How can people possibly afford to live in one of the most expensive cities on the planet? It\u2019s a question New Yorkers hear a lot, often delivered with a mix of awe, pity and confusion.<\/p>\n
We surveyed hundreds of New Yorkers about how they spend, splurge and save. We found that many people \u2014 rich, poor or somewhere in between \u2014 live life as a series of small calculations that add up to one big question: What makes living in New York worth it?<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cWanting to transform something into something else is kind of my thing,\u201d Ari Serrano said.<\/p>\n During the coronavirus pandemic, he went viral on Instagram for taking a Yankees cap and deconstructing it so part of the hat could slide down and convert into a protective face mask<\/a>.<\/p>\n Since then, he\u2019s turned a Louis Vuitton duffle bag into a jacket, created a Louis Vuitton plague-doctor mask, fashioned a jacket out of dollar bills<\/a>, fabricated a pair of pants from d<\/a>u<\/a>rags<\/a>, sewed a Yankees cap and a Mets cap together and put a tiny train on top<\/a> to create a Subway Series hat, and so much more. He spends $15 to $20 a month on materials \u2014 zippers, thread, trim.<\/p>\n But Mr. Serrano, 34, often doesn\u2019t sell the one-of-a-kind things he whips up on his sewing machine or crafts by hand. When people inquire about buying his designs, they balk at the prices, or don\u2019t follow through, he said. \u201cSometimes I rent things,\u201d he said, \u201cand just make a hundred dollars for a photo shoot.\u201d<\/p>\n He estimates that he cobbled together $50,000 last year, thanks to some brand deals and a few sales.<\/p>\n Repurposing Discarded Goods<\/p>\n The deals and sales pay enough to cover Mr. Serrano\u2019s rent, $1,200 a month for a bedroom in a three-bedroom apartment in the Bronx, but he would love to be able to design for a living. He thinks of his one-offs as portfolio pieces \u2014 proof of his talent.<\/p>\n In the meantime, his knack for finding ways to repurpose and reuse items is part of how his living expenses stay low.<\/p>\n For example: His colorful bedroom, which doubles as a design atelier, is not adorned with paint or wallpaper. Instead, the walls are covered in discarded mylar bags that have been used as marijuana packaging.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s horrible for the environment,\u201d he said of the mylar, \u201cbut the material is sturdy.\u201d<\/p>\n He wants people to see what can be done with the bags, instead of treating them as garbage. Mr. Serrano has also made a backpack and a duffel bag from discarded bags. They\u2019re not for sale. \u201cIt just shows you that it\u2019s not just trash,\u201d he said. \u201cIt could be turned into something completely different.\u201d<\/p>\n He and a friend founded a cannabis waste management program that installs receptacles in dispensaries to collect the mylar bags so that they can be repurposed. He thinks it is the first program of its kind in New York, and described the work as \u201cpicking up the community, one bag at a time.\u201d<\/p>\n Opportunities in the Influencer Economy<\/p>\n His phone bill is $150 a month, and the phone is integral to his work, since he shares his designs and ideas with over 67,000 followers on Instagram.<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t make money through Instagram,\u201d he said, \u201cbut brands are always hitting me up on Instagram. So I am making the brand deals through Instagram.\u201d<\/p>\n Recently a liquor brand sent him a message and paid him $3,000 to make three videos showing the product and adhering to a specific theme.<\/p>\n Having a following online also helps him save money. He estimates he spends about $100 a month on food, but often eats free because of apps like Inplace and Invyted, which connect influencers to restaurants in need of exposure.<\/p>\n \u201cYou have to take a 10-second video, add music, show the product and then tag,\u201d he said, \u201cand then you get a free meal.\u201d He just pays a 20 percent tip to his server. Relying on free food has been a crucial way for him to survive at times, he said.<\/p>\n To make a little extra cash, he will work one or two days a week at a dispensary as a brand ambassador for $35 an hour.<\/p>\n A Deal to Deal to Lifestyle<\/p>\n Mr. Serrano has a little Chorkie, a Chihuahua-Yorkie mix, named Alien, who sometimes models<\/a> his designs<\/a>. Her food costs about $20 a month.<\/p>\n But he is living in an economy where bartering, exchanging, upcycling and recycling is key. Friends help him with his videos by filming or modeling.<\/p>\n When he does shop, he visits thrift stores, as well as resale platforms like eBay and Whatnot, where he gets used items to repurpose. \u201cI probably spend like $50 to $100 every time I go thrifting,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n He usually looks for an item with a recognizable logo, like Gucci or Louis Vuitton, \u201cbecause I know that I can flip it,\u201d he said. The eye-catching brand recognition helps people understand what he\u2019s done to transform the piece. \u201cI\u2019m doing it because people are going to gravitate toward it.\u201d<\/p>\n Ultimately, though, he is living check to check and deal to deal, but he hopes to be able to leave the brand deals behind.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m not an influencer, I\u2019m a designer,\u201d he said, \u201cbut unfortunately I\u2019m not in a position to mass manufacture my designs or start a collection.\u201d<\/p>\n But he is clear about the goal: \u201cMy dream is to collaborate with major brands and create small capsule collections that the brand would normally never create because they stay safe.\u201d<\/p>\n We are talking to New Yorkers about how they spend, splurge and save.<\/p>\n Show more