Everyone loves a good flick. Whether it’s for date night or family fun, going to the movies is an incredibly fun activity that can cost a great deal of money. If you decide watch at home or head to the theater, there are plenty of ways to save money on movies. We’re not just talking about hitting the matinee or sneaking in snacks. Here are my favorite tips and tricks to save a dime on the biggest blockbusters.
Netflix
There’s no magic formula to get Netflix forever for free or at a steep discount. However, you can get a free trial month if you’ve never subscribed before. Our family does pay for the most basic $7.99 plan. When you consider that a single movie ticket is likely to cost you more than a month’s subscription though. Choosing what to watch on Netflix might be your biggest battle. To maximize your experience, be sure to check out special Netflix ID codes that can help you better organize the content. Want to glance through the titles that are only Disney? Enter 67673. Movies made for kids ages 8-10? 561 is your key. Love sports dramas? Use 7243. Use the URL http://www.netflix.com/browse/genre/ and add the numerical code to the end. There are more codes than you can count here. You might also want to check out what movies are new to Netflix to mark your calendar. Let’s just say on March 1st, I’m totally watching 1991’s fabulous flick Robin Hood, Prince of Thieves.
Amazon Prime Video
If you have an Amazon Prime account, you have access to thousands of TV shows and movies as a part of your membership. You also get free music streaming and photo storage. You might even qualify for a free 30 day trial. Want to watch a new release? When you order items through Amazon, many times you have the offer to have those items shipped at the No Rush Shipping speed, gaining a $1 credit toward music, movies, or digital books. It doesn’t apply for every item but could help you see movies at a reduced rate or even free.
Redbox
Redbox revolutionized the way we rent DVDs, running more than one rental chain out of business. While the lower costs can be enticing, you have to be sure to get those movies returned on time to make the most of the discount. You can also find FREE rental codes on the site Inside Redbox or sign up to have texts sent to your phone with the best deals (text the word SIGNUP to 727272). DVDXpress is a new competitor to Redbox in Indiana and claims to have releases 28 days before Netflix or Redbox. If there’s one in your area, you can get a free rental by heading to their Facebook page.
Discount or Dollar Theaters
Many cities have a discount theater or even a “Dollar Theater.” In my hometown the Cinemark ranges from $2.75 per ticket on the weekends all the way down to $1.50 on Tuesdays. Want to make your money stretch even further when you go? Check out my post Making Your Trip the Dollar Theater More Affordable.
Special Days and Offerings
Senior citizens discounts, deals on snacks, movie camps, and more. Many theaters have a wide range of weekly specials and deals. Plan your night out around these offerings to stretch your dollar further. Head to your theater’s website or sign up for their e-mail updates to keep abreast of what’s going on. During the summer months and even on Saturday mornings, many theaters offer special showings of later releases just for kids either for free or at a greatly reduced rate. Again, head to your theater’s website to see if they have events like these on the calendar.
Rewards Programs
If your theater has a Rewards Program that you don’t have to pay for, you definitely need to sign up and take advantage of the discounts and reward points. I’d skip any that require you to pay fees but encourage you to sign up for e-mails or download your theater’s app (Cinemode for Cinemark is great!) or put that little rewards program card on your keychain. Also, don’t forget the Disney Movie Rewards program that gives you points when you snap a photo of your ticket stubs for Disney features (including Star Wars and Marvel movies!) or log the codes that come inside of Disney DVDs.
How do you make your entertainment budget dollars work at the movie theater? What are your favorite ways to save money? Leave them in the comments and let me learn a few new tricks from you!
My book is now available: Slaying the Debt Dragon: How One Family Conquered Their Money Monster and Found an Inspired Happily Ever After. You can also check out Inspiration to Pay Off Debt: 30 Days of Encouragement from the Queen of Free
This post contains an affiliate link. That means when you get a great deal or maybe even something for free, you also help our family pay off our mortgage early. And for that, we royally thank you!
We volunteer at a historic theater and get to see the movie for free!