My boyfriend and I live in New York City, one of the most expensive cities in the world. Here are 4 ways we save money as a young couple.

• My boyfriend and I have lived together in NYC for over three years.
• It's an expensive city, so we use a few simple tricks to save money while still having fun.

It's not easy living in one of the most expensive cities in the world, but my boyfriend and I manage.

We've lived together in New York City for three years, so discussing bills and strategizing finances is part of our everyday conversation. I'm a 27-year-old lifestyle reporter, while my partner Xavier is a 30-year-old musician and producer.

It's important to save money, but we also want to enjoy all the city offers. As such, we've implemented a few easy tricks to cut back on our monthly expenses.

Learning to budget was a Godsend, and I wish I had started sooner

Creating a monthly budget does three things: it shows where you'll spend your money, how much money you'll spend, and holds you accountable. Ours includes categories like entertainment and food, which are budgeted at $300 and $500, respectively.

When my boyfriend and I began seriously budgeting in February — as in we finally created an Excel spreadsheet — we discovered how much money we wasted each month on things like Uber Eats and unused subscriptions. We quickly saw extra cash in our pockets once we cut back on those seemingly innocuous purchases. We've saved a little under $3,000 over the last six months.

Sometimes overspending is inevitable because life happens, but consistent budgeting can cushion the financial hits.

A lot of companies offer discounts and perks on their apps

Paper coupons still get the job done, but these days it might be easier to download an app.

My boyfriend and I don't shop at our local grocery store, Food Bazaar, without using its Food Bazaar Reward App, which features perks like "deals of the week" and weekly ads offering discounts on everything from laundry detergent to chicken thighs. Avid app users can also accumulate points that access customer rewards.

We also use discount apps for Target, and my cousin recently told me about Ibotta, an app that features digital rebate offers for different items and stores like Walmart. I've also recently downloaded the Too Good To Go app, where food vendors sell surplus food they'd normally throw away at a low price.

Affordable date nights keep our relationship in tune and don't break the bank

I enjoy a swanky date as much as the next person, but there's something to be said for dates that don't drain your budget. Dates in our budget typically fall into the entertainment category, which we cap at $300.

It might take a bit of digging, but many cities have discounted or free activities that make for great adventures.

We attend a lot of matinee movies, cheap museums, and art gallery trips, and we definitely take advantage of happy hour when we go out for drinks. Earlier this year, we visited the New York Aquarium, which offers free admission after 3:00 p.m. on Wednesdays.

We found a lot of deals on Groupon, including a couple's massage we enjoyed on Valentine's Day in 2021.

Communication is key — even if it's uncomfortable at first

Discussing personal finances can initially feel daunting — it did for us — but it's wholly necessary. In addition to regular bills, we always discuss any large potential purchases, like concert tickets or a new work desk, and how it affects the overall budget.

On the other hand, we're also transparent with each other when money is tight so we can plan accordingly.