Discount admission Brookfield Zoo. Where: Brookfield Zoo, 3300 Golf Rd; Brookfield, 708-688-8000. When: Limited … [Read More...]
Featured Events
Free or cheap things to do in Chicago this week
Free or cheap things to do in Chicago this week. You can find a complete list of events by day on our Calendar page. … [Read More...]
2018 Free Chicago Museum Days
2018 Free Chicago Museum Days. Visiting museums can be very expensive. Thanks to the Illinois General Assembly many … [Read More...]
Latest Deals and Events
Discount Chicago Lakefront Cruises
Discount Chicago Lakefront Cruises. Wow a ton of discount cruises have come up! Yeah summer is almost here! When: … [Read More...]
Free live DJ Series Navy Pier
Free live DJ Series Navy Pier. Head to Navy Pier’s South Dock at the Wave Wall Performance Platform for a DJ set as … [Read More...]
50% off Starbucks Thursdays
50% off Starbucks Thursdays. Check your Starbucks account for an almost weekly 50% offer every Thursday. Every week I … [Read More...]
Free Flag for Memorial Day
Free Flag on Memorial Day. Ace Hardware will distribute 1 Million American Flags to honor Veterans on Memorial … [Read More...]
Guide to Chicago Beaches
Guide to Chicago Beaches. Yeah! Chicago beach season commences Friday, May 25 through Monday, September 3, 2018. The … [Read More...]
Free fireworks Wednesday nights at Navy Pier
Free fireworks Wednesday nights at Navy Pier. About the Navy Pier Fireworks Navy Pier is the destination for … [Read More...]
Cheap eats Chicago Food Truck Fest
Cheap eats Chicago Food Truck Fest. The season has begun mark your calendars. Food Trucks are a great way to get a … [Read More...]
Free Small Business Expo
Free Small Business Expo. If you're thinking about starting a business (everyone should have a side hustle as a way to … [Read More...]
Activate: Art Music People Alleys
Activate: Art Music People Alleys. The Chicago Loop Alliance hosts a FREE monthly event, Activate, billed as "pop-up … [Read More...]
Free Music Navy Pier
Free Music Navy Pier. The Miller Lite Beer Garden on Navy Pier offers free Live on the Lake outdoor music … [Read More...]
Discount admission Brookfield Zoo
Discount admission Brookfield Zoo. Where: Brookfield Zoo, 3300 Golf Rd; Brookfield, 708-688-8000. When: Limited … [Read More...]
Get a 20% spa discount year round
Get a 20% spa discount year round. Spa treatments are expensive but we all deserve some pampering now and then. Buy … [Read More...]
Volunteer at Wooded Island
Volunteer at Wooded Island. When: 4th Saturday, April 28, May 26, June 23, July 28, August 25, Sept. 22, 2018 … [Read More...]
Free Millennium Park House Music Party
Free Millennium Park House Music Party When: Saturday, May 26, 2018, 1-9pm Where: Millennium Park, Pritzker Pavilion … [Read More...]
Discount admission Peggy Notebaert Museum
Discount admission Peggy Notebaert Museum. Where: 2430 North Cannon Drive, 773-755-5191. When: Various dates. Free … [Read More...]
Belmont-Sheffield Music Fest May 26-27
Belmont-Sheffield Music Fest May 26-27. When: May 26-27, 2017, 12PM-10PM Where: Lakeview, 3200 N. Sheffield Ave. from … [Read More...]
Free Lincoln Park Zoo 150th Anniversary Celebration
Free Lincoln Park Zoo 150th Anniversary Celebration. Celebrate the 150th birthday of Lincoln Park Zoo with free events … [Read More...]
Discount tickets to Randolph Street Market Festival
Discount tickets to Randolph Street Market Festival. The Randolph Street Market Festival has over 75 vendors on 2.5 … [Read More...]
Free events Newberry Library
Free events Newberry Library. Following are multiple lectures and events at the Newberry. Where: Newberry Library, 60 … [Read More...]
Chicago Memorial Day Parade May 26
Chicago Memorial Day Parade honors all men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice in defense of our country. The … [Read More...]
Free fireworks Saturday nights at Navy Pier
Free fireworks Saturday nights at Navy Pier. About the Navy Pier Fireworks Navy Pier is the destination for … [Read More...]
Free Chicago House Music Conference and Dance Summit
Free Chicago House Music Conference and Dance Summit When: May 24-26, 2018. May 24: 6-9pm, May 25: 4-11pm, May 26: … [Read More...]
Wilton Tent Sale 2018
Wilton Tent Sale 2018. The Wilton Tent Sale now known as the Wilton Outlet Sale is back! And it's not in a … [Read More...]
Free movie Harold Washington Library
Free movie Harold Washington Library As part of the Chicago Public Library's Art, Movies and Performances series the … [Read More...]
