Saving on entertainment

It's time for the weekend - how will you spend your money?

If you're going to a restaurant:

• Drink water instead of paying for a soda/iced tea/etc.
• Share a meal (we all know the portions are huge anyway, and everyone can afford to skip half the calories and fat in a restaurant meal)
• Skip the appetizer and/or dessert
• Limit yourself to one alcoholic drink (those damn things are expensive!)

If you're off to the movies:

• Can you persuade your friends to go to an earlier showing? Matinee prices are better!
• Skip the concessions (does anyone even buy that stuff these days?)
• I hope this is a movie you REALLY want to see, or else you'll be wasting your money. Can you meet your friends after the movie if you're not really interested in it?

Pre-plan for your entertainment:

• Ask for movie, restaurant, or amusement gift cards/tickets as gifts for Christmas and Birthdays. We get a $50.00 movie gift card for Christmas every year, and it lasts almost all year. We stretch it by going to early showings and only seeing movies that are "epic" or "must sees" in our opinion.
• Look into purchasing pre-paid movie tickets. They're available through a lot of membership organizations (i.e. AAA), schools, and sometimes your place or work.
• Look for coupons in flyers or on the internet for places you frequent. Visit their websites, and join their mailing lists if they offer one. You're likely to get a coupon once in a while.
• Do any of the places you frequent offer "frequent buyer" programs. We love Rita's and they have a buy 10, get one free card we always remember to have stamped when we go.