[This summer a dream internship with Lucky magazine moved me from Austin, Texas, where I’ve spent all 21 years of my life, to New York City for the summer. Come along for the ride and follow me through this column as I take on all that the city has in store for me. I’ll share tips I’ve picked up along the way about everything from how to pack (stop, drop and roll people!) to dating to fitting in (or standing out) and so much more.]

There a few things about New York I’m not sure I’ll ever get used to, like the inexplicably constant reek of urine it the subway and, maybe it’s just because I’m from Texas, but where I come from horse cops demand respect and are not meant to be pet by tourists. Every time I pass by the cops on horseback in Times Square and see tourists gleefully petting these horses, I can’t help but wonder how people in this city are okay with their tax dollars going toward novelty horse cops. But believe it or not there are some things I have gotten used to, like checking out local event sites to see what’s going on in the city daily.

Tip #11 – Don’t just check event feed websites for your city when you’re bored, integrate them into your everyday routine with Facebook and Twitter so you don’t have to hear about things after they happen.

I’ve already mentioned Time Out New York, but I recently discovered Inside New York, which seems to be more tailored to a college-aged audience. Not only is Inside New York a true local’s guide as it’s passed out at many New York City freshman orientations, but they are always posting new stuff on their Facebook and Twitter pages, which is ideal for social media fiends like me.

Tip #12 – Schedule at least one day a week to wander your city solo.

After about a month of living in the city, I’ve also gotten in the habit of taking at least one day a week to do a little solo city-wandering. Last Friday, while I was perfectly lost in the city, I stumbled into Bryant Park and the historical New York Library. Though some of us only know it for its guest role in the Sex and the City movie, this library is more than a pretty wedding venue. Right now they are running a free exhibition in honor of their 100th year anniversary that showcases everything from a first draft of Washington’s farewell address to Malcom X’s journals to Jack Kerouac’s pipe. The library is definitely my favorite place in the city and I think I have more appreciation for it because I found it on my own and had all the time in the world scheduled to just wander around the halls and really enjoy being there.

Tip #13 – Clip Coupons or if you’re living in this century, download a coupon app on your phone.

Tip #14 – Plan ahead when grocery shopping.

I still don’t think my mother believes me when I tell her that since I moved to the city I use coupons. Grocery shopping in the city is painful to say the least. Not only is it expensive compared to my hometown, it’s like a game of Tetris as you figure out what you’re physically able to carry back to your apartment.

I always carry an empty backpack and reusable grocery tote with me when I go shopping. The lining in my backpack is insulated which is perfect for frozen items and produce and I usually place boxed and bagged snacks in the tote bag.

Coupons, as embarrassing as they may seem, have actually added up to savings that allow me to feel less guilty about a shopping trip to SoHo (by the way, Houston is pronounced How-ston– something the inner Texan in me still cant get used to). MobileCoupons is my app of choice and it’s something I’ll definitely carry with me back home.

Get the first 10 tips for living it up in the city right here!

Woo! $1.00 off when you buy 12 cans of expired tuna!

Being an adult means making a lot of sacrifices. It’s about saying no to a dinner party because you can’t afford to bring more than stale bread ends. It’s about turning down movie offers because it costs 5 billion dollars to buy a ticket in NYC (and god forbid you want to see IMAX…bye bye, life savings!). And most unfortunately, it’s about buying store brands because you can’t justify shelling out for brand name mustard.

When I was younger (I’m referring to just a year ago) I would throw an absolute hissy fit in the grocery store if my mother even thought about buying non-organic eggs or frozen vegetables. The horror! I logically compared her buying non-free-range chicken to her murdering me in my sleep. But now I’m the one cruising the supermarket with a fistful of coupons and determination not to spend more than necessary. And if that means buying pre-opened food, cans with puncture holes, and expired meats on a discount, so be it. Like I said, it’s all about sacrifices. Like staying in on Saturday night because you have food poisoning from eating year-old salmon.

Penny pinching is one of my least favorite activities. It falls right between having to Google pregnancy symptoms and watching previews for Cougar Town. Yet the longer I’m out of school and the longer I go without finding out I inherited a fortune from a distant relative, the stingier I get. I practically fight over pennies on the street with homeless people. And that’s a new low.

