Cheapskate's guide to Melbourne

Enjoying the best of Melbourne this Christmas doesn’t have to cost the earth. Try our insider tips to wine, dine and enjoy more for less. And if you're driving in? Book ahead at key parking providers to get the best deal.

Find festive fun

See the city aglow with lights and decorations all the way through to Christmas. Check out the festive bell swings and the giant 17.5-metre tall LED Christmas tree in Fed Square. Score free entry to the Christmas Carnival. Bring a few bucks for thrill rides, carnival games and festive food on the banks of the Yarra. Plus, don't miss the free Crown Christmas River Show.

Score cheap theatre tickets

The theatre buffs at Arts Centre, tickets get discounted every Tuesday. Visit the Tix at 12 page to see what's up for grabs. There's a different show every week and the sale runs for 12 hours from 12pm.

Find the last cheap movie night

Most cinemas have dropped cheap Tuesdays and discount tickets all together. But you can still score a deal every Monday at Cinema Nova. Tickets are $7 before 4pm, so you can catch the latest award-winning flicks on the cheap. Can't get out of work before 4pm? Evening sessions clock in at just $10 a ticket. Choose a later session and grab a happy hour drink in the Nova Bar from 4pm to 6pm.

Ice skate and mini golf for less than $20

Get the crew together for a day of epic activities. Putt the afternoon away at Australia’s first 18-hole glow-in-the-dark mini golf course for just $12 per person Monday to Thursday and $15 on weekends. Don’t forget to drop into what is possibly the world’s smallest bar for post-putt refreshments. Or give ice skating a go at O’Brien Icehouse. On Tuesdays entry comes in under $20 including skate hire. Discounts not valid during school holidays, public holidays or pupil free days.

Nab a luxe lunch on the cheap

New hidden gem SilkSpoon dishes up cheap lunches to hungry city folks. Seek out this sun-soaked canteen for Asian fusion dishes. Try slow-cooked duck, pork and Chinese cabbage dumplings, chicken curry pot pie and more under $18. There's also quick and easy meals to go.

Feast on the best cheap eats

Looking for lunch deals? Get to local spot Heartbaker Bun Mee for an entire menu of bahn mi under $15. Make it a combo with crispy pork and a legit Vietnamese iced coffee for the ultimate cheap lunch treat. Cult-status Japanese bakery Coppe Pan has sando from $6, and dinner is sorted at Udon Yasan (186 Bourke Street). The noodle bowls start at just five bucks!

Try unlimited yoga classes

Unwind and stretch your way through two weeks of unlimited yoga at Yoga Corner. Available to new yoga students, the intro offer is just $55 for all the yoga you can squeeze into your schedule. After the two weeks, drop-in classes are $30. The practice is made up of balance and movements to workout both your body and mind.

Score discounted theatre tickets

If you've always dreamed of winning the lottery, here's your chance. Check out these discounted theatre tickets and deals through TodayTix. You'll find some of Melbourne's biggest theatre shows including Beauty and the Beast. Halftix also has daily discounted tickets for shows across the city. Get in before they close at 6pm and pick up cheap entry to events at the Princess Theatre, The Comic’s Lounge, Athenaeum Theatre and more.

Grab the best happy hour deals

Time things right, and a chilled cocktail can be yours at a bargain price. Visit The General Assembly for $10 wines and spritz and $8 schooners from 4pm to 7pm, Monday to Friday. Knock back cheap German tap brews in the Hofbräuhaus bierhall every Tuesday to Friday from 4pm to 6pm. Prices start at just $6. Prefer to mix things up? Venture down to The Moat for $14 cocktails every Wednesday to Saturday, between 4pm and 6pm. Try an espresso martini, a house-made lavender gin concoction and more.