Happy New Year 2010

Happy New Year!! Thank you for visiting and your continued readership of FrugalNYC!

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2009 has been a roller coaster year for me and I'm sure for many of you as well. Much of that ride has been rocky and unexpected. Looking forward to 2010, I hope to accomplish much more and find better direction for many aspects of my life. I'm still contemplating on what roads to take going forward. As for FrugalNYC as a blog, I'm looking to include more of you readers in my posts.

As a wrap-up of 2009, here are the top 10 visited blog posts of 2009 for FrugalNYC.

1. 10 Free Places To Visit In NYC Today
2. 10 Free Things To Do In Queens
3. 10 Free Blackberry Games
4. Governor's Island
5. Interesting Twitters
6. Free Games That Children Play
7. Frugal Entenmanns Baked Goods
8. Facts Of New York City You May Not Know
9. FrugalNYC Broadway Ticket Giveaway
10. Metrocards

Many of you voiced your opinion on Giveaways, I will be very happy to do more of them. In order to do more, I also need to grow the readership and participation. That is why I have decided to include your voices in future posts. I'll be doing reader interviews, getting more opinions from fellow bloggers and looking for more bloggers who would like to do guest posts on FrugalNYC.

I want to thank all our sponsors for the giveaways on FrugalNYC in 2009, this includes UPrinting.com, Metropolitan Opera, Season Of Savings, ZulaWorld.com, Workman Press and H&R Block. Also a big thank you to all our partners who link to us and help us in many ways.  They include The405Club, many great folks on Twitter, Craig of BudgetPulse, Hennie, Chris of Lifestyle Project, Jay Frawley (are you still around?),    I can go on for a long time.  I will thank each one of you individually!

Most of all, I want to thank my family and YOU!  Please continue to help spread the word about FrugalNYC, especially if you like the content or find it helpful. Tell your best friend, your co-workers, fellow bloggers, your neighbors or anyone else who you think would find this blog helpful. If you would like to get involved or help FrugalNYC, send me a tweet, dm, or email!

Looking forward to speaking to you all.
-Qi , Blogger - FrugalNYC

Recommended Book: The 4-Hour Workweek, Expanded and Updated: Expanded and Updated, With Over 100 New Pages of Cutting-Edge Content.

For additional links to frugal tips and tricks follow me on Twitter. If you would like to contribute to FrugalNYC in any way feel free to contact me via email. Click here to add FrugalNYC to your RSS reader or Subscribe to FrugalNYC by Email.

Your Opinions Of FrugalNYC

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I decided to do some site revamp and have determined that I will put ll the Opinions of FrugalNYC on a post. The sidebar will contain a minimal number of your kind comments!

Thank you for your readership and kind words!

• Thanks to you! I really love your blog!! -ChristianNYC
• _kari@FrugalNYC no prob! my wallet is a bit thicker thanks to you ;)
• I do not live in New York, but I love your site and the information you dissiminate. Your site is clean, organized and your writing is compelling. There is so much for the reader here. I'm teaching a workshop next week on setting up a blog and am using your site as an example of a well-organized and written weblog.
  Thanks! -alekhouse
  
• @FrugalNYC Gotcha...do you run the FrugalNYC site? Looks like a great resource. -NicoleMEckert
  
• @FrugalNYC - love your blog, have you seen this - http://tinyurl.com/9pbtas - please enter! -Bloggersguide
  
• It's amazing how life's experiences can transform and become incorporated with our business plan....Great blog. Thanks for sharing it with us! -Trudy
  
• @FrugalNYC For sure, changing probs into opportunities is a learned skill. :) Glad to see you help teach it. -marialavis
  
• @FrugalNYC love your site! http://frugalnyc.blogspot.com/ moved from NY in 02 . . . your posts are *great* for any city!
  -dhatfield
  
• Excellent blogs. Many of your articles are very useful in the day-day grind of living in NYC. Especially today. Thanks. I'll check back often. -Anonymous
  
• Very cool blog and post! Some great ideas here... -Chris - Zen to Fitness
  
• Hello! Just wanted to say hello, and let you know that I find your blog very helpful! I love the combination of information about frugality, living in New York, and tech stuff! I consider myself pretty geeky, but you've taught me a whole bunch of new tricks! Thanks! -Anonymous
  
• Thanks! Look forward to checking back often! -Renee
  
• Great article - I'm going to bookmark it. I always enjoy your posts. -Kate
  
• Excellent post! I work in education, and get to see kids whose family does not put these into practice (sometimes they do quite the opposite.) The site update looks very professional. -Anonymous

For additional links to frugal tips and tricks follow me on Twitter. If you would like to contribute to FrugalNYC in any way feel free to contact me via email. Click here to add FrugalNYC to your RSS reader or Subscribe to FrugalNYC by Email.

