Sustainable Style
You don’t need to splurge on cool, high-quality clothes. Sidney Hui, owner of the online vintage store Disco Loft, says clothing swaps are a good way both to clean out your closet and to find your next favorite item. People drop their donations on a tarp and then shop around, either trading or giving away items. Hui runs her own Happy Daze swaps with secondhand vendors, and the websites Eventbrite and SwapDC are other places to find events.
The Great Outdoors
Hiking is already a budget activity, but Arlington financial adviser Joni Alt has a hack for making it even cheaper: REI customers can show a receipt at any Virginia state park for free parking. Alt also recommends chatting with rangers for the kind of historical fun facts you’d get on a tour, especially at one of her favorite spots, Manassas National Battlefield Park.
Fare Deals
Economist Heather Long is a fan of the Too Good To Go app, where restaurants sell discount food—baked goods, fast-casual bowls, groceries, and more—that would be thrown out otherwise. Long also recommends looking into resources available through public libraries. At Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Library downtown, cardholders can get free access to 3D printers and recording studios.
Lunch Money
If you’re a regular at a local restaurant, you could be earning rewards. Ryan Fleming, a financial adviser in DC, recommends that foodies join the Toast Local app, which tracks repeat orders at participating restaurants to earn you free items and discounts. Restaurants on the app include casual spots such as Teaism, Colada Shop, and Immigrant Food.
Fun and Free
Influencer Sam Schlageter is often posting about free things to do on her account @yourdcbestie. One of her favorite places to look? Business Improvement District web-sites. These local organizations will frequently sponsor free events—everything from fitness classes to outdoor movie nights. For cheap seats, teams such as the Nationals and the Spirit offer discounts for students, healthcare professionals, educators, and more.
Child’s Play
DC financial adviser Kevin Mahoney has a few ideas for current and expecting parents. The Trump administration is launching investment accounts for kids, and all babies born from 2025 through 2028 will get $1,000 to start. Meanwhile, parents contributing to college investment plans—DC College Savings Plan, Virginia529, and Maryland529—can get tax deductions ranging from $2,500 to $8,000, depending on the jurisdiction.
Dramatic Returns
For budget-friendly performances, Kenny Malone, cohost of the NPR economics podcast Planet Money, looks for Pay-What-You-Will preview shows at Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company. Audience members name their price (in addition to paying a transaction fee), and it’s a chance to see new productions early on. Round House Theatre in Bethesda has a similar program, and Ford’s Theatre holds a lottery for free preview tickets.
Everything Must Go
Estate sales are a great way to save money on high-quality furnishings and decor—just ask Maddy Brannon, whose account @maddytheb is dedicated to DC-area listings. She says the last day of the sale is when you’ll find the best deals, and the farther you get from the city, the better. Brannon also recommends looking closer to home: Be upfront with family about welcoming their items if they ever need to downsize. Says Brannon: “People don’t know that other people want their older stuff.”
Members Only
DC Public Library cardholders receive free digital access to the Washington Post, New York Times, and Wall Street Journal . “That’s worth a few hundred dollars a year in subscriptions,” says DC financial adviser Alvin Carlos. If you bank with Bank of America or Merrill, you get complimentary admission to the Phillips Collection, Rubell Museum (already free for DC residents), and National Museum of Women in the Arts the first full weekend of every month.
