For foreigners living in the United States, paying extra money at a restaurant, bar, or salon may feel like a strange custom. This strange custom is called “leaving a tip” and if you want to live in New York City, you will need to learn how to do it very quickly. The two big questions are:

• How much money should I tip?

• When do I need to leave a tip?

If you are worried about these questions, you are not the only person. Even many Americans aren’t sure about tipping etiquette. However, don’t worry. This article gives you the answers you need and more–so keep reading!

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Have you just moved to the City and are looking for a place to get in shape? With all of the amazing cheap eats around Manhattan, the city can be a dangerous place for adding a few extra centimeters around the waist if you’re not careful. The good news is that there are great gyms around Lower Manhattan that won’t break your wallet. If you’re wondering where to find an affordable gym, we’ve got four picks we think will help get you in shape in no time.

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In case you weren’t aware, the Chinese Lunar New Year is coming up soon on February 19th.  If you’ve never experienced a Chinese New Year celebration, there’s no time like the present.  Head over to Chinatown and get ready for a great cultural experience you won’t soon forget.

What We Cover

• The Lunar Festival Parade
• Sightseeing in Chinatown
• Chinatown Cuisine
• Shopping Chinatown’s Streets
• How to get to Chinatown from NYEA

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Learning English doesn’t have to stay in the classroom. After class is over, it’s time to head out and put what you’ve studied into practice. With that said, to put your studies into practice means going somewhere where you can actually hold a conversation with someone whether it be old friends or new acquaintances. So, meet up with classmates at one of our five picks below for best low-key bars in Lower Manhattan and be treated to an evening of relaxing atmosphere, great discussion, and lots of fun!
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Are you wondering what it would be like to study English in New York? Have you ever thought about what a walk from the subway to your English school might look like? If you’re enrolled in classes at The New York English Academy, ideally located in the city’s Financial District, there are plenty of opportunities to explore the surrounding area’s rich architectural history. In this article we will guide you on a tour of iconic landmarks starting at our home on Maiden Lane and ending at one of the city’s most famous sites, the Brooklyn Bridge.

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Winter in New York shouldn’t stop you from enjoying the outdoors. Sure, it may be cold, but you can still have a great time out and about. In this article we cover some fun things you can do in New York when Old Man Winter decides to visit. Remember to dress warmly! (more…)

While the streets of Manhattan may feel like a meeting point for everything that is modern, high tech, and new in the world, they also have a deep history made up of natural and human-made disasters, tragic stories, and continuing urban and architectural innovations. As you walk to your English classes at 80 Maiden Lane, you may be interested to know that the history behind this street, with its mix of sky-high business towers, charming shops, and inviting restaurants, is old as New York itself and includes stories about lovers, slaves, political figures and more.

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The New York English Academy is moving to a new location, and what better place to move to in Manhattan than the Financial District. This historic area was famous through the 19th and 20th centuries as a home for traders, office workers, and some of the city’s most important financial institutions. Even today, many of the world’s biggest corporations and law firms have their headquarters here.

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Staff member Tamila blogs about how to save money when you shop in New York City:

Shopping in New York City can be a lot of fun. The variety of stores is fascinating. You walk on these streets and gaze into these beautifully decorated showcases. You might spend the whole day checking out the stores, buying those awesome clothes that you may never find in your own country. Then you return home, look at your shopping bags, check your bank account, and realize that you actually had spent a little bit more than you were initially planning to. But some clothes could cost you much less if you went somewhere else. So what if I tell you that I can give you few tips that can help you to save a good amount of money? Wow, right! I am sure you want to know that, so here they are:

1. Use www.groupon.com. It will allow you to buy many things with really good discounts.
2. Try shopping in stores like T.J. Maxx, Uniqlo, H&M, or Marshall’s where you can find almost everything you need. The good thing about these shops is that you can buy famous-brand clothes for really cheap prices.
3. Plan shopping on specific dates. We all love holidays. Nothing feels better than having family and friends over for dinner and days off from work. However, another good thing about holidays that will make your heart melt is called “SALE!” Most stores begin their sales a few weeks prior to holidays, so you actually have plenty of time to pick the stores you want to visit and check what they have on sale. For example, last year I bought Michael Kors jacket on sale for only $60 (the original price: $219). The biggest discount sales are usually before and after July 4^th, Thanksgiving, Black Friday (the day after Thanksgiving and the most crowded), Christmas, and New Year.
4. Take advantage of a store’s promotions. For example, shoe store DSW  often has promotions like “Buy one pair and get a second with 20/30/50% off.”
5. If you need to buy electronics (computer, TV, tablet, etc.), check Best Buy. Their prices are very affordable, especially compared with other stores (and the service is also good!)
6. Have you heard about www.amazon.com? If not, then you must have come from the moon or another planet! You are unique, because everyone knows what Amazon is! In short, Amazon is a very popular online store, where you can buy anything you can want. The good think is that you can find a lot of great stuff for very low prices! Plus, if you are not a big fan of shopping, you will definitely like the idea of buying things without the need of leaving the house.

These are a few pieces of advice that I hope will help you to shop, saving some money and time. I am sure that you will find at least one of these ideas useful, especially if you are a big shopping fan like me. Good Luck!

PC TECH: English Language School in New York City