How to Get the Most Value Out of MoviePass
For those who are unfamiliar with MoviePass, it is a new program that enables people to pay a monthly fee (currently $9.95 a month), which lets them see one theatrical film per day for no cost. When you sign up, MoviePass sends you a special debit card that you use to buy the ticket.
Naturally, there are a few caveats to an offer like this. You have to buy tickets on the same day as the movie you want to watch. Not all showings and not all movies are going to be available, though many are. A few individual theaters may refuse to allow you to use your debit card. There's also the general concern that the theater industry may fight back against MoviePass in the future.
However, for someone who enjoys movies and sees multiple films per week, MoviePass can be a great bargain. Here are some additional strategies to make that bargain even better for your budget.
[Read: 7 Best Inexpensive Netflix Alternatives.]
Be super flexible. If you're the type of person who only wants to go to the theater to see one specific movie at one specific time, MoviePass probably won't click well with you. The availability of movies can be highly variable in terms of showtimes and titles, though there's usually something showing at most times at most theaters, and you can typically find at least one or two showtimes for any title.
A much better approach for getting value out of MoviePass is to be open to whatever's available that day. Don't get stuck on seeing one movie at one certain time. Be open to lots of different titles or lots of different times. In particular, consider films that are in their third week of release or later because those are almost always available for MoviePass.
[See: 12 Ways to Be a More Mindful Spender.]
Make moviegoing a normal entertainment routine. The value you get for your monthly $10 MoviePass subscription is going to depend on how many movies you see. If you use it once a month, you might as well buy a normal ticket. It only becomes an entertainment value if you see several movies each month.
Thus, if you want to get maximum value from your ticket, make going to the theater part of your regular evening entertainment plans. Go to a movie several evenings per week if you want to get the absolute best value from your MoviePass subscription.
Sign up for the theater rewards program. With MoviePass, it's likely that you get into a routine of using one or two theaters that are convenient for you. If that's the case, sign up for the customer rewards program at those theaters and use them when you "buy" a ticket with MoviePass.
Why do this? The rewards typically add up to bonuses such as free concessions or other nice perks, which you can use at your convenience, and sometimes they also translate into full-priced movie tickets, which you can use for showings that aren't covered by MoviePass.
[See: 10 Fun, Frugal Ways to Spend Your Free Time.]
Eat before you go out. One of the big benefits of MoviePass for theater chains is that it gets people in the door very cheaply and that makes them more likely to spend on snacks and beverages at the concession stand. That move alone turns a super-cheap date night at the movies with MoviePass into a much less valuable proposition.
The solution here is to simply eat before you go and arrive feeling full (or at least sated) so that concessions have less appeal for you. Take a water bottle with you and fill it at the water fountain so you have something to drink during the movie. That way, you'll spend nothing on concessions during the film, making the MoviePass experience very inexpensive indeed.
Using these strategies together can transform MoviePass from a good deal into a great one. Good luck, and see you at the movies!
Trent Hamm is the founder of The Simple Dollar, a website covering practical personal finance issues for everyone. He is the author of two books, "The Simple Dollar: How One Man Wiped Out His Debts and Achieved the Life of His Dreams" and "365 Ways to Live Cheap." He has appeared in many publications including The New York Times, The Washington Post and The Wall Street Journal. He currently lives in Iowa with his wife and three children.