Links To FrugalNYC

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This Post Contains Outside links to FrugalNYC.  If you have a link to FrugalNYC from your site and would like to be included in this list, please email or leave a comment and we'll add your link to this list.

• Wisebread
• Wisebread Top 100+ Personal Finance Blogs
  
• Wisebread - About FrugalNYC
• Dagmar's momsense
• Lifestyler Mag
  
• Whaapa!
  
• The Frugal Foodies
  
• Inner Noodle
  
• No More Spending
  
• mivi212
• Lifestyle Project
• Personal Product Services
• Twitturly
• Technorati
  
• Twitterholic
• Maria Write Now
• The Bloggers Guide
• Discover Florence
• BrokeAss Gourmet
• IHMMB
• "Go Frugal" Blog

Blogroll and Sites

NYC BLOGGERS

• KidCity Blog
• Laid Off in NYC
• LessonInLife.Com
• NYC Recessionista
• ROOSEVELT ISLANDER
• Urbanite

Personal Finance Bloggers

• Get Rich Slowly
• 2million Personal Finance Blog
• My Open Wallet (fellow NYer)
• My Money blog
• Canadian Finance Blog

Frugal Bloggers

• Frugal Freebies
• Freebies 4 Mom
• Couponing to Disney
• Frugal Upstate
• Frugal Village
• FrugalToRich.com
• Living the Frugal Life
• Suddenly Frugal
• The Frugal Foodies
• The Paycheck Chronicles
• Frugal Rhode Island Mama
• Pinch That Penny
• Rejoice in Saving
• Couponers United
• Coupon Dad
• Free Sample Freak
• Frugal Living Blog
• Webfloss
• Baby GoodBuys
• Pocket Your Dollars
• Spend Less TV

Uncategorized

• Bank on It: A Food Bank Blog
• Collage of Info
• Compost Happens
• Counting My Pennies
• Curb Alerts! A new form of Recycling? We say YES!
• Devany's First Blog
• eirikso.com
• Flickr photos or video with a Creative Commons Attribution License
• Getting ahead
• Healthy advice on wellness and natural living free audio and video podcasts like Vitamin Junkeys
• How to Change the World
• How to Save Money: Coupons, Deals, Discounts, and Sales.
• Hunter Nuttall.com
• Inspired Startup
• Insurance Forum
• ISayUSay
• Move To Portugal
• My Yoga Online - Yoga Video Classes Pilates Meditation Downloads
• Online Economy  - All about economy on the web
• Pecuniarities
• Redfin Corporate Blog: Notes on Redfin, technology, real estate and life at a startup
• Seth's Blog
• Shades of Grey
• Simple Life's Pleasures
• squawkfox
• ~ synthesis ~
• Unclutterer
• A Full Cup - Grocery coupons
• KindCoupons - You save and they Donate 50% to charity

For additional links to frugal tips and tricks follow me on Twitter. If you would like to contribute to FrugalNYC in any way feel free to contact me via email. Click here to add FrugalNYC to your RSS reader or Subscribe to FrugalNYC by Email.

Become A Sponsor

Thank you for visiting FrugalNYC. If you think your product or service can help our community of financially conscious readers in NYC and around the world, please contact us. If you would like to partner, advertise or support us in other ways, email us at frugalnyc@gmail.com for advertising rates and custom marketing and branding options. We look forward to hearing from you.

If you would like to make a donation. We thank you for supporting FrugalNYC!

