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The ways San Diegans spend Saturday night
Do we not know how to PARTY?
What do people spend money on when they go out Saturday night? I went to a variety of locations to ask a variety of people. I hit Horton Plaza downtown, the Belmont Park roller coaster in Mission Beach, and the Belly Up Tavern in Solana Beach, and I headed east to the Grossmont Trolley Center.
A number of people I approached ignored me. They thought I was going to either beg for money or try to sell them a cell phone. Others let me ask my question but responded with a statement along the lines of "You don't want to hear about my weekends — they're boring." Those people mentioned doing housework, hanging out with their kids, or watching TV.
Many people said they went to a movie on Saturday night. I didn't want to fill the story with only moviegoers, but it's safe to say that's the most common thing San Diegans do when they hit the town.
George Morgan
Age: 64
Marital status: Single
Home: Toronto, Canada
Work: Retired executive director of secure facility for young offenders
Total cost: $20
I don't want to sound too boring, but I watch TV on Saturday night. I'm a big hockey fan. I used to be a bigger fan and would go to the games on Saturday night. But the game has gotten so rough and gotten away from the skill involved. I still go to some games on Saturday nights, but usually I just watch them on TV. I may go to a baseball game on a Saturday afternoon. Watching TV is free, so I don't spend money when I'm home.
I'm here on vacation, and I like walking around the outdoor malls. The weather is so nice here, and I like to people-watch. Obviously, it doesn't cost any money to do that. I may go walk around Seaport Village. I will have dinner somewhere on Saturday night while on vacation. That would probably cost less than $20.
Ray
Age: 29
Marital status: Married, with two kids
Home: Clairemont
Work: DJ and AT&T employee
Total cost: $130.50
If I'm not DJing, I'm with the family. I might spend $100 or $150 on a night out. We go to movies, dinner, and there's the cost of gas. There are four of us, so dinner might be about $80. The movie tickets -- we need two adults and two kids. That's around $31.50. We'll sometimes buy the popcorn and Cokes [$3.00 for one small Coke, $3.50 for one small popcorn]. Maybe two popcorns and four Cokes. It all adds up.
Dolores Solano
Age: 39
Marital status: Divorced
Home: San Diego
Work: Nurse
Total cost: $40
When my daughter was younger, we might go see a movie. Sometimes we still do. That's $18 for two tickets. Other times we just jump in the car and drive around and get dinner somewhere. That's around $30. Now that she just got her own car, we do less of that. She's out driving around on her own or with her friends. Since I'm going to school again, a lot of times I'll just rent two DVDs [$8] and study. Once in a while on a Saturday night, me and my friends will go clubbing. That's usually $20 to get in, and if I buy a couple of drinks, that's another $20.
Albert
Age: 18
Home: Poway
Work: Student at Mount Carmel High School
Total cost: $60
The two main things my friends and I do is either go to Tijuana or go to see a band play. For the bands, it's either SOMA or the Epicentre in Mira Mesa. The cover charge varies, but it's usually around $8 to get in. The other thing we like to do is go to T.J. Some Saturday nights, I'll only spend $10 down there. But if we go do a lot of stuff down there, it could end up costing more. If we go to a few different strip clubs, and we're throwing money at the dancers and buying lots of drinks, that might cost me $60 or $70.
Trista and Ray Perez
Ages: 31 and 33
Home: Las Vegas
Work: Own a graphic design studio
Total cost: $64
Trista says, "We usually go out and listen to live music in Vegas. It's not like we're hanging out in casinos just because they are all over the place. It's usually $35 or less for the national acts that we like. Local bands are a lot cheaper. We've found that when the bigger-name bands play here [in San Diego], it's a lot cheaper. The concert tonight [the Raveonettes at 'Canes] was only $12 a ticket. When we got here at 7:30, though, they wouldn't let us in. They said they weren't open yet. We've also found that when we're here, places seem to close so early. In Las Vegas, everything is open all the time."
Ray adds, "We have three kids, but now that our oldest is 14, we don't need to hire a babysitter anymore. Tonight, we ended up having dinner and drinks across the street at Coaster Saloon. That was around $40. We walked on the beach a little before coming into the concert."
Jeff and Catherine Jefferson
Ages: 69 and 45
Home: Mira Mesa
Work: He's retired military/engineer
Total cost: $15
Catherine says, "Usually on Saturday nights, we sit around the idiot box. The nightlife in Mira Mesa pretty much sucks. Sometimes we go to a coffee shop to see somebody sing. Sometimes I'll be singing at a place as well. Other times we might go to karaoke, which is fun. All of that is relatively cheap. A coffee shop might have a cover, but usually it's free. We'll buy a few cappuccinos and pastries. That might cost $15. Other Saturday nights, I'm working on my songs in my home studio. That doesn't cost anything but the electricity we use."
Dan Valadez
Age: 50
Marital status: Divorced
Home: Temecula
Work: Retired military, currently an account manager
Total cost: Free
It all depends on if I'm dating anybody or not. When I'm single, it's usually spent playing racquetball or working out at 24 Hour Fitness. If I play racquetball on the base [Miramar], it's free. I work in Poway, so after I'm done, it's a far drive home. On Saturdays, I usually end up driving back down to San Diego because there is more stuff to do. If I'm in a relationship, it might just be a movie and dinner, which we can do in Temecula. I'll usually end up spending more Saturday nights in San Diego, whether it's Balboa Park or downtown. I save money when I'm not dating anyone and my Saturday night is spent playing racquetball and working out.
Jose DeJesus
Age: 49
Marital status: Single
Home: Lemon Grove
Work: Engineer
Total cost: $60
Well, on Saturday afternoon I like to have a few beers. It's always nice weather too. At night, my girlfriend and I go dancing at Cafe Sevilla. It's $10 for each of us. We usually get a few drinks there, and that might be another $20. We like it there because it's Latin music. Then afterwards, we have a late dinner at Denny's. That's usually around $20.
