Freshdirect is feeling the pinch: Another coupon

Good till May 19
Wemissyou is the coupon code for 10% off.

I have to say, I like their locavore veggies, but I’m sticking to Chinatown these days.

Double Header: Tip #28 How to Survive in NYC & EMS coupon

Weekend camping.

That’s right boys and girls, let’s get that zipcar and run over to NJ or the Adirondacks.  Breakfast with Mama and Papa Bear?

And it’s amazing how good a 99cent box of  Mac and Cheese tastes outdoors.

And if you need some gear, mosey on over to EMS with a coupon.

Cleaning House on the Cheap

I hate cleaning. I hate the smell of artificially perfumed cleaners, I hate cleaning dead cells and hair, but I hate seeing a scary dirty bathroom even more.

Even though it’s costly, I tried Method products, I even tried making my own products.  But nothing was getting rid of the shower mold except for bleach, which had the unfortunate side effect of breaking down the grout. But hey, they were white!  (Cleaning makes me a little crazy).

Then I had a Crazy crazy brainstorm. Bathrooms and kitchens both have organic waste.  Why don’t I use the Palmolive dishwashing soap in the bathroom?  (Also, I bought the original flavor, which I realized that I didn’t like as much as I thought.  Damn nostalgia!)

Bathroom is now amazingly clean.  It’s like magic.  Seriously.  The hard water stains that never left those G*d d*mn evil glass shower doors…now gone. (I used to scrub them with tile cleaner then baking soda like a crazy woman). Grout=white.   All the oil from skin dirt and body products…gone.  (Of course! If it gets rid of olive oil, then why not…duh.)  I can’t believe I hadn’t figured this out.

Best thing: Palmolive, 1 bottle = $1.09

Regular bottle of bathroom cleaner spray = $3.59

Awesome. Cheaper and better. I am so insanely happy (insane, because I’m getting giggly over cleaning) that I could dance a jig.

Fight the Power: NY MAG Cheap Eats

I have a goddamn beef with NYMag Cheap Eats.  First of all, they should rename it Everything Below 59th Street Mag, because all the ink stained NYU wretches who intern and write most of the articles haven’t ever ventured to the bright light of the UES and UWS. Last time I checked, there are a couple of million people who living above Columbus circle who would like some articles mildly pertinent to their daily existence.

So yes, I have beef with NYMag because their Cheap Eats “researcher” can’t get off their lazy duff to offer some decent options in other parts of NEW YORK. This is the grand total of New  York establishments in their “Cheap Eats 2008″ section that were located in the Upper East Side: ZERO.  That’s right. About 70% were south of Midtown and the other 30% were in Queens and Brooklyn.  About 15% were repeats from last year. 

Sorry to rant, but this is exactly the kind of sloppy PAID work that makes me believe that NYMag is a subpar, poorly copywritten magazine.  Yeah, this blog needs a good copywriter too, but I don’t get paid! And it’s a hobby, not my damn job!

All right now.  I declare a rebellion against NYMAG

Grow Your Own Food in New York: the Red Hook Farm across from Ikea

 

Locavores' Heaven across the Ikea

Last week, I finally took the Ikea ferry to Red Hook.  After being thoroughly annoyed by the huge crowds and long lines, I took the Ikea bus back to the Borough Hall stop.  

 

One thing that stuck out immediately was the Red Hook Added Value Community Farm that’s right across the street from Ikea.  When you walk out to take the bus, it’s right in front of you.

The Red Hook Community Farm has a farmer’s market on the weekends, and I hope that if you’re out at Ikea, you’ll stop by and support them and pick up some great local veggies. They employ local youth to grow the vegetables, teaching them basic farming techniques and giving them a sense of connectedness to the earth and to what they eat.  It’s the only local farm that uses underprivileged youth.

The farmer’s market is open on Saturdays(9-3) at The Red Hook Farm, Columbia and Beard Street and Thursdays (11-3) at 6 Wolcott (Intersection of Wolcott and Dwight.

Eat Cheap! Eat Local!

Today’s tip for making some extra dough in NYC: Rent out your apt to a film crew

Ok, this only works if you have an apt with rooms and bathrooms that fit a small film crew plus the actors (3 people minimum).  This of course rules out most apartments in Manhattan.  But hey, you never know, they may want to remake Sex and the City or Friends with real New York apartments.

NYT

Tip #45 to surviving in NYC: Get a free new iPhone with your old iPhone

 

I love you iPhone

Squeeze a penny today: if you have an old iPhone that’s banged up but still works, you can sell it for $200-$300 depending on which reseller you contact (or contacts you) so you can upgrade to the 3G iPhone for free.

 

The NYT has a cranky article on the practice, which bemoans the fact that most of these phones may not be ‘recycled’ as the resellers claimed initially.  They’re resold in other countries where iPhones aren’t available.  As I suspected, every section outside of National and Local politics in the NYT is directed towards NOT saving money.  I mean–who cares? Get your spanking new hundred bills here: 

freeiPhoneswap.com

Tip #26 to living frugally in Manhattan

Don’t eat. Just stop eating. It’s just you and the fruit stand guy.

Gypsies in Manhattan

This past weekend, I swear I saw a gypsy beggar in the subway.  The 4-5 uptown express.  I didn’t get a picture of her, but she looked a little bit like this picture of a gypsy beggar in Turkey.  Has anyone seen her before?  She has a pretty professional looking laminated photo of her holding a child claiming that the child is disabled and that she needs money.  From what I can tell, she doesn’t speak English.  You’ll notice her pretty quickly because her begging style is quite distinctive–silent, forthright and insistent.  I’m the last person who would be up in arms about begging–hey, if you can’t make it, you have a right to ask, though other people have a right to say no. I was just surprised to see a gypsy in Manhattan. Are they coming over?

Tip #86 to surviving in NYC: Fresh direct promotion code

Get free delivery for the next couple of months with Fresh Direct for the next month or so

Just enter the code: SIXYEARS at checkout each time you shop from now through August 31.* 

Good times, good times.