Fun things (that you can actually afford to do)

The economy is tanking, but that doesn't mean it has to keep you down. There's still plenty to do around here if you're looking to save a buck, even in the chilly off-season of a tourist hot spot. From restaurants that give you money to $1 sips of wine, a night out on Hilton Head Island or in Bluffton doesn't mean you have to spend a fortune.

Here are a few suggestions for some local, low-cost entertainment:

WINE ON A BUDGET

Wine can be a bit intimidating to the novice drinker. So many varieties to learn. So many flavors to detect. And developing a learned palate can be a costly hobby.

But technological advances are starting to make it more accessible to everyday consumers.

Take Wine Times 4 in The Village at Wexford. The wine bar with a twist features the Enomatic wine dispenser. Think of it as a classier version of a soda machine.

At Wine Times 4, more than 70 different varieties of wine are hooked up to the machines. Find an appealing wine, insert your prepaid card and the Enomatic lets you choose how much you want: a taste, a half-glass or a full glass.

A taste runs as low as 99 cents up to about $20 for the premier Opus One.

"It's a way to find what wines you may like without having to buy an entire bottle to try it," said co-owner and manager Joe Brockwell.

Popular in Europe for several years, the Enomatic recently made its way to the states in 2003. It's the first in South Carolina or coastal Georgia, Brockwell said.

Mechanisms such as the Enomatic or the more home-friendly Wine Saver Home are based around wine preservation. Normally an opened bottle of wine can start to go south within a few days. But with an Enomatic, opened bottles are hooked up to the system and filled with argon or nitrogen gases to avoid oxidation. Wines can last up to 30 days, Brockwell said.

In addition, Wine Times 4 also serves craft beers, a light tapas menu, coffee and pastries.

For more information, go to www.winetimes4.com or call 843-341-9463.

IN THE PURSUIT OF TRIVIA

Trivia nights aren't just a way to prove to bar flies that you're smart -- some places actually pay you for it. Mellow Mushroom, Casey's and Wild Wing Cafe give away gift certificates and prizes at their weekly trivia nights.

• Mellow Mushroom, 9 p.m. Wednesdays

• Wild Wing, 8 p.m. Wednesdays in Bluffton; 8:30 p.m. Tuesdays on Hilton Head

• Casey's, 9 p.m. Thursdays

STOP AT THE RED BOX

A $4 DVD rental a bit too much for your wallet? Try the Red Box. Usually stationed at grocery stores, the Red Box is a DVD vending machine. For $1 a night, you can rent a movie. Just swipe a credit card and return the DVD to the same Red Box you got it. Downside: It's mainly limited to new releases, so temper your expectations a bit.

• Find Red Boxes at the Harris Teeters on Hilton Head; the Kroger in Bluffton; and Walmart off U.S. 278 in Hardeeville.

For more information, go to redbox.com.

PERFORM FOR THE CROWD

Will no one pay you to sing? Check out local free karaoke nights. For example, Casey's has karaoke Tuesday and Friday starting at about 9 p.m. Wild Wing in Bluffton typically has karaoke at 10:30 p.m. Tuesdays.

If singing isn't your thing, patrons at Jock's Sports Grill in Bluffton off Buck Island Road compete in virtual sports with Nintendo Wii nights starting at about 7 p.m. Thursdays.

PRETTY PICTURES

Hilton Head and Bluffton feature a variety of art venues. Here's a few with frequently rotating exhibits that are free to the public.

• The Art League of Hilton Head Island has a gallery in Pineland Station that features rotating exhibits of local artists each month. Featured this month are paintings and collages from a trio of artists -- Cindy Chiappetta, Jeanie Hooper and Vickie Jourdan. The gallery is open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday.

• The Arts Center of Coastal Carolina has year-round art exhibits in addition to plays and musical performances. Until Jan. 23, the gallery features art from storybook illustrators, such as Dr. Seuss and Stephen Huneck.

The gallery is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturdays during performances and one hour before performances in the Elizabeth Wallace Theater.

• The Society of Bluffton Artists' gallery on Boundary Street is in the heart of old town's art district. Until Jan. 24, the paintings of Jack Huddle are featured. Visiting hours are 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday.

LEARN TO DANCE

Membership is fairly inexpensive for local dance societies.

• The Hilton Head Island Carolina Shag Club practices the state dance of South Carolina. For a $25 membership fee, the shag club offers weekly lessons. Friday evenings there are social dances at Crowne Plaza Resort. The next class series starts Jan. 20.

For more information, visit hhishag.com.

• The Hilton Head Ocean Waves Square Dance Club offers Monday classes for beginners. Participants who graduate are invited to the dances that happen every other Saturday a month. The only cost is about $5 or so per person to pay for the caller who comes from Walterboro. "Square dance is a cheap form of recreation," co-president Shea Meincke said. "You can't even go to the movies for that cheap."

For more information, call Rich or Shea Meincke at 843-681-7201.