The price of going to watch a movie at the local theatre has increased of the last few years as a result of the cost of making movies (specifically 3D movies) and screenings (IMAX).

The cost for consumers to go see a movie in 3D on average is $3 or $4 more than a ticket for a regular screening. And consumers are paying it! In fact, over half of moviegoers are choosing 3D over regular screenings. In addition, IMAX has become a popular and is even more costly than 3D with pricing at $5 above ticket prices of regular screenings.

These high-tech showing of movies is designed to make the movie going experience more pleasurable with more comfortable seating accompanied with a wider variety of gourmet snacks/food. More people are going to movies with these improved amenities, however at a less frequent rate and they are spending less on food and drinks. Which is fine with the theatres because their goal is to creating wider profit margins per consumer by charging more money every way they can.

There are still ways consumers can save money on the price of tickets when going to the movies.

Watch the Market
When a new movie is scheduled to come out, theatres will typically begin selling tickets months in advance, sometimes at a discounted rate. It has become popular for innovative moviegoers to buy a bunch of tickets early and then sell them at a higher rate on Ebay or Craiglist.

Utilize Sites Like Groupon
There are a wide variety of daily-deal sites that offer half-priced movie tickets on a regular basis. Two of the more popular include Living Social and Groupon. It is important that you read the terms associated with any half-priced movie ticket deal prior to buying. There will likely be specific times you can use the tickets (weeknights only) and/or they may expire within a certain time. It is also probable that you will incur additional charges if you use your tickets for an IMAX or 3D viewing.

Purchase Tickets In Bulk
It is common for warehouse clubs like Cosco and Sams as well as theater chains to make multi-packs of tickets and vouchers for concessions available for a discounted rate. For example, a 20-pack of AMC Gold Experience movie tickets costs $166 at Sams. This is a discounted price of about 40% when compared to normal box office pricing. Similar to when purchasing discounted tickets from daily-deal sites, when you buy these packages, make sure your are clear as to when you are going to be able to view movies and when (that is 'if') your tickets are going to expire. You may also be charged a surcharge when viewing 3D or IMAX movies.

Take Advantage of Matinees and 'Discount Days'
Most theatres offer savings when viewing the matinee showing (first movie of the day). It has also become popular for movie theatres to offer discounts for screenings on days that they experience an overall lower volume of moviegoers. On the contrary, movie theatres have also started charging more money on their busy nights (Friday and Saturday nights).

Try and Locate Independent Theatres
Independent theatres may not have the latest amenities or up-to-date furnishings. In addition, the movies that indie theatres show are usually a few months old. BUT, the pricing is significantly cheaper than the chain theatres at 50% or lower. Independent theatres also will have $1 days!

Create a NetFlix Account
A NetFix account costs under $10/month. With a massive library of movies and TV shows that will keep you entertained forever! NetFlix does have new releases, just around the same time that they are available on DVD. The beauty of NetFlix is that you can watch as many movies as you want without ever having to leave the comfort of your home. And a NetFlix account can be used by multiple TVs, laptops, cell phones at the same time!