A New York City shopping spree is something that everybody should do at least once in his or her lifetime. It is also something that, in terms of awesomeness, time and stamina requirements most people aren’t prepared for. Here are some tips to help you out:
Budget Budget Budget
Save up money ahead of time and plan your budget accordingly. New York prices are steep and you don’t want to get sticker shock or run the risk of spending all of your money on one thing because you didn’t plan ahead. If you want to go whole hog, start saving up at least a few months in advance so that you won’t have to worry about expenses and can simply have fun.
Clearance Is For Savers Not Suckers
There is a lot of pressure in New York to wear only up to the minute fashions. The truth is, though, that real bargains can be found on the sale and clearance racks. The trick is to shop clearance for staples and pieces that are timeless and will always be in style. For example, Brooks Brothers clearance items are a good idea as are the clearance and sale racks at Barney’s, Bloomingdales, and Saks. Plus, this way you’ll be able to say that you shopped in all of the quintessential New York shopping spots without having to pay quintessential New York Shopping prices.
Shop the thrift stores. Thrift stores in New York are what boutiques are in most other towns and cities. You can find fabulous fashions and pieces for a fraction of what it would cost to buy those clothes brand new from a department store. You’ll also have better and more eclectic choices at thrift stores than you will at the “standard” spots.
Food
Don’t forget to take some time to rest and fuel up while you are out and about. At the very least you will want to plan for a great lunch. Setting aside money for a couple of coffee and snack stops is also a good idea.
Where you eat for lunch is going to depend largely upon where you are when you feel hungry and where you have been shopping. Many of the larger department stores have restaurants and cafes inside of them. Those are always fun places to get food and to do some people watching.
You can also plan on making stops at some of the touristy spots, particularly if you are from out of town and on an adventure. Tourist spots might be looked down upon by locals but they became tourist spots for a reason (though their prices do get marked up quite a lot).
If you want to find out where the locals eat, use apps like Yelp and Urban Spoon to find out what is nearby and what is of good quality.
These are just some of the tips that will help make your New York Shopping Spree a success. Have fun!
