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Save Money on Dining Out and Entertainment

Entertainment Tips

• Discount Movies - Almost all movie theaters in our area offer discounted matinee prices for movies 2:00 PM or earlier. Often you can get better seats during the day time, too. Some people like to buy tickets online, but be aware they charge a service over and above the price of the ticket. I think it is better just to go to see movies at off times. We went to see the much hyped final Star Wars episode for the 2:00 showing at our local theater on the Saturday of the opening weekend and had no problems getting choice seats.

• Entertainment books also often have deals on discount movie tickets. You usually have to send for the tickets in advance and then they will send you discounted tickets you can use even during non matinee times. My husband and I made great use of these coupons before we had kids when we had the free time to see movies almost every weekend.

• Buy a puzzle and complete family puzzle together together. You can order a wide variety of reasonably priced jig saw puzzles from Jig Shop Zone.
  
  
• Download and read books online at no cost. As of this writing, Project Gutenberg has over 17,000 out of copyright books books in their online catalog, including many classics and children's books.
  
  No entertainment is so cheap as reading, not any pleasure as lasting. - Lady Mary Montagu
  
  

• Half Price Theater Tickets - many large cities and tourist areas areas have half price theater ticket centers. If there are unsold seats on the day of the performance, you can often get tickets that same day for half the cost. My husband at I were in London a few years ago and saw many wonderful plays at greatly reduced prices. We found only the newest plays with very good reviews to be sold out and unavailable at the discount prices. If there is a certain hot play you and everyone else has been dying to see, you may not find tickets at the outlets. However, if you are flexible about what to see and just want an evening out, half price ticket booth prices are hard to beat.

• If you are a nature lover, enjoy the outdoors, or are concerned with the environment, join the Sierra Club. In the San Francisco Bay area, they have subgroups for camping, hiking, canoeing, etc. with many no charge or nominal cost activities including pot lucks, hiking, day trips, camp outs and more.
  

• Watch the entertainment section of the local paper for free activities. Many museums have free days each month, libraries often have free author book readings, etc. For example, a local historical ranch near our house has special weekends with free crafts, music and children's activities.

Dining Out Tips

• Go to restaurants for lunch instead of dinner. The food is usually the same but often much less expensive. Or see if your favorite restaurant offers an early bird special for early diners.

• Avoid ordering drinks and dessert. Most restaurant meals come with more than enough calories just with the entrees alone.
  
  
• If you do order a drink, get it without ice so you get more actual beverage for your money.
  
  
• Have a snack before you go to the movies, or at least go out afterwards for a snack some place other than the movie theater snack bar. The snack prices are very high at most movies where the audience is a basically a captive market.
  
  
• If you feel like you need to have a drink when dining out, try ordering a nonalcoholic version of your favorite cocktail. You'll save money and as well as wear and tear on your liver.
  
  
• Keep a supply of interesting food on hand at home for brown bag lunches so you won't be tempted to go out for lunch. A bowl of yogurt with pistachios and raisins or a pasta salad with roasted vegetables from home is cheaper and healthier than most restaurant food, especially fast food.