A weekly dive into the real cost of living on Long Island, from the pump to the pantry.

Business

Wallet Watch

BZWALLETNEWSLETTER_SG

Brianne Ledda

<a class="p-smartembed" data-attr-caption="Source: CoStar Group. Includes all unit sizes in professionally managed buildings (5+ units). Excludes senior and affordable housing." data-attr-credit="" data-attr-f="Preview 4:3" data-attr-has-caption="true" data-attr-has-credit="true" data-attr-q="0.3" data-attr-w="400" data-onecms-id="contentid/eb039ff5-0180-4e93-a14f-226d62c074a4" data-onecms-type="image" href="javascript:window.parent.actionEventData({$contentId:'contentid/eb039ff5-0180-4e93-a14f-226d62c074a4', $action:'view', $target:'work'})" polopoly:contentid="contentid/eb039ff5-0180-4e93-a14f-226d62c074a4"><img src="/image-service/alias/contentid/eb039ff5-0180-4e93-a14f-226d62c074a4/FORNEWSLETTERONLY_%20bzAFFORDABLE_comparerents%20(1).jpeg?f=Preview%204%3A3&amp;w=400&amp;q=0.3">Source: CoStar Group. Includes all unit sizes in professionally managed buildings (5+ units). Excludes senior and affordable housing.</a> 
Last year,&nbsp;1,741 people applied for the chance to rent apartments&nbsp;between around $1,250 and $1,550&nbsp;—&nbsp;below market rate&nbsp;—&nbsp;at a new building on Bedell Street in Hempstead. Only 53 were selected.&nbsp; 
Yola Augustin was one of them. It took nearly two years of searching to find a new home that she could afford for herself and her adult brother, who has Down syndrome. Getting the chance to rent an apartment at Estella felt "like actually winning the New York Lottery," she said.&nbsp; 
It's a high stakes market for renters like Augustin, who face a crowded field of applicants&nbsp;and&nbsp;a web of rules and eligibility requirements to find a place in Long Island's affordable housing market. 
More than half of Long Island renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing, spurring hundreds or even thousands to apply for just a handful of affordable units available through lotteries like the one for Estella. <a class="p-smartembed" data-attr-caption="Yola Augustin at her apartment in Hempstead in mid-May. Augustin received an apartment at Estella, an affordable-housing building in Hempstead, after being selected through a lottery" data-attr-credit="Newsday" data-attr-has-caption="true" data-attr-has-credit="true" data-attr-q="0.3" data-attr-w="400" data-onecms-id="contentid/8151c060-a086-4b82-8e0c-986780306397" data-onecms-type="image" href="javascript:window.parent.actionEventData({$contentId:'contentid/8151c060-a086-4b82-8e0c-986780306397', $action:'view', $target:'work'})" polopoly:contentid="contentid/8151c060-a086-4b82-8e0c-986780306397"><img src="/image-service/alias/contentid/8151c060-a086-4b82-8e0c-986780306397/IMG_0872.jpg?w=400&amp;q=0.3">Yola Augustin at her apartment in Hempstead in mid-May. Augustin received an apartment at Estella, an affordable-housing building in Hempstead, after being selected through a lottery</a> 
There is help out there — but to find it, renters must navigate a complicated, fragmented and fiercely competitive&nbsp;system of lotteries, waitlists and&nbsp;voucher programs with varying income restrictions. 
