Photo by Mango Vision, borrowed from Films In Tompkins

So you want to see a movie on the big screen, but you're hesitant to dish out ten-plus bucks for a ticket, five-plus bucks for a popcorn, and another five for a gratuitously large soda. Praise be to Films in Tompkins, which offers free screenings of films every other Wednesday throughout the summer in Tompkins Square Park, weather permitting. The gates open tonight (Wednesday, July 30) at 6pm and the featured movie, "Better Off Dead"--the 1985 cult classic rom-com starring John Cusack--plays at sundown. So pack a picnic and a blanket, head to Alphabet City and seat yourself on the grass alongside your sweetheart. Booze is discouraged, but there's no simpler problem than one resolved by a brown paper bag or an opaque plastic cup.

For yet more opportunities to get free stuff in the city, check out our Unemployed Guide to New York.