Do you miss restaurants? You know, the places where someone cooks for you and you don’t have to worry about washing the dishes. Do you remember movie theaters, those darkened rooms where you used to be entertained by flickering images projected onto a screen? And has live music gotten so expensive that the last time you saw a band, Kurt Cobain and George Harrison were still alive?

Times may be tight, but Seattle travel writer David Volk shows you don’t have to stop going out just because your budget is tight. As long as you do it the Cheap Bastard way, that is.

“The Cheap Bastard’s Guide to Seattle” isn’t your standard guidebook. It’s a funny, street-savvy book that’s intended for economizing locals who still want to enjoy an occasional day or night out, but want to pay less for it.

How much less?

In many cases, 100 percent less. That’s because many of the entertainment options are free, most are less than $10 and even typically expensive massages and spa treatments are under $100.

The book gives the inside scoop on how to watch plays without paying, attend movies at the Seattle International Film Festival for free, eat out for cheap and even see local sports teams play for next to nothing. It also includes chapters on shopping, music, art, free classes and things to do with kids.

And the best part is, it’s all legal, ethical and a heck of a lot of fun.

Being a Cheap Bastard isn’t about being stingy or beating someone over the head to save a few pennies. Instead, it’s about improving the quality of your life because the book shows you how to beat the system, do many of the things you already do for free and enjoy yourself along the way.