This week for Wallet Watch, Newsday residential real estate reporter&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsday.com/people/jonathan-lamantia">Jonathan LaMantia</a>&nbsp;and I spoke with housing advocates, developers and local officials to break down how these systems work, why "affordable" housing can sometimes still feel out of reach&nbsp;and where renters can search for opportunities. 
Read the full story&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsday.com/business/wallet-watch/how-to-find-affordable-housing-long-island-bthmvmcx">here</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp; 
<h2>From our readers</h2> 
<h3>A reader on Facebook, @NYCBroadwayBaby, asks:&nbsp;</h3> 
We already pay for state parks through taxes. Why do we also have to buy park passes to enter? 
Our taxes fund some of the budget needed to run New York's state parks, but not all of it.&nbsp;Visitor revenue makes up about one-third of the system's budget and&nbsp;helps pay for upkeep, staffing and park services, a spokesperson for the agency said.&nbsp;But if you want to enjoy some tax-funded nature without paying extra,&nbsp;there are a few ways to do it. 
Check with your local public library&nbsp;to see if you can borrow an <a href="https://parks.ny.gov/visit/passes/empire-pass">Empire Pass</a>, which waives the vehicle entrance fee, typically between $6 and $10 for a day.&nbsp;Most libraries lend the pass for a period of&nbsp;three to seven&nbsp;days, depending on the branch, as long as you have a valid library card. 
Buying your own pass starts at $80 for a physical card,&nbsp;while a digital pass costs $72;&nbsp;both are valid through Dec. 31 of the year purchased. The pass can be shared with family and friends, but it can only be used for one vehicle at a time.&nbsp; 
There are <a href="https://nystateparks.blog/2025/08/07/seasonal-savings-at-state-parks-and-historic-sites/">programs</a> that offer free passes to veterans, active military members, people with disabilities and New Yorkers 62 and older. You can also avoid the vehicle fee by walking or biking instead.&nbsp;And many parks and historic sites around the state&nbsp;are free to access. 
On Long Island, that includes: 
<ul> 
 <li><a href="https://parks.ny.gov/visit/state-parks/brentwood-state-park">Brentwood State Park</a>, Brentwood</li> 
 <li><a href="https://parks.ny.gov/parks/brookhaven/details.aspx">Brookhaven State Park</a>, Ridge</li> 
 <li><a href="https://parks.ny.gov/parks/coldspringharbor/details.aspx">Cold Spring Harbor State Park</a>, Cold Spring&nbsp;Harbor&nbsp;</li> 
 <li><a href="https://parks.ny.gov/parks/shadmoor/details.aspx">Shadmoor State Park</a>, Montauk</li> 
 <li><a href="https://parks.ny.gov/parks/trailview/details.aspx">Trail View State Park</a>, Woodbury</li> 
</ul> 
Have a question you'd like to submit? Confused by a bill? Spotted a price hike? Ask our team and we might answer it in the next edition. Email <a href="mailto:walletwatch@newsday.com">walletwatch@newsday.com</a>&nbsp;or <a href="https://www.newsday.com/business/wallet-watch/wallet-watch-feedback-your-question-pq9a9bs6">click here</a>.

