Silence Your Cellphones Now...

Everyone has been affected by this recession one way or another. Some people have had to take up second jobs. Cutting back on eating out. No more daily Starbucks trips. I have switched to getting almost all-store brand items when food shopping. It's amazing how much cheaper your total bill can be if you pick up items that are consistently $0.50 to $1 cheaper than name brand.

The other thing I have noticed is that I rarely go to the movies anymore. Somewhere around 2005, movie tickets just got to be ridiculously high. Even my student ID in college only got me $1 off the expensive ticket. Remember when a matinee was any time before 4pm, and it was only $4? Those were the days!

If you are thinking about what to get your aunt, your friend, or your Dad for a birthday or holiday this year, I suggest considering an often-overlooked easy treat: movie theater vouchers. I used to get these as a babysitter back in high school, but they almost mean more to me today as an adult on a budget! I can't tell you how much I have enjoyed using the ones we got at the holidays. Instead of a pricey $22 for two tickets on a Saturday night, it's been free. They are perfect for anyone, and are a great "everyday" type gift for a helpful employee, or stuffed inside an Easter basket.

I saw a few more things for AMC that I wanted to share too -

AMC A.M.Cinemas: Tickets are cheapest before noon. For example, a ticket to Valentine's Day is only $6 today for the 11am showtime. That's a lot cheaper than $10.50 later tonight!

AMC Weekday Escape: Same type of deal as above, "half price" tickets Monday-Thursday. It seems this deal runs more in the daytime though, and not on holidays.

2010 Best Picture Showcase: This is an awesome deal. $30 for a one day pass (or $60 for a two-day affair for all 10) to see 5 of the 2010 Best Picture Oscar Nominees. They even throw in unlimited refills and a big popcorn, and you can come and go as you please.



Enjoy the show!