They say nothing really comes for free, but I think "they" are people who just didn't look hard enough. There are honest-to-god freebies to be had throughout the city, and I'm not just  talking about little slices of sausages on toothpicks at Trader Joe's.

For years, Columbia students have been enjoying their Chinese food with a side of free wine buzz, courtesy of places like the Cottage and Silk Road Palace. But maybe, for you, the combination of greasy Chinese food and cheap wine comes up on the wrong end of the save-money/feel-bad graph, in which case you'll probably be happy to pay a little (say, half-price?) for a better bottle of wine. Either way, we've got you covered with our list of restaurants where the wine is cheap or free.

Also, be sure to check out our full list of New York restaurant deals and events.

(Photo courtesy of Nolita House, where wine is half-off on Tuesday nights)