Visitor's Guide for New York City: How to Eat on the Cheap in the Big Apple

Up until a couple of hundred years ago, eating out really wasn't much of an option. There were pubs for drinking, but not much of anything for restaurants. Now there's a café on seemingly ever street corner in every major metropolitan area. In most cases the food is just as good if not better than anything you can make at home, and it certainly takes a lot less effort. Going out to eat in an urban setting can be a real treat, but it can also get expensive rather quickly. Here are some ways to eat in the big city and not go broke in the process.

Goodbye Starbucks - Who wants to pay $3 or $4 for a decent cup of coffee...sure it might taste a little bit fancier, but it can easily cost 10 to 20 times what it might cost you to make a cup of coffee at home. One trip to Starbucks won't kill you, but going there on a regular basis is definitely to be avoided. With the money you save by making your own coffee or drinking the coffee at work, you can go out somewhere decent.

Go Off the Beaten Path - If you're in New York, the most costly restaurants will be those in Time Square. Try to get out of the center of whatever urban area you're in, and chances are the prices will be much more reasonable.

Split a Meal - I know very few people who ever finish an entire plate in a restaurant, the portions are always way too large, at least for me anyway! If you and your significant other don't eat large portions, consider splitting something and avoid letting food go to waste!

Coupons - A lot of the larger chain restaurants and some of the bigger independent restaurants will have coupons online. Before you go out, check online for discounts and coupons, you might be able to get your meal with a nice discount.

Take It To Go - Often times it's cheaper to take your food home or back to the hotel with you. In some states, it costs more to eat in a restaurant versus taking it to go, because of tax laws. In addition, if you bring it home with you, you won't get tempted to order more food or have to leave a tip!