Justine Koskinen
Age: 45
Marital status: Single
Home: Lakeside
Work: Teacher
Total cost: $30
We usually go out and support local musicians. The cover is usually $10 to $20, and I may buy a few glasses of wine. During the day on Saturday, we go hiking or take photos. That doesn't cost anything, aside from film. That will cost me $4, but my boyfriend has a digital camera, so it's all free for him. Last Saturday we went to a Gull game. Tickets are $12 each, and we might buy a beer or wine. Wine is $5 a glass.
Kelly Green
Age: 33
Marital status: Married, with one child (another on the way)
Home: Vista
Work: Part-time at a credit union
Total cost: $35.95
When we go out to dinner, it's usually Italian food. The bill might come to $25. We rent two movies for our son [$5], who's 22 months old. My husband and I will watch a pay-per-view movie, which is $5.95. We don't use a babysitter yet. We take our son with us to dinner.
Mahmoud Habhab
Age: 34
Marital status: Married, with two kids
Home: Del Mar
Work: Engineer
Total cost: $328
Usually I'm with my family. We cook dinner usually and watch TV. If we go out to a movie, it will be something PG. A movie like Harry Potter or Kangaroo Jack. A few times a month, I'll go out with my friends on Saturday night. We go get sushi downtown in the Gaslamp. Then we usually get coffee somewhere. Last time, I paid the bill, and for the three of us it came out to $328. Sushi is expensive.
Rebecca Smith
Age: 34
Marital status: Single
Home: Bay Park
Work: Information systems analyst
Total cost: $45
Saturday nights in the fall are cool because I go to Socker and Gull games. Then during baseball season, I go to Padre games. The tickets last year were $11, but this year we're paying $18 a ticket at Petco Park. For a Gull ticket, it's $12. We like to be up higher. We think it's a better view. The Socker tickets are $18 each. We'll usually have dinner before the game. It's usually Souplantation [laughs]. We figure with the Padres downtown, we'll start having dinner at more of the places down there. Parking is $17 right by the ballpark.
Corey Cooper
Age: 34
Marital status: Married
Home: Carlsbad
Work: Teacher
Total cost: $95
On some occasions, we may go to a concert -- if there's a band we like at the Belly Up Tavern. Usually it's the dinner-and-movie thing. The last place we ate at was Jack and Giulio's in Old Town. It may cost us $75 on a Saturday night, and whatever else we spend for a babysitter.
Ezra Cavazos
Age: 22
Marital status: Married
Home: Chula Vista
Work: Waiter
Total cost: $40
My wife and I will usually go to see a movie, which can cost close to $20. Afterwards, we may go to a bar and have a few drinks. That might be another $20. And there are some Saturday nights where I have to work and other nights where we just stay at home.
Tom Barrios
Age: 51
Marital status: Married, with two kids (in college)
Home: Mira Mesa
Work: Postal service
Total cost: Depends
It's hard to say how much I spend on a Saturday night. If I'm playing poker with friends, I could either be losing money or winning money. Oftentimes, I go to the casinos. I seem to win more times than I lose. I've come back with hundreds of dollars more than I got there with. My wife doesn't like me spending all my time at the casinos, but if I win big and give her some of my winnings, she doesn't seem to mind as much.
Bill Heisz
Age: 30
Marital status: Single
Home: Poway
Work: Construction
Total cost: $60
I like to bowl in tournaments, so oftentimes I go to the Poway lanes or the bowling alley in Mira Mesa. I may spend my Saturday night practicing. That can be $12 to $15 an hour to rent a lane. When my girlfriend and I go out, we'll see a movie and have dinner. The total might end up being around $60 for the entire evening.
Justin Rodriguez
Age: 26
Marital status: Single
Home: Hillcrest
Work: Coffee Bean
Total cost: $40
It depends what my friends are doing on Saturday. There might be a party. We might go to the Live Wire to drink a few beers. That would cost between $20 and $40. If the Casbah has a good band, we'll go there. Some bands are $5, and others can be up to $20. Or I might just hang out with my roommates.
Melissa LaFara
Age: 24
Marital status: Single
Home: South Park
Work: Mint (footwear store)
Total cost: $10
My favorite thing to do is go see a live band play. I'm usually at the Whistle Stop Bar in South Park. Sometimes I'll go to the Casbah. I'll usually end up spending under $10, especially if a guy is buying my drinks [laughs].
Jon Husby
Age: 32
Marital status: Married
Home: Murphy Canyon area
Work: Firefighter and paramedic
Total cost: $50
We work shifts that oftentimes have us working on Saturday night. And that seems to be the busiest time for us. Especially around 2:00 a.m., when all the accidents seem to happen. Bars are closing, and people are driving after having had too much to drink. When I'm not working, I may hang out with friends. My wife and I will have dinner somewhere. That might cost around $50.
Randy Delotch
Age: 40
Marital status: Single
Home: Scripps Ranch
Work: Firefighter and paramedic
Total cost: $0
As Jon was saying, Saturday night is a hectic time for us. Especially in the beach area or in the Gaslamp. There seems to be more drinking on Saturday nights, which makes the problems worse. Every Saturday night is different. And when I'm not working, I'm content with my fish, my cat, and a good book.
Debi and Joe Ferrara
Ages: 44 and 45
Home: Salt Lake City, Utah
Work: He's a computer professional
Total cost: $50
Debi says, "We lived in Oceanside for a long time. We lived a few different places in the San Diego area. Now that we have been in Salt Lake City for the last ten years, when we make it out here, we do a lot of the touristy things. We may take a bay cruise or just go to the beach. We might hit a few of the Mexican restaurants that we liked or a place like Corvette Diner. Since we've been to all the places like SeaWorld and the zoo, we don't usually go there. It's usually catching up with our friends that are still here or the restaurants we like. We were surprised when we saw a Joe's Crab Shack out here. We have one in Salt Lake, but we didn't know it was a chain."
