Save your power ballads until Monday and head to Karaoke World (185 Elizabeth Street, city, karaokeworld.net.au, 9267 5011) and get an hour for free when you book for two hours or more. Just get in before 9pm. For a modern twist on the cheap pub steak, buy a drink and pay $5 for a stir-fry from the in-house Thai Lanna restaurant at Bar Broadway (2 Broadway, Broadway, barbroadway.com.au, 9211 2321). The plates aren't enormous but the quality is excellent and there are vegetarian options - something a steak just can't match. They may not come wrapped in paper and with a beach backdrop but the generous serve of fish and chips for $7 at the Lord Roberts Hotel (corner of Riley and Stanley streets, East Sydney, lordrobertshotel.com.au, 9331 1326) is hard to top. Value-add with happy hour between 4-6pm, with $3.50 local schooners and $4 wine. In one of the best theatre deals around, snare $15 rush tickets to 7pm performances at Griffin Theatre Company at SBW Stables Theatre (10 Nimrod Street, Kings Cross, griffintheatre.com.au, 8019 0292). It's a saving of about $30; simply turn up an hour before the show to try for the cheap seats. With the arrival of the cold comes the best excuse to spend time in the cosy, fireplace-filled Porterhouse Irish Pub (233 Riley Street, Surry Hills, porterhouse.com.au, 9211 4454). Get on the cider bandwagon and enjoy $5 pints of Bulmers all day. Line the stomach with dinner and get 20 per cent off your meal - then put the savings towards another pint.

Tuesday An oldie but a goodie, grab a beer, a famed laksa and show at the Old Fitzroy Theatre (129 Dowling Street, Woolloomooloo, oldfitzroy.com.au, 9356 3848) for $29 ($40 other days). There's a lot to love about the refurbished Norfolk Hotel (305 Cleveland Street, Surry Hills, thenorfolk.co, 9699 3177). Follow the 4-6pm happy hours in the kitsch Mexican bar with incredible $3 soft-shell tacos all night. Entertain another dimension at Dendy Opera Quays (2 East Circular Quay, dendy.com.au, 9247 3800) with all 3D films included in the $10.50 bargain ticket price. Make the most of two-for-one cocktails at the Arthouse Hotel (275 Pitt Street, city, thearthousehotel.com.au, 9284 1200), served up in the Gallery Bar between 5-8pm. With the George Street Cinemas five minutes' walk away, catch an $11 flick afterwards.

Pull up a cushion in Govinda's movie room (112 Darlinghurst Road, Darlinghurst, govindas.com.au, 9380 5155) and watch the 7.30pm or 9.30pm recent film for $10. Live it up at the Ritz Cinema (45 St Pauls Street, Randwick, ritzcinema.com.au, 9399 5722) with $8 tickets to any session. Enjoy an old-school cheap movie night at the only place of its kind in Sydney, Greater Union Blacktown Drive-in (Cricketers Arms Road, Blacktown, eventcinemas.com.au, 9622 0202). You get two flicks for $10 and don't have to leave the comfort of your car. The Hornsby Odeon Cinema (155 Pacific Highway, Hornsby, hornsbyodeoncinema.com.au, 9476 3777) is a bargain, with all sessions just $7 (3D $10). Wednesday

Enjoy a flick with a difference every fortnight at the Marginalised Movies night at Mu Meson (corner of Parramatta Road and Trafalgar Street, Annandale, 9517 2010, mumeson.org). For $10 you can catch entertaining, bizarre films pulled from their huge cult and classic cinema library, such as The Night of the Hunter on June 15 and 1988 sci-fi classic Out of Time on June 29. Entry at 7.30pm for an 8pm start. Head to Art After Hours between 5-9pm at the Art Gallery of NSW (Art Gallery Road, The Domain, artgallery.nsw.gov.au, 1800 679 278) for exhibitions, talks, films and even live music - all free. University Art Gallery and the Macleay and Nicholson museums (University of Sydney, Camperdown, sydney.edu.au) host lunchtime talks most Wednesdays. At one of the best spots for free, live bands, the Macquarie Hotel (42 Wentworth Avenue, Surry Hills, macquariehotel.com, 8262 8888) has World Music Wednesdays from 8.30pm till late. No better way to conquer hump day than a barbecue at World Square Pub (680 George Street, city, worldsquarepub.com.au, 8272 2400) plus a 4-7pm special of $3 local beers and $5 basic spirits.

Indie-oriented bands that may be playing ticketed shows on the weekend often play free at the Beach Road Hotel (71 Beach Road, Bondi Beach, beachroadbondi.com.au, 9130 7247). The venue recently played host to Cabins and Wolf & Cub, plus internationals such as Scotland's Frightened Rabbit. Check out jazz and blues at 505 (280 Cleveland Street, Surry Hills, venue505.com) from 7.30pm, with midweek gigs just $10, $5 cheaper than Thursday to Saturday. Thursday Immerse yourself in the enchanted-forest beer garden at The Rose Hotel (corner of Cleveland and Shepherd streets, Chippendale, therosehotel.com.au, 9318 1133) for two-for-one cocktails from 6-8pm. Find the humour in savings at The Laugh Garage Comedy Club (corner Elizabeth and Park streets, city, thelaughgarage.com, 9264 1161). Shows are $15 when booked online or $18 at the door - $10 less than weekend gigs.

