it's FREE! (or mostly free)

things i've learned from living on the cheap in one of the most expensive places to live - Los Angeles. i might not live there now, but i've certainly carried on the habit and have found other ways to save money while enjoying the good life.

1. a student i.d. card is a godsend. if you have it and it's still valid, use it. don't be afraid to ask if a store or service company gives student discounts. even if it's only 5%, all those dollars add up. the most generous student discounts come from museums and other tourist attractions. best example: the getty research institute (g.r.i.) located within the getty museum campus will provide a "stack reader" i.d. for graduate students with a valid ID. "stack reader" status will give you free parking, which can cost up to $15 on weekends. it's valid for two years and you can renew as long as you're still a student. the getty is the best place to people watch in l.a., the art/design/architecture library is an excellent resource, and the exhibits change often enough that there's always an excuse to go. note: make sure the g.r.i. is open on the day you are visiting because some people at the parking garage will say you'll still have to pay since the library's closed. just tell them you called ahead and confirmed it's open.

2. volunteering has its perks. not only does it make you feel better for being part of the community, there's a bunch of material benefits included. i've volunteered for various events and organizations. museums give their volunteers member status, so you can go to their events for free or at a discounted rate. sometimes you get to bring a friend to member's only events. that's your time to feel extra proud of yourself. some also provide discounts at their gift shops. volunteering for huge events (like a street festival or a race) usually get you a free t-shirt or some other kind of swag. also, good organizers feed their volunteers in exchange for their time.

3. those discount deals websites are useful only if you check their offers everyday and only if you buy the stuff you're absolutely positively going to use. also, always ALWAYS read the fine print! if you see a lasertag deal, ask yourself, "can i convince two other people to go, and am i available on a weekday afternoon or sunday morning?"

4. the library is FREE and convenient. if you like reading, then you already know this. i'm actually all for spending money on hardbacks and paperbacks, but sometimes you just don't have enough funds to buy EVERYTHING on the new york times best seller list. (but if you do, please do a comparison search online. more on this later.) don't like browsing the stacks? most libraries have their catalogs online and you can put holds on books/CDs/movies you want. they will notify you when it's ready for you to pick up. just make sure you return (or renew) on time or you get charged a late fee per day per book. i've paid about $5 max on late fees for three books, which still isn't such a big deal.

5. moving pictures more of your thing? netflix's streaming service is good if you like older films and tv series. redbox coupled with promo codes is good for new release movies. a simple internet search for promo codes = free movie rental. codes work once per credit card, so if you have multiple cards, you can use the same code multiple times. trust me, i've done it. also, signing up for redbox's text deals will give you a code for a free movie on the first monday of every month.

6. someone gave you a starbucks giftcard? register it. then you start earning "stars" for every drink. you only need to be at the green level (5 stars) to get free shots of syrup or your choice of milk in your coffee and free refills on your brewed coffee or tea. also, you can do what i do and order the "poor man's vanilla latte", which is a cafe misto with vanilla syrup. it's about $2 less for a grande. note: instead of a shot of espresso, the misto is made with a shot of coffee, thus giving it a less bold coffee taste.

7. like wine and cheese with your art? go scout for gallery openings/art exhibit receptions. (a simple search for "gallery openings + city you're in" gave me results for these events.) usually, art/design/architecture schools offer public programs free to anyone who can make it. these include lectures, gallery openings, educational panels, etc. sometimes they will have hors d'oeuvres at their receptions. the classy ones will have wine and beer. the sci-arc gallery's openings always have wine, cheese and crackers, and depending on the budget or how prestigious the featured artist is, they may have catered food.

8. always do a comparison search while shopping online. amazon doesn't always have the cheapest price on books (even when shipping and taxes are factored in). bonus: go search for promo codes online, it's a crap shoot, but when you do find a promo code that works, it's like winning the lottery. well, maybe more like winning $5 at a scratcher.

9. live in LA? grab the FREE LA Weekly and enter to win passes to advanced movie screenings and other awesome things. you are only eligible to win once a month, but the chances of you winning are very high. i'm currently 2 for 2. (i won once for a screening of "Gentlemen Broncos" at the Arclight.) it also helps if you go for indie film screenings since those probably don't get as many entries.

10. related to #9. there's always an advantage to getting to know where you live. there is an abundance of free local events and/or promotions out there. you just gotta dig around until you find gold.

11. restaurant week is a good time to check out a high-end restaurant's offerings for much less than what they would normally charge. i've heard people complain that restaurants don't give 100% during restaurant week because it's not their normal clientele. i beg to differ: the good folks at the Oval Room went above and beyond with their service when we went. first, when my friend complained her dish was a bit too salty, the manager came out and remedied the situation by giving us an extra dessert on the house. second, they even put a candle on the chocolate cake for our other friend who's celebrating her birthday. we didn't even tell them it was her birthday! i think they saw the card being passed around and assumed it was.

12. use the phone number 867-5309 (the phone number from the song "Jenny") to get discounts at stores that have the loyalty program/card even if you haven't signed up for them. just add your area code in the beginning.

i'll add more to this list once i remember or find out other gems on how to live on a budget.