If you use a Twitter desktop application such as TweetDeck, try following our suggestions and others you find yourself, then creating a column for travel news that displays all of these accounts altogether – it’s a great way to spot up-to-the-minute deals and travel news as it happens.

If you think there’s a travel company, writer or website on Twitter that everyone should be following, don’t forget to tell us about it in the comments below:

• Air New Zealand – the Twitter account is mainly used for retweets from customers, but occasionally you’ll be first to learn about amazing offers like their Bags-It promotion, which saw return flights from London to Hong Kong sell for as little as £150 return

• Black Tomato - a UK operator offering contemporary breaks and news of other similarly cool events

• Brilliant Tips – there are plenty of suggestions here for getting the most out of your time away; a good source of insider knowledge, tips and advice for travellers

• Cheapflights – a useful and up-to-date source of bargain flights departing from the UK

• Hostel Bookers – a UK site but they cover the globe – there aren’t many deals here but you will find great customer service; if you need advice on where to stay on a budget, they’re well worth tweeting

• Hostel World – you’ll find the occasional hostel deal here, but otherwise a good source for travel tips and information

• Hotwire Travel Deals – regular hotel deals from across the US

• Iceland Express – a funky low-fare budget airline operating between major European cities and Iceland; keep an eye out for one-way fares dipping below 50€ from time to time

• jet2.com – English budget airline that offers tweeps the chance to win flights with Free Flight Friday

• JetBlue – this domestic US airline has had plenty of flash sales in recent months; follow them to hear their latest deals first

• Lonely Planet – the guide book publishers take a different approach to Twitter; tag your tweets with #lp and Lonely Planet will retweet them to 8,000 followers, creating a stream of useful travelogues, guides and information

• Millennium Hotels and Resorts – a mix of event information, sales and package deals

• Mr & Mrs Smith – tailored advice for tweeps who want to stop in boutique hotels in the UK

• Never Odd Or Even – developers of a range of travel guides for the iPhone called Instant Cities that offer free promotional codes to followers

• Times Travel – a lively mix of travel news, trivia and the occasional heads-up on deals from the UK newspaper

• Travelzoo – a constant torrent of US travel and hotel deals

• TripFlame – of course you have to follow us! As well as the hottest travel deals, we’ll have news and recommendations you won’t find anywhere else (like this!)

• United Airlines – home of twares (Twitter-based exclusive fares) and the occasional flash sale

• Wendy Perrin – Perrin is not only a consumer news editor at Conde Nast Traveler, but a passionate advocate of Twitter; well worth following if you want to find the latest US travel deals first

• Where I’ve Been – a terrific website for travellers, with a rich Twitter stream of links to essential travel articles

Thing is, once you realise how little time you’re going to spend in a hotel room, there’s no real point in booking one. You’ll be up early to see the sights and the Big Apple has plenty to keep you out til late. All you need is a bed and a bathroom, so who needs to go spending $200 a night?

If the thought of a hostel fills you with dread, don’t worry; there are plenty of smart, clean rooms on offer and plenty have en-suite bathrooms. The rooms might not have 150 channels of cable or room service, but are you going to New York for the television and over-priced burgers? If you’re prepared to share a room and make friends with other travellers, they’re even cheaper – you’ll find a bed in NYC for under $20 a night.

Here are five hostels and inns we’d recommend for single rooms; they’re not too far off the beaten track, so whether by foot or by subway, you won’t be too far from the bright lights and sights of New York:

Morningside Inn
This hostel may seem out the way on the Upper West Side of Manhattan but it’s just three blocks from the subway station, which means you can be in Midtown in less than 15 minutes.

American Inn
A real find for the budget traveller and one of our favourites, the Americana Inn is in the heart of Midtown on 6th Avenue, just two blocks away from the glorious Bryant Park.

The Latham
The Latham is just off 5th Avenue and only four blocks from the Empire State Building. You’re also under ten minutes walk from Herald Square, where two of New York’s major subway lines meet.

Candy Hostel
Another hostel on the Upper West side, near to the Hudson rive but less than two blocks from Broadway and the closest subway station – you’ll be in Midtown in quarter of an hour.

5th Avenue Spot
Deep in Harlem, near the popular 125th Street, 5th Avenue Spot is minutes away from the world famous Apollo Theatre and Cotton Club.

One point to remember is that most hostels only accept cash payments upfront, so make sure you have enough cash to cover your stay when you check in.

We’re constantly scouring Twitter and the internet for the latest deals. Follow our Twitter feed to get the latest offers as we discover them, and watch the blog for news and ideas of how far your money will take you. We haven’t launched, so expect plenty of changes to our blog as time goes on.

If you want to get in touch, we’d love to hear from you – email me at sally@tripflame.com.

Happy travels!