Avoid The Movies & Build Up Your Down Payment
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The movies are very expensive. I used to go almost every weekend and it was really hitting my savings hard. It costs $7.50 per ticket and much more for food. I went to the movies last weekend with my girlfriend and it cost me $15 dollars for our tickets and another $20 for food coming out to a grand total of $35. This is pretty expensive entertainment considering you can buy a DVD these days for around $15 and own it forever. I'm not saying that you should completely avoid the movies because it's a ton of fun. However, you will want to analyze the frequency at which you visit the theater because there is some serious opportunity there to unlock savings for your mortgage loan down payment. Use That Student DiscountAre you a student? If so, you will want to make sure to present your student ID at the box office for savings. Many theaters offer special rates for students. If you are not a student, do you still have your ID and still look the same as in the picture? You can still use your student ID for savings. Finally, that college education is paying back some dividends! Bring Your Own Food For SavingsFood at the movies is very expensive. They raise the prices considerably over what the same foods would cost in a regular store. One tactic I recommend is to bring a purse or bag to the movies that does not stand out too much but is big enough to store food. You can swing by your local 7-Eleven convenience store to grab some food before the movies and then bring it in with you as long as it is stored in your bag. This could save you as much as $10 to $15 dollars per movie, now that is some serious savings. Wait For The DVDI know it's a ton of fun to go to the movies and I think everyone should reward themselves by going. However, I would limit it to no more than once per month. If you want to see more movies beyond this, I recommend either buying or renting the DVDs. Renting will save the most money but even buying the DVD is cheaper than going to the movies in most cases. A good program to save money on renting DVDs is Netflix. Walk To The Movies To Save On ParkingDo you live close to the movies? If so, I highly recommend walking to get exercise and also save money on parking. Why pay for parking on top of the movies? This starts compounding your costs making the movies even more expensive. Parking lot owners know that the movies draw in big crowds an they purposefully raise the prices to make more money. Go To The Matinee Rather Than the Night ShowSome movie theaters offer special discounts for the matinee showing. Whenever you can get a discount, take it. I always make it a practice to go to the movies for the matinee showing to save a few more dollars. Moreover, the theater is often less crowded at this time which makes for a more enjoyable movie going experience. For more clever tips on saving money at the movies, check out this article at Ezinearticles.
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