Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
discarded duds of your own (in good condition). Discounted drinks help lower inhibitions about taking home
strappy black-leather pumps. To keep up with the swaps (which are usually women-only and for those of legal
drinking age), follow on Facebook or
www.thriftcollective.com
.
The Art of the Trade
If you're too ashamed of those Spice Girls and Limp Bizkit CDs to bring them to a live swap meet, you could always go
the virtual route.
Swap.com
has over a million and a half items itching to ride the consumer carousel. Join for free and
then put up some of your less-essential books, games, DVDs, and automobiles for adoption. Even better are the sites
www.paperbackswap.com
,
www.swapacd.com
,
and
www.swapadvd.com
.
Unlike Swap, you're trading with the entire
membership pool, not just working out a 1-on-1 match. There's also more inventory here—5 million books available on
PaperBack Swap alone. Of course that inventory is made up of books people want to get rid of, so you may have to go
on a waiting list for more desirable titles. There's no cost to you besides postage (about $3.50 or so per book you ship
out). You'll have to post 10 books before they'll let you take in a couple of your own (books are free to receive, as the oth-
er person picks up the postage tab for you.) Swapportunities aren't limited to entertainment: The site
MakeupAlley.com
helps facilitate cosmetic exchanges. There's a quarter of a million items to browse through (items get swept away every
3 months), and it's all free beyond the price of your postage. Swap Tokens in Positive, Negative, and Neutral flavors help
users determine the trustworthiness of potential partners.
7 Pet Project
Sure, your loyal, vicious Yorkie saves you thousands of dollars a month in bodyguards and private security, but
you don't want to turn around and sink all that cash into an expensive pet-care proposition. Fortunately, New
York has places that provide veterinary support at pint-size prices. Don't yet have that mouse-killing tabby in the
house? NYC also has pets available at low, low costs.
American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals
Subsidized pet care is available at the Bergh Me-
morial Animal Hospital & Clinic, run by this legendary group. An appointment for an exam with a vet costs $90,
and an emergency visit is $130. They also provide shots, around $25 for rabies or distemper on top of the regular
exam fee. If you need to get a pet before you can start worrying about pet care, the ASPCA also has adoption ser-
vices. Cats and dogs start at around $75 and puppies, kittens, and purebreds go up from there. The cost covers
several necessities, including “pet LoJack”—a microchip should your new best friend make a break for freedom.
The society also runs five
Mobile Spay/Neuter Clinics,
covering underserved neighborhoods. If you have proof
of being on public assistance, the spay/neuter fee is just $5 ($125 otherwise).
424 E. 92nd St., btw. First and York aves.
212/
876-7700.
www.aspca.org
.
Subway: 4/5/6 to 86th St.
Bideawee
The name of this century-old charitable organization derives from the Scottish for “stay awhile,”
though they'd just as well put cats and dogs through the revolving door as quickly as possible. Adoptions can be
had for a processing fee of around $150 (puppies $225), which covers a host of services like spaying, neutering,
and microchipping. When it's time for follow-up, Bideawee's veterinary clinic is subsidized and among the most
reasonable in the city.
410 E. 38th St., 2nd floor, btw. First Ave. and the FDR.
866/262-8133.
www.bideawee.org
. Subway: 4/5/6/7/S to 42nd St./
Grand Central.
The Brooklyn Animal Resource Coalition
Love dogs, but not ready for the full-out commitment of daily walk-
ing and feeding? Billyburg's BARC will let you test-drive a pooch during morning or evening hours. You'll be
helping the shelter out by giving one of their minions some exercise, you'll have a handy conversation-starter,
and who knows? Maybe you'll form a bond. Allow a couple of hours if you want to walk or adopt.
253 Wythe Ave., at
N. 1st St., Williamsburg, Brooklyn.
718/486-7489.
www.barcshelter.org
. Subway: L to Bedford Ave.
