We all like a good movie, but going out can easily get very pricey.
You may have wondered about some methods for saving money at the movie theater. Below I present 5 tips for saving money at the movies.
1. Buy a MoviePass Membership
I cannot understate how useful my MoviePass membership has been to me. Think of MoviePass as almost like a “Netflix for the movie theater” type of deal. With a MoviePass subscription you get unlimited movies in the form of one, standard screening (no 3D or IMAX) per day at the cost of $9.95/month.
With only a small exception of specific theaters in large cities, you can use your MoviePass pretty much anywhere including small, independent theater chain. As long as you see at least 1-2 movies per month you’ll end up saving money with MoviePass. You can check out my video review of MoviePass here:
2. Use Reward Programs
If you’re like me, sometimes I’ll overlook loyalty and discount programs when the cashiers offer it. But some of the major theater chains actually offer pretty good loyalty programs that can get you discounts on concessions and tickets.
Particularly if you have one specific theater that you frequent, this can be a way to get some easy discounts.
Visit AMC Stubs here (AMC Theaters)
Check out Cinemark discounts here (Cinemark Theaters)
Join Regal Crown Club here (Regal Cinemas)
Join Alamo Victory here (Alamo Drafthouse)
3. Buy Gift Cards at Sam’s Club or Costco
If you have memberships at either of these retailers, you can pick up discounts on movie tickets when you buy movie passes in bulk. If you have a big family that goes to the movies a lot, this could be a convenient way to get tickets for a large number people in a way thats cheaper.
There are also companies that offer employee discount programs that are sometimes inclusive of movie tickets. This is a benefit that is often overlooked, so check with the benefits department at your employer to see if this is offered to you.
Visit Costco’s Movie Ticket Page Here
Visit Sam Club’s Movie Ticket Page Here
4. Sneak Food In (or Not!)
We’ve all been there- maybe you grew up in a family where your mom or your grandma was always sneaking Ziploc baggies of candy and popcorn in her purse. Sneaking food into a theater can be a way to save money on snacks instead of paying the huge mark-up the theaters charge.
What you might not realize, though, is some theaters actually allow you to bring in food. I was shocked to learn that was the policy of a theater in my area. Although they have since changed their policy, my friends and I used to bring in things like pizza and restaurant food without anyone ever stopping us.
5. Eat Before You Go
When I go out to the movies, I like to make a night of it and plan one of my weekly restaurants outings at the same time. It makes more sense to me to pay for a restaurant meal at a price I’d expect than some basic snacks at prices that make me cringe. Once I’ve eaten and my stomach is full, I’m not tempted by the concession stand in quite the same way.
In Conclusion
Hopefully you found these tips informative. Know of some other ways you can save money at the movies? Leave a comment below and let you know your strategy!
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