Living in the big apple is a dream for many-especially dedicated devotees of fashion. After all, along with London, Paris and Milan, New York City is one of the most important locations on the fashion map. If you want to get noticed as a model, a designer or a fashion influencer, living in New York is a virtual prerequisite. But let’s be real here, how likely are you to get noticed in ultra-suburban Staten Island or the ironyless hipster Mecca of Williamsburg. It might have been over a decade since The Devil Wears Prada made us fall in love with the New York fashion scene but Manhattan is still unabashedly where it’s at. 

Still, Manhattan is world famous for its sky high rental prices and cost of living. Unless you’re already raking in the big bucks, the prospect of living in Manhattan is surely a pipe dream, right?

Well, not necessarily. 

Here are some tips that might make Manhattan more affordable than you’d thought.

Learn to live with one fact… you can’t do everything!

It’s the city that never sleeps. The city with the swankiest hotels, the coolest bars, the most delectable restaurants and the most pinch-me-I’m-dreaming shopping. Not to mention more iconic landmarks and attractions than you could throw a guidebook at. Still, if you’re to live and remain financially healthy in Manhattan, you need to live with the fact that you can do some things… just not everything. Ration your activities carefully. You’ll never run out of cool stuff to do… but try too much too fast and your bank account will be wind up hurting.

Choose your neighborhood carefully

Manhattan has 53 neighborhoods, and while none of them are anywhere near what we’d call cheap, some are more conducive to others to budgeting. Unless you earn over $130,000 dollars a year, it’s safe to say that living alone in Manhattan simply isn’t an option. But if you and your friends pool your resources you might be able to choose a prime piece of real estate between you. 

Just keep the temptation factor in mind. For instance, an apartment in the gorgeous and peaceful Upper West Side neighborhood will cost roughly the same as the equivalent in the super-trendy Greenwich Village. However, in the village, you’re much more likely to feel tempted to dine in hip restaurants and drink in cool bars on a regular basis. In the Upper West side, however, the pace of life is a little slower and more relaxed. Yet, there’s still no shortage of cool stuff to do with museums, galleries, long walks in Central Park and of course the Lincoln Center on your doorstep. 

You’ll need to find a balance between having access to the amenities you value and living within your means. 

Remember your greatest memories won’t necessarily be your most expensive

Catching a half price broadway show with your room mates. Drinks after work with the squad. A meal with your significant other at a little neighborhood pizzeria. Long strolls through the city streets as the sun sets. The memories that you value most from your time in New York won’t necessarily be the most expensive.

If you budget sensibly and plan your activities, living in Manhattan can be a reality.