Broke as a Joke: WPB on a Budget

Money. Scratch.  Dosh.  Clams.  Coin.

Call it whatever you want, but it's always nice to have some jingle in your pocket!  Alas, sometimes one is faced with the sad story of champagne taste on a beer budget.  That's no problem in the Wicker Park and Bucktown neighborhood, because if you can look under the couch cushions or in the floorboards of your car and scrape up a measly $5, then you can experience an entire day of cheap-n-cheerful meals, services, and nightlife!  Get ready, Your Royal Tightwad, and let us commence our budget-friendly sojourn.

1.  Hollywood Grill
     1601 W North Ave
      P: (773) 395-1818
      www.hollywood-grill.com

Rise and shine with a delightfully inexpensive breakfast at the Hollywood Grill!  Mondays through Fridays (with the exception of holidays), hungry cheapos can dine on a meal of eggs and bacon or sausage, french toast or pancakes, or a three-egg omelet with toast for only $3.99.  Enjoy free parking, as well as complimentary people-watching!

2. Reckless Records
    1532 N Milwaukee Ave
     P: (773) 235-3727
     www.reckless.com

Next, walk four blocks west and two blocks south on Milwaukee to Wicker Park's legendary Reckless Records to ransack their always-stocked .99cent CD bins. Cheap tunes are always appreciated by, well, everyone, and you never know what gems you might find for pocket change.

3. University of Aesthetics
    1357 N Milwaukee Ave
     P: (773) 661-0025/(773) 661-0800
     www.theuniversityofaesthetics.com

After you have absconded with your new music, head south three blocks to the University of Aesthetics and enjoy a lip or chin wax for only $5. 

4. Melt Sandwich Shoppe
    1840 N Damen Ave
     P: (773) 292-MELT
     www.meltchicago.com

Now that your mug is a smooth as a baby's bottom, show off it off while you double back down Milwaukee and frolic north on Damen four blocks. At this point you will stop in Melt Sandwich Shoppe to restore your energy levels with a big steaming cup of their daily soup specials for $4.95.

5. Rio Jiu Jitsu Academy
    1673 N Western Ave
     P: (773) 235-3200
     www.riojj.com

Once you have shored up your stomach, if not your bank account, head west to Western Ave and take a free Jiu Jitsu class at the Rio Jiu Jitsu Academy.  Here you will learn excellent self-defense techniques to show off and impress chicks instead of buying them dinner.

6. Sacco Bruno
    2151 W Armitage Ave
    P: (773) 278-8028
    www.saccobruno.com

Clearly now the sun is starting to set, and in Wicker Park and Bucktown, that means it is time to drink! So walk north three blocks to Armitage and then three blocks west to Moon Times at Sacco Bruno, where you will enjoy $4 microbrews on Tuesdays and $2.50 domestic cans on Wednesdays.

7. Subterranean
    2011 W North Ave
    P: (773) 278-6600
    www.subt.net

Finally, make a deposit in the bank account of cool at the weekly Reggae Gold dance party at the Subterranean on Thursdays, where ladies get in free (hint: try to be a woman on Thursday evenings) and dudes cough up only $5.  Once you are inside and feeling the good vibes, indulge in $3.50 Red Stripes or break out a good old Abe L and nab a rum punch for $4.50.

So there you have it, Moneybags!  A wonderful day all over Wicker Park and Bucktown for a few measly bucks.  I mean, why do you think they call it BUCKtown?!

Copyright 2011. Written by Stephanie Sack, Owner of vive la femme and Violette in Chicago.