Jean-Pierre Prieur
Age: Mid-30s
Marital status: Married
Home: Rancho Santa Fe
Work: Graphic designer
Total cost: $25
In France, there are lots of parties on Saturday night. There will be dancing and lots of champagne. Not a lot of beer drinking -- it's usually champagne. Sometimes it will go on until 7:00 a.m. Then you might hit an after-hours club till noon. And Saturday might start on Thursday night and end Monday night. Sometimes I wouldn't sleep for two or three days. On Sunday, there was an underground spot called Charlie's. It opened at 2:00 p.m. It closed Sunday at 2:00 a.m. Only insiders knew about it. A lot of stars hung out there. Madonna, Gaultier, Cerruti, Lee Majors, and French movie stars. Here on Saturday, I'm usually at Caffiends. They have lots of musicians that write their own songs. They aren't cover bands. Sometimes tourists show up there, but mostly it's a group of regulars. With Petco Park now downtown, parking has gotten bad. Parking costs around $10, and a $5 cover to get in, and I may spend $10 on a few beers or coffee.
Mark Suhonen
Age: 26
Marital status: Engaged
Home: Point Loma
Work: Music teacher, performer
Total cost: Working on weekends
I'm never spending money on Saturday nights. Usually I'm performing with one band or another, and Friday and Saturday nights there are always gigs. So I make money on Saturday night. The only money I spend on Saturday night is the gas I use.
Eric Pratt
Age: 16
Home: Point Loma
Work: Student at Point Loma High School
Total cost: $8
I might go to SOMA once a month to see a band. I just saw Jet when they played there. A show like that is more, but usually the cover to get in is $8. Sometimes I go to a movie or hang out with friends, play my drums, sleep, watch TV. None of that costs money, and the things that do, my dad usually pays for. When I'm playing my drums late on Saturday nights, I use the electric ones. That way, I can adjust the volume so they aren't too loud, or I'll just wear the headphones.
Joel Smith
Age: 30
Marital status: Married, with two kids
Home: El Cajon
Work: FedEx employee
Total cost: $20
My Saturday nights are usually spent drinking and dart shooting. I'll go to the bar around the corner from my house. I might spend $20. My wife is home with the kids, so I don't have to pay a babysitter.
Edgar Morales
Age: 26
Marital status: Single
Home: North Park
Work: Restaurant server
Total cost: $40
I'm usually playing pool with my friends at a bar. That might be a lot of quarters, but it doesn't cost much. We might play shuffleboard or the other games that are at the bar. I usually go to bars that don't have bands, so there isn't a cover. I go to Live Wire or Tobacco Rhoda's most often. I end up spending $40 on the entire Saturday night.
Ted Washington
Age: 44
Marital status: Single
Home: Ocean Beach
Work: Bouncer/artist
Total cost: $20 (by himself), $150 (with date)
My Saturday nights vary. Sometimes I'll stay at home and do artwork, because that's a nice, quiet time, when people are out partying. And since I work in bars, I don't have the desire to go out to a bar on Saturday night. Sometimes I go out with girls. Other times I go see music, because I love music. That's why I work at two bars that have bands. The cover is free for me, since I work here. But if I go to a place I don't work, I'll spend up to $20 -- even more if necessary -- for a good band. On a date, it'll be dinner, drinking, and then the music. I may spend anywhere from $75 to $150.
Will Roberts
Age: 33
Marital status: Single
Home: Santee
Work: Computer programmer
Total cost: $60
I'll usually drink a six-pack at home before I go out. If I'm with my girlfriend, it'll be a movie [$19] or a Padre game [$50]. With friends, we might go see a band or go to a strip club. I'll spend $60 to $80, no more than that. If we hit a strip club like Pure Platinum, I spend a bit less. My friends will drop $85 on lap dances or table dances. I just look at the things I'm not going to buy. Sometimes we'll get weed and get wasted. It's usually a friend hooking me up with that. So that doesn't cost me anything. And thanks go to Elias for that.
Sandy and boyfriend Troy Chronister
Ages: 34 and 33
Home: She's in San Diego; he's in Boulder, Colorado
Work: She does hiring and firing for a company; he works for an IT company
Total cost: $40
Sandy says, "We like to get out and do a lot of barhopping in Pacific Beach. We go to Lahaina's. It's the best place in P.B. to watch the sunset. We usually spend $40 there for two pitchers of beer and maybe some appetizers. We'll meet friends there."
Troy adds, "It's hard to say how much we'll spend. We've spent a lot on alcohol. I've dropped a C-note. I'm only here once a month though, so my Saturdays are usually spent in Boulder."
Tammy Medeiros
Age: 40
Marital status: Divorced, with three kids
Home: Carlsbad
Work: Activity director
Total cost: $75
I lived in Hawaii for so long. And out here, I like to walk on the beach like I did back home. I love the sand and love to watch the sunsets. My fiancé and I may go to karaoke afterwards. Most places I go to don't do happy hour on Saturday, but I still like to have a few cocktails. We may end up at a place like the Roadhouse, G Spot [Grand Avenue Bar], or Dini's. Sometimes we have sushi in Oceanside. My kids are old enough that I don't need a babysitter. Half the time, they end up ditching me!