BZWALLETNEWSLETTER_260528

Copy Of BZWALLETNEWSLETTER_260528_photo_3

Copy Of bzAFFORDABLE260518 

Wallet Watch newsletter: Where's the affordable housing?

Where's the affordable housing?

AIAudio - Wallet Watch newsletter: Subject line goes here


<a class="p-smartembed" data-attr-caption="Screenshot" data-attr-credit="" data-attr-f="Preview 4:3" data-attr-has-caption="true" data-attr-has-credit="true" data-attr-q="0.3" data-attr-w="400" data-onecms-id="contentid/dc2c48a3-ae01-4dcb-9ccb-747610ac8a73" data-onecms-type="image" href="javascript:window.parent.actionEventData({$contentId:'contentid/dc2c48a3-ae01-4dcb-9ccb-747610ac8a73', $action:'view', $target:'work'})" polopoly:contentid="contentid/dc2c48a3-ae01-4dcb-9ccb-747610ac8a73"><img src="/image-service/alias/contentid/dc2c48a3-ae01-4dcb-9ccb-747610ac8a73/IMG_1804.jpg?f=Preview%204%3A3&amp;w=400&amp;q=0.3">Screenshot</a> 
This week for Wallet Watch, my colleague <a href="https://www.newsday.com/people/victor-ocasio">Victor Ocasio</a> and I took a closer look at why parents on Long Island feel pressure to overspend on their children.&nbsp;Raising kids on Long Island is already expensive. 
But many parents told us the real strain comes from everything beyond the basics — travel sports, lessons, parties and extracurriculars that can cost thousands a year. 
Victor spoke with one Levittown mother, Amanda Pastore, who said she's raided her retirement savings and sold the family minivan to pay for birthday parties for her young son.&nbsp; <a class="p-smartembed" data-attr-caption="Amanda Pastore at her Levittown home in April." data-attr-credit="" data-attr-f="3x2" data-attr-has-caption="true" data-attr-has-credit="true" data-attr-q="0.3" data-attr-w="400" data-onecms-id="contentid/c31fd138-18ac-4f58-a85d-e8833583de08" data-onecms-type="image" href="javascript:window.parent.actionEventData({$contentId:'contentid/c31fd138-18ac-4f58-a85d-e8833583de08', $action:'view', $target:'work'})" polopoly:contentid="contentid/c31fd138-18ac-4f58-a85d-e8833583de08"><img src="/image-service/alias/contentid/c31fd138-18ac-4f58-a85d-e8833583de08/bzJONES260512.jpg?f=3x2&amp;w=400&amp;q=0.3">Amanda Pastore at her Levittown home in April.</a> 
However, sports stood out as one of the biggest financial pressure points we found from our reporting. Families told us they spend thousands of dollars a year on club teams, private coaching and extra training.&nbsp;They make those&nbsp;investments&nbsp;not necessarily because they expect scholarships, but because they worry their kids will fall behind teammates who are getting more instruction and playing time. <a class="p-smartembed" data-attr-caption="Screenshot" data-attr-credit="" data-attr-f="Preview 4:3" data-attr-has-caption="true" data-attr-has-credit="true" data-attr-q="0.3" data-attr-w="400" data-onecms-id="contentid/e96cc24a-b22a-444a-bd0c-bc8be92ac619" data-onecms-type="image" href="javascript:window.parent.actionEventData({$contentId:'contentid/e96cc24a-b22a-444a-bd0c-bc8be92ac619', $action:'view', $target:'work'})" polopoly:contentid="contentid/e96cc24a-b22a-444a-bd0c-bc8be92ac619"><img src="/image-service/alias/contentid/e96cc24a-b22a-444a-bd0c-bc8be92ac619/IMG_4319.jpg?f=Preview%204%3A3&amp;w=400&amp;q=0.3">Screenshot</a> 
For parents&nbsp;feeling squeezed, there's a way to get out of this trap, mental health professionals said. 
Set realistic expectations with your kids about what you can afford. 
"The way to have a healthy balance is for kids to understand that money is finite, to understand we can’t always afford something and we’re OK, and still we thrive," said Don Sinkfield, a mental health counselor in Valley Stream. 
Read the story&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsday.com/business/wallet-watch/long-island-parents-kids-expenses-sports-birthday-parties-uuf8n7a2">here</a>.&nbsp; 
<h2>From our readers</h2> 
<h3>Sharon Bendersky on Facebook asks:</h3> 
Why are Long Island’s car insurance premiums so high even for drivers with clean records? 
&nbsp; 
The short answer: More accidents, more claims, more costs. 
Even safe drivers on Long Island can face high premiums because insurers price policies partly based on regional risk — and Long Island is an expensive place to insure cars, experts said. 
Long Island’s dense population, heavily congested roads and large number of commuters traveling to New York City all contribute to higher accident rates, said Beth Swanson, an insurance analyst at Zebra, an insurance comparison company. 
The Long Island Expressway alone averages thousands of crashes a year, she said, with bumper-to-bumper traffic contributing to&nbsp;a high number of rear-end collisions. 
Higher labor, healthcare and property costs on Long Island also drive up repair bills and insurance claims. Swanson noted that high property taxes can increase overhead costs for repair shops, pushing labor and parts prices higher. 
Analysts also pointed to fraud and lawsuits tied to New York’s no-fault insurance system, where drivers’ own insurers cover their medical costs regardless of who caused a crash. Swanson said New York is also considered a riskier insurance market because many drivers carry only minimum coverage, causing "premiums to skyrocket after a major accident to cover the shortfall." 
A few ways drivers may be able to lower rates: 
<ul> 
 <li>Take a defensive driving course.</li> 
 <li>Shop around regularly for quotes.</li> 
 <li>Ask about low-mileage discounts.</li> 
 <li>Look into safe-driver tracking programs.</li> 
</ul> 
Have a question you'd like to submit? Confused by a bill? Spotted a price hike? Ask our team and we might answer it in the next edition. Email walletwatch@newsday.com&nbsp;or <a href="https://www.newsday.com/business/wallet-watch/wallet-watch-feedback-your-question-pq9a9bs6">click here</a>.

