Cheap-skating by in the city

One man’s guide on how to get the most out of Chicago for less

By Jeremy Schnitker

Historically, Chicago has never been an easy city to migrate to (see “The Jungle”). While living conditions have increased considerably since immigrants flocked here for work at the turn of the century, moving to Chicago can still be a rocky financial transition … unless you’re crafty.

If you’ve got reasonable living standards and a knack for thrift, this is very much a city you can move to with no job and little more than enough in savings to eat and drink for a month and put a first month’s rent and a deposit down for an apartment — and still make it.

After nearly nine months spent siphoning free wi-fi for hours on end at coffee shops, binging on cheap-yet-authentic grub and finding ways to get as drunk as I possibly can off my last $20, here are a few some pointers.

Drink:
Rose’s Lounge, 2656 N. Lincoln: Nothing says Chicago like having an elderly Eastern Eurpopean lady serve you $1 pints of Old Style. A $1 bill gives you seven credits on the oldies-loaded jukebox.

Delilah’s, 2771 N. Lincoln: This punk joint belongs in Lincoln Park as much as a John Barleycorn belongs in Andersonville, but it’s got some of the best nightly drink specials in town regardless of the neighborhood. Especially on Mondays, when American beers are $1 and Beam shots are $2.

Halligan and Kendalls, at Lincoln and Belden: They may be crowded meat markets on the weekends, but Halligan and Kendalls have some righteous deals on school nights. Kendalls has $1 bottles on Thursdays and Halligan has $2 pints and $2 call drinks on Wednesdays.

Film:
Northsiders are kinda screwed when it comes to cheap cinema. Unlike smaller town America, most of the chain theaters in Chicago (Loews, Landmark) don’t offer discount prices to students, much to the chagrin of tight asses like myself who still carry around their college ID for the sole purpose of saving a few bucks at the movies. One way to cut corners is to get a membership at one of the local cinemas. A $45 annual membership to the Gene Siskel Film Center (164 N. State) will get you a reduced $5 admission for all shows. For $24, you get a monthly membership at Facets Cinematheque (1517 W. Fullerton) that gets you a $5 admission and unlimited rentals from their vast DVD collection.

Brew and View at the Vic (3145 N. Sheffield) has a $5 admission and $2 MGD and Miller Lite drafts on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday nights.

Shows at the Davis (4614 N. Lincoln) are $6.50 before 8 p.m. and $8 after.

Eat:
Branko’s, 1118 W. Fullerton: There’s a million places in town with a menu identical to this Sheffield/DePaul mom-and-pop sandwich shop, but few are as cheap and friendly. A hot dog and fries will run you less than $3.

Sultan’s Market, 2057 W. North Ave.: The second meal I had in Chicago was a Chicken Shawerma from this place, and I found myself making any excuse I could to go back to Wicker Park to visit for more. A falafel sandwich and a half-pound of tabboule will set you back a mere $3 apiece. If it ever decides to franchise, this place will be bigger than Chipotle.

The Bird’s Nest, 2500 N. Southport: The first meal I ate in Chicago was here — it was an unremarkable Cesar salad — but I would later discover the wings were some of the best in town, especially on Thursday nights, when they’re a quarter apiece and coupled with $1.50 bottles.

Taco Burrito House, 1548 W. Fullerton: For just over $3, this place will give you a burrito big enough to fill anyone with a reasonable appetite. For a couple bucks more, you can get a larger one that will have you doing touch-and-goes with your toilet the rest of the day.

Coffee/Wi-Fi:
Despite the fact they dominate the market share of coffee establishments on the north side, neither Starbucks nor Caribou Coffee offer free Wi-Fi service. Here’s some that do:

Savor the Flavor, 2545 N. Sheffield: If you’re looking for a homey, quiet place to study or get serious work done, this place is tops (when I was still working from home, I was there every afternoon).

The Coffee Beanery, 2158 N. Damen: However, it’s not very roomy, and the music’s usually too loud to concentrate.

Alliance Bakery, 1736 W. Division: Fitting the neighborhood, this place has more of a hipster literary crowd. Beware: They’ll glare at you if you chat loudly on a cell phone while they scribble at their screenplays.

Argo Tea, Panera and branches of the Chicago Public Library offer free access as well.

Shopping:
If you’re looking to get some decent threads en masse but don’t want to spend half a grand doing so, look no further than Boys Town.

The Brown Elephant, 3651 N. Halsted: Not everything here has fashion merit, but you can usually find some quality tees and collared shirts.

Ragstock, 812 W. Belmont, Unit #2: Things are a little more stylish here, but still as cheap as a genuine thrift store. A couple weekends ago, I hit this place and the Brown Elephant and got a total of two jackets, two slacks, three collared long-sleeve shirts and three tees for less than $80 (and no, I don’t look like a member of a grunge band circa 1994 while wearing them).

The Hollywood Mirror, 812 W. Belmont: One of the more eccentric shops in town, this place has good stuff but lacks a bit in selection or cheapness.

Look at it this way: When it comes to clothes, a gay man’s hand-me-down is a straight man’s treasure.

Art/Museums:
Most of the touristy places downtown are admittedly egregious, but if you time your visits right, you can get a break. Here’s how:

The Museum of Contemporary Art, 220 E. Chicago Ave.: Free on Tuesdays and open until 8 p.m.

The Chicago History Museum, 1601 N. Clark: Free on Mondays (normally it’s $12 for adults).

The Art Institute, 111 S. Michigan: Free from 5-8 p.m. on Thursdays.

The Adler Planetarium, 1300 S. Lake Shore: Free admission on Mondays and Tuesdays from Sept. 11-Dec.19.

The Museum of Contemporary Photography at Columbia College, 600 S. Michigan: Always has quality showcases that are free.

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