Roxane and Mahmoud "Shawn" Shantiai
Ages: 41 and 43
Marital status: Married, with one child
Home: Del Mar
Work: She's an office manager; he's a finance broker
Total cost: $120 (not including clothes and manicure)
Roxane says, We don't pay a babysitter. We use our extended family to watch our 11-year-old. Typically, Saturday night is our "date night." After all these years, that's the night of the week that we go all out. I may spend the day getting a manicure, pedicure, and buying something new. He'll put on something nice, like slacks and a nice shirt. He'll wear cologne and smell handsome. We have a glass of wine at the house. We have dinner at either a steak house or Persian restaurants. We like Fleming's steak house, Bandar Persian Cuisine, maybe Pick Up Stix for a more casual Saturday outing. He's not a boozer, but I am. So with drinks and tip and everything, it might be $100. Then we go dancing at Galileo. I think it's $20 to get in. So we might end up spending more around $120. And the fight we have at the end of the night -- priceless.
Jeff Pieters
Age: 36
Marital status: Married
Home: Clairemont
Work: Account manager at Sprint
Total cost: $125
Usually Saturday nights are pretty mellow for us. We don't go out every Saturday night. When we do, it might be meeting friends for drinks and dinner. It might be a minimum of $125 that we spend.
Etienne Wiggins
Age: 40
Marital status: Single
Home: El Cajon
Work: Runs a coffee cart
Total cost: $50
I like to drive around. I might go to the Gaslamp Quarter and drive around. Maybe park outside of a few different places. If I'm just hanging out, that doesn't cost anything. If I'm eating dinner, it might be $50.
Laura de Sousa
Age: 28
Marital status: Single
Home: Linda Vista
Work: Waitress
Total cost: $40
Last Saturday it was my friend's birthday, and we went out for fondue. I spent $20 on beer and a bottle of wine. Usually I'll go out for a meal and spend around $40. I like the Cheesecake Factory. Sometimes we hit places downtown or in Pacific Beach and O.B.
Mary Tamborski
Age: 29
Marital status: Married
Home: Spring Valley
Work: Bartender
Total cost: $150 to $200
I like to have a nice dinner downtown, usually with some cocktails. I'll go somewhere if somebody recommends it. I've been going to Fleming's a lot lately. When you count the drinks, dinner, dessert, and coffee...I might spend between $150 and $200.
Jon Cromwell
Age: 23
Marital status: Single
Home: North Park
Work: Host at Bennigan's
Total cost: $30
I just moved here from Baltimore, so I don't know a lot about the nightlife. In Baltimore, I was a downtown kind of guy. I've been downtown here a few times, to some of the clubs. I may go to some bars or a party. My sister told me to move here because the weather's good and the women are beautiful. That's true, but I just don't know enough about the clubs yet. I went to Red Circle downtown a few times. I think I spend around $30.
Mike Wachna Jr.
Age: 23
Marital status: Single
Home: Carmel Mountain
Work: Part-time at Hot Topic/student at Grossmont College
Total cost: $50
If I'm not working, I'll hang out at my best friend's house. We might spend between $40 and $50 on alcohol. We end up having about 15 friends that come over. Sometimes on Saturday nights, the band I'm in will rehearse. Usually that's on Thursdays, but we've practiced on a few Saturday nights. We also like to see shows at 4th & B or SOMA, if there's a good group playing. The cover could be anywhere from $12 to $25.
Doug Sackett
Age: 32
Marital status: Single
Home: East County
Work: Substitute teacher
Total cost: $100
Usually I go to concerts in Los Angeles. I'll never spend more than $100. Probably the most expensive thing about that is the gas it takes to get there. It also depends on the ticket price. Some smaller bands might charge $10 or $15. A national act is a lot more. Most of the places I go are on the Sunset Strip. I'll go to the Viper Room, House of Blues, or the Whisky a Go Go.
Richard Green
Age: 42
Marital status: Divorced
Home: Downtown
Work: Ace Parking attendant
Total cost: $20
I'm always off on Saturday nights. I'll usually just drink beer and be chilling out. The most I've ever spent was $150. That was for a hotel, food, drinks, gas, and junk like that. I'll usually spend less than $20.
Kim Laguardia
Age: 34
Marital status: Married, with four kids
Home: Sabre Springs
Work: Realtor
Total cost: $100
The first cost we have is the babysitter. We pay $10 an hour, but for four kids, that's pretty good. Our neighbor pays $10 for just their two kids. It's an affluent neighborhood. We only use a sitter that is a referral and at least a college-age girl. And because a babysitter costs so much, we'll never go to a movie. With the price of movies -- including popcorn, candy, and Cokes, the drive there, and the sitter -- it would end up being $80. That can buy six movies on DVD. The things we do vary from time to time. It may be a birthday or anniversary party we go to. Sometimes we'll go to a concert. A few weeks ago, we drove to Orange County for an event. If it's dinner, it might be Sushi on the Rock in La Jolla or Buca di Beppo. The total night might cost us $100.
Rosie Eldorado
Age: 46
Marital status: Divorced
Home: Rolando
Work: Medical transcriptionist, notary, and jewelry designer
Total cost: $25 (and making money)
I'll have dinner out. I like Filippi's and D.Z. Akin's. Or I use a coupon from one of the places in my entertainment book, like Toshi Sushi or Nicolosi's. Then, on Saturday nights, I arrange jewelry parties. Anywhere from 5 to 15 people. They may have their own ideas for jewelry, or they look at my inventory of 100 pieces. I have necklaces, bracelets, and earrings. Sometimes the party will be all men, if it's around Valentine's or Mother's Day. It helps them get stuff for their wives. It's [email protected], if the Reader lets you put that. In conclusion, I only spend $25 on dinner, treating the person that hosts the party. By the end of the night, I'm hoping to make a lot more money than I spend.
Jaye Jedrychowski
Age: 21
Marital status: Single
Home: UTC
Work: Waitress
Total cost: $25
Usually my Saturday night is spent going out for food with friends. We like going to Old Town best. I only spend between $20 and $25. But I'm going to be moving back home to Chicago. I'm going to go to law school at DePaul. So I'll be spending my Saturday nights there.
Here's something you might be interested in.
