New York

How an Artist Lives on $36,000 a Year on the Upper West Side

Published

4 weeks ago

March 16, 2026

How an Artist Lives on ,000 a Year on the Upper West Side

How can people possibly afford to live in one of the most expensive cities on the planet? It’s a question New Yorkers hear a lot, often delivered with a mix of awe, pity and confusion.

We surveyed hundreds of New Yorkers about how they spend, splurge and save. We found that many people — rich, poor or somewhere in between — live life as a series of small calculations that add up to one big question: What makes living in New York worth it?

“I’m really lucky,” Gaya Palmer said, sitting in the cheerful kitchen of the 380-square-foot studio apartment she moved into around 1972. She has had many different jobs — she even drove a cab for a year — and currently describes herself as an artist, jewelry designer, novelty product designer, voice-over artist, songwriter, short story author and children’s book writer.

Her luck comes in the form of a rent-stabilized apartment in the Upper West Side neighborhood of Manhattan. When she signed the lease, she paid around $215 a month. Now, her rent is $977.

Sure, she had to do some plastering and painting herself when she moved in, and a mouse once lived in the oven, but she’s got 11-foot ceilings, a huge window and a little patio. Her income is around $36,000 a year, with $4,000 being withdrawn annually from 401(k) accounts and the rest from Social Security.

She loves the community she has built. “I was born when I came to New York City,” she said. She knows just about everyone on her street and has friends all over town. Plus, her sister lives in the building next door. “That’s the gift of the landlord gods,” she said.

She is energized by being around other creative New Yorkers each day and acknowledges that affordable rent makes it possible.

“The invisible vitality of New York City is the creative force of artists, actors and writers,” she said. “If you take away rent-stabilized apartments, you’re going to end up with a bunch of boring suits walking around looking for where the next bank is going to open.”

A Custom Space, Decades in the Making

Ms. Palmer’s red, black and white apartment is impeccably organized, with everything in its place. “I’m a double Virgo,” she explained. Last year, she and her unique space starred in a video that was widely shared on social media.

Quite a bit of Ms. Palmer’s furniture was found on the street, although she bought the three dressers in her living room at Housing Works for $150.

She has polka-dot seating made from foam cushions that sit on plywood boxes, with storage inside. The seats were custom-built by a gentleman who is no longer in the picture, whom she referred to as “Mr. Wrong.”

The building was constructed in the 1880s, and her apartment used to be the front parlor. Ms. Palmer, 76, sleeps in a loft bed in what is technically a hallway. Her father built the wood bed about 40 years ago.

“I call it heaven because it is heavenly, it’s soft — the bed is like all foam — and comfortable,” she said. “In the winter it’s cozy, in the summer my air-conditioner is right above.” Plus, she added, “I have a library up there.”

No Need for a Dishwasher

Underneath the sleep loft is her workstation, where she creates jewelry and kinetic wall sculptures. She sells her creations on her website and keeps the business side of things running by paying for services like Google One storage for $10 and Canva for $13.

There are no laundry facilities in the building, so she carts her clothes, towels, sheets and comforters to a laundromat a few blocks away, where it’s about $45 to get everything cleaned and dried.

And Ms. Palmer doesn’t live alone. She has Betty, a 13-year-old rescue Chihuahua whom she adopted about three years ago. Betty sees the vet every couple of months, which costs about $90, and goes through a lot of kibble, at around $25 a month.

Ms. Palmer’s efficient kitchen includes a bar made from a repurposed bookcase that she found on the street and a compact, counter-height refrigerator. “Thank goodness it doesn’t hold ice cream,” she joked. It does, however, hold Boursin cheese, one of her favorite foods. “It’s $10 at Fairway,” she said, “so I go to Trader Joe’s — it’s $5.”

There’s a sign in her kitchen that reads, in all capital letters, “YOU CAN DESIGN YOUR LIFE.” She took it from the wall of a poolside bar in the Dominican Republic, years ago, and considers it her central ethos.

She doesn’t dream of having a dishwasher, a doorman or other luxury amenities. “I’m grateful, thankful, joyful that I have a roof over my head,” she said.

“My home is my mansion,” she said, “and I don’t need anything more than this.”

Out and About

Ms. Palmer has a standing monthly lunch date with a close friend; they always go to Cafe Luxembourg. “We meet at 2:30, and we leave after the candles are brought out for dinner,” she said.

