New York City is one of the most expensive places in the United States. Even Brooklyn, which for a long time played second fiddle to Manhattan, now boasts the most unaffordable housing market in the country, according to Bloomberg. And, CBS News reports that Manhattan and Brooklyn are number-one and -two on a list of America’s most expensive cities, respectively. So if you’re planning a visit to the city that never sleeps, your personal finances could take a massive hit – but, that doesn’t mean they have to. Plan your trip wisely, make a few small sacrifices, and you can thoroughly enjoy New York City without saddling yourself with a ton of credit card debt. 1. Get a Cheap Flight If you’re flying into NYC, make sure you save as much as you can on your tickets. Once you know the dates of…

By Anjuli Johnson August is already slipping away. Kids and teens are getting bummed about going back to school and parents are dreading the coming winter. But summer isn’t over yet! Take advantage of the last few weeks of warmth and sunshine with these fun NYC activities. Spend a day at the beach You may…

Boston, one of the country’s most beautiful cities during the summer, gets dark and cold during the Winter. We thought it would be fun to pull together a list of exciting activities to help us get through January! Free Thursday Nights at the ICA While the MFA’s free on Wednesday nights, the ICA offers free admission every Thursday evening. Stop by this month to check out Adriana Varejão’s work, which explores anthropophagy, the concept of cultural cannibalism. Free, Thursdays, 5-9 p.m., 100 Northern Ave., Boston, 617-478-3100, icaboston.org. Berklee High School Jazz Festival Berklee College of Music is quite the jazz hub. While the popular BeanTown Jazz Festival isn’t until September, you can still get your fill of lively—and competitive—jazz performances this month at the Berklee High School Jazz Fest, where ensembles of all sizes will Duke Ellington it out (sorry,…

You’ll want to catch it! Check out the Contagious Comedy show on Tuesday, February 25th from 6p-8p @ Dave & Buster’s in the Theater District.  Comedic lineup includes; Lisa Blythe Perlman, Eric Neumann, Michael Rakosi, Christine Boudreau, Sasha Srbulj, Marc Gerber, Ron Nobles, Maya Klausner, Dan Perlman, Frank Favia & Jacey Powers. $20: show plus appetizer buffet for tickets purchased online in advance. Book online at contagiouscomedy.eventbrite.com.  For more details go to contagiouscomedynyc.com. Not only are there deals on food + fun, but also half price drinks from 4:30p-7:30p & raffle prizes at the end of the show! Don’t forget to check out the first ever Contagious Comedy podcast after the show too.

Boston, one of the country’s most beautiful cities during the summer, gets dark and cold during the Winter and we thought it would be fun to come up with a list of things to do to help us get through the month. 1. Embrace winter sports! For the 7th time in history, U.S. Figure Skating brings the 2014 Prudential U.S. Figure Skating Championship to Boston’s TD Garden and the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center from January 5-12.  2. Learn to cook food that will impress your friends at Sofra’s Mediterranean Cuisine Cooking Classes. Award-winning Chefs Ana Sortun and Maura Kilpatrick of Sofra and Oleana hold almost-weekly cooking classes/demonstrations at 6:30pm at Sofra (1 Belmont Street, Cambridge). In addition to samples including wine pairings for everything the chefs demonstrate, you get a recipe book to take home with you. 3. Head…

By Lauren Craft In New York City, the list of things to do and sights to see are endless but sometimes it’s nice to get out of the city and explore its surrounding locales. If you’re looking for a thrill or just trying to enjoy what nature has to offer here are our favorite day trips that are just a zip car ride outside of the concrete jungle:   Hiking and Biking at Mohonk Mountain For some light thrills and picturesque views, we suggest taking the day to head up to Mohonk Mountain Resort where you can spend the day hiking or biking through their gorgeous grounds at about $25.00 for the day. From NYC by Car: Approx. 1 Hour and 40 mins   Whitewater Rafting in the Poconos If you’re not afraid to get a little misty, this is for…

By Lauren Craft Fourth of July has come and gone and in our books, that means summer is half way through. So, with 8 weeks left until Labor Day, we’ve put together a Summer 2013 Bucket List, with our top 8 “must-dos” before fall hits! 1. Catch a free flick in the park At On Location Tours, we are all about TV shows and movies, so number one on our list is to grab a blanket, some snacks and catch a free summer movie in a city park.   2. Dance in the rain without getting wet New York City has had it’s fair share of rain this summer, but we are dying to check out Rain Room, the latest exhibit at the MoMa, where you can step inside a field of falling water that pauses wherever a human body…