Extreme Cheapskates: A Cheap Night at the Movies

Some of the best financial tips we can get are from learning from others around us. TLC has taken that to the next level with the educational and sometimes cringe-inducing “Extreme Cheapskates,” where people save insane amounts of money in equally insane ways. Find out how to have a fun and cheap movie night at home. You can have a great time on a budget.

Follow our credit counseling tips for a budget-friendly movie day.

Entertainment for Less- Movie Time

There are many ways to save money when going to a movie. The average movie date, with tickets at $12 and popcorn and soda at $10, can cost nearly $50 for a couple. Here are a few ways to enjoy a movie without the exorbitant costs:

Rent a movie. There are so many ways to access movie rentals. If you pay for a service like Netflix or Amazon Prime, use that to your advantage. You can also rent movies through your cable service provider. At $5.99 each, you’ll be able to enjoy great movies from the comfort of your home.
Take advantage of discount nights. Many movie theaters will offer a discounted Tuesday night, for example. They may also offer promotions through Facebook or other social sites. It’s a great way to see a movie while working on debt management.
Eat snacks at home. We would never advocate smuggling snacks in, as that’s against the rules of most theaters, but you can fill up before the movie at home. Two hours without a snack won’t kill you. Studies show that eating while watching TVs or movies often causes unintended overeating. You’ll save yourself a lot of calories and cash this way.
See a matinee. Earlier movie times in the day are often at reduced price.
See the movie in good old-fashioned 2D. Do you really need to have 3D effects? You’ll save a few bucks on each ticket by seeing it without the funny glasses.
Go to a discount movie theater. While they may not have the newest releases, discount movie theaters show movies that were recently in theaters but not yet quite available for rent. These theaters are often half the price of regular theaters. Bonus: The concessions are usually cheaper as well.