Always check the weather before leaving the house; you can’t escape it out here. Google gives free weather reports via text messaging (send the message “weather nyc” to the number 466453) or put a widget on your computer homepage or dashboard. Even if you are driving a car you will probably have to walk a ways to park it, and cabs get scarce when the weather turns nasty. Be smart, plan ahead and pack an umbrella or rain jacket when there’s even a slight chance for rain.

Dress in layers. This may seem pretty obvious, but having lived in a warm climate before moving to New York, I learned you don’t always have as much control over the temperature. Because heat is required to be free in New York City, most apartments use steam heaters or radiators. They can work well, even too well, or barely at all, if the landlord is stingy.  Businesses are often better about regulating heat and air-conditioning but again, not always in older buildings, plus you are going to be going in and out of doors a lot. Layers mean comfort, wherever you go.

You can get everything delivered (for a price). Groceries, laundry, food (even rice pudding! Yum!) right to your door. Be prepared to pay a little extra and always tip, but sometimes, when time is a little too precious, the premium is well worth it.

Sample sales can be fun shopping for the fashion conscious and budget constricted. Most New York design shops sell their mock-ups and model clothes at cut-throat prices once or twice a year. These events are sometimes not well advertised or limited to people in “the industry” but hang around the Garment District and you’ll see signs pop up for everything from socks to handbags. The Vera Wang sale often has would-be brides lining up the night before for first dibs at designer hand-me-downs.

Buy smaller. This applies to everything but especially groceries. My first roommate was from Houston and it took him several trips to the grocery store to learn not to buy more groceries than he could carry.  Get a cart or a couple of bags.