I agree with the being nice thing whole-heartedly. There is a coffee shop we go to fairly regularly for when we want inexpensive nights out without the kids. We regularly get free/discounted drinks because they know us. They also save stuff for us that is destined for the garbage, like display tins I had an interest in and even glassware items that were being tossed after a remodel. They know my frugal/scavenger ethic, so always ask when something interesting is being tossed, I guess! We try to reciprocate the kindness -- I've helped the college-age kids with homework, given rides home during thunderstorms, and bunches of other little things just to be nice.
As for frugal happenings this weekend:
* Painted the living room using free paint from the shelf at the dump transfer station. We tinted it ourselves to the lovely light blue-gray shade I wanted. We have enough to finish the rest of the upstairs, with some left over for future touchups (since we will never be able to reproduce the color). If you consider this, scavenge light colored paint and mix it all together in a big bucket. Keep like with like (water based with water, oil with oil). You can tint it with any type of paint that is the same type - water or oil. We used acrylic craft paint. Stir well by hand, or use a drill-mounted paint stirrer.
* Made eggs and bacon for dinner instead of giving into the temptation of running out for takeout after a hard day's painting and furniture moving.
* Saturday morning, took younger to a friend's birthday party. Gift was a stack of Madlibs I had on hand (I scavenge pristine books at yard sales for future gift giving). Party was at a movie theater downtown. We arrived a bit early so I could park across the river in a free area before it filled up. Then, so I didn't have to pay upwards of $3 to park when I returned, plus the wasted gas and insurance costs of driving the 8 mile one-way trip twice more, I opted to sit in the food court at the attached mall and take advantage of the free wi-fi to get some things done. I even brought water and a few snacks to tide me over for the 2.5 hours of the party.