It pays to look around!

[pjlla]

Thought my Budget Board friends would appreciate this little story.

My DH and I wanted to take the kids to see The Incredibles this weekend. But we are DESPERATELY trying to save for a trip this coming summer and I hated the idea that this was going to cost us a minimum of about $33 (for tickets and popcorn.... we bring in refillable water bottles from home). We always go to the same theater, mostly out of habit. Well, I happened to see the movie listing in the paper and noticed that another theater about 10 minutes further away has $5 for all tickets prior to 5:30pm! Plus they have big screens and stadium-style seating. So we gave them a try and LOVED IT! The tickets were cheaper, the popcorn was a little cheaper, the seats were GREAT, and we got a "buy 6 admissions get one free" card!! So our next family trip to the movies we will get a free ticket! So it pays to try something new!

(I will be putting on my flame-proof suit now for those of you who don't approve of us bringing in our own water! )......P

 

[sweet maxine]

Great idea you had!

Just in case you have the Hotwire membership, or even AAA, don't forget you can get those tickets a bit cheaper there. I think the only stipulation is that it must be used after the first 10 days of the release of the movie. I can see though, that you got the chance to see it during the weekend of its release. That was a really good deal. How was the movie, by the way?

On a little side note, I always take little treats in to the movies when I go with my kids. Little packages of M & M's, snack size candy bars or hard candies are great. I splurge for popcorn and drinks every now and then, but you can almost get a nice dinner for the price of a few things from the concession nowadays!

 

[momxx5]

For us going to the movies is like a mortgage payment. I have no problem with bringing water in.

Since we are spending money just to be there, I try to save when I can. Each child will get a drink and I'll get one extra large popcorn. I bring my own brown lunch bags and fill a bag for each kiddie.

 

[Kevenswife2]

This IS the Budget Board so we're all 'budget minded'. No need for your flame-proof suit. I always take a drink (usually water) in with me and have never had a problem. I've even taken my DD's happy meal in with me. Thank goodness for large purses.

 

[luvmarypoppins]

Our friend always brings her own snacks and drinks. Her kids have the peanut allergy and she cant risk it even having someone touch something and it rubbing off on a package etc. We just dont have time to go to the movie but if we did I might bring some candy that I like and couldnt buy there, otherwise we share the drinks and popcorn. I try to go to the theatre that has free popcorn refills on the big bucket. The other theater has coupons for snacks you can print out at home before you come. I am hoping to get a movie or 2 in over the holidays.

 

[summerrluvv]

We always used to go to the movies and buy snacks, popcorn and soda/water there and spend almost $50 for TWO OF US (and one is a CHILD!)! The tickets alone are almost 20.00 for two people! One day we had only tickets, (I got them free) and not much money for snacks. I made my own popcorn, put it in a HUGE zip loc baggie, stopped at CVS bought some boxes of candy and two drinks and spent $4.00 total. The personnel didn't bat an eye and DS and I had a fun day out

 

[2BOYMOM]

I take my own water too.

 

[kimbac3]

I bring my own water and sometimes popcorn too! We always look for the specials- like all seats $5 before 6pm. It's horrible what movies cost nowdays. It's a very special occasion for us to go out to the movies! This past summer our local movie theater did free movies on tues and weds at 10 am. Mostly oldies but we got to see the Wizard of Oz on a big screen!! It was cool!

Kimba

 

[remyandhollandsmommy]

We bring our own water too, plus I pack snacks now (we used to buy popcorn until the "incident"). Holly has to have formula anyways so I just pack everything in the diaperbag. A child's ticket is 8.50 and adults are 12.50 at our theater (for matinee) so I think the theater can survive without our snack money LOL!

 

[crazelion]

Wow that's alot money for tickets. 12.50 for tickets. Thats 2 adults tickets here total after 7:00 p.m.

I go to the 2.50 theaters here because I can't afford high movie tickets.

Don't buy popcorn it's two expensive and it's not fresh. Plus I work at a baseball park in the summer get straight out popcorn machice while still popping. Plus its free there.

 

[PolyHereWeCome]

No flame here -- Just a big round of applause!!!

 

[yecats]

Flame free here as well. I also bring in candy and sometimes water. I think that it would be sort of hard for anyone to flame as most people bring water or snacks into the parks so principal is basically same thing with a movie. I too think that movie cost are to high and lately I've been getting my movie tickets from Hotwire. You know I've never gotten the fact that theme parks and sporting venues have to charge $2.00 or better for water, soft drinks, etc. Every corner grocery store sells water for $1.00 and still makes a profit and we certainly know that parks and sporting venues are ordering ten times more than the corner locally owned grocery stores. I don't understand how charging a $1.50 more for these items isn't price gouging

 

[lovelykccat]

I have read that bringing in food is at the discretion of the manager of the theater.
So at the theater my sister and I go to we bring in all kinds of food - Burger King, takeout from our favorite Mexican restaurant. We don't have to hide it, and know one says anything. We usually buy our drinks form the concessions, but otherwise we bring in our own stuff.
We also use the kiosks to get our tickets - most people will either stand in line at the box office, or use the kiosks behind it - we use one that's near customer service, and have never had to wait.

 

[blanq]

As far as I am concerned, unless I see a sign posted that forbids bringing in your own food, bringing snacks into the theater is a big thumbs up! I have never seen such a sign posted at any of the theaters in my area.

We always attend a matinee, as the evening prices are too steep. I keep a small supply of movie candy (same sizes that are at the theater, but they cost only 99 cents at my local Target) at home, so we can pick what we want before we head to the theater. Sometimes I bring in our drinks. I have to admit though, that I am a big sucker for movie popcorn, so we always buy there. We buy one large for our family, and the theater lets us get one free refill if we want.

 

[dis-happy]

We saw The Incredibles today as a family---great movie!!!! I brought in plastic cups and plastic bowls in my purse, and we bought one combo pack with a large popcorn and large drink. Everyone had their share---plenty to go around for 5 people. It still cost $8.50 for the food, but I for one can't sit at the movies without popcorn to munch. Love my theatre---it's add your own butter (well, liquid butter flavoring).

I also brought in a bottle of water for me, and a little packet of sugar-free lemonaid flavoring for bottled water. It's really great---found it at Wal-Mart last night. Definitely worth checking out.

Matinee prices for the movie still cost us $30.50 (yikes!, but not as bad as NYC!!!!)---but like going to WDW, I'm glad we got to share the memories today.

 

[CheapMom]

I always try to wait for the movie to hit my second run theatre which is $2.50. The concessions are really reasonable too- the kids get a drink, popcorn, and a small candy for $3.00.
I am waiting to see the Incredibles on my cruise!

 

[imsayin]

We have a local theatre that runs new movies for $4 adult, $2 kid. The theatre & screen are rundown, but for that price, who cares. Of course we usually bring in a candy treat of our own, but sometimes go for some popcorn.

When I was a kid, my mom drove us to the candy store to buy some "penny candy" then dropped us off a the movie theatre.

 

[renessa]

I've been doing all of the Walgreens/Listerine/Hershey's/any other store or brand deals where you purchase a certain dollar amout of Proctor & Gamble products (for example) and earn free movie passes. We only go when I get freebies, plus once to the drive in each summer. We have a 1.00 theatre with older movies as well. I can't imagine tickets plus the large popcorn and large drink my dh has to have. I have even tried an early dinner directly followed by a movie, and he still has to have popcorn. He's worse than kids!!!