My Bout With The Swine (H1N1) Flu

I may have the swine flu! I can't be sure since my symptoms (sore throat, fever, cough, body aches) are not that severe, so I won't be heading to the emergency room to get it tested. Yes, I follow what the authorities, Mr Bloomberg, ask of its citizens. Why do I think I have the swine (H1N1) flu? The same reason every parent in NYC is worried that their kids have swine flu, we live in one of the epicenters of H1N1.

My symptoms (yes I try to keep a good log of my medical history, as well as those for the rest of my family) started with sore throat Friday night, and as of this afternoon, I started getting a fever (over 100 F), headache, cough and body aches. The thing that is different for me is the fact that I took tylenol (generic acetaminophen to be exact) over two hours ago and I don't feel much relief, though slightly better.

I'm not too concerned about myself at this point since I have a two year old who has been sick since Thursday, with high fever. We gave her children's tylenol, but it wears off after a couple of hours. So we repeat. Last night she said her ear hurts, so my wife and I got a little concerned she may have an ear infection. So today, we went to the doctor's office.

We wanted to avoid the doctor's office since so many kids are sick, possibly with Swine Flu, and she may end up getting it after a visit. We had to pay $50 for the doctor's visit and $15 for the anti-biotics since we currently don't have medical insurance. I lost my job in March due to a company layoff, and I signed up for COBRA. However, the premium is pretty expensive even with the government picking up 65% of the tab. The price we paid for the doctor's visit isn't so bad, considering I would be able to pay for over 10 doctor visits for every month of COBRA premium WITH President Obama's COBRA assistance. I would rather put that money to use for housing and food, since the employment outlook isn't that great currently.

So what about an unforseen medical emergency? Yesterday I saw a representative with Health Plus - thanks to my wife's persistance. It seems we qualify for free health insurance for the kids, since I'm considered "low-income" with the unemployment payments. Wish me luck in getting this done. Since I missed the deadline for June, we have to wait till July before our kids are covered.

All in all, my family's health is good. So I'm not too worried. I'll keep you posted on my bout with "Swine Flu" tomorrow. Yes, this post is more personal than my usual posts. Perhaps the fever is affecting me.

If you want to help me deal with the flu, keep me in your prayers, my nyquil supply should now come in handy. If you want to help me financially through this little dip, you can donate through paypal - I'm not sure that button works, so if you have problems with it, let me know in the comments or email. If you know of a good job in tech support (I'm experienced in tech support) send me an email :) If you want to just help spread the word about this post or this blog, please tweet, email, comment, link or do any of the social media things that you are comfortable doing.

Thanks for reading. An if you are having some problems, and need an ear, just let me know.

For additional links to frugal tips and tricks follow me on Twitter. If you would like to contribute to FrugalNYC in any way, feel free to contact me via email. Click here to add FrugalNYC to your RSS reader or Subscribe to FrugalNYC by Email.

Wrapping Up 2008 And Plans For 2009

I want to do two things on this post, wrap up 2008 and share my blog plans for 2009.

FrugalNYC 2008

I started blogging regularly in 2008. Much of my motivation had to do with changes in my perspectives and inspiration found from other blogs. I've made two changes to my FrugalNYC blog layout in 2008. The first time on August 19, 2008 and the current format took place on November 12, 2008. I've also joined Twitter, after some hesistation, I joined and have found it very useful (and also time consuming - as I thought). I added an additional blog, FrugalTech, to hold content for all tech related posts I write about.

I've found that the more I write about something the more I understand it. It's like teaching, the more you teach the more you will learn. I will continue to be a student of life and learn from every aspect of my life. I will share lessons I've learned on this blog. I've learned numerous lessons since I started blogging. I have gained a fair amount of readership on my blog along the way, Thank You!. I hope you will continue to spread word of FrugalNYC and what I write about. For an archival record, the most viewed FrugalNYC posts in 2008 are below.

FrugalNYC's Top 10 Popular Posts For 2008

1. Souvenir From The Big Apple
2. How to talk yourself out of any Purchase
3. 10 Free Blackberry Games
4. 10 Free Places To Visit In NYC Today
5. Our Visit To The Queens Zoo
6. Governor's Island
7. Symptoms Of Cold and Flu Season
8. Mandarin Radio
9. Life Lessons Learned From Digging Out A Car
10. Six Random Things About Me

FrugalNYC in 2009

Some of my goals for 2009 for this blog are listed below. Above all else, I want to make sure I provide content that you and my future audience will enjoy. Please continue to spread word about FrugalNYC and please continue to provide me great feedback for improvements and for what you would like to see. My goals for 2009 are:

1. Keep my posts short and to the point - focus on Simplicity.
2. Better utilize Twitter to spread word of FrugalNYC. Please Tweet about FrugalNYC!
   
