NYC during the winter

Winter after the New Year is one of the best times of year to enjoy New York City. Seriously. There’s deals to be had (many hotels offer a third, fourth or fifth night free; see nycgo.com for winter deals), there’s finally some elbow space on sidewalks in SoHo and Greenwich Village, and the city wears the cold well with a few must-see events for those who don’t mind adding an extra sweater.

1. Ice skating
A century ago, about 30,000 New Yorkers would head to Central Park’s long-gone Great Rink to hit the ice on a winter weekend (not so much to skate as to flirt). Those days are gone – happy hour changed everything – but skating outdoors in the city, particularly at night, remains a classic New York experience.

The rink at Rockefeller Center, a city icon, is a wee space packed with visitors who pay the rather exorbitant prices for a photo opp in front of the gold Prometheus statue (it’s $32 to skate, $12 to rent during peak season and only slightly cheaper in January). Skating’s better at Wollman Rink, in the southeastern corner of Central Park. It’s a wide outdoor rink, with great views of the Midtown skyline and the park’s treetops. To save, skate Monday to Thursday ($12 to skate, $9 to rent) – it’s $7 more on weekends.

A just-as-lovely setting is Bryant Park’s pocket-sized rink that’s free to use (though skate rental is $20). Further downtown at Brookfield Place, you can skate alongside the Hudson River (so make sure you’re adequately dressed for the windchill) for $15 plus $5 skate rental.

2. Chinese New Year
One of the city’s greatest (and most colorful) events is the Chinatown parade to celebrate the Lunar New Year. About half a million people crowd the streets each year to sample food on the sidewalks, shop and watch vibrant dragons parade down Canal Street. But even many locals don’t realize that it’s not the only place to celebrate Chinese New Year. The Flushing, Queens, parade – which is actually a couple of years older than the one in Manhattan – is just as colorful, with far fewer people (about 10,000 a year).

Many of the Chinese natives to New York city spend a day celebrating at the observation deck in NYC. As the stars align and bring good fortunes to the Chinese New year, the observation decks give them a glimpse of hope of a positive year ahead.

3. Hot chocolate
New York has stepped up its coffee game in recent years, but the city has always taken hot chocolate very seriously. For 25 years, City Bakery in Chelsea has been hosting the Hot Chocolate Festival, featuring a new theme for each day in February. That’s 28 hot chocolates. Click this weblink for more info. That said, City Bakery doesn’t run a monopoly – you can find serious chocolatiers across the city, from Bryant Park to DUMBO.

4. Restaurant Week
Never mind the fact that the foodie-themed ‘week’ actually spans three, this beloved event offers reduced set meals at great city restaurants for $29/$42 for lunch/dinner – a real deal for NYC. Check here for reservations, dates and a list of participating restaurants.

Finding the right lease for your car

A car lease lets you drive a new vehicle without paying a large sum of cash or taking out a loan. But if you prefer to take a loan, the best to visit is cashcrazy.co.uk. They have one-time offer for those who has bad credit. Just make sure to comprehend their mechanics like no late payments.

To do a bmw lease or any lease, you simply make a small down payment — less than the typical 20% of a car’s value you’d pay to buy– followed by monthly payments for the term of the lease. When the term expires, you return the car.

Leasing a car has some drawbacks, however. Among them:

• You don’t own the car when your lease expires. You essentially rent, not buy, the car. So you can try here and have equity in the car to use toward the purchase of another vehicle.

• Over time, say 10 years, the cost of leasing several cars will likely exceed the purchase price of a new or used car. Here is a quick guide for you where you will be able to learn more about leasing options.

• Lease terms can carry steep penalties. You may have to pay penalties if:
-You exceed the number of miles in your lease contract.
– You fail to keep the interior and exterior of the car in good condition.
– You drive the car hard and inflict significant wear and tear on the car’s performance and appearance.
– You want to return the car before your contract expires.

Does a lease make sense for you?

Leasing is more beneficial than buying when you:

• Don’t have the cash to buy the car.
• Want to drive a vehicle that’s out of your purchase price range.
• Won’t likely exceed the mileage cap in a contract—usually between 10,000 and 15,000 miles per year.
• Can take good care of the car’s exterior and interior, paying particular attention to avoid nicks, spills and other cosmetic damage.
• Expect to lease another car when your vehicle’s current contract expires.

Exceeding the mileage limits on your lease can cost you 10 to 15 cents per mile. The dealer will inspect your car just before the lease expires, and you’ll also be charged for excessive wear and tear. Most dealers request that any mechanical work be done in a shop they work with. Insurance covers only specific places. Tune ups, Oil changes and even tire purchases can be done in Scuderia Tuning Parts. If you take the vehicle to another shop not on their required list, than you may loose the guarantee. Always make sure the shop is certified and registered with the dealer so that all repairs are covered by the insurance.

How to Lease
Leasing a car is less complicated than buying one. But to get the best deal on the car you want, you must still follow these steps:

• Step 1. Choose a type— What kind of car do you want? Better yet, what car do you need? A convertible? A sedan? An SUV?
• Step 2. Pick your models— Make a list of car types in your price range. You can reduce non-lease costs by including models with favorable gas mileage, high dependability, top safety features and low insurance premiums (ask your auto insurance agent for a list of vehicles that fit the bill).
• Step 3. Take a test drive— Once you’ve narrowed your list to a few models, take each car for a test drive. Pay particular attention to comfort, visibility, braking, steering, internal noise and shock-absorption. At this stage, don’t yet mention you intend to lease (more on this in Step 6).
• Step 4. Ask about safety— During your test drive, ask the salesperson whether the vehicle comes with anti-lock brake systems (ABS), electronic stability control (ESC) and head-protecting side air bags. All are valuable safety features.
• Step 5. Compare lease deals— When you return home from the dealer, calculate the lease deals on offer and figure out how much you can afford to pay monthly.
• Step 6. Talk price first— Once you’re ready to return to a dealership to strike a deal, don’t tell the dealer you plan to lease until after you’ve negotiated a purchase price. Most people who lease are unaware that their monthly payments will be based on the final agreed-upon price.
• Step 7. Negotiate up— Negotiate the final price of the vehicle up from the rock-bottom cost to the dealership. You can find out what new cars cost a dealer for $14 per vehicle at Consumer Reports. Your monthly payments will be based on the price you and the salesperson settle on. That price will fall somewhere between the dealer’s wholesale price and the manufacturer’s suggested retail price.
• Step 8. Beware of gab— Your salesperson may try to push you toward closing the deal by focusing on the relatively low amount you’ll have to pay each month. This, however, will add to the total amount you’ll pay.
• Step 9. Paying the Lease— The larger your initial down payment, the lower your monthly tab will be. As with any bill, you’ll face penalties if you fail to make payments on time. Turning in your leased car early, before his explanation, the loan term ends will typically result in a penalty—unless you are trading in the car for another leased or purchased car. Learn more at https://green-touch.org/instant-payday-loans-from-direct-lenders/

Furthermore, if a car or a truck crash on you, don’t let them escape. They must give the compensation you deserve especially if you’re injured or your car is damaged. You can hire Missouri Truck accident Lawyers for a quick and effective legal help.