Doing Dinner and a Movie for Less

The quintessential date night is "dinner and a movie," but there's got to be a cheaper way to enjoy this "must" for just about any adult couple.  It's hard to go out for an evening without dropping $75 to $100 for a few hours of fun.  And that doesn't include the babysitter cost or dragging the kids along (which is not very romantic). 

The following tips are not recommended for first dates--you may scare someone off by seeming cheap--but if you are in a long term relationship you'll be instantly raised to "smart, wise and thrifty."

There is no reason to pay full price at many restaurants.  You'll find a huge array of discount possibilities with just a few clicks at your computer.  One of the more popular sites for restaurant discounts is Restaurants.com.  You can get $25 gift certificates to great restaurants in your area for a little as $8.  I looked up my town and found over 15 restaurants, some of which I keep telling myself I have to try out sometime.  Overall not a bad deal.

Local discount web sites like Groupon are also a good source. Groupon offers a few deals daily, and that's it.  This isn't the best option for me, since I don't like to wait around to get my deal. But if you have patience you can save big at a really awesome restaurant--and while you're waiting for that great restaurant deal you may come across some other must haves, like 50% off waxing to make the ending of your date night that much better. 

I also see and hear about 50% off discounts for nearby eateries on the local TV and radio stations. To get hugely discounted gift certificates all I need to do is log onto their web site. These deals are similar to Groupon because they are local and generally there are only a few options.  Since these are usually deeply discounted offers, it's worth it to take a look.  You may find a new favorite restaurant on top of saving a bunch.

Entertainment Books and Axxess Books are another good way to save on both restaurants and movies.  Many elementary schools or children's athletic teams have fundraisers selling these books. Most often you can find them being sold in the fall, but if you have any close friends with children they'll probably have one laying around that hasn't been put to good use.  I happen to have two, since I was late in trying to get them sold for my kids' fundraiser and I didn't want one child to have sold a book but not the other.  My point is that your friends might be willing to part with their book or let you borrow it. You can also just watch out for it next fall to get your own or purchase one from entertainment.com  because asking around for it may seem a bit too chintzy, even for us frugal folks.

Check out specials at your movie theater's website.  Regal movie theaters have $1 PG and G movies on Tuesday mornings.  That may not be "date night" appropriate, but it's still a great deal.  I've found that most theaters offer bulk movie tickets discounts of about 20% off with a 50 ticket minimum purchase.  Movie tickets also make great gifts for teenagers and just about anybody else, so having a bunch on hand isn't a bad idea--no gift shopping required. Generally the tickets don't expire, but double check before stocking up.

Enjoy your dinner and a movie with a big grin because you know you spent a lot less than the guy next to you!