By Bobbi Burger Brunoehler of BobbisBargains.
EvelynGiggles/flickr
My kids recently went to see “The Lorax” and when they came home, my son proudly told me that he discovered a great bargain. From opening until 11:59 a.m., tickets for any movie are $6. After noon, the price jumped almost twice as much.
This got me thinking about the various ways to save money on movie theater tickets. Yazmin also has 12 easy ways to save money at the movies.
Wayan Vota / Flickr
I share five must read blog posts about saving money every Friday.
Fitness on a budget – How to create your own free home workout plan and exercise routine. (MoneyCrashers)
Wasting money – Ten things you do to save money that end up costing you more. (Wisebread)
Debt reduction – The Silicon Valley Blogger shares three do it yourself debt reduction programs to beat debt. (The Digerati Life)
Money resolutions – Here are five ways to make your money resolutions stick. (Mainstreet)
Movie ticket price hike – The movie business didn’t fare well last year. Experts are predicting movie theaters will charge more for admission. (Time Moneyland)
Fix broken powder make up – A blogger discovers how to “fix” powder makeup that has broken into pieces. Pretty nifty trick!
This post is copyrighted by BargainBabe.com. Any other site posting this content is violating the DMCA.
Spirit Hoods are a unique gift. Credit: SpiritHoods.com
I find teens are the easiest people to buy presents for because when you ask them what they want, they have a long list! Day five of the Bargain Babe Hot Holiday Gift Guide is devoted to buying for these almost-adults.
We’ve also suggested electronics gifts, gifts at Sears, toys for kids, and mens’ shavers. Coming up are gifts for kids, teens, men, and women. There will also be a day devoted to unique and quirky gifts, and we’ll finish the gift guide on Dec. 9 with a roundup of the best overall gifts.
Don’t forget to enter to win a $100 Sears gift card as part of the Gift Guide! Contest ends Monday, Dec. 5!
What is it with teen girls putting
Sarah_Ackerman / Flickr
This is a post by BargainBabe.com writer Yazmin Cruz.
I’ve come across even more ways to save money on movie tickets, so I’m combining an older post (which you can see here) to share a total of 12 ways to save on movie tickets. I also included a list of sites that offer free movie screenings below.
Second-run movie theaters – I’m lucky to have a theater nearby that plays movies only a few weeks old. It makes me feel like I’m not missing out on a movie when everyone is talking about it. And you can’t beat the price – a fraction of mainstream theaters.
Chicken kebabs (not whole birds) are on sale at Whole Foods Friday!
There are 18 coupons and freebies today. If you shop online, check if there is a cash back rebate for shopping through Ebates or Shortcuts. It’s free to join and you can save a bit extra.
Free moisturizer - Get a free sample of Garnier’s Moisturizer Rescue through Target for a limited time.
Free movie rental - Rent a movie for free at any Vons Blockbuster Express kiosk with coupon code GOVONS. One time use only. Expires June 30, 2011.
Free bday smoothie - Get a free smoothie on your birthday at Planet Smoothie when you join its email list.
sean dreilinger / flickr
This is a post by BargainBabe.com writer Yazmin Cruz.
A couple weeks ago, my sister begged me to take her to watch “Eclipse” and I caved. Since I wasn’t interested in the movie, the last thing I wanted to do was spend a bunch of money, so I decided to try an independent theater near my area.
I paid $6.50 for a matinee showing. Score! Nowadays, the cost of movie tickets is steep but with some simple changes you can save money when going to the movies. Here’s how:
Think independent. I’m not suggesting you go by yourself. Find local independent theaters and frequent them for their low prices. The theater I went to is small and only has three screens but it was clean and had an old Hollywood vibe to it.
Go to a matinee. The easiest way to save money and avoid the crowds is to head to the movie theater in the morning and not during peak days like Friday and Saturday. Make sure to check the times your local movie theater considers matinees as it varies from theater to theater.
Avoid the concession stand. These days, popcorn is more expensive than movie tickets. Instead bring your own snacks. Many of our Bargain Babe Facebook friends confessed to sneaking in snacks to save money. I’ve done the same.
Use the student, senior, and military discount. Many theaters offer discounted prices to students, seniors, and military personnel so make sure to present your ID at the box office to get a discount.
Head to Costco. Not only can you buy a year’s worth of toilet paper but you can get cheaper movie tickets. I bought two tickets for $15.49 for the Regal Cinemas chain that I will use to watch “Inception.” The cashier told me the warehouse also sells AMC tickets for a couple cents more.
Clip coupons. Another friend, Kristin, said she buys Entertainment Books when they are discounted (the books are currently going for $10-$15 for 2010) and clips coupons to get cheap movie tickets. Movie tickets cost $5 to $6 with the Entertainment Book.
Buy in bulk. If you’re loyal to a theater, take advantage of their rewards program. AMC Theaters’ AMC MovieWatcher Rewards offers two points per ticket purchased and you can receive free concessions or tickets for every 10 points earned. The Regal Cinemas’ Regal Crown Club awards one point per $1 spent. When you rack up 120 points, you can redeem them for a free ticket. Other theaters send special offers to members.
Avoid reservation sites. Buy online and you’ll end up paying more for your tickets. Movietickets.com has a $1 surcharge and Fandango.com tacks on $.75 to $1.50 per ticket, depending on the area.
Get a free ticket to a TV show instead. BargainBabe.com blogger Bobbi previously shared about a dozen tips for getting hooked up with free TV show tickets.
Sign up with Film Metro. It’s free and they will send you invites to movie screenings. At college campuses, there are often people offering free movie passes for screenings.
How do you save money when going to the movies?
