How to visit New York City on a budget

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The Big Apple is one of the most expensive places in the world, but Lauren Fairbanks of lifestylermag.com, a New York City budget blog, knows how to tour NYC on a shoestring.

Her first tip? Check out Prospect Park in Brooklyn, which has free music and dance acts during summer months. For comedy, Fairbanks recommends the complimentary midnight performances on Wednesdays at the UCB Theater. Fairbanks also enjoys the free rides on the Staten Island ferry, which provide a great vantage point for photos of Manhattan and the Statue of Liberty. Here are other options:

Entertainment: Podcast personality Brian Peters, of Nodebtworldtravel.com, is an avid traveler. He recommends free tours through Big Apple Greeters. This not-for-profit organization is staffed by volunteers who greet travelers in more than 20 languages and offers free tours with a strict “no tipping” policy. For more information, go to www.bigapplegreeter.org.

Food: Pamela Parisi of theeleganttightwad.com, a frugal fashion and money-saving web site, dines for a buck in midtown Manhattan. Her menu includes pizza for $1 a slice at Bros Pizza and Z Deli. Poultry fans can score Southern-fried goodness at Piece of Chicken for a buck, and fresh produce is sold for $1 per pound at the Stiles Farmers’ Market. When in a rush, Parisi buys hot dogs for a buck a piece from her favorite vendor carts.