Bon Voyage.

Boston on a Budget will unfortunately be taking a hiatus until January.

Why you ask?

I will be bringing my budget lifestyle to Dublin, as I head there to study abroad for the semester!

I instead invite you to follow my new blog, dublinluck.wordpress.com. Here you can follow my travels, and maybe even pick up a few budget tips for if you ever head to the Emerald Isle.

Until January, champagne kisses.

Shake Shack.

For the past two years, Tasty Burger has been the love of my life. Its prime location, juicy burgers, and yummy milkshakes have drawn me in as a committed customer. Last weekend I decided to stray from the norm and try something new: the Shake Shack on Chestnut Hill. I had heard rave reviews about the Shake Shack in NYC and seen the long lines to prove it, so I decided to do what felt like was cheating on Tasty Burger and give the Shake Shack a go.

It was a bit of a trek and the line was long, but boy was it worth it. I had the black and white milkshake with fries. They use custard in their milkshakes and you can taste the wonderful difference it makes. I am also not usually a fan of crinkle french fries, but theirs were heavenly and crispy. I did not venture to try a burger, but my friends did and said it tasted even better than In-N-Out Burger, which is la creme de la creme of fine burger dining.

It's safe to say the trip was a success, so if you're ever near Chestnut Hill, try it out. I think, however, that due to it's proximity to me, Tasty Burger will always remain my one true love.

Ha-vahd.

Harvard. Prestigious university, and one of the most used word to show off the Boston accent (pahk the cah in Havahd yahd anyone?). Anyways, with so many smart and wealthy people attending Harvard, it comes at no surprise that they would have studies open to the public that pay pretty well. This summer, I did about 10 studies through Harvard and made well over $250, making around $20-40 every study. Now I know what you're thinking: what kind of weird tests are they going to perform on me? The answer: none! All the studies I did were on computers or handwritten surveys. I even did one where I simply answered a text message twice a week for a month and made $50! These studies are fun and easy and a great way to earn extra cash.


For Harvard Business School, check out http://www.hbs.edu/cler/.

For the Harvard Decision Lab, check out https://harvarddecisionlab.sona-systems.com/Default.aspx?ReturnUrl=%2f,

For Harvard Psych studies, check out https://husp.sona-systems.com/Default.aspx?ReturnUrl=%2fMain.aspx%3fp_log%3desmith131&p_log=esmith131.

For Harvard Medical Studies, check out their website or Craigslist.


It's a great way to earn extra cash, not to mention Harvard Square is a beautiful area and there is so much to do and see!

Harvard Med in Fenway Area

HBS.

Harvard Business School.

Champagne Taste on a Beer Budget: Cape Cod Edition

After working and interning crazy hours this summer, I finally got the chance to get away and relax. And where better to do this than the Cape?

I've been to the Cape a few times before, but it has always been in the off season(I know, weird, right?). This summer I finally got to experience the true Cape Cod, and who else better to do this with than three of my best girl friends. In three short days we were able to see a lot, shop a little, and soak up a little too much sun. And of course we did it all on a budget.

We started the trip with a stop at Mary Lou's. This coffee shop is a must for anyone in the coastal area of Massachusetts. They have every flavor of coffee you could imagine, and unique flavors like Mint Pattie. On the way there I got an iced coffee called the Nutty Irishman, and while it was good, the drink I got on the way home was AMAZING. I would highly recommend trying the Oreo Cookie Monster. It's of a frappe consistency and is so delicious.

After getting our caffeine fix, we headed to my friend's aunt's house in Mashpee. Our first stop once arriving was the beach. We went to Popponesset, which was only a five minute walk from the house. The beach was beautiful and relatively quiet. We soaked up the sun, then headed down to the marketplace.

The Popponesset market place is adorable and looks like the quintessential Cape village. The sidewalks are lined with seashells instead of rocks and everything is bright and cheery. We looked around the shops and enjoyed a little people watching.

Later, we headed to Woods Hole to See the Nobska Point Lighthouse. We walked around the lighthouse and the beach and enjoyed the views.

The next day we hit the beach again in the morning, then went to Hyannis for some shopping in the afternoon. We walked around the shops, bought souvenirs, then walked around the harbor area. Here's a tip when looking for gifts on the Cape: check out chain stores, like the Christmas Tree Shop, for Cape themed souvenirs at a much lower price. I got a Cape Cod tank top for 5 bucks! We then decided to drive around and ended up checking out a beach in the Barnstable Harbor. It was beautiful and there were sand bars and little tide pools everywhere.