Ms. Palmer usually orders a burger, a couple of cosmopolitans and a hot fudge sundae, spending around $125, including the tip. “They have the best burger in New York City,” Ms. Palmer insisted. “Even my sister-in-law from Ohio said it was the best burger she’s ever had.”

Her friends invite her to Broadway shows and events at Lincoln Center. She also loves to visit the Museum of Modern Art ($22) because creativity is central to her life. She used to work as a lead document processing operator at large law firms. “I still would come home and make art because I had to have that balance,” she said. “Once I resigned, I was able to make art all the time.”

Sometimes she stays in and reads, or watches the news, home decorating shows or detective shows. Her Spectrum cable TV bill is around $87, and she pays $83 for YouTube TV.

Every now and then, she takes a $25 cab instead of the subway or walking. She doesn’t shop much. She hasn’t traveled out of the country in a few years. But if she sold a large piece of artwork and had an extra $1,500, she would spend it on a trip, maybe to Rio, she said.

In the meantime, she often hosts friends for wine and cheese. And just the other day, her apartment was the setting for a spontaneous dance party with some Juilliard students she’d run into.

She can’t imagine living anywhere else. If she were back in Ohio, where she grew up, she said: “I’d have a husband that I’d be divorced from by now, and I’d be mowing the lawn.”

“That’s not a life I want,” she said.

“When I wake up, if I can stand up — and I’m standing up and I’m in New York City — that’s all that’s important,” she said. “I’m vertical and I’m in New York.”

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New York

Mamdani’s First 100 Days as NYC Mayor: A Timeline

Published

2 hours ago

April 10, 2026

Press Room

Mamdani’s First 100 Days as NYC Mayor: A Timeline

Jan. 1 Day 1

Mr. Mamdani took the oath of office at a midnight ceremony in the abandoned City Hall subway station, surrounded by family. On New Year’s Day, he was sworn in by Senator Bernie Sanders on the City Hall steps, in front of masses of rosy-cheeked New Yorkers bundled against the cold, cheering under a flurry of confetti.

James Estrin/The New York Times

Jan. 2 Day 2

On his second day in office, he created an Office of Mass Engagement, a reflection of the way an army of volunteers aided his mayoral campaign, with more than 100,000 people knocking on three million doors and making 4.5 million calls to talk to voters. He put the office in the hands of Tascha Van Auken, who served as Mr. Mamdani’s campaign field director and previously worked for former President Barack Obama’s 2008 campaign

Jan. 3 Day 3

Mr. Mamdani called President Trump to criticize the strikes in Venezuela, after New Yorkers awoke to the startling news that the U.S. military had seized Venezuela’s president, Nicolás Maduro.

Dave Sanders for The New York Times

Jan. 4 Day 4

Mr. Mamdani, who had promised to help people with bad landlords, announced a series of “rental rip-off” hearings, where renters from every borough could come and meet with city officials to talk about their landlord headaches. Standing in a building on Sedgwick Avenue credited with being the birthplace of hip-hop, the mayor unveiled a series of moves aimed at supporting tenants — a key political class that makes up nearly 70 percent of New Yorkers, and a group that Mr. Mamdani strategically tapped into as he was running for mayor.

Jan. 5 Day 5

Mr. Mamdani and Gov. Kathy Hochul’s relationship was still looking tenuous at the start of his term. But the two looked chummy when they came together to celebrate the one-year anniversary of the embattled congestion pricing program, which had come under attack from President Trump.

Mimi d’Autremont for The New York Times

Jan. 5 Day 5

Mr. Mamdani announced that he would pause sweeps of homeless encampments, while he re-evaluated the way they were conducted under his predecessor, Eric Adams. Before taking office, he had been a critic of heavy-handed approaches to serving the city’s homeless population.

Jan. 6 Day 6

Mr. Mamdani tested out a favorite phrase — “no issue too small” — as he stood surrounded by workers in hard hats and paved over “the bump,” a notorious pit at the foot of the Williamsburg Bridge.

Vincent Alban/The New York Times

Jan. 7 Day 7

Mr. Mamdani hosted a “new media” briefing, touring influencers around City Hall. It was a friendly audience for the mayor, with one beauty influencer offering Mr. Mamdani a sentiment he’s unlikely to hear from the traditional press corps: “I have had so much fun making content for you.”

