Thursday Around Town

Time to share the wealth, so to speak, my friends!  Tonight is a night of indulgence around this fair city.  Most notably, we have the Spring Fling Seattle at the Broadway Grill, presented by Seattle Weekly to benefit Goodwill.  Bring something to donate and enter the raffle.  Graze a free buffet and get drinks at happy hour prices.  Good times and free food to be had by all!  5pm, 314 Broadway E.

Not feeling up to purchasing your drinks tonight?  Then scoot on over to Vino Verite for free wine tasting.  They have a free tasting every Thursday, so never you worry if you can't make it.  Still, after you've had your full of the buffet, nothing says happy hour like free wine.  6pm, 208 Boylston Ave E.

Thirsty Thursday, indeed - there are more free wine tastings around Seattle tonight.  If you can't make it out to Capitol Hill, your other option is the weekly free tasting at West Seattle Wine Cellars tonight at 5:30pm.  6026 California Ave SW.

To round out the evening of fun, go listen to Joshua Foer, brother of our favorite Jonathan Safran Foer discuss his book Moonwalking with Einstein: The Art and Science of Remembering Everything at Elliott Bay Books.  7pm, 1521 10th Ave.

Happy Hump Day!

It's Wednesday, young frugalites!  Never you worry about the midweek slump, there's plenty of free and cheap entertainment around town.  Pick and choose among the fun times galore. 

The renowned comedy troupe, Upright Citizens Brigade joins us at Seattle University for an evening of fun(ny) times.  Free to not only students, but also the general public.  Yes!  Go see them at the Pigott Auditorium.  7pm, 901 12th Ave (campus map).

If you have $5 to spare, I would totally relive my childhood perfecting the running man for MC Hammer vs. Vanilla Ice Dance Party at the Nectar Lounge, featuring DJ’s Moynilectric and BGeezy.  Yo VIP let's kick it.  8pm, 412 N 36th St.

Or, you can exercise your creative yarn muscles and show up at Neptune Coffee for the regular Wednesday installment Stitch and B*word.  Knit or crotchet to your hearts content, plus get $1 off wine.  7:30p, 8415 Greenwood Ave N.

Go fourth and be entertained, my moneyless friends!

Tuesday Around Town

Don't miss The Secret Garden Bookshop's Ultimate Tuesday, an event held the last Tuesday of every month where authors read from their own works.  In celebration of Dr. Seuss's 107th Birthday, The Secret Garden is departing from it's usual ways and having a local secret mini-celeb read from his work.  Event held tonight at 7pm, 2214 NW Market St.


If you would rather avoid the presence of children, direct yourself on over to the Elliot Bay Book Company to hear Peter Corning discuss about his book The Fair Society.  From their site:

"Peter Corning paints a compelling picture of the excessive inequalities of income, wealth and power in American society, and the damage they cause. More importantly, he makes a strong case for fairness—arguing that equality, equity, and reciprocity are central to humanity's social needs and collective flourishing." – Kate Pickett.

 Flex your mind muscles and learn a little something too.  Tonight at 7pm, 1521 10th Ave.


Of course, I can't forget to mention the event I wish I could afford to go to if I had $5 to spare: Dan Savage, his partner Terry Miller and friends discuss their new book It Gets Better, based off the acclaimed movement they started supporting gay youth.  Event is free for those under 18 and $5 for us non-minors.  Tonight in the Great Hall at Town Hall Seattle, 7:30pm, 1119 8th Ave.


Perhaps music is more your preference tonight, and if that's the case, head on over to the Stepping Stone in Ballard for their weekly Tuesday open mic night.  Free music, although you will probably want to get some beer or wine to go along with the entertainment.  Tonight at 8pm, 5903 24th Ave NW.


More weekly events: the Columbia City Theater is holding their all day happy hour and Tuesday night trivia tonight.  Tonight's theme: movies.  Tonight at 8pm, 4916 Rainier Ave S.