BZWALLETNEWSLETTER_260521

Copy Of bzwallet

Copy Of bzJONES260511_photos

Copy Of IMG_4319.jpg

Wallet Watch newsletter: The price of fitting in on Long Island

The price of fitting in on Long Island

<a class="p-smartembed" data-attr-caption="The Long Island Consumer Confidence Index (officially the Summary Index of Consumer Sentiment) is measured by the Siena Research Institute. This data is based on quarterly telephone and web surveys of approximately 100 Long Island residents. Updates are released in January, April, July, and October.
" data-attr-credit="" data-attr-f="3x2" data-attr-has-caption="true" data-attr-has-credit="true" data-attr-q="0.3" data-attr-w="400" data-onecms-id="contentid/1cba2e4a-04e2-4b5d-a7f3-3fd230d50f62" data-onecms-type="image" href="javascript:window.parent.actionEventData({$contentId:'contentid/1cba2e4a-04e2-4b5d-a7f3-3fd230d50f62', $action:'view', $target:'work'})" polopoly:contentid="contentid/1cba2e4a-04e2-4b5d-a7f3-3fd230d50f62"><img src="/image-service/alias/contentid/1cba2e4a-04e2-4b5d-a7f3-3fd230d50f62/Screenshot%202026-05-13%20at%205.09.59%E2%80%AFPM.png?f=3x2&amp;w=400&amp;q=0.3">The Long Island Consumer Confidence Index (officially the Summary Index of Consumer Sentiment) is measured by the Siena Research Institute. This data is based on quarterly telephone and web surveys of approximately 100 Long Island residents. Updates are released in January, April, July, and October. </a> 
What’s the first word that comes to mind when you think of Long Island? For me, it’s expensive. 
Gas. Groceries. Housing. Prices keep going up, and while many economists say the broader economy is holding up fairly well, that’s not always how it feels around here. I go home and look at my bills, then come to work and look at other people’s bills. So when I say a lot of Long Islanders are struggling right now, believe me.&nbsp;&nbsp; 
That’s why Newsday is launching Wallet Watch. 
We’re putting in the work not just to cover the economy, but to help Long Islanders navigate it. The <a href="https://www.newsday.com/business/wallet-watch">Wallet Watch landing page</a> on <a href="http://newsday.com">newsday.com</a> features deeply reported stories from our business team, answers to reader questions, charts tracking inflation and other economic trends across the region, and <a href="https://www.newsday.com/business/wallet-watch/shopper-quiz-ieqkpx0n">an interactive quiz</a>&nbsp;designed to help people better understand — and maybe even hack — their shopping and spending habits. 
<h2>Why it costs more to live on Long Island</h2> <a class="p-smartembed" data-attr-caption="Harrison Smith, mobile outreach and community services manager for Long Island Cares, hands out free fresh produce from the Long Island Cares Farm to Truck program at Harmony Healthcare in Hempstead." data-attr-credit="" data-attr-has-caption="true" data-attr-has-credit="true" data-attr-q="0.3" data-attr-w="400" data-onecms-id="contentid/96b9fb7e-7d72-470c-9e03-7e7e32e5c5b7" data-onecms-type="image" href="javascript:window.parent.actionEventData({$contentId:'contentid/96b9fb7e-7d72-470c-9e03-7e7e32e5c5b7', $action:'view', $target:'work'})" polopoly:contentid="contentid/96b9fb7e-7d72-470c-9e03-7e7e32e5c5b7"><img src="/image-service/alias/contentid/96b9fb7e-7d72-470c-9e03-7e7e32e5c5b7/bzUNIQUE260517-5.jpg?w=400&amp;q=0.3">Harrison Smith, mobile outreach and community services manager for Long Island Cares, hands out free fresh produce from the Long Island Cares Farm to Truck program at Harmony Healthcare in Hempstead.</a> 
To kick off the Wallet Watch project, my colleagues <a href="https://www.newsday.com/people/james-t-madore">James T. Madore</a>, <a href="https://www.newsday.com/people/jonathan-lamantia">Jonathan LaMantia</a> and <a href="https://www.newsday.com/people/tory-n-parrish">Tory N. Parrish</a> examined why the cost of living on Long Island is 32% above the national average. 
They found a host of reasons for the region’s high prices: proximity to New York City, layers of local government and expectations for a high quality of life, among other things. But for many Long Islanders, the most brutal expense is housing. The cost to buy a home here has doubled over the past decade, while rents on Long Island run about 70% higher than the national average. 
