slides: COLLEGE GUIDE: Great Ideas For a Cheap Night Out

Go out just for dessert

Make it a night for ice cream or froyo... you'll get away with something cold and delicious for around $5 (or less). Throw some fruit on it and Instagram a photo to your mom, proving how healthy your college lifestyle is.

Need inspiration? Check out our list of the best ice cream and froyo spots in Worcester.

Shame-free karaoke

One of the best places to get into a midweek Karaoke state of mind (and spend very little money relative to how much you'll laugh) is BIG GAME Karaoke on Wednesday nights from 10pm to midnight at  Ralph's Rock Diner, which also has live music and a special Heavy Metal night. Not to mention Dirty Gerund Poetry Night. Okay, pretty much every night at Ralph's is awesome.

For more on Ralph's and other great places to hear music, check here.

BYOB Asian

When the food is inexpensive and tasty, and you can bring your own beer, that's a great night out for about the best price going.

One of the best BYOB Asian spots in the area is Dalat restaurant in Worcester, which serves authentic Vietnamese. Check out their Banh Hoi Chao Tom, and pick up a six-pack on the way.

Want more Asian? Go here.

Game nights

Want cheap and fun entertainment, with a dose of education thrown in? Check out game nights at local coffee houses and bars. You'll find great bar trivia at Ralph's Rock Diner (of course), but how about Scrabble night at NU Cafe? For the price of a few lattes, you've got some friendly cut-throat competition.

Scrabble nights at NU Cafe, Tuesdays, 6-8pm. Get more info on NU, here.

For more coffee houses worth your hard-earned dollars, go here. (Photo: samantha celera/flickr)

Seek out small plates

If you're not already a tapas fan, your wallet is. These delicious small plates, Mediterranean-inspired, allow you to go to a cool place for a meal and (with controlled ordering), leave without dropping a bunch of money.

Bocado, one of Worcester's coolest tapas spots, is also open very late, making it a double-win for college students.

For other late-night eating spots that are perfect for college students, check out this list.

Drink on the cheap

If you're not 21, move on to the next slide. If you are 21, you are going to want to check out the $5 margaritas at Wild Willy's Burgers. It's one of the best deals in town, and the burgers are incredibly tasty and reasonably priced.

Think you want to try more burgers in town? Go here.

Drink on the cheap II

The best way to have a cheap night out is to get your advanced degree in cheap beer.

Here's your Spark Notes to get your started: Jose Murphy's has $8 pitchers (and 10 cent tacos), Beemers Pub has $5 pitchers, 16 oz Narragansetts for $2, and 10 oz glasses of the house brew for $1.25.

More bar study required? Go here for our list of best spots for beer.

No cover charge spots

Worcester is a real college town, which means you can find places that cater to kids with not a lot of money. The good news is that this means that bars will often feature live music with no cover. Use those hard-earned dollars on a cheap draft beer (see previous slide for inspiration).

One of the best spots in town for no cover entertainment is the Salty Dog Saloon in Worcester, and they've even got a mechanical bull. Talk about a cheap night of thrills.

For more great bars, check out our list.

Eat wings

There's a reason they are the undisputed king of all college food. They're incredibly cheap, full of flavor, messy as hell, and available by the bucket--literally.

Worcester is packed with great wing joints, so instead of getting them for your dorm room, pull on your best sweatshirt and go out for them.

You want the best wings in Worcester? Check it out here.