Once again I’ve got my Suddenly Frugal book on the brain, and I’m curious if my advice is spot on. This has to do with getting your cable, TV and movie entertainment fixes on the cheap.
For example, after a great exchange on Twitter yesterday (follow me @leangreenmom, if you’re not already), I discovered that a Netflix subscription can be a part of a healthy frugal entertainment diet. The trick is paying for the cheapest subscription possible, and staying on top of your requests and returns so that your per-movie cost averages about $1 per flick.
Even Comcast’s On Demand can’t match that–well, except for the free movies, that is. While obviously I pay for my Comcast subscription and therefore have the benefit of free movies On Demand, I found out that a ton of people don’t even pay for cable or satellite TV but rather get their entertainment fix through Netflix exclusively.
Other frugal entertainment ideas I’m including are:
- Borrowing DVDs for free from the library
- Using Redbox services at the supermarket, where you can get DVDs for only $1
- Buying discount movie tickets in bulk, thanks to a Costco or Borders Rewards membership.
Are there additional ways that you can stay up-to-date on cable, TV and movie entertainment without breaking the bank?
What about books? I checked out PaperBackSwap.com but I didn’t like the idea of your having to post 10 books to give away (and spending money doing so) before you could request a book yourself. Thoughts?
READ LEAH ON HOME GOES STRONG
I watch a lot of TV shows online. It’s a different experience, but if I can’t be at home to watch The Office, I don’t want to wait to overhear what happened! I also watch the Daily Show online every morning while taking care of office busy work.
Also — the only time I really felt the cable pinch was during the Phillies season since weeknight games are on cable. I’d either go to my mom’s or listen on the radio and get housework done.
We like going to movies in the theater right when they come out. We use Borders Rewards to get movie tickets at a reduced price.
I think there’s something to be said for listening to a sporting event on the radio. And it’s free!
BookMooch.com is a good alternative to PaperBackSwap.com and you don’t have to give away 10 books before you can get one yourself.
Susan, I’ll have to go check it out!
Leah
Unfortunately, it sounds a lot like PaperBackSwap to me.
You should give Paperbackswap a chance! You don’t actually have to give the 10 books away, you just have to post them as available for trade. If you are interested in signing up, I’ll be happy to give you some credits to get started so you don’t have to post the 10 books. I’ve been a member for a couple of years, and right now I have both a backlog of books already at home to read and an excess of credits. It has been a great frugal alternative for me since books are my comfort food! Email me if any of you decide to sign up and want a free credit.
I’ve been on Paperbackswap for a few years…did they change the rules? When I signed up (for free) I had to list 9 or 10 books to have available to swap and was granted 3 credits. I was able to order books right away and had requests for books from my pile fairly quickly. I get my daughter’s literature books for her high school English classes and my son’s book group books, the selection is great.
-K
Thanks for the comment and the offer. Maybe I’ll give this another look.
Leah
I second the BookMooch.com recommendation – much more active than PaperBackSwap, easier to use, and works great.
Great, thanks for the recommendation on BookMooch.com.
Leah
From what I’d read on PaperBackSwap, you need 10 books listed, before you earn 2 credits to request 2 books. If you want more books than that, you’ve got to put up another 10 books.
I use the library for all my families books. I am a very avid reader and just cannot justify spending money on books that I’m going to read once. My library offers a reservation system for .25 a book. I can place a hold on up to 25 books per account and specify which library I would like to pick the books up at. Sometimes the wait is long. Right now I’m the 310th person in line to read the new John Grisham book but I don’t mind. I also use the reservation system to “test drive” books for my children. So far we have found 3 books that my children loved enough to justify purchasing them. I bought those books used on Amazon paying about $6 a book vs the $14-20 I would have spent had the books been new.
We like using Redbox. A few tips…if you sign up for text messages from Redbox, you get a code for a free movie rental every Monday night (and I haven’t noticed any additional “spam”). During the month of March, you can get a code for a free rental each Wednesday if you visit the Redbox blog.
My library also has an online reservation system, but doesn’t charge people for using it. But I never thought about test driving books you might want to buy. That’s a great idea.
Leah
Very cool to know. Unfortunately, the book is coming out in September so even if I include Redbox (and that’s my plan), I can’t offer these specific tips, unless you know that they’re ongoing or something. Let me know.
