The Manhattan skyline and one of artist Olafur Eliasson's waterfalls. See the waterfalls through Oct. 13

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NEW YORK — You don't need big bucks to enjoy the Big Apple big time. Here are some strategies.

Subway fare is $2. A MetroCard with unlimited rides on subways and buses is $7.50 for the day or $25 for seven days.

Stroll the serpentine paths of Central Park on your own or take a free walking tour from the Central Park Conservancy, www.centralparknyc.org. Carousel rides are $2. For $8, you can hang out with polar bears and penguins at the zoo.

At Fifth Avenue and 50th Street is Rockefeller Center. The elegant art-deco skyscrapers, Channel Gardens and statues of Prometheus and Atlas are worth seeing in person, no matter how many times you've seen them on TV.

Spend a few minutes inside Grand Central Terminal, at 42nd Street and Park Avenue, gazing at the arches, cathedral windows and ceiling that make the place so grand.

Head west on 42nd Street to Times Square, but wait until after dark to fully appreciate the neon lights. Don't worry — the place is packed, even at night. You'll be perfectly safe.

Take the No. 1 train to the South Ferry stop and hop on the Staten Island ferry. It's free and offers fantastic views of the Statue of Liberty and city skyline, not to mention the manmade waterfalls on the East River, in place through Oct. 13. Details on other vantage points and boat rides for viewing the falls at nycvisit.com/waterfalls.

Another way to see the city from the water is by kayak. The Downtown Boathouse — www.downtownboathouse.org — offers free kayaking weekends through Oct. 13 on the Hudson River on the city's West Side.

For a thrilling view of Lower Manhattan's urban canyons and skyscrapers, walk across the Brooklyn Bridge.

If your favorite TV show is filmed in New York, you may be able to see it live for free. Details at www.nytix.com.

A few Broadway shows hold nightly lotteries for cheap front-row tickets ($21.50 for "Avenue Q," $26.50 for "In the Heights"; check Web sites for details). It's a great deal if your plans are flexible. Or try the TKTS booth in the Marriott Marquis Hotel, West 46th Street between Broadway and Eighth Avenue, which sells tickets at up to 50 percent off for that night's performance at many Broadway and off-Broadway shows.

Most museums have some free hours. Arrive early and be prepared for crowds. (What, you thought you were the only one on a budget?)

The Museum of Modern Art, 53rd Street and Fifth Avenue, hosts free Fridays, 4-8 p.m. The Whitney Museum of American Art, Madison Avenue and 75th Street, has "pay what you wish" admission 6-9 p.m. Fridays. The Brooklyn Museum (Eastern Parkway/Brooklyn Museum stop on the No. 2 or 3 train) has free admission the first Saturday night of each month except September, 5-11 p.m. The arts-and-entertainment event draws huge crowds, from young hipsters to families to older folks.

The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Fifth Avenue and 82nd Street, always has a "suggested admission" of $20, which means that, no, you really don't have to pay the full amount. Don't be embarrassed; New Yorkers on a budget do it all the time.

For breakfast, a bagel with cream cheese is the real deal. (Don't you dare put jam on that bagel!) And don't ask how many calories it is; just know that you won't be hungry for hours. In many parts of the city, corner coffee carts sell decent java, pastries and donuts for about $1.

A cheap lunch might be a hot dog from a cart, a slice from a pizzeria or a sandwich to go from a deli. Also popular are "halal" grill carts selling falafel, chicken in pita and other Middle Eastern fare for $5 or less.

For a sit-down splurge, try Dawat, an Indian restaurant with impeccable service and an outstanding menu created by the writer and actress Madhur Jaffrey. There are several $16 lunch specials. Dinner entrees run more, but even at night you can get a half-order of tandoori chicken for $14.

Supermarkets often sell whole cooked rotisserie chickens to go for under $10. Add a loaf of Italian bread, a readymade salad, and find a park for a picnic for two. Or round up some friends and order a few dishes to share in an ethnic restaurant. Chinatown has many inexpensive restaurants.

Spend an afternoon exploring. Take the No. 7 train to Jackson Heights and soak up the sounds, sights and smells of the Latin and Asian shops and restaurants. Walk across 125th Street in Harlem. Wander around the Lower East Side, where bargain stores still sell housedresses on racks, but trendy bars and cafes are encroaching on the old neighborhood. Don't forget Coney Island, last stop on the D, F, or Q trains to Brooklyn.

Big Apple Greeters — bigapplegreeter.org — offers free, personalized tours led by volunteers who love sharing their knowledge of the city. Reserve three to four weeks ahead.

If you don't have a friend or relative to stay with, the Pod Hotel, www.thepodhotel.com — has some rooms less than $200. Or pretend that Sunday is the new Friday, and book a Sunday-Monday stay through NYC Sunday Stays at www.nycvisit.com /sundaystays with room rates 20-30 percent off, free breakfasts and other deals.