You'll find many upscale shops, boutiques and malls in New York City, but it's not all about how much money you can afford to spend. Even in NYC, there are bargain hunters' dream stores, including several in the Indian District, located in the area of 72nd Street. You'll find a list of some of those bargain stores online at http://www.newyorkmetro.com/guides/cheap/12355/index.html. From $5 shoes to $10 peasant skirts, there's apparently a good variety of shops catering to those with some fashion sense but without the wherewithal to pay designer prices. In this area of the city, you'll also find the ever-popular 'dollar or less' stores.

Neaby, Junction Boulevard has an array of shops selling similarly priced apparel. With an investment of time, this district will offer up an array of designer clothing at a fraction of the expected price, or quality knock-offs at even less.

You'll find many stores (even supermarkets) that cater to the city's melting pot of taste buds. Choose from the common to the exotic in fruits, meats, fish, poultry, vegetables, breads and more. Just as is the case with any marketplace, you'll likely have to shop around for the stores that carry the foods and brands you like best at the best prices.

There are naturally some specialty shops that will likely catch your attention, but remember that most of these are aimed at tourists and will demand tourist prices. You will find a few of the smaller shops that actually have better deals on things such a mangos and other fruit, though the supermarkets are typically going to have the better prices.

Transportation is an important issue as you hit the grocery store, especially if you're shopping for a big family. Many stores offer delivery service for a modest service charge. It merely becomes a matter of convenience and preference.

You'll find a fairly comprehensive listing of New York grocery stores and supermarkets at http://www.nyc.com/new-york-city/Grocery_Stores.aspx. The listings on this page include ratings by the editor (of which there are only a few). You can also sort results by distance from a particular point, such as Times Square.

The majority of visitors to New York City will spend at least some time shopping, but even those who live in the city will likely be ready to do some luxury shopping now and then. One aspect of the city is the tendency for stores to cluster near similar stores. In New York City, it's known as shopping districts and there are districts for almost any type of shopping you want to do.

Most people have heard of Fifth Avenue and The Village - the former with many upscale shops, specialty stores and luxury shopping, and the latter with tons of vintage clothing and consignment stores. You may not realize that there are some other very unique shopping districts in New York City, giving residents the ability to quickly and easily comparison shop. From the Flatiron District with an array of home furnishings to the Diamond and Jewelry District, you'll find almost anything you want to buy in one of the many specialty areas of the city. Look for a more detailed description of the shopping districts posted at http://www.citidex.com/840.htm

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