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A trip to New York can be summarized in a few words: exciting, fast-paced and debt-ridden. Any trip to this electric and super urban city often requires a line a credit to finance the hotel, restaurant, entertainment and shopping. With these five tips, New York can be enjoyed without dipping into the retirement fund.

1. Accommodations will take up a large portion of the travel budget, so it is wise to do a lot or research. Check the standard travel sites such as hotels.com, Travelocity.com and Expedia.com. If you're under 30, consider staying at a hostel. A good website is hostels.com. While hostels evoke memories of curfews and dormitory-style bedding, some of hostels in New York feature double and even single suites for extra privacy.

2. Eating in New York on a budget does not have to resort to dining on coffee and hot dogs. Some restaurants to look into include the Asian/Thai inspired Wild Ginger, 212-367-7200 with appetizers starting at $2.25 and entrees at 8.19. For food resembling the American South, check out Dallas BBQ, 212-873-2004, with their 1/4 chicken dinner at $4.99. For a burger and fries without visiting a standard fast-food restaurant, stop by Jackson Hole, 212-362-5177. Their choices include beef, turkey and veggie burgers with platters starting at $8.30.

3. Good deals in clothes while in New York sometimes required listening for whispers of sample sales and clandestine meetings in alleys. A couple of good place for clothes includes Filene's Basement, www.filenesbasement.com; Century 21,www.c21stores.com;Burlingto n Coat Factory, www.burlingtoncoatfactory.com.
Keep in mind that attractively priced clothing attracts large crowds.

4. Entertainment in New York can can burn a hole in the wallet with Broadway shows and other events. To keep costs down, look at museums with special reduced or free admission. The Brooklyn Museum has a Target First Saturday with free admission from 5 to 11 pm on the first Saturday of the month. Also check museum websites before your trip to look for any special events.

5. Transportation in this grid city doesn't require a car but to reduce the glamorous but expensive habit of taking cabs, get some exercise and walk around the city. Some good maps in terms the layout of Manhattan and taking the subway can be found at www.MTA.info. Subway stations also have good detailed maps of the city for free.

These tips are just a guide to get the most of this unique, frenetic and sleek city without eating ramen noodles for the next six months after the vacation.

Learn more about this author, Russella Lucien.
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