Crikey, going to the pictures is pricey these days, isn’t it? The cost of the ticket alone can put a horrifying dent in your wallet, and that’s before you stump up for the snacks and fizzy pop, which are at least half the price in the supermarket.

Of course, I’d never advocate thumbing your nose at cinema regulation by surreptitiously sneaking your own treats into the auditorium. I recall the incident a few years back when my long-suffering agent Giuseppe took a young lady out for a romantic evening at our local multiplex; I think Jackass: The Movie was showing. To cut a long story short, Giueseppe was busted by the heavies on the door and subjected to a thorough search, in which a consignment of gobstoppers, a Curly Wurly, a family pack of cheese puffs and a half-melted tub of Neapolitan ice cream were discovered. His flimsy excuses didn’t wash and he was ejected unceremoniously from the premises. He didn’t see his date again after that, funnily enough.

But I’ve got a few other tips for saving at the cinema which are much less messy, and far more conducive to you leaving the pictures with your dignity intact.

Firstly, a few cinemas, and some mobile phone providers, offer cheap or two-for-one deals on certain days, so make sure you take advantage of these offers and visit the cinema only on the days on which you can save.

To curb your desire for sugary and expensive snacks, it’s a great idea to have a meal at home before you head off to the pictures. It means that you’ll be full up already, and the urge to scoff down hot dogs, popcorn and syrupy drinks is kept to a bare minimum!
See you next week for more money saving japery.

Gio