Even for me.

I’m trying really hard to work on striking up a balance for myself. Like if I eat peanut butter crackers for a week for dinner, then I can treat myself by actually going out to dinner one night. But at the same time, I’m not getting out of control. By dinner I mean a side salad, an ice water, and a complimentary mint.

If I could go back in time and tell myself one thing when I was a college senior, it would be “You’re going to be poor so spend your drink money on lottery tickets and improve your pickpocketing skills.” But I can’t go back in time, because I depleted my Time Machine Fund on a ticket to see Avatar in IMAX. So now I’m stuck here in the present time, clipping coupons and eating old meat and wearing “irregular” socks under my faux Uggs.

Ah, it’s almost back-to-school time. August is quickly coming to a close and I can practically smell summer ending. Although it’s hard to part with backyard BBQ’s and cut-off shorts, the end of summer also ushers in something I enjoy equally as much: The return to campus.

But not everybody is headin’ back to a cramped, 8×10 box that college officials have dubbed “ the dorm.” Nope—some of you ladies (myself included) will find yourselves hunched over textbooks in more reasonably-sized quarters. Yes, I’m talking about off-campus houses and apartments! Although living off-campus for the first time is exciting, there are a couple things you definitely need to know when preparing to live on your own for the first time.

1. Grocery shopping sucks. At first it sounds freakin’ sweet to be able to grab a cart and throw whatever goodies your little heart desires into it. It’s so much fun to ogle all those fresh fruits and veggies and delicious frozen pizzas. The first time. But going grocery shopping when you’re hungover/starving/lacking caffeine is not fun. It’s a tedious, exhausting and costly activity. Find someone else to do it for you. For real.

2. Signing a lease is like signing over your life. It is HARD WORK to break a lease. Once you sign your name on that dotted line, you’re at the mercy of your (slum)landlord. Although there are ways to get around it (like by having a good lawyer, or a REALLY sh*tty landlord), most of the time you’re locked in until your move-out date, sister, regardless of your personal issues.

3. A good dorm roommate does not equal a good house roommate. Think just because you lived together in a room smaller than your dad’s cubicle you can “totally make it work” in an apartment? Think again. Dorms don’t require you to fix the toilet, or deal with black mold, or scrub dirty dishes, or sign over a monthly cable check. People you would have trusted with your life in your dorm days just might turn out to be totally unreliable when it comes to serious stuff like paying bills on time.

4. The more is not always the merrier. Multiple females in one house is like living inside a ticking time bomb. Someone is ALWAYS PMS-ing, screwing their boyfriend too loud or “forgetting” that you have to wake up at 7 a.m. when they barge into your room at 3 a.m. after dollar beer Tuesdays.

5. Walls are not sound-proof. You will most likely hear things you don’t want to, whether from inside your own house or because your paper-thin walls allow you to hear every little movement your neighbor makes. Just keep that in mind when that guy texts you at 2 a.m. for a booty call…

6. Cleaning is hard work. If you don’t clean regularly, stuff gets dirty. Fast. Remember all those wild house parties you crashed while you lived in the dorm? Yeah, somebody had to clean that house up the morning after. Now, that somebody is you.

7. Just because someone’s your neighbor, doesn’t mean they have to lend you their sugar. Or toilet paper. Or be cool with a beer pong table in your shared hallway.

8. Less is more. Less furniture, less floor space, less clutter, less dishes. Whatever you can afford to downsize before you move into your apartment, DO IT. And remember—anything you move into your new pad, you also have to move out at the end of the year.

9. Everything costs money. Toilet paper, paper towels, a plunger…these are all necessities. And they all require you to hand over your hard-earned cash.

10. In that same vein, USE COUPONS.

11. But above all, have fun. Most likely your college apartment is not gonna be filled with designer items & gourmet foods. It’s gonna be filled with empty pizza boxes from late-night binges, worn old textbooks and (hopefully) hot boys. So enjoy it, sister (…especially the hot boys. Word is they go fast after college.)

[photo: http://josieshouseofstyle.blogspot.com/]

Not me. But it turns out that great dudes are all over the place—you just have to know where to look and how to strike. Read on.