The ways San Diegans spend Saturday night
Do we not know how to PARTY?
The ways San Diegans spend Saturday night
Do we not know how to PARTY?
What do people spend money on when they go out Saturday night? I went to a variety of locations to ask a variety of people. I hit Horton Plaza downtown, the Belmont Park roller coaster in Mission Beach, and the Belly Up Tavern in Solana Beach, and I headed east to the Grossmont Trolley Center.
A number of people I approached ignored me. They thought I was going to either beg for money or try to sell them a cell phone. Others let me ask my question but responded with a statement along the lines of "You don't want to hear about my weekends — they're boring." Those people mentioned doing housework, hanging out with their kids, or watching TV.
Many people said they went to a movie on Saturday night. I didn't want to fill the story with only moviegoers, but it's safe to say that's the most common thing San Diegans do when they hit the town.
George Morgan
Age: 64
Marital status: Single
Home: Toronto, Canada
Work: Retired executive director of secure facility for young offenders
Total cost: $20
I don't want to sound too boring, but I watch TV on Saturday night. I'm a big hockey fan. I used to be a bigger fan and would go to the games on Saturday night. But the game has gotten so rough and gotten away from the skill involved. I still go to some games on Saturday nights, but usually I just watch them on TV. I may go to a baseball game on a Saturday afternoon. Watching TV is free, so I don't spend money when I'm home.
I'm here on vacation, and I like walking around the outdoor malls. The weather is so nice here, and I like to people-watch. Obviously, it doesn't cost any money to do that. I may go walk around Seaport Village. I will have dinner somewhere on Saturday night while on vacation. That would probably cost less than $20.
Ray
Age: 29
Marital status: Married, with two kids
Home: Clairemont
Work: DJ and AT&T employee
Total cost: $130.50
If I'm not DJing, I'm with the family. I might spend $100 or $150 on a night out. We go to movies, dinner, and there's the cost of gas. There are four of us, so dinner might be about $80. The movie tickets -- we need two adults and two kids. That's around $31.50. We'll sometimes buy the popcorn and Cokes [$3.00 for one small Coke, $3.50 for one small popcorn]. Maybe two popcorns and four Cokes. It all adds up.
Dolores Solano
Age: 39
Marital status: Divorced
Home: San Diego
Work: Nurse
Total cost: $40
When my daughter was younger, we might go see a movie. Sometimes we still do. That's $18 for two tickets. Other times we just jump in the car and drive around and get dinner somewhere. That's around $30. Now that she just got her own car, we do less of that. She's out driving around on her own or with her friends. Since I'm going to school again, a lot of times I'll just rent two DVDs [$8] and study. Once in a while on a Saturday night, me and my friends will go clubbing. That's usually $20 to get in, and if I buy a couple of drinks, that's another $20.
Albert
Age: 18
Home: Poway
Work: Student at Mount Carmel High School
Total cost: $60
The two main things my friends and I do is either go to Tijuana or go to see a band play. For the bands, it's either SOMA or the Epicentre in Mira Mesa. The cover charge varies, but it's usually around $8 to get in. The other thing we like to do is go to T.J. Some Saturday nights, I'll only spend $10 down there. But if we go do a lot of stuff down there, it could end up costing more. If we go to a few different strip clubs, and we're throwing money at the dancers and buying lots of drinks, that might cost me $60 or $70.
Trista and Ray Perez
Ages: 31 and 33
Home: Las Vegas
Work: Own a graphic design studio
Total cost: $64
Trista says, "We usually go out and listen to live music in Vegas. It's not like we're hanging out in casinos just because they are all over the place. It's usually $35 or less for the national acts that we like. Local bands are a lot cheaper. We've found that when the bigger-name bands play here [in San Diego], it's a lot cheaper. The concert tonight [the Raveonettes at 'Canes] was only $12 a ticket. When we got here at 7:30, though, they wouldn't let us in. They said they weren't open yet. We've also found that when we're here, places seem to close so early. In Las Vegas, everything is open all the time."
Ray adds, "We have three kids, but now that our oldest is 14, we don't need to hire a babysitter anymore. Tonight, we ended up having dinner and drinks across the street at Coaster Saloon. That was around $40. We walked on the beach a little before coming into the concert."
Jeff and Catherine Jefferson
Ages: 69 and 45
Home: Mira Mesa
Work: He's retired military/engineer
Total cost: $15
Catherine says, "Usually on Saturday nights, we sit around the idiot box. The nightlife in Mira Mesa pretty much sucks. Sometimes we go to a coffee shop to see somebody sing. Sometimes I'll be singing at a place as well. Other times we might go to karaoke, which is fun. All of that is relatively cheap. A coffee shop might have a cover, but usually it's free. We'll buy a few cappuccinos and pastries. That might cost $15. Other Saturday nights, I'm working on my songs in my home studio. That doesn't cost anything but the electricity we use."
Dan Valadez
Age: 50
Marital status: Divorced
Home: Temecula
Work: Retired military, currently an account manager
Total cost: Free
It all depends on if I'm dating anybody or not. When I'm single, it's usually spent playing racquetball or working out at 24 Hour Fitness. If I play racquetball on the base [Miramar], it's free. I work in Poway, so after I'm done, it's a far drive home. On Saturdays, I usually end up driving back down to San Diego because there is more stuff to do. If I'm in a relationship, it might just be a movie and dinner, which we can do in Temecula. I'll usually end up spending more Saturday nights in San Diego, whether it's Balboa Park or downtown. I save money when I'm not dating anyone and my Saturday night is spent playing racquetball and working out.
Jose DeJesus
Age: 49
Marital status: Single
Home: Lemon Grove
Work: Engineer
Total cost: $60
Well, on Saturday afternoon I like to have a few beers. It's always nice weather too. At night, my girlfriend and I go dancing at Cafe Sevilla. It's $10 for each of us. We usually get a few drinks there, and that might be another $20. We like it there because it's Latin music. Then afterwards, we have a late dinner at Denny's. That's usually around $20.
