Rent movies rather than see them in the theater
Movies are a great form of entertainment, they are a few hours escape into a different time, different place, different situation, romance, comedy, etc. However, in a given year, you could spend quite a bit of money seeing movies. So, let's look at a way you can cut the cost, and funnel some of that money into your cash reserve. One of the top ways is to simply rent movies rather than watch them at the theater. It is true that you have to wait to see the movie, and may see it a few months after "everyone" else, but the cost to see a movie at the theater is significantly higher than that of seeing a movie at home.
Let's break it down so you can get a good idea of how much you could save by renting movies rather than seeing them in the theater:
|
|
Movie cost:
The typical cost of a movie seen at a movie theater is between $7 and $9 per ticket. Most people do not go to the movies alone, so let's say you and your spouse go to the movies together, and spend about $16 to get in to the movie.
The typical cost to rent a movie at your local movie store is $4.25 for a New Release. This is usually for a 5 day rental, which means that you can even watch it several times, or let several people watch it.
The savings: A minimum of $11.75, possibly much more!
Concessions:
People do not generally see a movie without the perks, concessions are what make movies a fun time. The average cost of a tub of popcorn is $5 for a medium, more for a large. Of course if you get popcorn, you will likely need a drink because the salt and butter make you thirsty. A large drink will run you close to $4 each for a fountain drink, and about $3 for a bottled water. If you add candy to your concessions order you are looking at another $3-$5 per candy item. Of course there are many other options from pickles ($2), to nachos ($4), pretzels ($3), hotdogs ($4), and more. So, lets say for the average couple who sees a movie, the cost of concessions is close to $15.
The cost of "concessions" at home is far less. A bag of microwave popcorn costs between 25 and 50 cents. A 2 liter of soda is less than $2, and movie theater candy can usually be purchased for around $1. So, the same concessions, at home is about $4
The savings: Around $11.
So, each time you rent a movie, rather than go to the theater, you save about $23. Of course, if you have more than 2 people watch the movie, you save even more. If you watch a movie on television rather than rent it, or if you download one onto your computer, borrow one, or check one out from the library, your savings are even higher.
