Swap meet
Attention, book worms. Here’s a way to restock your shelves with new-to-you reading material for free: Head to the NW Denver Book Exchange, a bilingual community event, in the North High School Cafeteria (2960 N. Speer Blvd., Denver) on March 12 from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. (Last year, nearly 1,000 books were exchanged.) Gather any gently-used books, in English or Spanish, you want to swap. They will accept fiction, nonfiction and children’s books — both paperbacks and hardbacks included. Drop off books between 2 p.m. and 2:30 p.m. For every book you bring, get one ticket good for a “new” book. Then, shop from 2:30 p.m. to 4 p.m. Questions? E-mail info@bookbardenver.com.
Monkeying around
Families looking for a wild time during spring break should head to the Denver Zoo for early bird savings. From March 12 to April 10, save $5 on admission at the box office between 8:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. each day. The zoo will be celebrating all things South America with keeper talks, activity stations and cultural entertainment. It’s the perfect “staycation” for frugal families. Before the discount, regular admission prices are as follows: adults (12-64) are $17; seniors (65+) are $14; children (3-11) are $12; and kids (2 and under) are free.
Queen for a day
Dairy Queen is king when it comes to satisfying a sweet tooth. It’s hard to believe they’ve been the coolest place around for 76 years now. Once again, the ice cream shop celebrates its anniversary this spring with Free Cone Day on March 15. On the sweet day, they’re swirling a free small vanilla soft-serve cone at participating locations, in exchange for a donation to Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals. Limit one per customer.
Brain freeze
Get ready for some brain freeze with this cool deal from 7-Eleven. On March 18 and 19, from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. each day, bring your own cup to the convenience store and fill ‘er up with your favorite Slurpee flavor for just $1.50. Before you start thinking about filling up a bucket, there are a few rules for “your cup”: It must fit through a 10-inch hole upright, be food safe and watertight. Limit one cup per person.
Staged antics
The Betsy Stage is known locally for producing innovative Shakespearean adaptations. Even more dramatic, the performances are free. Now, those artists have a new “little sister” company, The BiTSY Stage (1137 S. Huron St., Denver), which is adapting international folktales into family-friendly productions. It’s a wonderful way to introduce little ones to the magic of live theater. First up, “The Stonemason’s Wish: A Chinese Tale” through April 24. Performances are every Saturday and Sunday at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. (No shows on March 26 and 27.) In the play, inspired by traditional Chinese Opera, the company explores what happens when every wish you make comes true. All performances are free. However, donations are happily accepted. Reservations are required. To reserve a seat, send a request to patti@BitsyStage.com or call 720-328-5294.
Every Saturday, Laura Daily and Bryan K. Chavez at compile “Cheap Checklist” to help smart shoppers find freebies, discounts and deals. Send tips to info@milehighonthecheap.com 10 to 14 days in advance.