The story also includes advice from experts on how Long Islanders can stretch their dollars further and potentially cut costs on housing, utilities, taxes, transportation and more. 
Read more <a href="https://www.newsday.com/business/long-island-cost-of-living-wallet-watch-j1bc2mvq">here</a>.&nbsp; 
<h2>She works 100 hours per week. It's not enough.</h2> <a class="p-smartembed" data-attr-caption="Jeannine Sheppard (l) of Westbury answers questions from her daughter Meghan 22 about her jobs." data-attr-credit="" data-attr-has-caption="true" data-attr-has-credit="true" data-attr-q="0.3" data-attr-w="400" data-onecms-id="contentid/a5ffc80b-3a4a-4289-bd62-667f22cfc5cb" data-onecms-type="image" href="javascript:window.parent.actionEventData({$contentId:'contentid/a5ffc80b-3a4a-4289-bd62-667f22cfc5cb', $action:'view', $target:'work'})" polopoly:contentid="contentid/a5ffc80b-3a4a-4289-bd62-667f22cfc5cb"><img src="/image-service/alias/contentid/a5ffc80b-3a4a-4289-bd62-667f22cfc5cb/bzSIDEHUSTLE260315-5.jpg?w=400&amp;q=0.3">Jeannine Sheppard (l) of Westbury answers questions from her daughter Meghan 22 about her jobs.</a> 
I’ve spent the last few months reporting on Long Islanders working multiple jobs to push through affordability challenges that some regional business leaders are now calling an “existential” crisis for the region. 
Jeannine Sheppard is one example. She’s 60, a mother of two adult daughters, and works full time as an EMT while also waitressing — sometimes logging more than 100 hours a week. And she’s not alone. While reporting this story, I spoke to dozens of Long Islanders juggling multiple jobs, including a dancer balancing four part-time gigs to cover rent and a young professional working side hustles while raising a family here. 
Nearly one-third of Long Islanders report being financially strained, meaning they cannot cover an unexpected expense without missing bills or falling into debt, and one in five Long Islanders identifies as a gig worker. Jeannine described it as “fixing something you didn’t actually break” — an endless cycle of work just to stay afloat. 
Read the full story&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsday.com/business/side-hustle-extra-income-wallet-watch-rrx3nvt2">here</a>. 
<h2>From our readers</h2> 
<h3>Paul Cognato on Facebook&nbsp;asks:</h3> 
Why do we pay some of the highest property taxes in America? 
This actually came up&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsday.com/business/long-island-cost-of-living-wallet-watch-j1bc2mvq">in one of our Wallet Watch stories this week</a>. As my colleagues reported, Long Island has many layers of government, including 124 school districts. 
About two-thirds of the average property tax bill goes toward public schools, but those taxes also help fund law enforcement, garbage pickup, libraries, fire districts, senior services and other local programs. Many towns provide residents with a breakdown showing exactly where tax dollars go. <a href="https://www.smithtownny.gov/180/ViewPay-Your-Property-Taxes">Here’s one example</a> from the Town of Smithtown. 
But why are taxes especially high here? 
“In other areas of the country, statewide broad-based taxes pay for a lot of services that we rely on the property tax to pay for, such as public education,” said Lawrence Levy, executive dean of Hofstra University’s National Center for Suburban Studies. 
Have a question you'd like us to answer? Confused by a bill? Spotted a sudden price hike? Email us at walletwatch@newsday.com&nbsp;or <a href="https://www.newsday.com/business/wallet-watch/wallet-watch-feedback-your-question-pq9a9bs6">click here</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;we may feature your question in an upcoming edition.

BZWALLETNEWSLETTER260514

Copy Of BZWALLETNEWSLETTER260514_photos

Copy Of BZUNIQUE260517_photos

Copy Of bzSIDEHUSTLE260315_photos

Wallet Watch newsletter: Welcome to Wallet Watch

Welcome to Wallet Watch

Wallet Watch newsletter: Read previous editions

onecms:72135c9f-1618-4f6b-8ece-cf23c1b4f199

Newsday

Sign up for the Wallet Watch newsletter

Wallet Watch Newsletter Widget

The nonprofit WellLife Network is accepting applications from people 55 and over for 33 new apartments in Medford.

LI housing lottery offers senior apartments starting at $975 a month

Wallet Watch - megaslot

Travel

Real Estate

Newsday Live

Classifieds

Cars

Jobs

Mahjongg

Weather

Data and Maps

Stay logged in.