Nine ways to enjoy movies for less

Calling all film buffs! If you love nothing more than watching a good movie, here are nine ways to do so without hurting your wallet.

I'm a big fan of going to the cinema. But by the time I've paid for a ticket, a drink and some popcorn and/or sweets, I find the costs really stack up.

So if you're a big movie fan, but need to try and save the pennies, how can you enjoy the cinema for less?

1) Orange Wednesdays

If you're an Orange customer, then you're really lucky! That's because you can get your hands on two for one cinema tickets every Wednesday. All you need to do is text 'FILM' to 241 on your mobile, or simply call 241.

However, if you're not already an Orange customer, don't panic! If you sign up here you can get an Orange SIM card plus £5 credit absolutely free. Simply pop the SIM into your mobile, call up and register to activate your credit, and away you go! Texts cost 35p.

One thing worth bearing in mind is that you may need to unlock your mobile in order for the SIM to work. But you can do usually do this pretty cheaply through websites such as Unique Phones.

Finally, don't forget that if you fancy treating yourself to dinner before the movie starts, as part of the Orange Wednesdays offer, you can also get 2 for 1 on main courses at Pizza Express! You'll also get free garlic bread or dough balls. Simply download this voucher and bring it along with you, as well as your Orange Wednesdays text ticket.

2) Watch it first!

Websites such as See Film First and Momentum Pictures offer regular preview screenings for free. All you have to do is sign up and wait for an email telling you when the next preview is!

It's worth noting that tickets are served on a first come first served basis, so you will have to be quick if you want to secure a seat.

3) Unlimited access

If you're a really big film fan and regularly pay a visit to the cinema, one option worth considering is applying for an unlimited access pass. Cineworld cinemas offer such a thing, giving you access to unlimited movies, any time, any day. You'll have to pay £13.50 per month for at least 12 months*, but given that an adult ticket can cost as much as £8.20 (depending on where you live), this works out to be really good value if you're going to go to the cinema several times a month.

What's more, your unlimited pass will get you preferential invitations and discounted tickets to Cineworld Exclusive Advance Screenings, festivals and events. And you'll receive exclusive cinema food and drink offers.

4) Go Lastminute

If you're fairly flexible about when you can go to the cinema and what you see, Lastminute.com has teamed up with Vue Cinemas in London to offer cinema tickets for just £6.49. A standby Vue cinema voucher gives you entry to 14 Vue cinemas in and around the capital.

Unfortunately, the offer is only valid Monday to Thursday, you must book your tickets by 4pm on the day of the viewing, and you cannot choose which film you can go to. You'll also have to pay a 65p booking fee per ticket.

5) Discounts for the kids...

Now it's the school holidays, trying to occupy the kids can be tricky. But both Vue cinemas and Odeon offer various kids clubs so that the little ones can watch films at fabulous prices.

Vue's Kids AM club runs every day and kids can watch a film for just £1.70 each. What's more, accompanying adults go free. (One adult with every child goes free. Extra adults are charged £1.70 each.)

Meanwhile, Odeon Kids runs every Saturday and Sunday morning as well as every day throughout most school holidays. Viewings cost around £2.50 and again, with every child ticket, you get an adult ticket free.

6) And for the more senior viewers...

Certain cinemas also hold screenings for more 'mature' viewers. For example, the Odeon's Senior Screen allows you to go along and meet friends for a mid-morning screening and enjoy free tea and coffee before the screening. Ticket prices vary from cinema to cinema, but are usually around £3 to £4.50.

7) Go early

Some cinemas offer cheaper tickets for those of you who are prepared to go to an early screening. For example, if you went to the Vue cinema in Northampton to see Harry Potter on Thursday at 9.45am, you'd pay £5.50 for an adult ticket. But if you went at 8pm the same day, an adult's ticket would cost £6.80. (Child ticket unchanged at £4.85.)

Similarly, if you go before noon at selected Cineworld cinemas, you will also get a discount. Tickets are also usually cheaper before 5pm.

8) Bring your own

Cinema food and drink prices are sky high and usually at least double what you would pay in your local newsagent/supermarket. So if you really want to bring down the cost, bring your own popcorn, sweets and drinks, or even go without! Just avoid parading them around as some cinemas prefer you not to bring in your own food and drink.

9) Rent it out

Of course, if you'd prefer to watch a film from the comfort of your own sofa, why not rent a DVD? Rather than popping down to your local rental shop, it can work out much cheaper to sign up to an online rental company such as LoveFilm.

Right now, if you sign up to LoveFilm, you'll receive 14 days free unlimited DVD rentals. After that, you can choose from a range of packages starting from just £3.91 a month (giving you two DVD rentals a month), up to £15.65 a month (unlimited rentals). Just make sure you watch the films, otherwise you could be throwing money down the drain.

And if you have a friend who is already a member of LoveFilm, ask him/her to introduce you and you'll both get 30 days free!

If you'd prefer a pay as you go option, you're in luck. LoveFilm also offers a service where you buy 'credits' for the rental service as and when you want them. For example, you can buy four credits for £9.78. Each credit equals one rental. Credits are valid for six months from the date of purchase - if you don't use them in that time, they will expire.

Similarly, easyCinema also runs on credits. Here you can buy a batch of four credits for £7.96, seven credits for £13.93 or 10 credits for £19.90. When you run out of credits, you simply buy more. Credits with easyCinema run out after 90 days.

So there you have it - nine easy ways to make the most of the movies without blowing the budget! Enjoy!

* Offer excludes London West End Cinemas. London West End Cinemas are Chelsea, Fulham Road, Haymarket and Shaftsbury Avenue. You're tied in for an initial 12 months.

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