Justine Koskinen
Age: 45
Marital status: Single
Home: Lakeside
Work: Teacher
Total cost: $30
We usually go out and support local musicians. The cover is usually $10 to $20, and I may buy a few glasses of wine. During the day on Saturday, we go hiking or take photos. That doesn't cost anything, aside from film. That will cost me $4, but my boyfriend has a digital camera, so it's all free for him. Last Saturday we went to a Gull game. Tickets are $12 each, and we might buy a beer or wine. Wine is $5 a glass.
Kelly Green
Age: 33
Marital status: Married, with one child (another on the way)
Home: Vista
Work: Part-time at a credit union
Total cost: $35.95
When we go out to dinner, it's usually Italian food. The bill might come to $25. We rent two movies for our son [$5], who's 22 months old. My husband and I will watch a pay-per-view movie, which is $5.95. We don't use a babysitter yet. We take our son with us to dinner.
Mahmoud Habhab
Age: 34
Marital status: Married, with two kids
Home: Del Mar
Work: Engineer
Total cost: $328
Usually I'm with my family. We cook dinner usually and watch TV. If we go out to a movie, it will be something PG. A movie like Harry Potter or Kangaroo Jack. A few times a month, I'll go out with my friends on Saturday night. We go get sushi downtown in the Gaslamp. Then we usually get coffee somewhere. Last time, I paid the bill, and for the three of us it came out to $328. Sushi is expensive.
Rebecca Smith
Age: 34
Marital status: Single
Home: Bay Park
Work: Information systems analyst
Total cost: $45
Saturday nights in the fall are cool because I go to Socker and Gull games. Then during baseball season, I go to Padre games. The tickets last year were $11, but this year we're paying $18 a ticket at Petco Park. For a Gull ticket, it's $12. We like to be up higher. We think it's a better view. The Socker tickets are $18 each. We'll usually have dinner before the game. It's usually Souplantation [laughs]. We figure with the Padres downtown, we'll start having dinner at more of the places down there. Parking is $17 right by the ballpark.
Corey Cooper
Age: 34
Marital status: Married
Home: Carlsbad
Work: Teacher
Total cost: $95
On some occasions, we may go to a concert -- if there's a band we like at the Belly Up Tavern. Usually it's the dinner-and-movie thing. The last place we ate at was Jack and Giulio's in Old Town. It may cost us $75 on a Saturday night, and whatever else we spend for a babysitter.
Ezra Cavazos
Age: 22
Marital status: Married
Home: Chula Vista
Work: Waiter
Total cost: $40
My wife and I will usually go to see a movie, which can cost close to $20. Afterwards, we may go to a bar and have a few drinks. That might be another $20. And there are some Saturday nights where I have to work and other nights where we just stay at home.
Tom Barrios
Age: 51
Marital status: Married, with two kids (in college)
Home: Mira Mesa
Work: Postal service
Total cost: Depends
It's hard to say how much I spend on a Saturday night. If I'm playing poker with friends, I could either be losing money or winning money. Oftentimes, I go to the casinos. I seem to win more times than I lose. I've come back with hundreds of dollars more than I got there with. My wife doesn't like me spending all my time at the casinos, but if I win big and give her some of my winnings, she doesn't seem to mind as much.
Bill Heisz
Age: 30
Marital status: Single
Home: Poway
Work: Construction
Total cost: $60
I like to bowl in tournaments, so oftentimes I go to the Poway lanes or the bowling alley in Mira Mesa. I may spend my Saturday night practicing. That can be $12 to $15 an hour to rent a lane. When my girlfriend and I go out, we'll see a movie and have dinner. The total might end up being around $60 for the entire evening.
Justin Rodriguez
Age: 26
Marital status: Single
Home: Hillcrest
Work: Coffee Bean
Total cost: $40
It depends what my friends are doing on Saturday. There might be a party. We might go to the Live Wire to drink a few beers. That would cost between $20 and $40. If the Casbah has a good band, we'll go there. Some bands are $5, and others can be up to $20. Or I might just hang out with my roommates.
Melissa LaFara
Age: 24
Marital status: Single
Home: South Park
Work: Mint (footwear store)
Total cost: $10
My favorite thing to do is go see a live band play. I'm usually at the Whistle Stop Bar in South Park. Sometimes I'll go to the Casbah. I'll usually end up spending under $10, especially if a guy is buying my drinks [laughs].
Jon Husby
Age: 32
Marital status: Married
Home: Murphy Canyon area
Work: Firefighter and paramedic
Total cost: $50
We work shifts that oftentimes have us working on Saturday night. And that seems to be the busiest time for us. Especially around 2:00 a.m., when all the accidents seem to happen. Bars are closing, and people are driving after having had too much to drink. When I'm not working, I may hang out with friends. My wife and I will have dinner somewhere. That might cost around $50.
Randy Delotch
Age: 40
Marital status: Single
Home: Scripps Ranch
Work: Firefighter and paramedic
Total cost: $0
As Jon was saying, Saturday night is a hectic time for us. Especially in the beach area or in the Gaslamp. There seems to be more drinking on Saturday nights, which makes the problems worse. Every Saturday night is different. And when I'm not working, I'm content with my fish, my cat, and a good book.
Debi and Joe Ferrara
Ages: 44 and 45
Home: Salt Lake City, Utah
Work: He's a computer professional
Total cost: $50
Debi says, "We lived in Oceanside for a long time. We lived a few different places in the San Diego area. Now that we have been in Salt Lake City for the last ten years, when we make it out here, we do a lot of the touristy things. We may take a bay cruise or just go to the beach. We might hit a few of the Mexican restaurants that we liked or a place like Corvette Diner. Since we've been to all the places like SeaWorld and the zoo, we don't usually go there. It's usually catching up with our friends that are still here or the restaurants we like. We were surprised when we saw a Joe's Crab Shack out here. We have one in Salt Lake, but we didn't know it was a chain."