Convert coins to Amazon gift cards for free
Convert coins to Amazon gift cards for free. Since banks won't take coins anymore and I and refuse to carry them around … [Read More...]
Visit Chicago Botanic Garden on the cheap
Visit Chicago Botanic Garden on the cheap. The Chicago Botanical Garden (1000 Lake Cook Rd, Glencoe, IL 60022, (847) … [Read More...]
Southside Chicago Farmer’s Markets
Southside Chicago Farmer's Markets on Wednesday, Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays and listed below. Curious … [Read More...]
Free films at Chicago Cultural Center
Free films at Chicago Cultural Center. Where: 78 E. Washington, Claudia Cassidy Theater The Chinese Exclusion … [Read More...]
Where to dine near the Oriental Theater
Where to dine near the Oriental Theater. Going to the theater can be expensive and if you want to make an afternoon or … [Read More...]
Cheap eats River North Chicago
Finding a great place to eat, on the cheap, is easy in River North. This area of the city probably has one of the … [Read More...]
River North Chicago Happy Hours
All happy hours are in the bar only. All prices are valid at the time of this post and can change without notice. Always … [Read More...]
Discount admission SNL The Experience
Discount admission SNL The Experience Where: Museum of Broadcast Communications, 360 N State St, (312) … [Read More...]
Volunteer with Bike the Drive
Volunteer with Bike the Drive. The folks over at the Active Transportation Alliance are looking for volunteers for Bike … [Read More...]
$1 admission American Writers Museum May 16
$1 admission American Writers Museum May 16. Where: 180 N. Michigan, 2nd Floor (312) 702-7407. The excellent … [Read More...]
Save money at Spring Plant Sales
Save money at Spring Plant Sales. Many public gardens and garden clubs hold plant sales each spring to raise funds … [Read More...]
Landmarks Illinois Free Lectures
Landmarks Illinois Free Lectures. Landmarks Illinois sponsors a series of free lectures Preservation Snapshots … [Read More...]
Where to dine near the Auditorium Theatre
Where to dine near the Auditorium Theatre. Going to the theater can be expensive and if you want to make an afternoon or … [Read More...]
Chicago theater tickets $20 or less
Chicago theater tickets $20 or less. Mother's Day is practically here. Consider taking Mom to a show. Going to the … [Read More...]
Discount spa services in Chicago
Discount spa services in Chicago. Spa services - massages, manicures, pedicures, facials, a cut and color and more - all … [Read More...]
Free museum: Federal Reserve Money Museum
Free museum: Federal Reserve Money Museum. The Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago operates a small but interesting museum … [Read More...]
2nd Fridays Free Gallery Night in Pilsen
2nd Fridays Free Gallery Night in Pilsen. 30 art galleries in Pilsen open their doors to the public. When: Second … [Read More...]
Free audiobooks at Chicago Public Library
Free audiobooks at Chicago Public Library. The CPL provides patrons with free access to audiobooks through RBdigital … [Read More...]
Watch the Annual Chicago Bridge Lift tradition
Chicago is a city of bridges. For residents it can be quite irksome when a bridge goes up just as you're trying to walk … [Read More...]
Family fishing classes at Northerly Island
Family fishing classes at Northerly Island with Chicago's Fish'N Kids Program at Northerly Island. When: Saturdays … [Read More...]
17% off dining at Panera
17% off dining at Panera. Get a ten dollar bonus card for every $50 in Panera Bread gift cards purchased from now until … [Read More...]
How to enter the Hamilton Digital Lottery
How to enter the Hamilton Digital Lottery. A new batch of Hamilton tickets is being released May 8 so I thought I'd … [Read More...]
What to watch on TV
What to watch on TV. Broadway fans might enjoy Chita Rivera: A Lot of Livin' to Do. In the early 90's I saw Chita Rivera … [Read More...]
Wicker Park Community Shredding and E-Recycling
Wicker Park Community Shredding and E-Recycling. The Wicker Park-Bucktown Community is holds a series of community … [Read More...]
Half-Price Tickets
Get ticket discounts of up to 50% (sometimes more) on Chicago's hottest musicals, comedies, concerts, talks, and more. See the half-price ticket deals.
This Week
Find out what"s happening in Chicago this week and what you can do that's inexpensive or free. See our list of things that are Free or Cheap this Week.
Day by Day
Our calendar lets you see a month at a glance, or click on a particular date to see events for that day. Check out our free or cheap Chicago events calendar.
Things to Do in Chicago
Things to Do with Kids
Eat, Drink & Save Money
Chicago for Visitors
Chicago on the Cheap is a member of Living on the Cheap, a network of websites published by frugalistas, journalists and consumer advocates. Find practical advice on saving money on groceries, travel and shopping, plus tips from our experts on how to live the good life for less at 