music CDs; video games; movie, theater, and sports tickets; and vacations to ski or swim.
* MOVIES *
I was so disappointed by the demise of the dollar movie theater. But I soon realized that its passing was a good thing for movie lovers, because first-run movies are now coming out on DVD faster than ever.
People are buying DVD copies of movies—or watching films on pay-per-view—so soon after they first appear in the theater that second-run movie houses couldn’t survive.
Some DVDs are now cheaper than music CDs. The movie studios have realized that they can sell a lot of DVDs by pricing them at less than twice the cost of a full-price theater ticket. Some less-popular movies can be had for less than $10. Popular movies are going for around $15 and major hits for $20. With a movie ticket going for $7.50 to $9 in most parts of the country, being able to buy a copy of a movie on DVD for $10, $15, or $20 is a good deal—especially if it’s something you’ll watch again and again. If you’re not sure you’re going to watch a movie more than once, you’re better off renting it.
The cost to see a movie on pay-per-view or video-on-demand is even cheaper, about $3 for satellite and $4 for its inferior cousin, cable TV.
If you can’t wait for the movie to come out on DVD or pay-per-view, you can save by time shifting: going to a matinee or twilight show for considerably less money. One theater chain near my home charges $7.50 for its evening shows, $5.50 for all shows before 4 P.M., and $3.75 for all shows that start between 4 P.M. and 6 P.M.
You also can save money on movie tickets by using discount coupons. One good source is the local coupon books, such as the Entertainment book. Search for a book online, and see if you like the coupon offers. You might be able to buy two movie tickets for the price of one at any AMC theater, or get one ticket for $5 at any General Cinema theater. But the coupons often aren’t good for the first ten days to two weeks of a movie’s run. Check newspaper ads, which may say, “No coupons accepted on this movie.”
There’s no harm in waiting a couple of weeks to see a new movie, and I think it makes more sense to do that. People who go the first weekend have bought into all the hype. People who go after the first couple of weeks are likely not only to get a better price, but to see a better movie, one that has received good word-of-mouth reviews rather than promotion.
The auto club, AAA, sells discount tickets to the major movie chains to its members. Discounts range from 50 cents to $2 off a full-price ticket. The movie chains also sell discount tickets on the Web, but only in packs of twenty or more tickets. They’re aimed at corporations that want to give tickets to employees as incentives.
I’m a little embarrassed to say this, but I haven’t been inside a movie theater in five years. It’s funny, because I really enjoy movies, but we tend to watch them either on DVD or one of the premium movie channels. We pay $11 a month and get six or seven channels of HBO, and there are other packages that combine several of the premium channels. If you love movies, paying $11 or so a month for a variety of movies is a good deal.
If you do see a movie in a theater, stay away from the concession counter. That’s the place where movie theaters make most of their money, and you can lose much of yours. People have accused me of sneaking candy into theaters, which just about every theater prohibits. I can’t remember doing that, but I don’t buy refreshments in the theater. I just won’t spend $3 on popcorn that costs the theater five cents, or $3 for a drink that I could buy at a convenience store for 59 cents. If you eat and drink before you go to the movie, the movie will cost a lot less. It’s easy to imagine going to an evening movie and spending $18 on two tickets, and another $15 on popcorn and soda. Why pay $33 when you can enjoy the same movie for $7 to $10 and have lunch or
* MOVIES *
I was so disappointed by the demise of the dollar movie theater. But I soon realized that its passing was a good thing for movie lovers, because first-run movies are now coming out on DVD faster than ever.
People are buying DVD copies of movies—or watching films on pay-per-view—so soon after they first appear in the theater that second-run movie houses couldn’t survive.
Some DVDs are now cheaper than music CDs. The movie studios have realized that they can sell a lot of DVDs by pricing them at less than twice the cost of a full-price theater ticket. Some less-popular movies can be had for less than $10. Popular movies are going for around $15 and major hits for $20. With a movie ticket going for $7.50 to $9 in most parts of the country, being able to buy a copy of a movie on DVD for $10, $15, or $20 is a good deal—especially if it’s something you’ll watch again and again. If you’re not sure you’re going to watch a movie more than once, you’re better off renting it.
The cost to see a movie on pay-per-view or video-on-demand is even cheaper, about $3 for satellite and $4 for its inferior cousin, cable TV.
If you can’t wait for the movie to come out on DVD or pay-per-view, you can save by time shifting: going to a matinee or twilight show for considerably less money. One theater chain near my home charges $7.50 for its evening shows, $5.50 for all shows before 4 P.M., and $3.75 for all shows that start between 4 P.M. and 6 P.M.
You also can save money on movie tickets by using discount coupons. One good source is the local coupon books, such as the Entertainment book. Search for a book online, and see if you like the coupon offers. You might be able to buy two movie tickets for the price of one at any AMC theater, or get one ticket for $5 at any General Cinema theater. But the coupons often aren’t good for the first ten days to two weeks of a movie’s run. Check newspaper ads, which may say, “No coupons accepted on this movie.”
There’s no harm in waiting a couple of weeks to see a new movie, and I think it makes more sense to do that. People who go the first weekend have bought into all the hype. People who go after the first couple of weeks are likely not only to get a better price, but to see a better movie, one that has received good word-of-mouth reviews rather than promotion.
The auto club, AAA, sells discount tickets to the major movie chains to its members. Discounts range from 50 cents to $2 off a full-price ticket. The movie chains also sell discount tickets on the Web, but only in packs of twenty or more tickets. They’re aimed at corporations that want to give tickets to employees as incentives.
I’m a little embarrassed to say this, but I haven’t been inside a movie theater in five years. It’s funny, because I really enjoy movies, but we tend to watch them either on DVD or one of the premium movie channels. We pay $11 a month and get six or seven channels of HBO, and there are other packages that combine several of the premium channels. If you love movies, paying $11 or so a month for a variety of movies is a good deal.
If you do see a movie in a theater, stay away from the concession counter. That’s the place where movie theaters make most of their money, and you can lose much of yours. People have accused me of sneaking candy into theaters, which just about every theater prohibits. I can’t remember doing that, but I don’t buy refreshments in the theater. I just won’t spend $3 on popcorn that costs the theater five cents, or $3 for a drink that I could buy at a convenience store for 59 cents. If you eat and drink before you go to the movie, the movie will cost a lot less. It’s easy to imagine going to an evening movie and spending $18 on two tickets, and another $15 on popcorn and soda. Why pay $33 when you can enjoy the same movie for $7 to $10 and have lunch or
Similar Books
