Interesting things to do in LA on the cheap?

You have to go to Pho 2000 on Beverly and western. Best pho in the city, and cheap.

The farmer's market! I went to the one downtown the last time I was in LA and it was wonderful. Costs nothing to go, but you might end up spending money on delicious things while you're there.

Go to see Jay Leno (or any show you like that'll give you free tickets). I went recently, it was a blast! Definitely intend to include spending your time in line with friends having fun, though, or a lot of it will be boring.

Just get online and check out how your show wants you to go about requesting tickets (definitely do this by mail so you don't risk them running out on show day). It's super easy, fun, and free.

The beach, of course

Cheap authentic Mexican food. Hit up a Salvadoran restaurant for some pupusas, too.

Sorry about the lack of specifics; I personally love any taco stand or pupusa restaurant
and miss the wide availability where I am currently living

Visit the Museum of Jurassic Technology: unexpected, inexpensive, mind-expanding. View the art and don't miss the tea room upstairs.

Note though that the Museum of Jurassic Technology has really limited hours... call frist to make sure they're open.

There's also the museum of Television and Radio in Beverly Hills... you can watch pretty much any older TV show or radio program... really great to catch those old episodes of the Tracy Ullman Show.

Awesome. Thanks! Anyone living in Silverlake got any good suggestions?

Check out the many free concert series that goes on during the summer. Grand Performances at California Plaza downtown, has free concerts every weekend at night. There is also a free world concert series that happens at the Skirball Center in the Sepulveda Pass starting in July. Enjoy

the getty center in west LA is free. it's 5 dollars to park but there are shuttles and buses that go there as well. go at sunset, bring a picnic, check out the gardens and the view of LA.

along the same lines, LACMA and MOCA have a free evening once a week, i forget which but check their websites.

the galleries in chinatown and bergamot station in santa monica are good and once you get on their mailing list you can go booze it up at openings! bergamot cafe has nice lunches and you can eat dim sum if you go to chinatown.

bars: cha cha cha (two locations--one on virgil in silverlake) has an awesome happy hour with dollar beers and sangria and two dollar snacks. also cha cha lounge on glendale has a good happy hour (i think it's every night). the red lion, also on glendale, is another good cheap place to eat brats and drink good beer.

check out the los angeles board of chowhound for more cheap eating tips than you could ever work through.

Santa Monica 3rd Street Promenade is a nice place to stroll around and the wharf.

Drive along Hwy One thru Malibu, stop by Dukes. A fun place to eat and sometimes can see surfers surf from the restaurant.

Enjoy!