$20 Blue Plate Special at Alias

What can $20 get you at Alias restaurant in the LES?  Here it is, in rhyme (theirs, not ours)

A hunk of bread with white bean spread
a bottle of beer or a glass of red
a dinner plate that's truly delicious
coffee, dessert, and we do the dishes
so whaddya think, bitches?

Okay, that last line is ours, not theirs.  Assuming the dinner plate of the day is to your liking, then it sounds like a good deal indeed. 

Note: This special is available Tuesday-Thursday only.

Alias
76 Clinton Street
212-505-5011

Cheap Gyms NYC - 24 Hour Fitness on Crosby Street

24 Hour Fitness isn't exactly cheap, but it's a good deal compared to other Manhattan gyms.  For a $29.99 initiation fee (waived if you're a student), you can join for $64.99 a month ($69.99 if you want access to all 24 Hour fitness clubs).  You have to pay the first and last month upfront (which isn't refunded if you cancel), but there's no commitment beyond that and you can cancel your monthly contract at any time.

Why is it a good deal?  The Crosby Street location is brand new and boasts lots of space (three floors), new equipment, a lovely class studio that can hold up to 75 people, and, for spin enthusiasts, a large, well-ventilated spin room with shiny, new bikes.  They also have such high-tech features as cardless entry (they scan your index finger instead) and lockers that use codes that you key in with each use--no more carrying your own lock.  And it's a great location, to boot.

http://www.24hourfitness.com/FindClubDetailGeneric.do?clubid=00726

$5 Burgers at Energy Kitchen Through July

Energy Kitchen, home of fast, guiltless dining, is offering a special for the month of July - all burgers are a mere $5,  There's a variety of options, ranging from sirloin to bbq chicken to the very low calorie ostrich.  No sides included, alas, but a good deal nonetheless.  Offer ends July 31.

Locations are listed here:
http://store5.geomerx.com/energykitchen/index.cfm?fuseaction=storePage&customPageID=4

Pay to Smoke, Drink for Free (well, sort of)

Cigar aficionados, take note: Velvet Cigar Lounge in the East Village is BYOB ($8 corkage fee per person).  There's no food, but you can bring your favorite bottle of whiskey and smoke some nice cigars, which start at $5 (you can also bring your own nice cigars, but you'll have pay a $10 cutting fee).  You can bring your Marlboro Lights too, but you'll have to go outside to smoke them.

Velvet Cigar Lounge
80 East 7th Street
212-533-5582

80 EAST 7th STREET
NEW YORK, NY 10003
212-533-5582
80 EAST 7th STREET
NEW YORK, NY 10003
212-533-5582

Free Booze NYC Alert: Uncle Jack's Steakhouse

Uncle Jack's Steakhouse (2 locations in Midtown West) offers "Wine Tastings Wednesdays" -- complimentary wine tastings from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. every Wednesday at the bar.  The wine is paired with fruit and cheese platters so you can nibble while you imbibe.

They often an even better deal on "Ladies and Gents Thursdays."  On Thursdays from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the bar, the gents get free tastings of port, scotch, whiskey and bourbon while the ladies receive complimentary cocktails and martinis, with free signature appetizers available to all sexes.


Uncle Jack's Steakhouse
440 Ninth Avenue and 44 West 56th St

Cheap Hotels NYC

Manhattan is notorious for its overpriced and underwhelming accommodations.  Here are some budget hotels, in no particular order, where you might able to snag a decent room that's actually affordable (affordable by Manhattan standards is under $150 a night).  Rates may vary depending on day of week and season.

New York Hostel 99
Harlem
Tripadvisor Reviews

Hotel 31
Murray Hill
Tripadvisor Reviews

Seafarers and International House (used to be for seafarers only but now open to public)
Union Square
Tripadvisor Reviews

Park 79 Hotel
Upper West Side
Tripadvisor Reviews

Murray Hill Inn
Midtown
Tripadvisor Reviews

Carlton Arms Hotel
Murray Hill
Tripadvisor Reviews

Astor on the Park (no website, book through various hotel booking sites such as kayak.com)
Upper West Side
Tripadvisor Reviews

Union Square Inn
Union Square
Tripadvisor Reviews

Larchmont Hotel
Greenwich Village
Tripadvisor Reviews

Chelsea Star Hotel
Midtown (Penn Station)
Tripadvisor Reviews

Latham Hotel
Garment District
Tripadvisor Reviews

Park Savoy
Midtown West
Tripadvisor Reviews

Riverside Tower
Upper West Side
Tripadvisor Reviews

Sohotel
Nolita
Tripadvisor Reviews

Washington Jefferson Hotel
Midtown
Tripadvisor Reviews

Hotel 17
Gramercy
Tripadvisor Reviews

Chelsea Hotel (stay in the same room as Bob Dylan or Patti Smith once did!)
Chelsea
Tripadvisor Reviews