Jean-Pierre Prieur
Age: Mid-30s
Marital status: Married
Home: Rancho Santa Fe
Work: Graphic designer
Total cost: $25
In France, there are lots of parties on Saturday night. There will be dancing and lots of champagne. Not a lot of beer drinking -- it's usually champagne. Sometimes it will go on until 7:00 a.m. Then you might hit an after-hours club till noon. And Saturday might start on Thursday night and end Monday night. Sometimes I wouldn't sleep for two or three days. On Sunday, there was an underground spot called Charlie's. It opened at 2:00 p.m. It closed Sunday at 2:00 a.m. Only insiders knew about it. A lot of stars hung out there. Madonna, Gaultier, Cerruti, Lee Majors, and French movie stars. Here on Saturday, I'm usually at Caffiends. They have lots of musicians that write their own songs. They aren't cover bands. Sometimes tourists show up there, but mostly it's a group of regulars. With Petco Park now downtown, parking has gotten bad. Parking costs around $10, and a $5 cover to get in, and I may spend $10 on a few beers or coffee.
Mark Suhonen
Age: 26
Marital status: Engaged
Home: Point Loma
Work: Music teacher, performer
Total cost: Working on weekends
I'm never spending money on Saturday nights. Usually I'm performing with one band or another, and Friday and Saturday nights there are always gigs. So I make money on Saturday night. The only money I spend on Saturday night is the gas I use.
Eric Pratt
Age: 16
Home: Point Loma
Work: Student at Point Loma High School
Total cost: $8
I might go to SOMA once a month to see a band. I just saw Jet when they played there. A show like that is more, but usually the cover to get in is $8. Sometimes I go to a movie or hang out with friends, play my drums, sleep, watch TV. None of that costs money, and the things that do, my dad usually pays for. When I'm playing my drums late on Saturday nights, I use the electric ones. That way, I can adjust the volume so they aren't too loud, or I'll just wear the headphones.
Joel Smith
Age: 30
Marital status: Married, with two kids
Home: El Cajon
Work: FedEx employee
Total cost: $20
My Saturday nights are usually spent drinking and dart shooting. I'll go to the bar around the corner from my house. I might spend $20. My wife is home with the kids, so I don't have to pay a babysitter.
Edgar Morales
Age: 26
Marital status: Single
Home: North Park
Work: Restaurant server
Total cost: $40
I'm usually playing pool with my friends at a bar. That might be a lot of quarters, but it doesn't cost much. We might play shuffleboard or the other games that are at the bar. I usually go to bars that don't have bands, so there isn't a cover. I go to Live Wire or Tobacco Rhoda's most often. I end up spending $40 on the entire Saturday night.
Ted Washington
Age: 44
Marital status: Single
Home: Ocean Beach
Work: Bouncer/artist
Total cost: $20 (by himself), $150 (with date)
My Saturday nights vary. Sometimes I'll stay at home and do artwork, because that's a nice, quiet time, when people are out partying. And since I work in bars, I don't have the desire to go out to a bar on Saturday night. Sometimes I go out with girls. Other times I go see music, because I love music. That's why I work at two bars that have bands. The cover is free for me, since I work here. But if I go to a place I don't work, I'll spend up to $20 -- even more if necessary -- for a good band. On a date, it'll be dinner, drinking, and then the music. I may spend anywhere from $75 to $150.
Will Roberts
Age: 33
Marital status: Single
Home: Santee
Work: Computer programmer
Total cost: $60
I'll usually drink a six-pack at home before I go out. If I'm with my girlfriend, it'll be a movie [$19] or a Padre game [$50]. With friends, we might go see a band or go to a strip club. I'll spend $60 to $80, no more than that. If we hit a strip club like Pure Platinum, I spend a bit less. My friends will drop $85 on lap dances or table dances. I just look at the things I'm not going to buy. Sometimes we'll get weed and get wasted. It's usually a friend hooking me up with that. So that doesn't cost me anything. And thanks go to Elias for that.
Sandy and boyfriend Troy Chronister
Ages: 34 and 33
Home: She's in San Diego; he's in Boulder, Colorado
Work: She does hiring and firing for a company; he works for an IT company
Total cost: $40
Sandy says, "We like to get out and do a lot of barhopping in Pacific Beach. We go to Lahaina's. It's the best place in P.B. to watch the sunset. We usually spend $40 there for two pitchers of beer and maybe some appetizers. We'll meet friends there."
Troy adds, "It's hard to say how much we'll spend. We've spent a lot on alcohol. I've dropped a C-note. I'm only here once a month though, so my Saturdays are usually spent in Boulder."
Tammy Medeiros
Age: 40
Marital status: Divorced, with three kids
Home: Carlsbad
Work: Activity director
Total cost: $75
I lived in Hawaii for so long. And out here, I like to walk on the beach like I did back home. I love the sand and love to watch the sunsets. My fiancé and I may go to karaoke afterwards. Most places I go to don't do happy hour on Saturday, but I still like to have a few cocktails. We may end up at a place like the Roadhouse, G Spot [Grand Avenue Bar], or Dini's. Sometimes we have sushi in Oceanside. My kids are old enough that I don't need a babysitter. Half the time, they end up ditching me!
