Money

In New York, it's easy to get swept up in a debt-inducing cyclone of $60-per-person dinners, $120 theater tickets, $20 nightclub covers, and $300 hotel rooms. But one of the good things about the city is that you can spend in some areas and save in others. Within Manhattan, a cup of coffee can cost from $1 to $4, a pint of beer from $5 to $8, and a sandwich from $6 to $10. Generally, prices in the other four boroughs are lower than those in Manhattan.

The most generously bequeathed treasure of the city is the arts. The stated admission fee at the Metropolitan Museum of Art is a suggestion; you can donate a lesser amount and not be snubbed. Many other museums in town have special times during which admission is free. The Museum of Modern Art, for instance, is free on Friday from 4 to 8. In summer a handful of free music, theater, and dance performances, as well as films (usually screened outdoors), fill the calendar each day.

Prices in this guide are given for adults. Reduced fees are typically available for children, students, and senior citizens.

Credit Cards

Record all your credit card numbers—as well as the phone numbers to call if your cards are lost or stolen (there's a contact number typically listed on the back of the card)—in a safe place, so you're prepared should something go wrong.

Reporting Lost Cards

American Express. New York, New York. 800/528–4800; www.americanexpress.com.

Diners Club. New York, New York. 800/234–6377; www.dinersclub.com.

Discover. New York, New York. 800/347–2683; www.discovercard.com.

MasterCard. New York, New York. 800/627–8372; www.mastercard.com.

Visa. New York, New York. 800/847–2911; www.visa.com.

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