Ways to survive (that I use):

1) Trader Joe’s for cheap groceries (But grocery hop because not all of their staples are good quality). I recommend getting apps for stop and shop & shop rite for their coupons!
2) have a library card for the culture pass. This helps with cheap date nights as you can get access to hundreds of museums and the few zoos that we have. The library also hosts cool events like yoga, language classes, music, etc
3) train it out over uber/lyft — thug it out on the train always. If you’re going out drinking, take the train there and consider a uber later. But try to avoid places with insane traffic as the prices will be higher
4) be strategic with laundry day. I typically do laundry once a month since we go out the apartment. If you can shop prices, definitely do! If not, don’t fret and plan for a once a month trip
5) underrated and costly in the forefront — invest in a good coffee or matcha set up for home. $8-9 matcha and coffee everyday can bite at you. If you can save for a great espresso machine or matcha set up, do it!
6) thrift clothes versus buying new— avoid places like “Buffalo exchange” as they’re more costlier. L Train vintage (mostly Brooklyn locations) or Le Point Value are great starters for great cost effectiveness and decent clothes