Best Western Bowery Hanbee
Nolita
Tripadvisor Reviews

Apple Core Hotels 
(search for rates at their 5 budget midtown hotels, including Ramada and La Quinta Inn)

Eastgate Tower Hotel
Midtown
Tripadvisor Reviews

Hotel Deauville
Murray Hill
Tripadvisor Reviews

East Village Bed and Coffee
East Village
Tripadvisor Reviews

The Sutton Residence
Midtown
Tripadvisor Reviews

Colonial House Inn
Chelsea
Tripadvisor Reviews

Michelle Bed & Breakfast
Harlem
Tripadvisor Reviews

Lotus Hotel
Herald Square
Tripadvisor Reviews 

Chelsea Lodge
Chelsea
Tripadvisor Reviews

Portland Hotel
Times Square
Tripadvisor Reviews

Hotel Newton
Upper West Side
Tripadvisor Reviews

Cheap NYC Discounts -- LivingSocial Deals

Another groupon-esque social coupon site...

"Similar to Groupon, LivingSocial Deals (www.livingsocial.com/deals) offers local merchants the opportunity to engage with LivingSocial’s active community of 80 million with social coupons, daily savings offers that are activated when the requisite number of people sign up. Offers are announced every morning through Facebook, Twitter, and email, and as soon  as the sign-up quota for each offer is met, the coupons are distributed and are active for  24 hours. Additionally, LivingSocial is the first group buying site to have an iPhone application dedicated to those that want a good deal on the go."

Their daily deal for NYC today was $10 for $20 of baked goods from Orwasher's Bakery on UES...

$10 Steak at Arcane - Cheap Eats NYC

For those of you looking for a cheap yet classy protein fix, the restaurant French-Caribbean Arcane in the East Village offers a $10 entree special Sunday through Thursday, as well as a $20 prix fixe early bird menu .  The Sunday night $10 hangar steak with peppercorn sauce special is "worth $20", declares one yelper.  If brunch is more your thing, the $9.95 brunch comes with coffee, OJ, and  a cocktail. 

Arcane
111 Ave C (b/w 7th and 8th)
212 777 0477
Cash/AmEx only

Cheap NYC: Useful Links to find deals and discounts

General
New York Magazine's Cheap Guide NYC
http://nymag.com/urban/guides/nyonthecheap/

Free NYC - guide to free events throughout the city
http://www.freenyc.net/

NYC Recession Diary
http://www.nycrecessiondiary.com/

NYC Daily Deals
http://www.nycdailydeals.com/2008/11/byob-restaurants-in-new-york-with-no.html

Check Out NY Discounts - coupons for tourist attractions, transport, shopping, etc
http://www.checkoutnydiscounts.com/

Groupon - deals on everything from pilates classes to groceries
http://www.groupon.com/new-york/

Broke Ass Stuart's Goddamn Wesbite - tips on how to enjoy New York even when your ass is broke
http://brokeassstuart.com/category/ny/

Dining
Restaurant.com - buy $25 restaurant certificates for $10 (watch out for their sales, when you can buy these certificates up to 70% off)
www.restaurant.com

Wined and Dined Recession Specials -recession friendly dining guide
http://www.winedanddined.com/recession-specials/

Drinking
My Open Bar - daily guide to where the free booze is at
http://nyc.myopenbar.com/

DrinkDeal.com - lists happy hours and drink specials
http://drinkdeal.com/

Misc.
Freecycle -listserv where people post things they are giving away for free or things they are seeking - recent offers included a Ikea tv cart, mobile phone, and a food processor
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/freecyclenewyorkcity/

Lifebooker - book spa and salon services for up to 60% off
http://nyc.lifebooker.com/welcome

Holiday Special: 20% off an "I'm Not at Work" membership

http://www.imnotatwork.com/locations/52/New-York-City-NY offers a member card which gets you drink specials, many of which are 24/7, at bars around the city (examples: $2 off draft beers at Mercury Lounge, 10% off 3 bottles of wine at September Wines in LES, 64 oz pitchers of brandy infused sangria at Hop Devil Grill). Most of these bars aren't really places you'd want to hang in (Off the Wagon, anyone?) but cheap booze, is, well, cheap booze.

The membership currently costs $25 per year, and if you mention the coupon code "cheaptoboot" you get 20% off until the end of December. Take a look at their site to see if it's worth your while.