For quite some time, the assumption has been that year in, year out, fewer and fewer people would bother seeing movies in the …
entertainment
Done Deal: CBS Gives Green Light to Sitcom Based on Groupon
Daily deal giant Groupon is known for its peculiar sense of humor. There was the time the site “bought” April Fool’s Day. The introduction of marketing gimmicks like the creepy virtual discount wheel called “Clicky” can only be …
Revenge of the Feature Film? Why Movie Theater Owners Expect a Blockbuster Year
Is this the year people start flocking back to the movies? Theater owners gathering this week at a convention in Las Vegas say yes. Absolutely! Of course! Why ask such a silly question?! But what else are they going to say? …
Is Cable’s Long, Glorious Ratings Run Finally Over?
For more than three decades, cable TV programmers enjoyed steady ratings gains—mostly at the expense of broadcasters. Inspired efforts like AMC’s Mad Men and FX’s Sons of Anarchy notwithstanding, those steady ratings …
111 Frugal Tips for Smarter Buying and Serious Saving
This week’s link roundup covers fees no prudent consumer should ever pay, supermarkets that can save you big-time on grocery bills, reasons why you might want to splurge on a latte from time to time (OK, this isn’t just about saving money), and a no-excuses look at the real reasons you’re broke.
No Joke: Show a Pink Slip or Unemployment Check Stub, Get Free Admission to a Comedy Club
In tough times, people turn to activities that relieve stress—specifically laughing and having sex (not necessarily at the same time). Though you might think economic turmoil wouldn’t exactly put people neither in the mood for comedy nor otherwise “in the mood,” based on the successes of comedy clubs and TV comedy ratings we are …
Coming Soon: Smaller, Cheaper Pay TV Packages?
The average cable TV customer gets (and pays for) 118 channels, yet watches only 17. Consumers may soon have alternatives to this inefficient, costly, and far-from-ideal situation.
It’s a Deal: Take Your Family to the Movies this Summer for Free
Starting this month, Regal Entertainment Group begins its Free Family Film Festival, with movie theaters around the country welcoming in families for free movies—like Kung Fu Panda, The Muppets Take Manhattan, Coraline, and Wallace and Gromit—on Tuesdays and Wednesdays throughout the summer.
Q&A: SeatGeek’s Jack Groetzinger on How to Find Cheap Sports and Concert Tickets
SeatGeek forecasts the prices of sports and concerts tickets on the secondary market—meaning tickets sold via StubHub, eBay, and other vendors where prices are known to fluctuate depending on supply and demand. The service, which is free, also allows you to sign up for e-mail alerts, so that you get a head’s up when ticket prices for a …
DVD Rentals: A 28-Day Test in Delayed Gratification
Redbox caved. The DVD rental kiosk company agreed that it would hold off on renting Warner Bros. movies for 28 days after they’re first released. So if you’re really itching to see a brand-new release right away, you’ll have to buy it for $20 or $30 or whatever. Or you can wait the four weeks and rent it for as little as $1.
Do You Spend Less than $2,000 Annually on Internet, TV, Cell Phone Service, and Video Games?
If so, you’re in the minority. All of these expenses traditionally fall into the entertainment category, as “discretionary” spending. But more and more, they’re viewed as indispensable, right up there with electricity, water, and food.
What Will a Cheapskate Spend Good Money On? Part III
Even a cheapskate has to spend money sometimes. I’ve asked various frugal folks—bloggers, writers, money-saving and consumer experts—to compile personal, totally subjective lists of the products, services, experiences, and other “things” they’re willing to shell out good money on. Because if a cheapskate is willing to drop cash on …
