask you for them in case you pay by card.
Like every big city, New York suffers from traffic jams which are literally everywhere. If you take a taxi, you may be wasting your time. If you rent a car, you are basically overpaying for parking plus it’s too difficult to find a free parking lot. Besides, arm yourself with lots of energy and put your comfortable shoes on, and only then go shopping. Comfy shoes will not only make you feel confident but also will prevent swollen legs. Therefore, it’ll be easier for you to try some new shoes on.
New York is one of the fashion capitals in the world and has shops for any taste and budget. Don’t forget to add a tax to a price you need to pay for something because in all malls prices are shown without taxes. Clothes and shoes which cost less than 110$ are tax-free, for everything above that the tax is 8,8%.
Be sure to visit the most famous street in the world, Fifth Avenue, namely the department store Saks that is located there. It’s the most popular luxury shopping mall in the world, an eight-story shopping paradise where one can find everything: perfumes, accessories, shoes, home décor, pret-a-porter and haute couture clothes. After a successful haul, you can take a sip of Veuve Clicquot in a café situated on the highest floor.
Another recommendation is to walk through Madison Avenue. There are offered such fashion houses as Lanvin, Oscar de la Renta, Christian Louboutin etc.Louboutin heels are the same “must-have” as a black Chanel dress. The fact that these shoes are incredibly uncomfortable doesn’t even matter. For comfort-lovers, Louboutin has also launched a collection of red bottom sneakers.
Don’t be afraid to spend money on high-quality shoes, bags, and jeans! If you’ve already bought a stunning cocktail dress, an excellent pair of shoes, the 20th very-much-needed designer bag and Burberry jeans, you surely can search for basics in such mass-market stores like AnnTaylor or H&M.
