It's officially summertime. Which means it's time to get out and about and, you know, do stuff. But, hey, you're broke (or cheap). So what's a penniless schlub to do in the city known for its yachts?
You get out there anyway. Because, believe it or not, there's a ton of stuff to do in Fort Lauderdale that's either supercheap or free. You just have to know where to look.
But no worries. We looked for you, and we found a plethora of ways you can have fun in the city while not spending a dime.
Here are 11 ways to be a cheapskate in Fort Lauderdale and still have a kick-ass time:
See also: Ten Fort Lauderdale Life Hacks
11. Take a Stroll on the Broadwalk The Hollywood Beach Broadwalk is a lot like the cantina in Star Wars. It's hot, it's got music, and it features all kinds of weird characters from all parts of the known universe. There's a wonderfully eclectic mix of tourists and locals along with bikers and rollerbladers here, and it features a bunch of bars that offer cheap food and cheap booze. There's also the Hollywood Beach stage, which has live local bands every Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Saturday evenings -- along with a dance floor where you can watch people drunkenly dance to a sweet Bruce Springsteen cover or clog to some exotic Quebecois tune. Most of all, though, the ocean is right there.
10. Cherry-Pick People's Parking Spaces Parking is at a premium throughout downtown and the beach areas. But if you can be a little patient, you can get away with free parking! A key to pulling this off is to arrive around the time people might be most expecting to leave. For the beaches, this is around 2 or so, when the beach heat has become unbearable. Usually people overpay for parking, which means when they leave, you can slot yourself in and mooch off the remainder of their meter. Of course, this takes a lot of work and a lot of luck, which means you might be better off if you....
9. Beg for Someone's Prepaid Parking Ticket As we mentioned, people tend to overpay for parking. So if you want to keep it on the cheap, put on your No Shame Hat and ask a people backing out of a space if they'd be kind enough to give you their prepaid parking tickets. Chances are you can luck into one that still has an hour or two remaining on it. And most people are either kind enough to give it to you. Or creeped out enough to give it to you. Either way, it's a good way to make sure you keep it on the cheap with the parking.