José A. Alvarado Jr. for The New York Times

Jan. 8 Day 8

The mayor stood together with Ms. Hochul to announce a plan to expand child care options for nearly 100,000 young children. Affordable child care was a centerpiece of Mr. Mamdani’s campaign to ease the burden of heavy expenses that so many New Yorkers face.

Anna Watts for The New York Times

Jan. 10 Day 10

Mr. Mamdani announced he would commit $4 million to install at least two dozen modular toilets across the five boroughs. When the mayor talked about “sewer socialism” during his run for office, few knew that he would take the term literally.

Jan. 12 Day 12

On a cold Monday morning, the mayor moved on up from Astoria, Queens, to the Upper East Side, home to Gracie Mansion, the official mayoral residence. Reflecting on his home in Astoria, Mr. Mamdani said he and his wife, Rama Duwaji, would miss the Adeni chai and smell of shawarma on his old block.

By Dave Sanders For The New York Times

Jan. 13 Day 13

Mr. Mamdani made his first return to Albany since taking office. The trip in a motorcade, surrounded by aides, was a capsule of the transformation he had undergone in one head-spinning year. When he’d driven up to Albany as a state assemblyman, he used to ride shotgun with a colleague and sing show tunes.

Lauren Petracca for The New York Times

Jan. 16 Day 16

One of the mayor’s first acts to help renters was to have the city intervene in the bankruptcy case of a large landlord, Pinnacle, which was facing thousands of complaints from tenants across the city. But a federal judge ruled that Pinnacle’s sale of 5,000 apartments to Summit Realty, another landlord facing complaints, could proceed over the city’s objections, an early challenge to the mayor’s efforts to help renters.

Jan. 25 Day 25

As snow fell, Mr. Mamdani blitzed local news, sent out plows to clear streets and disappointed children by announcing there would be virtual school, though he told everyone they could pelt him with snowballs. For every mayor of New York City, snowstorms serve as a major test. The 1969 blizzard became known as the “Lindsay snowstorm” because it paralyzed the city, and voters blamed the mayor, John Lindsay. So Mr. Mamdani knew that his response to the oncoming storm would be closely watched.

Hiroko Masuike/The New York Times

Jan. 27 Day 27

A bitter cold snap that followed the snowstorm proved a greater challenge. The death count from the freezing weather rose to at least 10 people by Jan. 27. The Mamdani administration sent outreach workers scouring the streets for people exposed to the elements, scrambling to bring vulnerable people indoors.

Anna Watts for The New York Times

Feb. 5 Day 36

In a disappointment to some members of his progressive base, Mr. Mamdani endorsed Ms. Hochul for re-election on Feb. 5, strengthening their alliance but potentially losing leverage in his efforts to persuade her to raise income taxes on the rich.

Feb. 12 Day 43

For all Mr. Mamdani’s sweeping promises while running for office, his administration was quickly marked by a clear willingness to make some compromises. He backtracked on CityFHEPS, one of the largest rental assistance programs in the nation. Mr. Mamdani said he no longer intended to back the growth of the more than $1 billion initiative, because of the competing need to address the city’s budget deficit.

Feb. 12 Day 43

Mr. Mamdani, maestro of the stunt, surprised the city’s romantics by showing up at City Hall to wed couples there, two days before Valentine’s Day.

Feb. 15 Day 46

Mr. Mamdani announced that he was forming a new business improvement district in Coney Island, with a first-year budget of up to $1 million.

Vincent Alban/The New York Times

Feb. 17 Day 48

Mr. Mamdani presented his preliminary budget, addressing the $5.4 billion hole he has to fill by the time the spending plan takes effect July 1 — a shadow hanging over his ambitious affordability agenda. He warned that property tax rates in New York City might be raised by nearly 10 percent if he could not persuade Ms. Hochul to raise income taxes on high earners.

Dave Sanders for The New York Times

Feb. 18 Day 49

Emerging from weeks when criticism over his handling of homelessness escalated during the city’s cold snap, Mr. Mamdani announced that he would begin sweeping homeless encampments again. But the sweeps would look different than they did under Mr. Adams, and would be led by the Department of Homeless Services rather than the Police Department.

Feb. 20 Day 51

Mr. Mamdani announced that the city would crack down on employers that might be violating worker protection laws. This enforcement push came days before a new law took effect expanding time off protections for more than five million New Yorkers. Mr. Mamdani and his administration started the enforcement push, sending warning letters to 56,000 companies.

