Free-kend: July 3
My first “free-kend” was a huge victory. I think I only spent $2 from Friday to Monday, thanks to the semi-annual occurrence that some experts call “the parental visit.”
By Kellen Henry
Ordinarily, I would’ve blown a bunch of money celebrating Independence Day, but my parents were kind enough to pick up the tab for a whole slew of weekend activities.
My folks have made a lot of smart decisions with their finances and savings over the years and are in the position to be able to take a nice vacation or two, but they’re also pretty savvy about looking for bargains and planning in advance. Here are a few things we did to make the weekend great and slightly cheaper.
Plan ahead: Ordering tickets ahead of a trip means you spend less time rushing around and waiting in line and more time enjoying your vacation. My mom ordered 3-day CTA passes online before the trip for $14 a piece. Had they bought individual fair passes, they would have probably spent more in one day than they did for the whole weekend.
Looking for specials: A museum visit in Chicago will set you back about $20, but if you keep an eye out, you might be able to catch a free night. We visited The Art Institute of Chicago during their Free Admission hours, which are 5-9 p.m. on Thursdays and Fridays. Remember to ask for a discount with a student ID as well!
We also lucked out on our visit to one of the Neo-Futurists theater’s weekend shows of Too Much Light Makes the Baby Go Blind. On the first Sunday of every month this year, the admission price for this quirky, fun show is deeply discounted. You’ll pay no more than $6 to attend, where regular admission runs from $10 to $15, depending on the roll of a six-sided die.
Free fun: There are usually some free events going on in the city, if you know where to look. Unlike lots of Chicago summer festivals, Taste of Chicago didn’t have a “suggested donation” to get in. We did buy food and beverages there, but we just as easily could have brought a picnic to the park. We stuck around Grant Park for the fireworks display from Buckingham Fountain celebration of Independence Day, also free if you didn’t mind sharing the park with about 1 million other people.
I guess sometimes freedom can be free…
