Half-Price (or More!) Cupcakes at Eleni's

What's better than cupcakes?

Half-price cupcakes.

And what's better than half-price cupcakes?

Four cupcakes for the price of one.

Eleni's in Chelsea Market, 75 Ninth Ave., has some of the brightest, tastiest cupcakes in New York City. But at $3, they're also expensive, even for Manhattan.

But get there in the last hour before they close at 7 p.m. (Saturday and Sunday) or 8 p.m. (weekdays), and everything behind the bakery case is half-price. That's why I found myself at Eleni's at 6:55 p.m. on one recent Saturday.

My husband and I each chose our favorites, and at the last moment the girl at the counter threw two more cupcakes in the case gratis.

Four gourmet cupcakes for $3? That's a deal my stomach can get behind.

Free Outdoor Movies Under the Stars

A movie under the stars. What more could you ask for?

Stars, for one. And maybe a more comfortable seat. But other than that, free outdoor movie screenings are just about perfect.

I dragged my husband to my first New York City free movie screening last week. It was my birthday, and he couldn't say no. We got to Hudson River Park's Pier 54 at about 6:30 p.m., two hours before the scheduled start of "Vicky Christina Barcelona." We had no problem finding a spot up front for our blanket and picnic supper. It wasn't long, however, before the majority of the pier was packed with Woody Allen-loving bargain hunters.

New York offers many free outdoor movie spots. The most well-known is probably the Bryant Park Summer Film Festival on Monday nights, but About.com lists a slew of others.

I didn't look up into the sky after the movie started, but I suspect the only stars you'll see are on the big screen. Not quite the meaning of a movie under the stars, but it'll have to do.

The Opposite of Thrifty

On this Memorial Day, I'd be perfectly happy with a well done burger covered in a good spice rub cooked on a hot Weber grill. Alas, even if we could fit a grill on our fire escape, it would probably be illegal.

For gourmands with an unlimited budget and a more sophisticated taste in hamburgers, there's always the Wall Street Burger Shoppe in Manhattan. That's where you can get a gold-flecked hamburger for $175.

That's right, readers, there's no decimal point in that price.

The 10-ounce Kobe beef patty is also topped with black truffles, foie gras and aged Gruyere.

I'm sure the burger's good, but that wouldn't stop me from feeling sick over all the money I just spent downing cow covered in gold.

The Metropolitan Opera on the Cheap

You and a friend can watch New York City's Metropolitan Opera for $50 flat without resorting to standing-room-only tickets, and it's easier than you think.

1. Each Monday, register for a $25 ticket in the weekend ticket drawing section of the Met Opera's website. Tickets may be available for Friday and/or Saturday performances.

2. On Tuesday, the drawing is held. Winners are posted on the website and notified by email.

3. Tickets must be purchased by Wednesday. Each winner is limited to two tickets.

Ta da!

I tried three or four times before I finally won Saturday night orchestra tickets that are normally about $100 to L'Elisir d'Amore. The competition is fierce. On the weekends I lost, there would be page after page after page of winners, and still my name was nowhere in sight.

If you don't mind going to the opera on a weeknight, the Met has an even better deal: $20 orchestra seats Monday through Thursday. Read more about the Met's special ticket offers and how you can get a little culture on the cheap.

Museums, Absolutely Free

I'd hardly call myself a culture vulture, but I do look forward to visiting museums in new cities. What I don't like is paying a $20 admission fee.

If you work for a large corporation, check if your employer offers discounts to tourist attractions. Thanks to my husband's place of work, we get into some of New York City's top museums (including the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Museum of Modern Art) absolutely free simply by showing his work identification and a business card.

We first learned about these types of programs not from my husband's employer, but instead from a friend and his wife. When they stayed with us for a weekend last year, she got us all free tickets to the American Museum of Natural History. Score!

The lesson: Look for deals your company offers beyond your hometown. Discounts and free tickets may shave a few bucks off of your next vacation.

And another lesson: Periodically check if any offers have been added or eliminated. We recently tried visiting the Guggenheim only to be rebuffed at the ticket counter. It's relationship with my husband's employer had disappeared.

Cheap Eats (and Drinks) in New York City

Now that the site's thrifty gift guide has a couple of dozen entries, it's time to focus a bit more on what I really love: saving money.

At least once a week I'll still be featuring cheap gift ideas that I find (A) fascinating, (B) practical, (C) unique or (D) all of the above. But now you can also look forward to posts and discussions about saving money at home or out on the town.

New York City is one of the most expensive areas in the world, so living a thrifty lifestyle is all relative. Still, a night out in one of Manhattan's most popular neighborhoods can be just as cheap as any other town if you know where to look.

So where should you look? Crocodile Lounge, at 325 E. 14th St., just a short walk from Union Square. For 5 bucks you get a pint along with a free personal brick oven pizza.

Want to splurge? Order a $6 beer, or get a topping on the pizza for only $2. But I'm fine with a Yuengling and a cheese pizza I load up with the herbs, red peppers and garlic provided gratis.

The beer's cold, the pizza's good and the ambiance isn't bad either. Crocodiles are the name of the game. Look for the "statues" on the ceiling.

In a city where it's rare to get a beer for less than $6 or $7 (or more), Crocodile Lounge really is a gem in a crowded jungle.