If you are like me, you buy your monthly metrocard at or near the first of the month. (the 4th for me)

Here's a tip to save a few bucks. Buy your monthly pass BEFORE the new fares go into effect on June 28. You don't have to activate (first use the card) until July 6.

That's an $8 upfront savings...or at least allowing you to take the cheaper fares for July.

For more on these rules, follow this link to the MTA - http://mta.info/mta/09/

Wow...that changes my math a little bit too. I don't use a monthly, since I don't ride often enough to make it worthwhile. I think you need about 46-48 rides in 30 days to break even. Great for most, but I'm fortunate enough to be able to walk a lot. But the pay-per-ride is also going up a quarter, so for that month it'll only take 40 rides to break even. That's a little closer to being worth it...

Right now, unlimited cards cost $81 - that's 40.5 rides to break even.

They're going up to $89 - $39.5 rides to break even.

Looks like the 15% "bonus" on pay-per-ride purchases (over $8) didn't change with the fare increase. That 15% wasn't much, but it made a different in that break-even point. Now it's less of a factor...