Spending time with friends or a meal with family is an ideal way to start your weekend, but sometimes those fun times can put more of a dent on your wallet than anticipated.

Scrolling through endless deal sites on your smart phone can get exhausting, so we’ve done the thumb work for you.

Check out our weekly Patch picks for some of the best deals in our area:

• VisArts, Rockville

Cocktails and canvas class for $20, or a fused glass plate workshop for $25 on LivingSocial.

• Shanghai Café, Potomac

Prix fixe dinner for two, including two appetizers, entrées, desserts and glasses of wine, for $30 on LivingSocial.

• Shoe Train, Potomac

$20 to spend on shoes and other merchandise for $10 on LivingSocial.

• Georgetown Hoya Kids Club

Admission to the club, which includes tickets to four different Georgetown men's basketball games at the Verizon Center during the 2012/2013 season, as well as free admission to all other regular season Georgetown games held on campus, and more. $12 on LivingSocial.

• Rutabaga Sweets

In-home kids' cooking party for up to eight people, $180 on LivingSocial.