Feb. 23 Day 54

As another snowstorm began, the Sanitation Department went into a full force mobilization: Plows went block to block, 2,600 emergency workers headed out for 12-hour shifts and pay was raised for emergency snow shovelers. A total of 19.7 inches of snow fell in Central Park, placing it in the city’s top 10 storms dating back to 1869 — more than enough to persuade the mayor to declare a full snow day for school children.

José A. Alvarado Jr. for The New York Times

Feb. 23 Day 54

A snowball fight was held in Washington Square Park on the afternoon of the blizzard. The event turned chaotic when police officers arrived and were hit with snowballs, which Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch called “disgraceful” and “criminal.” The mayor was less perturbed, suggesting that throwing a snowball should not result in criminal charges. The police later arrested a man in connection with the snowball fight; prosecutors declined to bring assault charges.

By Shuran Huang For The New York Times

Feb. 25 Day 56

Hundreds of protesters, led by groups including the Democratic Socialists of America, gathered in Albany for a rally calling for raising taxes on the rich. Mr. Mamdani skipped the event. He has done a delicate dance since taking office, trying to ensure that the progressive organizers who put him in office feel that their voices are heard, while also working to maintain relationships with power brokers like Ms. Hochul.

Graham Dickie for The New York Times

Feb. 26 Day 57

In his second meeting with President Trump at the White House, Mr. Mamdani brought a mock cover of The Daily News, a play on the infamous “Ford to City: Drop Dead,” with the new headline: “Trump to City: Let’s Build.” There are few relationships in America as eyebrow-raising, perplexing, amusing and ripe for analysis as the buddy-comedy-ready duo of Mr. Mamdani and President Trump. One is a democratic socialist, the other the Make America Great Again kingpin. Both are also sons of New York City who have mastered the attention age.

March 3 Day 62

Mr. Mamdani announced that he had chosen four areas in New York City in which to begin his child care expansion, with 2,000 seats in the 2-K program set to open up this fall.

Adam Gray for The New York Times

March 5 Day 64

The Mamdani administration announced it would close the homeless shelter in the former Bellevue psychiatric hospital, which was well known among many New Yorkers seeking a place to sleep but had also fallen into disrepair.

March 6 Day 65

Mr. Mamdani was questioned about a handful of instances in which his wife, Ms. Duwaji, had liked posts appearing to celebrate Hamas’s deadly attack on Israel, right after Oct. 7, 2023. He declined to criticize the posts or address his wife’s actions, saying that she is “a private person who has held no formal position on my campaign or in my City Hall.”

March 7 Day 66

Chaos arrived on Mr. Mamdani’s doorstep. A far-right provocateur, Jake Lang, was gathering his followers outside Gracie Mansion for a protest called “Stop the Islamic Takeover.” Two men who had expressed support for the Islamic State were arrested after one was seen hurling a homemade bomb into the protest. The device did not detonate, and no one was injured.

Vincent Alban/The New York Times

March 9 Day 68

Mr. Mamdani appeared sober-faced outside his residence on Monday morning, two days after the bomb incident. He stood alongside Ms. Tisch and denounced the attempt at violence while also condemning the “display of bigotry” at the protest. Ms. Tisch said the throwing of the devices was being investigated as an act of “ISIS-inspired terrorism.”

Graham Dickie for The New York Times

March 11 Day 70

Mr. Mamdani showed up in person at a “rental rip-off” hearing in the Bronx, even meeting with three tenants who had complaints about roaches, broken elevators and safety. He also faced protests from some New Yorkers who live in public housing and reminded the mayor that he is actually New York’s largest landlord.

Vincent Alban/The New York Times

March 17 Day 76

Mr. Mamdani sought a judge’s approval to stop representing the former mayor, Mr. Adams, in a sexual assault lawsuit that had been filed in 2024. The mayor has tried, throughout his first 100 days in office, to distance himself from his predecessor.

March 17 Day 76

Mr. Mamdani not only marched in the St. Patrick’s Day Parade in Manhattan, but also gave a speech drawing a parallel between Irish history and the Palestinian struggle for self-determination.

March 19 Day 78

Mr. Mamdani signed an executive order creating an Office of Community Safety, which will begin with just two staff members and a far narrower scope than he had pledged.

