How many of you still go out to the movies? I’m guessing the number of people who answered yes is far less than a few short years ago. The reason, to no one’s surprise, is the cost.
The average cost for an adult to go to a movie has gone up dramatically. Average movie prices in 2024 are from $12-$14 for weekdays and $14-$16 on weekends. Discounts are still available for matinees, but add up the costs for a family of four to go to a movie, and most people will pass.
Wear your comfy clothes, grab your favorite snacks, and enjoy various fun activities at home. Nearly any activity you might go out to enjoy can be recreated right at home for a fraction of the cost.
Look at our list of 10 reasons entertainment at home beats going out for many reasons. Save these ideas and get more bang for your buck when you want an affordable way to unwind.
Girls’ Night
Lots of couples like to enjoy activities with their friends. A guy might schedule a poker night or a screening of his friends’ favorite Marvel movie. A woman might like a trip to the spa or to show her friends a good time at home. One partner no longer has to leave for the other to enjoy their friends at home. You can both have a great time inviting friends over, and the bonus is that because you both hosted friends for a few hours, you can share in the cleanup, and neither one has to shoulder it alone.
Movie Potluck
Imagine creating a potluck based on your favorite movie for your friends and family. For instance, if you’re in for a bit of nostalgia with Karate Kid II, you can make some Japanese food. Or perhaps you are planning to binge some episodes of Community; you can make some of your favorite ‘college’ staples.
Two for One
Two-for-one is an option because of the deep savings you’ll incur by staying home to catch your favorite flick. When the pandemic raged in 2020, movie studios started releasing new movies straight to home streaming as movie theaters weren’t an option. This practice became a godsend for people still in isolation and is a popular caveat today. And thanks to excellent pricing, you can purchase two movie rentals for what you would have paid to attend these releases at the theater.
Emergencies
Have you ever walked into an event and had to leave halfway through because of an emergency? Now, you won’t have to reschedule for another night to pay full price to see a movie you’ve already watched by half. Most movie streaming services will give you up to 48 (and sometimes 72) hours to watch the film once you start it. Deal with the emergency, knowing your movie will still be waiting for you when you return home.
Childcare
When I was little, The Wizard of Oz used to air on ABC. Every year on Easter Sunday, the black-and-white beginning would sweep me up in the story of a young Kansas girl who entered a world of magic and mystery to find her way back home. As a mom, I now look for shows that engage my children’s imaginations, and this is where the magic of streaming services like Disney+ comes in. If you’re in the mood for a film your children won’t or shouldn’t enjoy, you can settle them in an adjoining room with a child-friendly movie and have a ‘best of both worlds’ movie night with childcare on the TV for a few hours.
Thirty-Day Delay
If you’ve ever purchased a movie and could not watch it when you were hoping to, you’ll understand how valuable the thirty-day option is. Streaming movies is fun and can offer you a great time. Back in the day, you used to rent them for 24 hours and return them so you wouldn’t get charged late fees. Now, when you rent a movie from just about any streaming service, YouTube, Paramount+, Amazon Prime, etc., you get a 30-day window to start watching the movie. This one-month gap can come in handy if you have to miss your movie option for life moments that don’t stop on a dime.
Favorite Snacks
I get that movie theaters make perfect popcorn, but it’s not impossible. You can get premade bags of ‘movie theater’ butter popcorn or create your own at home and add salt and butter to the mix. And if candy is your soft spot when watching a movie, it can be much cheaper at places like Dollar General, Family Dollar, or Dollar Tree, especially right after a holiday.
Order In
Going out to dinner is fun, especially for a special occasion. However, if you’re doing something like a weekly date night, ordering in can save you money and be just as fun. Put two tapered candles on the table, pull out your good dishes, and order from your favorite restaurant. With companies like DoorDash, Uber Eats, and Grubhub, you can get the meals you want straight to your door. And if you like to make your meals, companies like Home Chef and HelloFresh will deliver a fantastic meal kit just in time for your dinner and movie night.
Bogo
Digital movie streamers like Vudu offer digital rights to movies; whether you want to watch them once or own them for life, you can do it all with an app like Vudu. Often, these streaming services offer discounts like buy one get one. This perk means that instead of paying $20 for a ticket to a one-time show, you can spend around $10 and get two movies to watch.
Less Is More
Paying upwards of thirty dollars to enjoy a two-hour show is a hefty price to shell out to sit in a sometimes noisy theater with cellphones going off and no intermission for a bathroom break. Choosing to watch a movie at home means you get your favorite seat, and you can pause any time to take a potty break or grab a drink.
Staying In Has All the Fun for Less
If the pandemic proved anything, it’s that we, as a people, are resilient and will come back every single time. It also showed us that we can still have fun and have a great time despite restrictions that pressed us all. Going out on the town for a night is fun, but if your budget is a concern, you can have just as much fun staying in.
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