1. Smile.
This might sound dumb, but everybody’s attracted to a good smile. You can’t pick up a guy if you look sour, so flash those pearly whites. You never know when somebody cute is going to look your way.

2. Be who you wish you were.
If you’re shy but you really want to be outgoing and flirty, what’s stopping you? It’s hard to overcome labels you’ve placed on yourself, but you’re the only person who has the power to change things. So rather than slinking back into a corner, cross the room and talk to that hot dude. And hold your head up like you mean it.

3. Be open.
This does not translate to “Be desperate.” Instead, what I mean is that you should believe that you can meet guys anywhere—including at the grocery store. You don’t have to actively look, but you do have to acknowledge that the possibility is always there.

4. Be charming, but stay yourself.
Sometimes, I put out my best traits right away when I meet a guy in hopes that I’ll be able to nab him. It usually works, but the relationship doesn’t have much staying power when he realizes I have other personality traits that aren’t compatible with his. You can be charming and be 100% yourself at the same time, and that’s something I fully recommend. If you turn out to really like a guy, the relationship is much more likely to last a while if you show him who you are right away.

5. Look hot.
To everyone who says looks don’t matter, I say, “Are you kidding me?” Of course they matter, and that’s why you should heed the advice of the “What Not to Wear” crew when they say that you should always look great. Plus, caring about your appearance and putting together a look shows that you care about yourself, and that’s hot, too.

6. Don’t discriminate.
If the emo guy who keeps smiling at you in class isn’t exactly your type, don’t discount him just because you spend your nights dreaming about jocks. Emo Dude could have a few surprises in store and a killer sense of humor, and you’d never know unless you took a chance on him. So go for some variety!

Lucky Style Spotter is giving away 4 TAG Heuer watches! Show them your style – sporty stylist, uptown classic, downtown chic or funky fashionista – and you could win one!

Did Tom Cruise really give relationship advice to Spencer Pratt?!

Bottle opener ring: fashion meets function.

Get the perfect cat eye.

Lohan should really invest in a new pair of pants.

Have you ever blacked out?

Looks like I can’t be a Britney backup dancer….

Cutest gift idea for the girls who have everything.

Is O’Malley leaving Grey’s?

Great tips for cheap grocery runs.

All that being said, life must go on, right?

So, how do we tighten the belt without living like a hermit? Here are some tips:

Budget: Set your spending limits on a weekly basis. And stick. to. it. Review your receipts at night to make sure you are staying on track, and be honest about what you are spending. This will keep your bank account in the green.

Save on Gas: Carpool with your friends or co-workers. If you need to do some errands, combine them all into one day, and make a route that will hit each stop, in one circle…versus going back and forth in all different directions.

If you live in a city, eliminate your cab usage. I know it is so much easier to hail a cab on those late, drunken evenings, but if you take some public transportation you’ll spend $2.00 versus $15. Or, trying hoofing it; you will burn those drinks away and have some extra wiggle room for a late night snack.

Make your own coffee: Think about it – while we all love those Starbucks Vanilla Lattes, at $4 a pop, that’s $20 a week (for your Mon – Fri coffee kick), $80 a month, and roughly $1,000 a year. I know it may not seem like a lot, but it adds up. Bonus: when you make it yourself, you know you will get it exactly how you want it.

Bring your lunch: Go grocery shopping (which will save you money on a day to day basis) and stock up on lunchmeats, salad fixins’ and yummy snacks. You never realize how quickly those $7 lunches add up and how easy it is to save by brown baggin’ it.

Stop shopping: I am at fault for this myself, especially at the start of a new season and new trends, but instead of spending money on things you can’t really afford, reinvent your old clothes by changing up the accessories or gettin’ a little Project Runway on your wardrobe. Or, try swapping with some of your friends. If you really can’t hold back – shop thrift. The clothes are cheap, cute and vintage; all majorly hot trends this season.

Stop the giving: I’m not saying to stop being a good person, but for the upcoming holidays, decide to do something nice with friends and family, instead of spending money on clothes, electronics and other wants. After all, gifting isn’t what the holidays are really about; spending QT with people is.