Victor J. Blue for The New York Times

March 20 Day 79

Mr. Mamdani infused the holy month of Ramadan with spirit, breaking his fast with different groups every day. He shared iftar meals with firefighters, incarcerated people at Rikers and delivery drivers, as well as stopping at some of his favorite restaurants. For New York’s more than half a million observant Muslims, this year marked a poignant shift, the first time a person who shared their faith was running the city and observing Ramadan at City Hall.

Angelina Katsanis for The New York Times

March 24 Day 83

Mr. Mamdani announced settlements with two companies that would provide nearly $2 million to more than 800 fast food and retail workers, including at Dunkin’ and Taco Bell, who had been the victims of “Fair Workweek” violations. A livestream of the announcement also included him eating a Crunchwrap Supreme.

March 25 Day 84

As the Mamdani administration grapples with the looming budget deficit, the mayor gave a quick snapshot of some of the ways the city planned to cut $1.7 billion in spending, including by cutting contracts with consultants and auditing the health care eligibility of dependents. Behind the scenes, the administration quietly identified another $1.3 billion in potential savings from scaling back programs Mr. Mamdani had endorsed on the campaign trail.

March 30 Day 89

Mr. Mamdani attended a Passover Seder at City Winery in Lower Manhattan, seeming unbothered by hecklers as he addressed a crowd that included George Floyd’s brother, Al Franken and Don Lemon, who read the Four Questions.

Dolly Faibyshev for The New York Times

April 7 Day 97

The Mamdani administration announced the opening of a rest stop for delivery workers, which had been in the works for years but was sped to completion in the first 100 days of the administration.

Vincent Alban/The New York Times

April 7 Day 97

Mr. Mamdani selected Rebecca Jones Gaston, who as head of child welfare under former President Joseph R. Biden Jr. oversaw the expansion of abuse-prevention services for families, to lead the city’s Administration for Children’s Services.

Ms. Jones Gaston previously oversaw child welfare in Maryland and then in Oregon, where she released a “vision for transformation” that stated that “white supremacy and systemic racism are deeply embedded in the history, fabric and institutions of our country, including child welfare systems.”

New York

Video: Suspect in Gilgo Beach Murders Pleads Guilty

Published

1 day ago

April 9, 2026

Press Room

Video: Suspect in Gilgo Beach Murders Pleads Guilty

new video loaded: Suspect in Gilgo Beach Murders Pleads Guilty

transcript

Suspect in Gilgo Beach Murders Pleads Guilty

Rex Heuermann, the suspect accused in the Gilgo Beach murders, pleaded guilty on Wednesday. The police arrested the 62-year-old in 2023, more than a decade after the first bodies were found.

: “After discussions with your lawyer, you feel it’s in your best interest to plead guilty rather than go to trial?” “Yes, your honor.” “Are you satisfied with the manner in which your attorneys represented you in this case?” “Yes, I am.” “Are you willing to waive your right to appeal in this case in return for the plea and sentence agreement?” “Yes.” “Do you understand that by pleading guilty to a charge that is the same as you had gone to trial and been found guilty of that charge?” “Yes, your honor.” “Today he was exposed for exactly what he is: a sadistic, soulless, murderous monster. And to the families, no one can ever replace the lives that were taken from all of you. And way too often, they were way too young. But we hope that this brings some measure of solace to you.” “It’s a chilling reminder that those capable of horrific acts can often go unnoticed. And another reminder of how much great investigative work has been done to finally apprehend and have a plea today.” “Today, it’s not about the person responsible. Today, it’s about the women’s lives who were stolen, is about their voices, their future and their families — the love that still surrounds them. They are the reason why we are here.”
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Rex Heuermann, the suspect accused in the Gilgo Beach murders, pleaded guilty on Wednesday. The police arrested the 62-year-old in 2023, more than a decade after the first bodies were found.

By Jorge Mitssunaga

April 8, 2026

New York

How a Family of 3 Lives on $25,000 in Corona, Queens

Published

4 days ago

April 6, 2026

Press Room

How a Family of 3 Lives on ,000 in Corona, Queens

How can people possibly afford to live in one of the most expensive cities on the planet? It’s a question New Yorkers hear a lot, often delivered with a mix of awe, pity and confusion.

As an Uber driver in New York City, Anup Baniya works long hours behind the wheel of his S.U.V., navigating snarled traffic.

The passengers he ferries across the city may be surprised to learn how little he earns.