Moneyless Monday

Monday is the toughest day as it's the day before my weekly governmental check.  This is also the toughest week for me as it's rent week.  All and all, this tight time of the month means I either choose to hibernate and accept the challenge of my need for free.

Let me remind you, my poor elite friends, that tonight is the Wye Oak in store at the Sonic Boom Records on Capitol Hill.  Be there, 6pm.

*UPDATE: It appears this event is sold out!  Sad day for all!*
If you are luckier than I and have $5 to spare, sprint on over (and I literally mean sprint as the events are timed close together) to Town Hall to see Sarah Vowell talk about her new book Unfamiliar Fishes at 7:30pm.

More to come my penny pinching friends as the information arises.

Get Ready for a Weekend of Cheap Feasting

This Saturday and Sunday is the annual Vegfest at the Seattle Center.  Normally, the promotion of events with a cover isn't the MO of this sort of blog.  However, with the promise of 500 free samples of delicious vegetarian fare, this northwest meatless eater can't resist.  And, it sure beats combing the isles of Whole Foods or the Metropolitan Market for free samples only to purchase a pack of gum.

Where: Seattle Center's Exhibition Hall - 305 Harrison Street
When: Saturday March 26th & Sunday March 27th @ 10am - 6pm
Adults - $8, Kids 12 and under - Free


If your pocketbook is full of nothing but lint, the other alternative is The Tastes of Norway this Saturday at the Leif Erikson Lodge in Ballard.  Admission is free to the Norwegian afternoon of food and entertainment.  So what if I'm only 1/16 Norwegian, I would definitely enjoy a free Krumkake.

Where: Leif Erikson Lodge - 2245 NW 57th St
When: Saturday March 26th @ 10am - 4pm


If you're in the Market for some more free food this weekend, go ahead and stalk the Couscous Caravan for free samples of Near East couscous, recipe booklets and coupons.  The caravan will be traveling around town through May 15th, so don't stress if you miss out this weekend.  For more info on their schedule, visit their facebook page.

Where: Whole Foods - 2001 15th Ave W
When: Saturday March 26th @ 11am - 2pm 

Where: Taste Washington! at Qwest Field Event Center - 800 Occidental Ave 
When: Sunday March 27th @ 11am - 7pm
(Please note, I am recommending the free couscous, not the actual event, which has a $75 admission.   Although, if I did have money to burn, that would sound like an awesome way to spend a Sunday.)

Live long, eat well, and pay next to nothing!

Keep Your Finger on the Pulse, Young Frugalite

Exciting news to us poor indie music fans.  The up and coming darlings of the indie-pop scene, WYE OAK, are playing a free in-store performance at one of our favorite record stores, Sonic Boom this coming Monday.

Haven't heard of these guys?  Check out some of the streaming tunes on their website.  They follow the ethereal pop vein of Beach House and Grizzly Bear, with a little bit of the Weepies thrown in.

Check out the dets...
Where: Sonic Boom Record on Capitol Hill -1525 Melrose Ave
When: Monday March 28 @ 6pm
ALL AGES

This in-store is in lieu of an actual Seattle show, so arrive a bit early to stake out your spot.

Seattle on a Shoe String

As I smash the proverbial champagne bottle to the ship that is this blog, I will share the motivation behind it's creation.

Well, first off, I am unemployed.  Because of this, I spend my days in a constant state of penny pinching, buyers remorse, and boredom.  In order to rid myself of the daily activities of drinking endless tea or drip coffee while reading in nearby coffee shops or merely moving from my bed to the couch for a rousing afternoon of daytime television, I began stalking my fair city on the internet in hopes of finding things to do that I could afford with my weekly allowance of $25.

Challenge accepted.

I began to realize, why yes I am fairly awesome at this shoe-string lifestyle.  Granted, my life as a contract copy writer lends me to stretches of unemployment, so I am practiced.  I have also learned that I am not alone in my need to live on little while still finding means of entertainment.  Since getting a sugar daddy is out of the question, this blog now exists.

So, live long and cheap, Seattle dwellers.  I will share with you now the knowledge I have gleaned from my day to day frugality.