Try hulu.com They have both new and old TV on line for free. They also have movies. You do need good internet to access.
Library is the first place people should be going as the frugal option! Not only that but it supports the local community, if people don’t use it, they will be the first thing to close in a crisis.
We don’t have cable so I guess that’s the most frugal option
we watch a few programs online other than that we watch DVDs.
Our family also loves Netflix. The only time we’ve really gotten burned by it was the December that we were sent Schindler’s List to watch. We just couldn’t bear to watch a heavy movie like that over the Christmas holiday, and we just couldn’t bear to send it back unwatched, so we let it sit around for about 2 months. That (eventually unwatched) movie cost us $20! But, it’s true, if we keep monitoring our queue, it’s a very inexpensive way for us to watch movies and TV series. (And I think I’ve already mentioned the free, cool workout videos that we can watch instantly on our computer!)
Unfortunately, I don’t know how long the Redbox promotions will be around. I’ve been receiving their text messages for free Monday rentals since last fall (so at least six months), but I’m sure they could stop it at any time. And of course, the March blog coupon Wednesdays is time-limited. But hopefully people can take advantage of it in the meantime, even if it’s not book material!
I recently joined Paperback Swap and found that I have gotten a lot out of it. You start by listing 10 books-then you get 1 credit to spend. They take adult and kid’s books, as well as paperbacks and hardcovers. Once people ask for one of your books, you send it off to them and get credit once they post that they have received it (1 credit for books, 2 for audio books). I was surprised that 6 of the 10 books that I posted were requested (even a 2007 Zagat Philadelphia restaurant guide-now out of date but good for someone out of the area who may only be in town for a few days). If you keep a running list of books that you would like to read, it is a good source. If you have your heart set on one particular book-not so much. For example, the popular Barbara Kingsolver book (Animal, Vegetable, etc.) has a long waiting list. You can create a “wish list” and can put the books on your wish list on auto request, so that a book will be sent to you automatically if someone lists a book on your wish list. It does not replace your local library, but for those who like “owning” books with no return deadline, it is a great adjunct.
Thanks for your blog, Leah-I am also a former Long Islander now living outside of Philadelphia and read your blog regularly.
I’ve seen lots of different codes for free movies at RedBox. Perhaps you could suggest that readers do a google search for codes?
We also use the library for DVDs and watch our favorite TV show online. My husband bought a satellite (not satellite TV, but a modern take on those big wiry things) and canceled cable.
(Tip for using the library – always use the online request feature. That way all you have to do is walk in, grab your stuff off a specific shelf, and go! No wandering the stacks to see what is in.)
Now that we have a new baby we like to visit the drive-in theater. Cheaper, baby-friendly, we bring tons of food from home, and they also offer a free double-feature.
You are so lucky that you have a drive-in theater option near you. They are a dying breed. I wonder if there is a website anywhere that lists remaining drive-in theaters? I’ll have to go check that out myself. Will post what I find.
Leah
Check out this link for drive-in movie theaters: http://www.driveinmovie.com/mainmenu.htm
or this link:
http://www.driveintheater.com/drivlist.htm
I’ve been on Paperback swap for several years. I love it. I have over 100 books TBR (to be read) and I’m finishing up a lot that are on people’s wishlists so that I can add to my credits. It’s frugal for me (Paying $2.50 or less-cost of shipping) just to get a book I want.
For Redbox, the best thing to do is send people to Inside Redbox to find the latest promo codes for free movies. The site is always updated with the latest promo codes, including the Monday codes Redbox sends via text message, the Wednesday codes on the blog this month, and many more.
Check it out here:
http://www.insideredbox.com/
Just click the “Redbox Codes” link to see the latest codes.
I third the recommendation for Bookmooch. Yes, there is the minor cost of shipping, but it’s still less than the cost of books, sometimes even comparable or less than the cost of used books. And you have a wider variety of books to choose from because it’s international (unlike PaperBackSwap, which is US only). At the end of the day, I always end up with more credits than I spent.
However, if you’re completely turned off by having to pay postage, Bookcrossing.com is the thing. It’s the practice of reading and releasing books into the public, so the books you get are free. You only have to pay postage if you decide to sign up for book mailing games like bookrings. If you set you account to give you updates on books released in your city, or if you join your local bookcrossing social group, you never have to pay a cent for books.