With garden fever spreading after Michelle Obama wielded a (designer) shovel, my boyfriend staked out a community garden plot, and we've been trading e-mails all week about the vegetables we want to plant. Now I'm dreaming of saving on my pricey Whole Foods produce this summer and instead skipping down to my own lush garden, basket in hand. We'll see how green my thumbs are.

Once I find out, it's the kind of helpful information I plan to share with all the readers here at Cheap Thrills, 5280's brand-new blog for those of us who would like to keep our wallets a little plumper.

We'll be looking at the gamut of good deals, from great specials on microbrew pitchers to discounted theater tickets and fun family outings.

Living in a more money-conscious way can also mean being more sustainable, from de-cluttering your house (a garage sale can pay for a month of groceries--I've tried it) to finding your bike shorts, riding to work, and saving on gas money (and reducing your carbon footprint).

But Cheap Thrills is about more than just calendar items. It's about the lifestyle choices that meet our bottom lines while also keeping us happy.

Along the way, I'll be looking for your input, so think of this as a community where you can share your favorite half-priced happy hour, free events we should know about, and any other useful tips for staying entertained while we tighten our budgets.

Send tips to jennie@5280.com.