DENVER -- We know it's a tough economy, and everyone is trying to save money, but that doesn't mean you have to simply sit at home.

The Denver Zoo's Denver Zoo next free day is Tuesday, Feb. 24 for Colorado residents. The Zoo will also be free on Oct. 7, Oct. 25, Nov. 8 and Nov. 11 in 2009.

7NEWS has been compiling a list of things to do for free, or under $5, in the metro area.

Here are more things you can do for free.

Explore the Denver Museum of Nature & Science March 18 for free. Explore the Museum’s exhibitions like Space Odyssey, Prehistoric Journey and Egyptian Mummies. (Free admission applies to the museum only. Separate admission fees to Phipps IMAX® Theater and Gates Planetarium remain in effect during free days.) The other free days in 2009 are: April 19, May 31, June 10, July 13, Aug. 12, Sept. 13, Oct. 4, Nov. 2 and Nov. 22. (Free days are for Colorado residents only)

The Denver Art Museum opens for free on the first Saturday of every month in 2009 through October. (One exception is the month of July when the first Saturday falls on July 4 when the museum is closed) Visitors can enjoy the art collections and non-ticketed exhibitions without spending a dime. Free general admission does not include ticketed exhibitions, which require a fee. Free tickets are available on-site starting at 10 am.

The Rocky Mountain Arsenal used to make nerve gas and napalm. Now it's a National wildlife refuge. It's open to the public Tuesday, Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday from 7am-5pm. Call 303-289-0930. There are tram rides and wildlife programs, all for free. For detials, visit the Arsenal's Web site.

You can smell the peppermint and learn about tea on the free tour at Celestial Seasonings in Boulder. Children must be 5 and older to go on tour. There are even free tea samples in the tasting room.

While you're in Boulder, consider a stop at the Leanin' Tree Museum and Sculpture Garden of Western Art. Admission and parking is free. Some call it the best small museum in the state.

Need something fun to do with the kids, how about storytime? Several local libraries and even the Tattered Cover bookstore host storytimes for kids. And they're free.

Take a trip back in time with a history tour. The Brown Palace has free public tours every Wednesday & Saturday at 2 pm. Reservations are required.

You can also see the exhibits (and run the stairs) for free at Rock Rocks.

And while you're in Morrison, don't miss the dinosaur footprints on Dinosaur Ridge. It's free too.

The Children's Museum welcomes families to enjoy the exhibits for free on the first Tuesday night of each month, from 4-8 p.m. Free days in 2009 are March 3, April 7, May 5, June 2, July 7, Aug. 4, Sept. 1, Oct. 6, Nov. 3 and Dec. 1.

For a list of free events in Denver, visit the City of Denver'sFree Events Web page.

And don't forget many libraries loan out more than books. You can borrow movies and video games at some local libraries for free.

Activities Under $5

If you want to go out to see a movie, you don't have to spend $8 or $9 to catch a recent flick. It's $1.50 to see movies at Tiffany Plaza 6, which is in same shopping center as Whole Foods, and across across from Tamarac Square on 7400 E Hampden Ave. It's 50 cents on Tuesdays, and the movies are relatively current. Call 303-221-1656 for showtimes.

At Bumble Bounce's House of Bounce in Littleton, kids 2 years old or older bounce for just $5 a day. Children under 2 year old bounce for just $2.

At McCormick's in downtown Denver, happy hour is from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m., and there are 16 food items on the menu for less than $5. "We've always had a $1.95 burger for 20 plus years, and we're probably the only seafood restaurant famous for hamburgers," said the McCormick's catering manager. In fact, you can even get a half-pound burger and a beer for under $5 during happy hour.

You can bring your family to the state capitol during the week and walk around inside the state house at your own leisure. You can even watch from the balcony as state legislators implement new laws.

And this could possibly be the best deal we found. Starting at noon on most game days, the Denver Nuggets put 300 seats up for sale for $5. It's first come, first serve -- once the tickets are gone they're gone. You must go to the box office at Pepsi Center to get the deal.

Where do you go to have fun, that doesn't cost a lot of money? Let us know and we'll share with our readers. You can leave comments below or send an e-mail to dennews@thedenverchannel.com.