Movies on a Budget (part 2)

Now that you have chosen your movie and where you want to see it, here are some ways to save money on your movie or ticket purchases.

How can I save money on movies at the theater?

Buy tickets in advance.  This can take a little bit of investigation on your part, but luckily, you should only need to do it once.  If you belong to AAA, you can order tickets through their website, but you can also do that on some of the credit card reward/shopping websites.  Think of the rewards clubs and memberships that you already have, and check their sites to see if they offer any discounted tickets.  You can order as many as you want in advance as they often don't expire for a few years (check the expiration date to be sure).  Then keep them in your wallet or hang them on your fridge until the day that you plan to use them.

Another option is to buy a giftcard for the movie chain prior to going, which can be used to pay for movie tickets and/or for food & drinks at the theatre.  This is a good option if you use Giant Eagle gas rewards, for example, because the cost of the gift card will affect your gas discount the following month. You can also use an Entertainment book (coupon book) or any other coupon you can find to get a discount at the theatre window.

What is the cheapest way to watch a movie at home?

Zoey can also be a couch potato

Redbox has locations by grocery stores, convenience stores and gas stations.  If you aren't sure where the closest one is, go to their site and search by zip code.  You can order movies in advance if you hold them with a credit card.  Also before you leave, type "redbox coupon codes" into your search engine.  You will find sites that have listed coupon codes that you can type into the Redbox when you get there, and many of them will allow you to rent the movie for free.  Just be sure to return on time!

Netflix has better options for TV series than it does for movies, but you can find some old gems or the occasional new film by doing some searching.  Their membership is lower than cable and you can watch everything at your own leisure.  You can also watch TV shows and movies through Amazon, and their library carries different titles than Netflix.