4 Things You Pay Too Much For: Entertainment

Keeping yourself entertained is probably costing you more than it should. In previous posts, we’ve looked at electronics and bills you pay too much for, so now we are hitting the fun stuff. Check out the details on how you can trim your monthly entertainment budget!

Movies

If you pay for a full-price ticket to Hollywood’s latest blockbuster, you’re paying too much. There are plenty of ways to save on the cinema (and I don’t mean by going to a matinee).  For starters, be on the lookout for movie voucher deals. At BradsDeals, we’re always watching for these, and we pass the info on as soon as we get it. For instance, you might be able to get a voucher for 2 AMC gold tickets for $10. Those are redeemable at any movie at any AMC-brand theater in the country (3D and Imax carry an extra charge). If you can’t find any vouchers, another great option is available to Visa Signature Cardholders. You can order buy 1 get 1 free movie tickets from Fandango every Friday of the week. If you don’t have a Visa Signature Card, we’d recommend applying for this one.

Another option to save is through your local movie theater’s loyalty program. For example, my favorite local theater has movies for $6 after they’ve been out a few weeks. Every Thursday they email me with the movies that will be available in the next week. I just present my card for any showing (even Friday night), and everyone in my party gets their ticket for $6.

Concerts and Sporting Events

Ready to rock out at a concert or support your favorite team, but wincing at the prices? It is possible to save on your tickets. ScoreBig allows you to buy tickets at up to 60% off the regular price with no extra fees. Plus, BradsDeals almost always has an extra percent-off coupon to apply to your order. Check out our latest offers here.

eBooks

eReader prices keep dropping, but the eBooks can really add up. How can you save? Check out your local library’s website to see if they loan eBooks. Using your library card, you can download eBooks to your Kindle or other compatible device for free just like borrowing a real book. The restriction is that the libraries pay for a digital copy (or a number of copies), but each can only be checked out by one person at a time. That means there may be a waitlist to read the book you want.

If you need something to read while you wait for your eBook from the library, or if you just want to catch up on some classics, check out 40,000 public domain books available in eReader formats at Project Gutenberg. These ebooks are free, legal, and include some truly entertaining literature, like The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, Pride and Prejudice, Moby Dick, and A Tale of Two Cities.

Video Games

Feeding your gaming addiction can be an expensive job. Trim costs by subscribing to Gamefly. The first month is currently free, after which the membership is $15.95 for one game out at a time or $22.95 for 2 out at a time. The benefit here is you can try out a game to see if you like it, or play games that have a limited number of hours of game play without spending $50.

Also, you don’t have to pay full price for your Xbox Live membership! We’ve seen a 12 month membership, normally $59.99, for as low as $34. The best deal we could find at the time of the posting was $46.99, but check this link for other offers that may become available.

Do you have any great tips for getting low-cost entertainment? We want to hear them! Let us know in the comments section below.

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About the Author: Casey Runyan

Casey is part of the deal-finding team at BradsDeals. A bargain hunter to the core, she's sometimes haunted by nightmares about deals that expire before she can write them. She's also pretty sure she got her job by telling Brad about the time she got a free golf club.