Free or cheap things to do in Chicago this week. Friendly Reminder: Always Confirm all details before heading … [Read More...]
Featured Events
Get free stuff on your birthday
Get free stuff on your birthday. Birthday freebies used to be more generous but hey free is still free. You will … [Read More...]
Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum Free Days
Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum Free Days Where: Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum, 2430 North Cannon Drive, … [Read More...]
Museum of Science and Industry 2021 free days
Museum of Science and Industry 2021 free days When: November 3, 10, 17 and December 8, 2021 Daily capacity limited, … [Read More...]
Latest Deals and Events
Free or cheap things to do in Chicago this weekend
Free or cheap things to do in Chicago this weekend. Friendly Reminder: Always Confirm all details before heading … [Read More...]
ZooLights at Lincoln Park Zoo $5 plus free nights
ZooLights at Lincoln Park Zoo $5 plus free nights. Head to Lincoln Park Zoo for the brilliance of this annual fun, free, … [Read More...]
Free or cheap things to do in Chicago this week
Free or cheap things to do in Chicago this week. Friendly Reminder: Always Confirm all details before heading … [Read More...]
Free food with 12 Days of McDonald’s Deals
Free food with 12 Days of McDonald’s Deals When: December 13-24, 2021 McDonald’s will be giving away some of … [Read More...]
Dunkin Perks Order Ahead Get 100 points
Dunkin Perks Order Ahead Get 100 points Dunkin Perks members Get 100 bonus points when you order ahead in the Dunkin … [Read More...]
Free museum: DePaul Art Museum
Free museum: DePaul Art Museum Where: DePaul Art Museum, 935 W. Fullerton, 773.325.7506 When: Mon–Tue: Closed, … [Read More...]
Macy’s State Street Holiday Windows and Santa
Macy’s State Street Holiday Windows and Santa. It's official the holidays are here with the Macy’s Holiday Windows … [Read More...]
Fairmont Hotels 20% Gift Card Bonus
Fairmont Hotels 20% Gift Card Bonus. A few major hotel chains sell discounted gift cards from time-to-time. … [Read More...]
Bed Bath & Beyond OXO deal Spend $30 get $10
Bed Bath & Beyond OXO deal Spend $30 get $10. With every purchase of $30 worth of OXO Kitchen Tools … [Read More...]
Ice skating at Gallagher Way Nov 19-Feb 20 $6+
Ice skating at Gallagher Way Nov 19-Feb 20 $6+ When:Nov 19-Feb 20, 2022 November - December: Monday – Thursday 3 … [Read More...]
Millennium Park Holiday Tree Lighting Nov 19
Millennium Park Holiday Tree Lighting Nov 19 When: November 19, 2021 5:30pm-7:45pm Tree up Friday, November 19, … [Read More...]
Join Lettuce Entertain You Frequent Diner Club Get $10
Join Lettuce Entertain You Frequent Diner Club Get $10 Lettuce Entertain You has really good restaurants at all … [Read More...]
McCormick Tribune Ice Rink Nov 19-March 6
McCormick Tribune Ice Rink. Where: Millennium Park, McCormick Tribune Ice Rink, 55 N. Michigan When: … [Read More...]
Maggie Daley Park Skating Ribbon Nov 19-March 6
Maggie Daley Park Skating Ribbon open. Where: 337 E. Randolph St., (312) 742-3918. When: November … [Read More...]
Get Disney+ for $1.99 for one month
Get Disney+ for $1.99 for one month From now to November 14, new and returning subscribers (with no current active … [Read More...]
$10 All-day Metra Pass available thru December
$10 All-day Metra Pass available thru December. Metra's $10 All-Day Pass will now be available thru December 31, … [Read More...]
Get free stuff on your birthday
Get free stuff on your birthday. Birthday freebies used to be more generous but hey free is still free. You will … [Read More...]
Help save Navy Pier’s Crystal Garden
Help save Navy Pier's Crystal Garden Navy Pier Chicago has closed the Crystal Gardens off to the public … [Read More...]
Free day at Swedish American Museum
Free day at Swedish American Museum Where: Swedish American Museum, 5211 N Clark St., (773) 728-8111 When: … [Read More...]
Free Sequence Chicago Navy Pier
Free Sequence Chicago Navy Pier When: Saturdays, October 2-November 27, 2021 3:00pm-6:00pm Where: Navy Pier, … [Read More...]
Where to hike in Cook County Illinois
Where to hike in Cook County Illinois. There are so many places to hike in Illinois that I had to break out the … [Read More...]
