The Cheap Bastard's Guide to New York City: A Native New Yorker's Secrets of Living the Good Life--For Free

by Rob Grader

No place offers more for free than New York City - but only if you know where to find it. Luckily for everyone, "The Cheap Bastard" has found it all and shares his secrets in this witty, exhaustively researched guide. From the obvious to the obscure, the sophisticated to the sophomoric, this book catalogs the endless free opportunities available in the Big Apple, surprising visitors and natives alike. With attitude and humor, author Rob Grader, a born-and-bred New Yorker, reveals the how to gain free entrance to plays, concerts, museums, and television tapings; where to find free classes in anything from belly dancing to wine appreciation; how to land a low-cost apartment in a luxury building - without paying a broker's fee; where to find free food, including happy hours, free gourmet samples, and half-price meals; how to get a free haircut or highlights at a leading salon; when and where to find great furnishings in other people's trash. With the Cheap Bastard as a friend and guide, anyone can celebrate life on the cheap! (5 1/2 x 8 1/2, 204 pages, illustrations, charts)

Genres: New York, Nonfiction, Travel

287 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2002

Reviews

[Ellen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love New York, and I love being a cheapskate.

[Beth G · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some of his suggestions are less ethical than others...

[Aly Baiter · Rating 3 out of 5]

Okay, so hardly a book (per se) but, I did read it for the curiosity factor. Having just moved here, it adds more fun to the adventuring & discovering one can have in this great city.
Fav. highlights:
-Getting into theaters for free
-Hooking up w/ neighborhood locals to get a tour of the area
+More art venues

[Marco · Rating 3 out of 5]

I bought this as a gift for a cousin's graduation before he moves on to NYU and I sat down and quickly read it before mailing it off. It's decent and gives you exactly what it promises on the title. If I lived in NYC, I'd probably keep a copy of this laying around somewhere.