Think you can bowl all night? Head to Strike Bowling (Entertainment Quarter, Moore Park, strikebowlingbar.com.au, 1300 787 453) and enjoy unlimited tenpin, karaoke and pool for $20, from 5pm. Spend lunchtime at the Metcalfe Auditorium in the grand State Library (Macquarie Street, city, sl.nsw.gov.au, 9273 1414) and see a free documentary or film at 12.10pm. On June 23, watch documentaries including Jimmy Little's Gentle Journey. Could it be Sydney's cheapest beer? Charlie Chans (631-635 George Street, city, charliechans.com.au, 9281 4299) is pouring $2.50 local ales from 6-7pm. Head upstairs at the Beach Road Hotel for $10 pizza and Peroni beer between 6-9pm. Try roast lamb with provencale vegetables, or pepperoni and roast pork with onion, chilli and rocket. Friday

It's game on at the end of the working week, courtesy of Friday Night Lunacy at Luna Park (1 Olympic Drive, Milsons Point, lunaparksydney.com, 9033 7676). Thrill-seekers can enjoy unlimited rides after 5pm for just $30. That includes the adrenalin-packed rides and the more laid-back attractions such as the Ferris wheel. Be spoilt for choice with up to six bands spread across a few levels at indie-rock-oriented night Mum at the World Bar (24 Bayswater Road, Kings Cross, www.theworldbar.com, 9357 7700) and it's just $10 before 10pm. The Shakespeare Hotel (200 Devonshire Street, Surry Hills, 9319 6883) has a happy hour worth taking an early mark for. Get $2.90 beers and $3.50 spirits from 3-6pm, plus one of the best pub feeds around, at $12.50 for gigantic mains. It's hard to find a good margarita this far south of the Mexican border but the Norfolk Hotel mixes up excellent $10 ones (and $5 tequila shots) from 6-8pm. The Wharf Sessions at Sydney Theatre Co (Pier 4, Hickson Road, Walsh Bay, 9250 1777, sydneytheatre.com.au) offer some stellar live music for free. Cloud Control and Bridezilla have been part of this free monthly event, which happens at 10pm. Jazz songstress Ali Hughes plays June 24.

Start the weekend with $5 Coronas and champagne cocktails at the generous 5-9pm happy hours at Verandah Bar (55-65 Elizabeth Street, city, verandah.com.au, 9239 5888). Grab a leather couch or a cosy hall table at one of Newtown's best bars, Corridor (153a King Street, Newtown, corridorbar.com.au, 0422 873 879), to enjoy $9 fruit mojitos, 5-7pm. Served tall and with a generous helping of white rum, you'll be happy long after the hours. Saturday It looks like an island paradise and the prices are as much of a dream in the Polynesian-grunge setting of Freaky Tiki (174 King Street, Newtown, 9517 3051). Get $3.50 local schooners (including cider) from 4-7pm and $5 dumplings from noon-7pm. The Lansdowne Hotel (corner of City Road and Broadway, thelansdowne.com.au, 8218 2333) is one of the last spots for free, live indie rock, where you can expect everything from punk rock to electro-pop from 8pm.

Join a tour and talk relating to current exhibitions at Museum of Contemporary Art (140 George Street, The Rocks, mca.com.au, 9245 2400). On most Saturdays, it's free and bookings aren't necessary. Students can get the jump on cheap tickets to 2pm shows at Belvoir Street Theatre (25 Belvoir Street, Surry Hills, belvoir.com.au, 9699 3444) for just $27, about half the normal price. Catch Chekhov's classic The Seagull until July 17. Cheap tickets are limited and up for grabs from 9.30am. The only thing better than discounted drinks is when those drinks come with delicious food. Happy hour at MUMU Grill (70 Alexander Street, Crows Nest, mumugrill.com.au, 9460 6877) from 5.30-6.30pm includes free tapas, which will go down well with a $5 beer or wine or a $10 cocktail. Sunday Soothe a Sunday brain with $10 Bloody Marys in the wonderful astro-turf patio at Darlo Bar (306 Liverpool Street, Darlinghurst, darlobar.com.au, 9331 3672).

Skip the end of MasterChef and head down to Campbells Cove to catch Vivid's final few FireDance flame shows. There are five shows a night from 7pm, each featuring 40 flame projectors using the same technology used in Sydney's New Year's Eve spectaculars (www.vividsydney.com). Kick off your shoes and hit the green for a round of barefoot bowls at Paddington Bowling Club (2 Quarry Street, Paddington, paddobowls.com.au, 9363 1150). It's $12 a person (instead of $20 weekdays). There are three bowling sessions - 11am-2pm, 2-5pm, 5-8pm - and instructors are on hand to help novices. You can see a free film in the theatrette at 2pm on the first Sunday of each month at gallery White Rabbit (30 Balfour Street, Chippendale, whiterabbitcollection.org, 8399 2867), which houses one of the world's largest collections of contemporary Chinese art. Expect everything from kung-fu flicks to traditional romances; see The Joy Luck Club on July 3. There's also a tranquil teahouse and handmade dumplings. Gallery entry is free. Loading Take advantage of the family Sunday Fun Day bus/train/ferry unlimited travel ticket (adult $2.50) and head to the Maritime Museum (2 Murray Street, Darling Harbour, anmm.gov.au, 9298 3777). It's the final month of Jeff Carter's photographic exhibition. From Wednesday, see images from Captain Robert Falcon Scott's final voyage to explore Antarctica in 1910. Museum entry is free and it's open between 9.30am-5pm.

Trade the couch for the Town Hall Hotel (corner of Montague and Darling streets, Balmain, townhallhotel.com.au, 9818 8950) and watch NRL games on the big screen with $3 local schooners and $4 wines from 1-6pm. Sip $9 cocktails in the Balcony Bar from 1-10pm.