3. Provide useful content on productivity, motivation, frugality, frugal living in NYC, frugal activities in NYC, and other interest to myself and my audience.
   
4. Continue writing and improve my Central Park Series posts, among other series I will be working on. Possible series include NYC libraries, zoos, NYC shops, restaurants and more.
5. Last but not least, turn pro, and make this income producing - so I can dedicate myself to providing you all with more interesting and helpful tips!
   

I have a lot of work ahead of me, thank you for coming along for the ride and for spreading word of my blog. For additional links to frugal tips and tricks follow me on Twitter. If you would like to contribute to FrugalNYC in any way (guest posts, articles, ideas, interesting links, advice, financial assistance, or anything else), feel free to contact me via email. Click here to add this to your RSS reader.

Frugal Friday Tip! Save $2 per call to 411 by using 1800-FREE411 for directory assistance. It will also give you MaqQuest directions to anywhere in the US for free. You just have to listen to a short 12 second ad.

Photo courtesy of ronnie44052

Six Random Things About Me

Photo courtesy of gillesklein.

I've been tagged, thanks to Chris at Lifestyle Project and Jay at Inner Noodle. Both these blogs are worth reading if you are into discovering yourself and learning some new things you may not have thought about.

I have mentioned bits and pieces about myself in posts such as Life Lessons Learned From Digging Out A Car and How to talk yourself out of any Purchase. So it's time I mentioned a little bit more about myself.

1. Why I blog - Sticking with the same themes that Chris and Jay kept going, I'll mention why I blog. The main reason is to provide useful and helpful information for those in NYC and those looking to live a more frugal life.
   
2. Self Discovery - As I've gotten older, I have really learned how little I do know about the world and people. I aim to continue to learn and develop myself and hopefully teach others in the process.
   
3. Documenting My Life - I've always wanted to write a book. I'm not sure what I would write about, which is why I have not written one. My grandfather wrote an auto-biography. I'm not a writer, I studied Computer Science in college, but I have always enjoyed journaling in one form or another.
   
4. Love Music of all types and languages - I listen to music of many genres and languages. I have enjoyed music in Chinese, English, Japanese, Korean, Spanish among other languages. Classical and instrumental music is one of my favorite genres. I believe music is a universal language which can make all our lives better.
   
5. Love Reading - I've always loved reading. Currently I mostly enjoy reading about productivity, business, technology and personal improvement.
   
6. Travel - I would love to travel the world given the time and financial resources. I've been to a handful of countries but have never "discovered" them. This is one of my life goals, as I'm sure many of you have the same goal. Just remember, it only take one step to get closer to your goals. What was the one step you took today?
   

THE RULES (for this game of tag):

1. LINK TO THE PERSON WHO TAGGED YOU
2. POST THE RULES ON YOUR BLOG
3. WRITE SIX RANDOM THINGS ABOUT YOURSELF
4. TAG SIX PEOPLE AT THE END OF YOUR POST AND LINK TO THEM
5. LET EACH PERSON KNOW THEY ARE TAGGED AND LEAVE A COMMENT ON THEIR BLOG
6. LET THE TAGGER KNOW WHEN YOUR ENTRY IS UP
7. DON’T BREAK THE CHAIN (not actually a rule)

If you're on this list, you've been tagged!

I've chosen this list because you have not tagged me yet, otherwise Chris and and Jay would be on this list, and because I have enjoyed your blogs!

The Frugal Foodies
No More Spending
mivi212
Danielle Hatfield
Maria Write Now
Zen to Fitness


Thanks for reading and playing along! Have a Merry Christmas everyone! Thanks for visiting. Follow me on Twitter for additional links to Frugal tips and tricks. If you would like to contribute to Frugal NYC in any way, articles, ideas, posts, interesting links, advice, financial assistance, or anything else, feel free to contact me via email. Click here to add this to your RSS reader.