Sneaking Candy into Movies: Frugal or Cheap?

[starshard0]

Wouldn't it be more frugal to NOT go see a movie? You could just rent one and stay at home and eat all the cheap snacks you like.

[GearMaven]

Certainly it would be "more frugal" but that isn't the question in the post. There are lots of great frugal ideas for entertainment. That's also why people often sacrifice their time to wait in free movie screening lines for a totally free movie. And why I love Redbox and DVDPlay rental kiosks for DVDs. The free codes for those sites have ensured I haven't paid for a movie in years!

But there are all levels of frugality. Even friends of mine who are very wealthy are very frugal in some areas of their lives. So it is definitely NOT an all or nothing.

[starshard0]

I guess that's true. I'd say that sneaking candy into movies is cheap, but eating before the movie is frugal.

[Cheapchick]

I do not feel at all guilty when bringing my own treats. I paid to see the movie didn`t I! Dollar theatre of course but still. If you pay $2 to see the movie and $8 for popcorn it doesn`t make any sense at all.

[Ms. Ferret]

Cheap and unrepentant here, especially if there are no signs posted. I've long felt that one of the great benefits of adulthood is that nobody searches you when you go to the movies. And really, the megaplex cinema candy sizes are ridiculous. Nobody needs that many damn sno-caps.

That being said, I do tend to buy concessions at the smaller local theaters, generally because they actually have reasonably-sized items and less-insane prices. If the megaplexes adopted similar offerings I'd be far less inclined to bring stuff in.

[egray]

I've never really understood why candy and the cinema have to go hand in hand. The rustling of popcorn and candy wrappers can be quite irritating to me.

That said, I sometimes sneak in some sandwiches if it's a long movie

[trippedwire]

frugal for sure! what they charge for food in movie theaters is highway robbery. i went with a friend and we got two large drinks and a popcorn and it was $10!!

[starshard0]

Originally Posted by trippedwire

frugal for sure! what they charge for food in movie theaters is highway robbery. i went with a friend and we got two large drinks and a popcorn and it was $10!!

Granted, but don't be surprised when they kick you out if they find you eating outside food.

[hermione]

I haven't been to a movie in a theater since Jan. 2006, but I think it'd be embarrassing to get caught sneaking food in, so have never done it. My sister and I used to just grab something to eat either before or after the movie. Also, not buying a drink keeps you from having to visit the facilities partway through the show.

[starshard0]

Originally Posted by hermione

I haven't been to a movie in a theater since Jan. 2006, but I think it'd be embarrassing to get caught sneaking food in, so have never done it. My sister and I used to just grab something to eat either before or after the movie. Also, not buying a drink keeps you from having to visit the facilities partway through the show.

Definitely. Personally, if I'm willing to shell out the exorbitant price for a movie, I might as well pay a little extra for some snacks to go with it. Or of course, just eat beforehand.