How to find movie ticket savings

A night at the movies isn’t a cheap outing anymore. The last movie I saw, Mission Impossible – Ghost Protocol, cost me $17 a ticket. That’s some money! Of course, that was at an IMAX theater, but even a regular theater is now around $11 per ticket. If you’re paying for more than one person, an evening at the movies can easily add up to $50 or more.  Luckily, there are a few ways to get around paying a premium for big screen viewing pleasure.

Use deal sites

I’ve mentioned it before, but deal sites like Groupon, Livingsocial and Google Offers post movie ticket deals on regular occurrence. Most of these are general – two tickets for $13 to any AMC theater, for example – but some deals are for specific independent theaters and movies. Either way, a deal is a deal. Just make sure to read the fine print and check the ticket expiration so that you don’t miss out on the savings.

Buy at your favorite warehouse

Costco, and other warehouse clubs, offer movie tickets for a big discount. Right now Costco.com has a 10 pack of tickets to any Regal Entertainment Group theater for $82.99 – they have the same deal for AMC theaters. But keep in mind that these may limit the time frame in which you can see the movie of your choice. New movies may be off limits for a few weeks after a new release.

Go during off hours

Theaters may pack ‘em in like sardines on Friday and Saturday night showings, but they aren’t always so crowded. You’ve probably heard about discount matinee tickets – they often require you see a showing before 4:00 or 5:00 in the evening – but some theaters are starting to lower ticket costs on off days as well. Ask your favorite movie theater when they offer discounts, or when you can find the biggest savings.