The Frugal Diva loves a night out under the stars with music or movies and all for free in LA. Take a night off and venture out to one of these great events or bring the kids for a free concert or movie.

Enjoy free outdoor movie screenings every Wednesday night at 8pm at Westfield Century City on the Level 2 Dining Terrace. August 25,50 First Dates and Sept 1, Jaws.  Spend $20 in the Dining Terrace and enjoy the beer & wine bar free

Getty Center off the 405this Saturday night August 28 and parking is free after five while the galleries stay open until nine. With a “skyscraping blend of the ambient and the anthemic,” the Antlers make music that is at once simple and immense—dream pop with an epic storyline. The critically acclaimed trio crafts its delicately powerful melodies with a fervent, artful earnestness that captivates listeners with lyrical surges, sweeping strings, and starry, sonic layers of postrock.

And take a day to tour the Central Library downtown with it’s impressive atrium art and globe chandelier

Into September we have The Culver City block party on Wednesday Sept. 15 in  Downtown Culver City .  Music, deals, and great food for a fun night out.

Don’t miss out on a chance to enjoy the last weeks of summer!

Is there anything more beautiful than a tree?  That would be Swaptree.com a site for trading books, movies, music, and games.  Easy to navigate and easy to use, this site lets you clean out your bookshelves and then fill them up for free. The only expense is postage which can be at the low rate of media mail.

List all your goods that you have to trade and all the goods you want to receive on Swaptree, and you start trading.  The method of identification is the UPC or ISBN number with your bar code. That way everyone knows exactly what is offered. Click the “Get Now” link next to the item. A detailed description of both the item and the trader will appear with user reviews.  When the other trader accepts your item the trade is complete, and you’ll be provided with all the information necessary to ship your item.

Like other sites, Swaptree has a complicated algorithm that provides you with choices based on your want list.  Luckily they also have a search feature. Quickly going over the book choices everything looked very current. The biography of Sarah Silverman was already on the list as was the newest fiction from Anna Quidlan.

How many times will you watch a DVD? Swap it for another movie or television show. This is movie rental where you get to keep the DVD.

Games are a genre that The Frugal Diva is completely unfamiliar with so please check them out and see what you need. Swaptree is another good way for families to recycle and reuse.

 Now Divas occasionally we may have to pay for tickets however there are many websites and theaters that make is easy to save on entertainment.

Goldstar has an amazing selection of tickets to theater, sporting events, wine tastings, and even some trade shows. They are in several cities so plan ahead when you are traveling.  I have used this website many times and always got good seats in the promised section and they keep a record of your transactions in case you want to recommend a production.

Theater tickets for a year with a subscription to On The House.

Gift Certificates to these sites also make wonderful presents. You pick the amount and send it in a Holiday card.  All the time avoiding traffic and parking hassles. That’s how divas do it.

A bit of a splurge. David Chun, furniture designer,  turned me on to this amazing movie deal.  If you like independent and foreign films, you love the Laemmle Theaters. Now they have decided to return your affections. They offer a bulk package of 25 tickets for $150 on their website  At $6 apiece, this is a great deal!  Split them up and slip two or more  into a Birthday card for a great gift.

Now since this is a big upfront price, maybe share it with a fellow movie fan.  Or use the tickets to take out friends for birthdays or just as a nice surprise for someone special.

You can form a movie club – five people can go five times and meet for coffee afterwards to discuss the films.  Since the tickets don’t expire, you can set the pace – once a week or once a month.  See “Precious” and “An Education” to discuss social issues.   See “A Serious Man” and discuss the moral aspects of decision making.  Since this is Los Angeles, discuss the screenplays and how they can be improved. Catch up on Oscar selections, learn why other people like films that you hate or hate films that you love, and have fun.  This would be a $30 dollar per person investment for five movies, intellectual stimulation, and social activity. 

Laemmles Frequent Movie Goer Tickets save you $100 off the admission charge, are good at any Laemmle Theatre, are good on any day, and never expire. There are a few restrictions so please read the web page before buying.

Check out their website for other savings and if you are elegible go for Student Sundays, all shows that start after 6pm on Sundays, Students with ID are $7. AND popcorn: $1 for Small, $1.50 for Medium and $2.00 for Large: (Students with ID only),   Senior Wednesdays or join the Sneak Preview club for free advance screenings.