Free Cook County Forest Preserves events
Free Cook County Forest Preserves events. There are a many free things to do in the Cook Country Forest … [Read More...]
Register for Chicago Park District winter programs
Register for Chicago Park District winter programs. Program Dates In-Person Programs: January 25 - March 28, … [Read More...]
Save money on prescription drugs with GoodRx
Save money on prescription drugs with GoodRx. Recently I met up with a nurse friend who told me about this … [Read More...]
Free download: Eat Well on $4 a Day
Free download: Eat Well on $4 a Day. When I worked full-time, lived on my own and put myself through undergrad (eons … [Read More...]
Discount Thanksgiving items through Ibotta
Discount Thanksgiving items through Ibotta. Ibotta is a shopping app. Here's a guide to how Ibotta … [Read More...]
Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum Free Days
Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum Free Days Where: Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum, 2430 North Cannon Drive, … [Read More...]
Free lectures Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum
Free lectures Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum Where: Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum, 2430 North Cannon Drive, … [Read More...]
South Shore Line deal
South Shore Line deal When: Weekday Eastbound Free Rides Sept. 1 – Oct. 31, 2021 now through December 31, … [Read More...]
Museum of Science and Industry 2021 free days
Museum of Science and Industry 2021 free days When: November 3, 10, 17 and December 8, 2021 Daily capacity limited, … [Read More...]
Free Christmas Around the World and Holidays of Light
Free Christmas Around the World and Holidays of Light Where: Museum of Science and Industry, 5700 S Lake Shore … [Read More...]
Millennium Park Art Market Nov 19-21
Millennium Park Art Market When: Friday and Saturday, November 19-21, 2021 Friday 3pm–8pm; Saturday 12pm-8pm; … [Read More...]
Free BACP Business Education webinars
Free BACP Business Education webinars . Register here. The City of Chicago Business Affairs' and Consumer … [Read More...]
Visit museums free this weekend
Visit museums free for free this weekend The first full weekend of every month Bank of America customers can visit … [Read More...]
Maxwell Street Market: Thrift Shopping
Maxwell Street Market: Thrift Shopping When: 1st and 3rd Sunday, 9 am - 3 pm Free Admission. June-December 2022 June 6, … [Read More...]
Sign up for Tortazo Rewards Get $5
Sign up for Tortazo Rewards Get $5 Tortazo is Rick Bayless' newish fast casual concept. Currently the only … [Read More...]
Discount tickets to Blue Man Group
Discount tickets to Blue Man Group When: November 4-7, 2021 Where: Briar Street Theatre, Chicago 3133 … [Read More...]
AMC movies passes for $9.75
AMC movies passes for $9.75. In this post I explain how to save money on movie tickets. I try to go to the … [Read More...]
Discount tickets to Chicago Artisan Market
Discount tickets to Chicago Artisan Market Following are discount ticket offers for two Artisan … [Read More...]
Millennium Park Holiday Sing-Alongs Nov 26-Dec 17
Millennium Park Holiday Sing-Alongs When: Fridays, November 26, December 3, 10, 17 from 6–7pm, Sunday, December … [Read More...]
Chicago’s Christkindlmarket Daley Plaza
Chicago's Christkindlmarket Daley Plaza. When: November 19 – December 24, 2021. Sundays – Thursdays: 11am … [Read More...]
Winterland at Gallagher Way
Winterland at Gallagher Way When: November 19 – December 31, 2021. Mondays – Thursdays: 3pm – 9pm, Fridays … [Read More...]
Free days Pritzker Military Museum and Library
Free days Pritzker Military Museum and Library Where: Monroe Building, 104 S. Michigan, 2nd and 3rd … [Read More...]
Review Le Méridien Oakbrook Center
Review Le Méridien Oakbrook Center This is post ten of a ten part series of Chicago hotels reviews. Link to … [Read More...]
Save money dining with the Ritual App Get $20 free for limited time
Save money dining with the Ritual App Get $10 free FOR A LIMITED TIME Get $20 for Joining Ritual I love Ritual. … [Read More...]
Review Sable at Navy Pier
Review The Sable at Navy Pier This is post nine of a ten part series of Chicago hotels reviews. Link to other … [Read More...]
Review Hyatt Place River North
Review Hyatt Place River North This is post eight of a ten part series of Chicago hotels reviews. Link to other … [Read More...]
Free lectures Friends of the Parks
Free lectures Friends of the Parks Instead of the annual Free Netsch Lecture's Friends of the Parks is offering three … [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 