Last week we tried something new. We took a LANTA bus from Allentown to Bethlehem to visit an outdoor arts and crafts show downtown.

We knew from experience that street parking would be difficult, as well as expensive, and parking lots and garages would be costly, too.

Also, we don’t like using credit cards in those parking lot machines, but many of the decks and garages do not accept cash.

So we studied the bus schedules and found three routes that would work for us.

Best of all, the rides to and from Bethlehem cost us nothing.

Because of the Pennsylvania lottery, mass transit is free at all times for seniors 65-plus with proper ID.

And the buses seem to go everywhere in this area, from Slatington to Center Valley and Fogelsville to Easton.

Those of us who are concerned about the high price of gasoline, and that includes everyone I know, can save money by using public transportation when possible.

We certainly enjoyed avoiding the traffic jams and not having to spend a dime to reach our destination.

Walking and bike riding are also viable options for certain destinations.

We walk to do many errands, saving a few dollars and getting exercise as a bonus.

A number of older friends who are pinching pennies are looking for low-cost or free entertainment.

How fortunate we are to have free concerts at West Park and other sites in Allentown and SteelStacks Levitt Pavilion and the Rose Garden in Bethlehem.

Many other area towns, including Coplay, Catasauqua and Emmaus, to mention just a few, offer numerous free concerts from now until fall.

Outdoor festivals abound, and many, like Mayfair, charge no admission.

Other free, fun venues include Art in the Park in West Park, Allentown, and the Fiddle Fest in Fleetwood, Berks County.

The Allentown Art Museum is free to everyone all the time.

And many towns offer free, current outdoor movies during the warmer months.

Speaking of movies, local libraries have hundreds of movie and television DVDs available to borrow.

Board games are also available at most local libraries.

And the books, of course, are endless.

What fun to take a great library book to a local park and sit by a stream under a shade tree to read.

With food prices escalating, I have noticed more people buying vegetable seeds to plant at their homes.

Gardening is a great way to save money and eat healthy food.

Even if one has just a patio or small yard, many veggies and herbs can be grown in containers, which is the way I grow my herbs each year.

I’m also a huge advocate of supporting local growers and producers.

With store prices rising and many foods being shipped from great distances, grocery store prices are often higher than local farm stands.

Besides, many of us like to know how and where our food is grown.

I buy local produce, eggs, bread, cheese, honey and maple syrup whenever I can.

Another way to save on food is to eat out less.

One friend who used to eat in restaurants or buy takeout about five times a week is cutting back to treating herself to that luxury only once a week now and says she is saving big bucks.

As I mentioned in this column a few months ago, thrift shops and consignment or resale stores are great places to buy clothes and home accessories when we are trying to spend less.

I check out these shops whenever I am in the market to add a piece to my wardrobe, and I have found some wonderful buys.

Vacationing closer to home can help stretch the dollar, too, especially with airlines and cruise ships canceling excursions and stranding passengers recently.

Yes, the cost of living for those of us on fixed incomes, and for younger folks, too, certainly has risen, but we don’t have to stop living.

We just have to get creative and find new, less expensive ways to enjoy the good life we all deserve.