Make a Spending Limit: Even though I’m telling you to budget, I’m not telling you to give up all of life’s luxuries: i.e., nights out with your friends. However, what I will say is to leave your credit cards at home (yes ladies, no more drunken “drinks on me!” $50 charges the next morning). Protect yourself and your moolah by bringing a cash limit (be it $20, $40, or whatever you can spend) and bring ONLY that. If you run out of money, simply find someone else to but you some drinks.

Save: Even if it’s $10 a paycheck, open a basic savings plan and throw in extra cash (even spare change) whenever you can. Save it for a rainy day or whatever else you need…like Christmas shopping…

(Photo courtesy of squidoo.com)

1) Pay rent to keep a roof of some sort over my recently highlighted head.

2) Social spending, as in, how many nights a week do the remaining funds allow for.

Please note that these are not necessarily considered in that order, which can cause trouble.

Depending on whether your college town is ridiculously expensive (see: going to college in a major city) or suuuper cheap (see: anyplace where drinks are less than $4.00 each or has promotions like “dollar long island night”), your bank account is going to take a very different sort of beating by means of your social budget.

But food is an essential, and when takeout can cost more than your bar tab, grocery shopping to save some green is a great habit to have.

Some tricks that I’ve picked up, courtesy of undergrad:

1) It costs more to eat healthy. And no, this does not stand as an endorsement of the lettuce-and-cheap-vodka diet! What we’re getting at is the fact that you can cut down the cost of your basic essentials. If you want to be a label whore, fine, but keep it to your wardrobe. Store-brand basics, like cereals, are much cheaper than brand-name foods. Same goes with frozen veggies and canned foods—the ingredients are basically the same, only a little less pricey.

A dollar saved is an extra dollar toward the cute bartender’s tip. Desperate for a cheap, salty snack? Pretzels are usually pretty cheap and are better for you than your basic chip.

2) It’s not as cute as your sorority or fraternity labeled bottle-opener keychain, but use the stupid discount keychain cards. They actually do save you money.

3) Buy a Brita and stop with the bottled water already. You’ll save more than you think, and if you have roommates, you can go in on it and make it even cheaper…

4) Since you’re shopping for one, make a point to try and buy portions you’ll use. A trick for things like bread, which can go stale pretty quickly, is to keep it in the freezer and use as you need. Let it thaw on its own or pop it in the toaster or microwave, depending on your intention. Likewise, don’t buy a gallon of milk if you’ll only drink a half gallon by the expiration date… make sense?

Any other suggestions for how to save? Let us know!

[adorable photo from icanhascheezburger.com] 

Needless to say, I could stand to lose a few pounds. But more than that, I want to feel better about myself and the food choices I make. I can live with an extra pound or two, but I’d rather not have the diabetes or high blood pressure that runs in my family.

The problem is, I’m in college, and my budget is always tight. Running from class to work to home, sometimes all I can do is grab something fast and it has seemed as though there was almost nothing out there quick, cheap, and healthy.

It’s true that eating and cooking at its healthiest is not a cheap feat nor is it necessarily quick, but it’s absolutely doable on a college student budget. Here are some quick tips to stretch your wallet without stretching your stomach.

Stop eating out. At least as much as you can. Not only do even the cheapest meals add up money-wise, they are most often fairly bad for you. When you cook at home, you have more control over portion, and what you use to cook with.

Eat and plan your meals before you go shopping. So you won’t be tempted to buy something on impulse and you can have an idea of how much each item you need is going to cost, thereby fitting it better into your budget. Also, look at mailouts and try to plan your meals around sales. This website has some good recipe ideas

Replace soda and sugary fruit juices with water and skim milk.

And stop buying bottled water. It’s bad for the environment and tap water is actually more regulated that bottled, so its better for you. Sometimes bottled water is just water from a local municipal supply, anyway.

Buy produce from a farmer’s market, if you have access to one

Start making your lunch and bringing it with you to school/work.

Buy in bulk, especially meat that you can freeze.

Stock up on cheap, basic items like pasta and rice that will last for a relatively long time and can be paired with a meat or veggie to make a quick meal.

Here are some websites with more tips:

Eating to Thrive

Eating Healthy on an Unhealthy Budget

The Diet Channel

[Any other healthy / cheap food ideas? Do share!!]