FOOL'S EYE VIEW
Bargain Entertainment Tips

By Alison Hunt (TMFAlly)
March 2, 2006

It's almost the weekend, and many of us will be deciding what to do with ourselves. If you haven't got much cash but still fancy getting out and about, you'll appreciate some tips on how to do so cheaply. So here goes: why not follow these tips to save money on cinema and theatre tickets, hotel stays, and dining out to name but a few?

Cinema

With the Oscars ceremony this weekend, many of us are in cinema mode -- after all, we want to pass judgement on the films and performances that have been nominated, too! If you fancy paying less for your seat, why not check out the current offer from Vue cinemas. Enter its "Oscars" competition and not only could you win a trip to Hollywood or a three month movie pass, every entrant can print off a voucher entitling them to buy two tickets for the price of one at any Vue cinema. You'll have to be quick though as the vouchers must be used before 8 March.

What's more, Vue cinemagoers in London with Oyster cards can benefit from being able to buy two tickets for the price of one, too. Simply show your Oyster card at the box office to qualify. And seniors can see films every Tuesday at 11am for just £3, with coffee and biscuits included.

Orange mobile customers will be well aware of the Orange Wednesdays promotion, which, by texting Film to 241 from an Orange phone allows you to get two tickets for the price of one. And UCI cinemas, now part of the Odeon group have Kids' Club showings every Saturday and Sunday where kids pay £1.95 and an accompanying adult can go free. And the Times' Film First is offering readers the chance to see Tsotsi at one of its preview screenings on 7 March; see The Knowledge in the Times on Saturday.

DVDs

For those that prefer to curl up in their own lounge to watch a blockbuster, DVD rental is the way to go -- and depending on the number you can watch a month, a DVD rental service could be just the thing. A number of companies operate the scheme where, for a set fee each month you are posted the DVDs of your choice. Once you've watched one, simply pop it in the post and the next on your list will be posted out to you. Although a number of companies offer the service, it's worth noting that one of two companies, namely LoveFilm or Screenselect is usually behind them.

What's more, most companies offer a free trial for you to try out the service, with Blockbuster and Tesco offering 14 days, LoveFilm 21 days, Sainsbury's 28 days and ScreenSelect a whole 30 days. You do have to give your credit/debit card details to sign up, but as long as you cancel before the end of the trial you will be charged absolutely nothing. Depending on the number of films you can get through, you can select to have between one and three discs at any one time. However, if watching three films a month is about your limit, Amazon offers this option for £5.99 per month. Check out the UK DVD rental comparison site to find the best deal for you.

Days Out

Sign up to the Visit London website and you'll be able to enter its competition to win one of 500 pairs of Ideal Home Show tickets. Check out the Days Out UK site for details of how you can save £5 off your entry to Legoland Windsor, amongst other deals. And don't forget that you can use Tesco Clubcard vouchers for days out, but make sure you trade them in for Deals vouchers first. Every £2.50 worth of vouchers can be traded in for £10 worth of Deals vouchers, and £7.37 in vouchers can be traded in for a one-day entrance ticket to Alton Towers. Alternatively, 4,000 Nectar points can be used for an adult admission to Thorpe Park, and 2,000 can be redeemed for entry to the Eden Project.

Eating Out

Although dining out is often expensive, it doesn't have to be. Check out local restaurants for pre and post theatre menus -- you can often get two or three courses for less than £20. Alternatively, book a table through sites such as Toptable or Lastminute.com -- you can often get great deals and the advantage of reading what previous diners have thought before booking, too. What's more, if you dine through Toptable six times you'll earn enough points for a free meal.

And if you're a Wagamama fan, register with its website and check out its promotion room in its Members' Area -- if your local restaurant is featured you could print off coupons that entitle you to a free main course when you buy one, a free side dish or even a bottle of wine. And don't forget you can use Tesco Clubcard Deals vouchers to pay for meals at Bella Italia, Café Rouge, Planet Hollywood and Maxwell's, amongst others.

Theatre tickets

And if you fancy a cheap trip to the theatre, check out Lastminute.com. Current deals include tickets for The Woman in Black, Stomp and Sing along Sound of Music from just £10. Alternatively, you can see The Rat Pack with dinner at Fire and Stone restaurant, or The Producers with dinner at The Rock Garden for just £19.95.

Cheap Hotel stays

And finally, if you fancy a weekend away you don't have to spend a fortune. Check out the deals on offer from Travelodge -- it's currently offering "Supersaver" rooms from just £10, or the more flexible "Saver" rooms, which can be booked up to a year in advance from just £26.

So there you have it, just a few ways that you can save money -- have a great weekend!