Brokelyn

Okay, I’ll break the ice by saying I think this site needs more donated office space.

I get every post via RSS and tend to thoroughly read the ones about cheap or unique events in NYC. The cab ride comparisons are awesome and (as a Brooklynite) I do love your focus on my borough in particular.

If there was one thing that I think could use improvement, it would be adding an events calendar.

I have to say my fave part of the blog is the “Bar of the Day” write up! The comparison of prices (ie the cabs and drugstore items) is helpful too!

keep doing what you’re doing. Brokelyn’s a very sincere favorite of mine for the breadth of coverage & information provided. :)

stay warm & dry today!!

I got hooked after Brokelyn’s glorious tour of Midwood’s Little Pakistan. I love your answers to serious thrifty queries (i.e. are dental school cleanings worth the hassle and where can i get my furniture reupholstered on the cheap), but there’s a lot of what my Grandfather would call “mink on sale” cluttering up the site recently. My two cents. Then again, I’m pretty cheap

I think your site is just broke enough (though broker is always better). I love the neighborhood guides and would love more Crown Heights/Bed Stuy tips.

Overall, I really enjoy this site and think that it gives a great amount of information on a good deal of subjects.

I wish the site was organized a bit differently, though. While the main page could remain as simply the chronologically-ordered-listing of all of your posts, I think there should be more specific tabs to click on. Those along the top are too broad and aren’t always good for looking into certain topics. I think there should be a tab of all posts about Bars, a tab of all of your Car Service/Cab Price Checks, Beauty, etc. This way, if I’m looking for a good place to get my nails done that is cheap, I can look under “Beauty” and then find it — this could make your site more of a resource and a bit less of a simply blog.

I also agree with Sarah saying that you have many things “on sale” that are still super expensive. For example, you list a deal today about a gift that still costs $100. Unless I’m going to a wedding or its for my husband, it’s rare I’m spending that sort of money on someone’s gift. That’s great that it’s on sale, but it’s not on same for someone who is BROKE. I think you need to stick with the really cheap things in Brooklyn. (the artist doesn’t even live in Brooklyn!)

Keep the site local and cheap — and organize it as a better resource for people looking for advice on a specific topic.

Keep up all of the good work!!

Appreciate all the feedback, including the more critical comments about the price range of items on the site. I assume we’re talking about the engagement rings and the $100 portraits. It’s a tough call. Some events in life just cost a lot (proposing, attending weddings) and I think the cartoon portraits are a great wedding present. In flusher times, I habitually spent way more than $100 on wedding gifts, and having gotten married myself, can attest that many others do as well. That said, not everyone can do $100 or even $50 these days, so please watch the site for clever wedding gifts for ALL budgets. Thanks everyone.

Big fan of what you’ve written about so far. Loved the car service comparisons. Would like to see more cheap eats. I think we all could use some staycation info. There’s a whole lot of stuff that could be said about free entertainment, lectures and sporting events at the local colleges/universities. Also you might want to mention something about Brooklyn businesses with twitter offers and specials (i.e. the great prices NU Hotel has been offering during each snow storm).

Keep up the good work.

I agree with the posters who called for more Crown Heights/Bed Stuy posts. That area’s where college grads are moving to now – the rent’s cheapest there.

And I agree with the $100-is-not-for-broke-people commenter.

Personally, I’d be excited about supermarket writeups – deals and such.

I’d love even 2-3 more posts per day — Brokelyn is one of my first stops on my morning internet-browse, and I’m always left wanting more! Love the beauty, real-world shopping, and gift ideas, and the price range is perfect.

[...] posting sales because y’all are a tough crowd when it comes to deals, especially that gal who accused us of writing too often about “mink on sale.” But I’m willing to weather the slings and arrows with this one. Through Thursday, Dolce Vita, [...]