We then headed next door for dinner at the Mattakeese Wharf Waterfront Restaurant. While it was a little pricey for our budget lifestyle, the view was definitely worth it. Not to mention the Arugula Salad was one of the best I've ever had.

Later that night we headed to the beach. There was an amazing full moon, and it was so beautiful to see it reflecting on the water.

On our final day on the Cape, we decided to rent bikes and ride around. We rented bikes for an hour in the marketplace for $10 and road around Mashpee and Falmouth, getting much more of a workout than we anticipated.

After another trip to the beach to cool off, it was time to head back home. But the ride home wouldn't be complete without a stop at Plymouth Rock. One of my friends is from California and had never been, so we brought her to the rock and then showed her around Plymouth  As much as I hate reading about history, seeing it is always fun.

Needless to say, it was a great mini vacation to the Cape. Also, I can confidently say I did not spend more than $100 for the entire trip! Beach vacations are great because it allows you to enjoy the simple things in life like friends, the ocean, and nature. While my tan lines may fade, I hope the memories never do.

Champagnes kisses.

Chocolate wasted.

If you've been keeping up with this blog, you've probably discovered by now that I love food, especially desserts and more specifically, chocolate. It would come at no surprise then that my next restaurant review is none other than Max Brenner. Located in Copley Square, this restaurant, of which there are over a dozen locations worldwide, is a little slice of heaven. I went a year ago for my birthday and went again this summer to celebrate the 21st birthday of a friend.

Let's start with the basic concept of the restaurant: chocolate everything. While they do serve regular meals, the main affair is dessert. When you walk in, you are immediately taken over by the aromatic scent of chocolate in the air. There's a chocolate shop to the left and a bar to the right, where they whip up everything from hot cocoa to chocolate cocktails. The decor is all based around chocolate, with bottles of chocolate chips and other concoctions stacked everywhere. There are signs and posters all revolving around chocolate and Max Brenner, the bald man himself.

Now let's get to the real part: the food. The desserts come in large portions, and while they are a little bit more expensive than a trip to Coldstone, they are so worth it. My friend got the chocolate cake and a chocolate cocktail, both of which were great. Our only criticism was that the cocktail tasted good at first, but then all the hard liquor was on the bottom, making it rather hard to handle.

I got the Chocolate Chunk Pizza, which pretty much turned into a giant smore. This pizza comes in full or half size and you can pick the toppings from crunchy hazelnut bits, bananas, peanut butter or roasted marshmallows, in addition to the chocolate it is already smothered with. I got a half size and added marshmallows and hazelnut bits. It was simply delicious. I felt like I was eating a giant open faced smore. The portions were great, especially for the price, and I couldn't even finish it because there was so much! (A true shock coming from me.)

So if you're looking for a great spot to dress up with your friends, go out and get dessert, Max Brenner is the place to go.

Their Boston menu and more info can be found here: http://www.maxbrenner.com/menus/menus_usa/BOSTON.pdf.

My good friend Charles.

My favorite spot in Boston is most definitely the Charles River. The esplanade stretches along the Charles and provides paths for walking, running, and biking. There are playgrounds for kids, a work out area, boats to rent, and of course, the Hatch Shell which hosts concerts and other events. One of my favorite things about the Charles is that it is free. I love to take long walks along the river just to think. I love to sit on a bench and watch the sunset over the city. I love to sit on the docks and catch some rays of sunshine. But mostly, I just love the peace of the river mixed with the business of the city. There's nothing else like this combination, and it's a great place to enjoy nature and the city at the same time.

So if you need to go for a walk, release some endorphins running, or just want to see a great view, I would highly recommend taking walk down to the Charles River.

But sh*t it was 25 cents!

What's better than wings and margaritas? 25 cent wings and $5 margaritas. Where does such a deal exist, you ask? Thorntons Fenway Grille of course!

Thorntons is located at 100 Peterborough Street in Boston, just around the corner from Shaws and right down the street from Fenway. This place is great to go before or after a Sox game, or to go to watch the game. And every Thursday, they have 25 cent wings and $5 margaritas! A great deal and a great taste, check out Thorntons if your in the Fenway area on a Thursday! Check out their Facebook for hours and more info. https://www.facebook.com/pages/Thorntons-Fenway-Grille/117087248368887

NOT the wings from Thorntons, just a stock image!