*Disclaimer: This post was sponsored by Lionsgate as part of an Influencer Activation for Influence Central. However, all opinions and ideas are my own!
Two of Greyson’s all time favorite things are going to the movies and going out to a restaurant. I am not sure why – he has only been to a few movies in his short 5 years of life. And, when we go out to a restaurant he barley eats anything. Either way, those are two ways to make him the happiest kid in the entire world.
The problem? Neither of those two things fit into our goal of becoming debt free. At the same time, I refuse to let our boys *suffer* during our journey. So, I am going to share with you how we afford to take him to the movies while getting out of debt AND why we choose the movies that we do.
How to afford going to the movies
There are a few tricks and ideas I have gained over the years to make going to the movies more affordable for our family.
- Gift Cards! When people ask me what Greyson wants for his birthday or a holiday- I tell them that he LOVES going to the movies and that he would be thrilled with movie tickets. People are pleased that I gave them an idea instead of the normal … I don’t know, he really does not need anything … In addition, they usually package the tickets with a little baggie of movie theater treats.
- Hudson is still only a year old (not old enough for the movies). This means that Greyson just goes with Scott or me. It ends up being an extra special treat for him, since he gets a special Daddy and Greyson or Mommy and Greyson day. This saves us the cost of a ticket. We get to save that extra ticket and put it towards another movie.
- I enter contests to win them (SEE BELOW)!! As long as the contest does not require any cash (unless it is for a charity) I always enter. The chances might be slim BUT they are non-existent if I do not enter! I have won some pretty awesome gift packages by entering contests. May the odds be ever in your favor! 🙂
- Sign up for rewards! Regal, Fandango, and others offer points that will get you free popcorn, extra discounts, and free drinks!
- Bring your own snacks! I have not been to a theater in years that had a sign that said no outside food or drinks allowed. So, I put two bottles of water in my diaper bag, along with some snacks. The snacks can be anything:
- You can make your own popcorn and put it in a Ziploc baggie
- You can purchase movie theater candy in big bins at the checkout lanes in Wal-mart. You can find them 2 for a $1.00 most of the time
- Forget the candy and bring some healthy snacks!! Carrot and celery sticks, for the win!
- Even if you were gifted or won the movie tickets – remember that in this time of life (paying off your debts) this is is a huge treat, so make sure you choose your movie wisely!
Going to the right movie
The reason I am talking about the movies today is because we are really excited in this house. Greyson knows that we are going to use 2 of the 4 movie tickets he received for Christmas to see Norm of the North, which is being released on January 15th!! Scott and I thought that this would be a great movie for Greyson to see, and the timing is even better for him!
Norm of the North is about a polar bear from he Arctic who decides to take on some serious challenges (in NYC) to save his beloved home from being taken over by developers.
See, here is the thing. Greyson is a wild, funny, smart, and talented little boy. However, at the same time he second guesses himself all the time. He worries like no one I have ever met. He also doubts himself a lot. With some big changes coming his way – like Kindergarten this fall, possibly a new home, he is going to play T-ball this summer, etc. – I know that he is going to stress. On top of all that, he is a five year old. Meaning I cannot explain away his fears… I cannot tell him that being brave will be worth it in the end, he does not get it (he is only 5 after-all). However, he does understand talkative, funny, dancing polar bears!
He is really good at drawing comparisons between stories and movies that we read / watch together. He will be able to draw lines between Norm being brave and how/when he should be brave too. I have no doubt that having Norm of the North as a reference point for me during all of these transitions will be the difference between my little boy sleeping through the night and my little boy staying awake for too long worrying about “what happens if he does not hit the ball during his T-ball game”.
I was not kidding when I said that Greyson is really excited to see Norm of the North! He has been wearing this shirt, and even doing some fun learning activities while he patiently waits for the 15th to arrive!
Now! Remember how I said that you cannot win if you do not enter? Well, ENTER! You have a chance to win a $100 Fandango gift card to purchase tickets to Norm Of The North in theaters!
Enter today for your chance to win!
*I-C will randomly select 5 winners from all program entries and will handle fulfillment of the winning prizes.
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