Roxane and Mahmoud "Shawn" Shantiai
Ages: 41 and 43
Marital status: Married, with one child
Home: Del Mar
Work: She's an office manager; he's a finance broker
Total cost: $120 (not including clothes and manicure)
Roxane says, We don't pay a babysitter. We use our extended family to watch our 11-year-old. Typically, Saturday night is our "date night." After all these years, that's the night of the week that we go all out. I may spend the day getting a manicure, pedicure, and buying something new. He'll put on something nice, like slacks and a nice shirt. He'll wear cologne and smell handsome. We have a glass of wine at the house. We have dinner at either a steak house or Persian restaurants. We like Fleming's steak house, Bandar Persian Cuisine, maybe Pick Up Stix for a more casual Saturday outing. He's not a boozer, but I am. So with drinks and tip and everything, it might be $100. Then we go dancing at Galileo. I think it's $20 to get in. So we might end up spending more around $120. And the fight we have at the end of the night -- priceless.
Jeff Pieters
Age: 36
Marital status: Married
Home: Clairemont
Work: Account manager at Sprint
Total cost: $125
Usually Saturday nights are pretty mellow for us. We don't go out every Saturday night. When we do, it might be meeting friends for drinks and dinner. It might be a minimum of $125 that we spend.
Etienne Wiggins
Age: 40
Marital status: Single
Home: El Cajon
Work: Runs a coffee cart
Total cost: $50
I like to drive around. I might go to the Gaslamp Quarter and drive around. Maybe park outside of a few different places. If I'm just hanging out, that doesn't cost anything. If I'm eating dinner, it might be $50.
Laura de Sousa
Age: 28
Marital status: Single
Home: Linda Vista
Work: Waitress
Total cost: $40
Last Saturday it was my friend's birthday, and we went out for fondue. I spent $20 on beer and a bottle of wine. Usually I'll go out for a meal and spend around $40. I like the Cheesecake Factory. Sometimes we hit places downtown or in Pacific Beach and O.B.
Mary Tamborski
Age: 29
Marital status: Married
Home: Spring Valley
Work: Bartender
Total cost: $150 to $200
I like to have a nice dinner downtown, usually with some cocktails. I'll go somewhere if somebody recommends it. I've been going to Fleming's a lot lately. When you count the drinks, dinner, dessert, and coffee...I might spend between $150 and $200.
Jon Cromwell
Age: 23
Marital status: Single
Home: North Park
Work: Host at Bennigan's
Total cost: $30
I just moved here from Baltimore, so I don't know a lot about the nightlife. In Baltimore, I was a downtown kind of guy. I've been downtown here a few times, to some of the clubs. I may go to some bars or a party. My sister told me to move here because the weather's good and the women are beautiful. That's true, but I just don't know enough about the clubs yet. I went to Red Circle downtown a few times. I think I spend around $30.
Mike Wachna Jr.
Age: 23
Marital status: Single
Home: Carmel Mountain
Work: Part-time at Hot Topic/student at Grossmont College
Total cost: $50
If I'm not working, I'll hang out at my best friend's house. We might spend between $40 and $50 on alcohol. We end up having about 15 friends that come over. Sometimes on Saturday nights, the band I'm in will rehearse. Usually that's on Thursdays, but we've practiced on a few Saturday nights. We also like to see shows at 4th & B or SOMA, if there's a good group playing. The cover could be anywhere from $12 to $25.
Doug Sackett
Age: 32
Marital status: Single
Home: East County
Work: Substitute teacher
Total cost: $100
Usually I go to concerts in Los Angeles. I'll never spend more than $100. Probably the most expensive thing about that is the gas it takes to get there. It also depends on the ticket price. Some smaller bands might charge $10 or $15. A national act is a lot more. Most of the places I go are on the Sunset Strip. I'll go to the Viper Room, House of Blues, or the Whisky a Go Go.
Richard Green
Age: 42
Marital status: Divorced
Home: Downtown
Work: Ace Parking attendant
Total cost: $20
I'm always off on Saturday nights. I'll usually just drink beer and be chilling out. The most I've ever spent was $150. That was for a hotel, food, drinks, gas, and junk like that. I'll usually spend less than $20.
Kim Laguardia
Age: 34
Marital status: Married, with four kids
Home: Sabre Springs
Work: Realtor
Total cost: $100
The first cost we have is the babysitter. We pay $10 an hour, but for four kids, that's pretty good. Our neighbor pays $10 for just their two kids. It's an affluent neighborhood. We only use a sitter that is a referral and at least a college-age girl. And because a babysitter costs so much, we'll never go to a movie. With the price of movies -- including popcorn, candy, and Cokes, the drive there, and the sitter -- it would end up being $80. That can buy six movies on DVD. The things we do vary from time to time. It may be a birthday or anniversary party we go to. Sometimes we'll go to a concert. A few weeks ago, we drove to Orange County for an event. If it's dinner, it might be Sushi on the Rock in La Jolla or Buca di Beppo. The total night might cost us $100.
Rosie Eldorado
Age: 46
Marital status: Divorced
Home: Rolando
Work: Medical transcriptionist, notary, and jewelry designer
Total cost: $25 (and making money)
I'll have dinner out. I like Filippi's and D.Z. Akin's. Or I use a coupon from one of the places in my entertainment book, like Toshi Sushi or Nicolosi's. Then, on Saturday nights, I arrange jewelry parties. Anywhere from 5 to 15 people. They may have their own ideas for jewelry, or they look at my inventory of 100 pieces. I have necklaces, bracelets, and earrings. Sometimes the party will be all men, if it's around Valentine's or Mother's Day. It helps them get stuff for their wives. It's [email protected], if the Reader lets you put that. In conclusion, I only spend $25 on dinner, treating the person that hosts the party. By the end of the night, I'm hoping to make a lot more money than I spend.
Jaye Jedrychowski
Age: 21
Marital status: Single
Home: UTC
Work: Waitress
Total cost: $25
Usually my Saturday night is spent going out for food with friends. We like going to Old Town best. I only spend between $20 and $25. But I'm going to be moving back home to Chicago. I'm going to go to law school at DePaul. So I'll be spending my Saturday nights there.
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