The economy’s not the only thing getting ugly – frugal New Yorkers are skimping on the primping.
“People come when they have extra money, and now they don’t have much,” said Dmitry Learner, who owns Wall Street Bath and Spa.
Rafael Ibragimov, 25, used to spend $100 to $300 a pop at the Fulton Street spa but now lays off extras like manicures and tanning.
“I can’t afford it. Its just too expensive right now,” he said.
An NYU student fell victim to the credit crunch and now must take a semester off and hope he can get a loan next year.
Brenden Pacheco, 19, said a high credit score did little for 12 different banks that rejected him for a private loan to help pay for his studies.
So he’s spending the fall semester working as a waiter in his home town of Westport, Mass. “My plans have been derailed,” Pacheco said.
He had a $7,000 scholarship and $6,000 in federal loans, but he hoped to land another $30,000 to pay for the remainder of his tuition, books and living expenses.
Who says there’s no such thing as a free lunch?
Hundreds of hungry New Yorkers rushed to a new Midtown sandwich shop to gobble up free sandwiches it was giving away as a promotion.
“There was a line outside the door and wrapped around the block,” said general manager Eric Perlmutter.
He said more than 500 showed up to gobble down the gratis grub.
“It’s a way to get people excited. It’s a nice gesture, especially considering the economy,” he said.
The dropping Dow’s no joke, but people are still looking for laughs where they can get them.
Jeff Weiss, a manager at the Times Square Comedy Club, said sad sacks are showing up in droves.
“The rooms are more crowded, lines are longer, and there’s more people coming in,” he said. “They’re looking for an escape.”
That’s what customer Danielle LaBar said she had in mind. “It was nice to take a break and not have to think about the bad news,” she said.