Mr. Baniya, an immigrant from Nepal, brings home roughly $25,000 each year after paying for his vehicle and other business expenses.

His wife, Sonu Khadka, stays home with their 7-month-old son, Ivaan. There is little money left at the end of each week.

“If I make a few extra bucks, maybe we can get some things for the baby,” he said.

Mr. Baniya said making money as an Uber driver has become more difficult.

Mr. Baniya, 36, said it had become more difficult over the years to make a living driving for Uber. His costs have risen, and trips are harder to find.

He has considered doing other jobs like becoming a data analyst. But he likes choosing his own hours. It was important for him to join his wife for her prenatal appointments and to attend his son’s pediatrician visits.

“I like the freedom I get from it,” he said. “Through my wife’s pregnancy, I had flexibility.”

A Family Friendly Complex in Queens

The family lives in a small apartment in LeFrak City, a housing complex in Corona, Queens, that has long been a haven for working class and immigrant families.

The rent is $2,500 per month, which they split in half with a roommate. Mr. Baniya pays roughly $400 per month for internet and utilities.

The complex feels like its own village with 20 high-rise buildings and sprawling lawns of green space. Ivaan recently started using the swing set at the playground.

Their apartment is cramped, and Mr. Baniya worries about rent increases. Their roommate sleeps in a small room that typically serves as a den.

Mr. Baniya used to pay for a parking garage, but now parks on the street to save money.

His work day usually starts at 7 a.m. and ends at 5 p.m., except for Tuesdays which he takes off to spend with his family. He drives for Uber and sometimes for Lyft.

“The more jobs we do, the more income we get — I’m usually on the road for 10 hours,” he said.

A recent Monday was a “bad day,” he said. Business was slow. He spent five hours on the road with passengers and made about $125, or $25 per hour before expenses.

The Economics of Driving for Uber

Mr. Baniya’s greatest expense is the vehicle he uses for work. He pays $2,400 per month to rent a hybrid RAV 4 S.U.V. and $450 per month for car insurance.

He spends about $100 per week on gas, though that could increase with the recent jump in gas prices. He visits the carwash twice a week and gets regular oil changes. All together, his business expenses cost more than $30,000 per year, according to a copy of a recent tax return.

His family relies on a low-cost health insurance plan through a federally-subsidized program called the Essential Plan.

Around 2017, he joined the Independent Drivers Guild, a group that represents Uber drivers, to help fight for higher pay.

Mr. Baniya said that the city’s minimum pay rules for ride-share drivers had not kept pace with inflation and that Uber was keeping too much of the fare — nearly one-fourth per trip, according to research by the driver group. The city’s cap on new vehicle licenses raised the cost of renting a vehicle, and he argued that the city should instead limit the number of new drivers.

“I feel like customers are paying way more than they used to pay, but drivers are making way less than they used to make,” he said.

Uber, which is expanding its offices in New York, has argued that drivers do make a good living, roughly $52,000 per year for many full-time drivers, and that congestion pricing tolls and airport fees have contributed to higher costs for passengers.

When Mr. Baniya is working, it is often difficult to find a place to stop for a break. Parking spots are elusive in Manhattan, and he worries about violating the city’s complex parking rules, which carry large fines, including $115 for parking near a fire hydrant or $50 to $250 for blocking a bus lane.

“There is nowhere for us to rest or to try to run and get a cup of coffee,” he said.

Many drivers rely on tips from passengers in the app, but he said they were rare.

“Out of 10 riders, maybe one tips,” he said.

Living on a Budget

The family spends about $800 per month on groceries and baby food. They cook at home and eat at a restaurant once a month.

The couple recently visited Food Bazaar and picked up chicken breasts for $7.66, along with chickpea spaghetti and tomato sauce for dinner. Mr. Baniya’s job is sedentary, and he tries to eat healthy because he does not get much exercise.

“You’re sitting the whole day,” he said. “I considered myself more healthy before I started driving.”

The family did not take a vacation last year and does not have plans for one this year. Someday, Mr. Baniya wants his son to be able to visit family in Nepal.

When his wife was pregnant and a passenger unexpectedly tipped him $500 for a long trip from Manhattan to Philadelphia, he knew immediately how he would spend it.

“I went out and bought a stroller and car seat for the baby,” he said.

We are talking to New Yorkers about how they spend, splurge and save.