I’m a tourism employee by day; urban explorer and wily writer by night. I’m a theatre-lover, wanna-be camper and an unabashed fan of coffeeshops, Thai and Lebanese food, and all things shabby chic. 

You’ll find me teetering around on my bike, sampling fresh fruit at farmers markets, browsing book stores, lingering over a glass of moscato, and scouring thrift shops for cool finds for my place.

Above all, I perk up when I come across something you can do for free and I race (pedal quickly) home to tell y’all about it.

or almost free, stuff

And most importantly, we read up on free or almost free things to do in each city, like a waterfall hike that led into grassy fields and a forest in Ebenau, Austria or a free olive oil tasting and food pairing dinner in Spoleto, Italy.

With all the authentic local experiences I racked up, I never felt richer.
Because of our fiscal creativity, I was able to splurge on other things – a daily crepe and croissant obsession in France, my favorite red coat from Treviso, fancy dinners in Porto, Graz, and Avignon; and impulse buys at every H&M I ran into.

Upon returning home with a nearly empty wallet, I asked “Why can’t I do that in San Diego?” I was born to bustle and depleted funds weren’t going to anchor me indoors. I knew I could put to practice back home what I did abroad and enjoy big experiences on a small budget. 

Now during these recession-crazy months, I’ve become adept at knowing where to spend smarter – or not at all – in San Diego so I can point my friends in the right direction. Knowledge is power and with Diego on a Dime you can still live a full life without the empty wallet.

Launching a business - doing it the right way!

Including the WBCC, Junvi sought out, utilized, and leveraged all the resources are her disposal.  One example is that she reduced her start-up costs by using a free web template for her site, and then recruiting a talented friend to help make it her own and add all the necessary infrastructure and components. 

True to her nature, Junvi knows how to seek out resources! 

See what Diego on a Dime has for you ...

BIG BIRTHDAY BITES
As if being another year older isn’t enough reason to celebrate, hold on tight for more good news. Several San Diego restaurants want to comp your meal, too! I’ve hunted down the dining spots that give FREE ENTREES to whoever has a birthday that month. So, (party) hats off to the following restaurants for knowing how to rock your big day!

MOVIE NIGHT REINVENTED
Going out to the movies is a treasured pastime, a fun family activity, and a rainy day alternative. But at best, sitting in a darkened theatre with a bucket of buttery popcorn by your side will likely set you back about $20. Film buffs have already discovered the savings in a matinee showing. But if a morning movie isn’t your style, Diego on a Dime has uncovered where else to go for a unique film fix in San Diego – for FREE or ALMOST FREE.

URBAN CHILDSPLAY
Now there are two FREE ways to satisfy that curious and playful mind of yours (and your children’s). Admission to the New Children’s Museum in downtown, the latest addition to San Diego’s art scene, is FREE on every second Sunday of the month.

Plus, on any day of the week, San Diego City Library card holders can ‘check out’ a FREE admission to the museum for two adults and all the children in the household. Two membership cards are available at each city library for checkout.

WISE WORKOUTS
Don’t allow your gym membership to leave you penniless. Rather than throw in the towel on keeping fit, drop the weights and head out to some of these FREE or ALMOST FREE offerings to get your heart pumping again.

Charity Workouts:  Every Sunday at 9:30am, Charity Workouts meets in Balboa Park’s Morley Field for a donation-based and rigorous boot camp workout. All donations are voluntary, but a minimum of $5 is your best bet. All proceeds go to a local charity that supports outdoor experiences for underprivileged youth. Keeping fit while supporting a worthwhile cause? Breaking a sweat never sounded so good.

SD Yoga Loft:  Located in Downtown San Diego’s East Village, SD Yoga Loft is San Diego’s first donation-based yoga studio. Even without required fees, they sure don’t skimp on offerings. Daily classes include Vinyasa Flow, Urban Flow, Hatha Yoga, and my personal fave – yoga by candlelight on Friday nights. So how much do you pay? Pay $5, $15 or as they encourage “pay whatever yoga is worth to you.” What a deep breath of fresh air.

Grossmont College and Cuyamaca College:  Every semester, Grossmont College and Cuyamaca College offer FREE fitness and wellness courses through their Community Learning Program. Classes include hatha and powerstyle yoga and T’ai Chi.