Cheap Halloween

If you want to take the kids for some pre-Halloween fun but you don't want the expense of a theme park, think about EEK! at the Greek on October 30. It's a "scary" symphony at the outdoor venue, but the free part of the event is a Trick or Treat Village outside the theater that will be having a costume contest with prizes. The Village opens at 5:30 and parking is free.

Cheap Beverly Hills

The happy hour from 5-7 Monday through Friday couldn't be any happier at the Mosaic Hotel in Beverly Hills. Enjoy $5 to $7 drink and food specials next to the pool while deciding on what to do next for the evening.

Cheap Art

To celebrate the big Pacific Standard Time promotion, the Geffen Contemporary at MOCA will be Free this Sunday, October 2. See Under the Big Black Sun, which showcases California art from 1974 to 1981.

Cheap Movie Classics

In Santa Monica on Wednesdays, at the new Santa Monica Place mall at the end of the Promenade, they're showing classic movies on the deck at 7:00 through October. American Grafitti is tomorrow night, and on October 5th North by Northwest will be shown with a special appearance by one of the stars, Dyan Cannon.

Cheap Fair

The L.A. County Fair is Fun, getting there is usually not. If you don't leave early enough the 10 is generally jammed and parking is a madhouse. Then you've got to hassle the traffic going home. But for $10 per person, you can avoid that hassle and take the Metrolink train, which will stop at a special station near the Fairlplex and a free shuttle will take you right to the entrance.

Cheap Wheels

This is probably the coolest, cheapest thing to do in L.A. At the Automobile Driving Museum in El Segundo near LAX on Sundays, you not only get to see some great classic cars, you get to ride in them. Experience the road in everything from a DeLorean to Joe Stalin's 1936 Packard. The museum operates on donations only so be as generous as you can.

Cheap Magic

There's been a lot of buzz lately about the Houdini exhibit at the Skirball Center near Mulholland. Go on Sundays through September 4 and they have strolling magicians practicing their art between noon and 2:00. It's $10 general admission, $7 seniors and students and $5 for kids 2-12.