Ways to Save Money: Entertainment

This post was featured at The Loco Mono Website and A Child Chosen.

We all like to have fun, but some of our favorite forms of entertainment are also the most costly. You can have fun and save money. Here are a few ideas:

• Borrow movies rather than renting them. Watching movies at home is a great way to spend time with your loved ones. If you rent one movie a week, it can really start to add up, not to mention late fees. A cheaper alternative is to borrow movies from friends, or the local library. If you absolutely can't give up the latest releases, find a RedBox in your area. You can rent the newest DVDs for just $1 per evening. Potential savings: $125-$175 per year.
  
• Give up your satellite or cable TV. The average price for expanded cable is $42.76 per month, and even more for digital cable. Satellite television can run from $20-$90 per month, and that's not including installation fees, or the cost of the equipment. If you aren't locked into a contract with your provider, consider giving up the cable or satellite TV. If you are locked into a contract, weigh the difference between cancelling, and just letting your contact expire. Let's be honest, with all those channels, is there every really anything worth watching on? Try the basic channels, and you'll find that you get used to it very quickly and are satisfied. Potential savings: $240-$1080 per year.
  
• Go out to eat one less time each month. Eating out is an American pastime these days, and our shrinking savings and growing waistlines can attest to that. When you eat in, you eat an average of 50% less than at a restaurant, and you save dollars per serving. If you eat out just one less time each month, you'll save money and calories. If you absolutely can't give up eating out, think about going out to lunch, rather than dinner. Many restaurants serve lunch until 4pm, with savings of around $2-$3 per dish. Potential savings: $48-$360 per year.
  
• Go to the movies one less time each month. It's no secret that movies are a money-making business, but with ticket prices topping $10 in some parts of the country, the industry is taking a lot of your money. By cutting out just one theater visit per month, you'll be able to keep your wallet a little fatter. If you absolutely can't give up your movie theater experience, consider going to the matinees for about 2/3 the price. Potential savings: $80-$240 per year.
  
• Borrow magazines from the library. Did you know that your local library has a subscription to dozens of popular magazines. You can read the latest issue right there at the library, or check out past issues to take home with you. Depending on how many magazines you buy, and which ones, your library could help you realize big savings. Potential savings: $20-$200 per year.

Entertainment doesn't have to cost you a bundle. You can save a lot of money and still have a great time. How do you save money on entertainment?