It is amazing to me that teens and college kids do not realize the true cost of the entertainment they use. Many adults are happy to rent a movie once a week or have a meal out once in a while. Yet, with teens, entertainment is the main focus of each day. Whether it is movies or iTunes downloads, there seems to always be something.
This topic came up the other night with our family. My teens and I were watching television and each and every commercial that aired seemed to offer yet another way to be entertained. Interestingly, my daughter said, “Mom, how much do you think we spend on entertainment costs, things like movies and games?” The question came after I broached the subject of just how many avenues of entertainment today’s teen had. (I’m not that old, but there was a day when teens worked or studied rather than played on the computer.)
In any case, this got me to thinking about the opportunities available to teens today as well as how we could save money on them. We sat down and thought about some of today’s most popular types of teen focused entertainment and then we devised ways to help us save on those costs. I was shocked to see just how much money my kids could save.
However, this as a lesson for them, not me and therefore I wanted them to do the legwork and learn how to keep more money in their back accounts.
Music Downloads
Downloading music online or through cell phones, iPods and other methods can be an incredible cost. Each song costs as much as a few dollars apiece, depending on where you purchase it. Yet, there are ways to save. My daughter found out that by simply waiting, you can save money since older songs are less expensive. She also found that purchasing the CD at a store and then moving the songs to her iPod was less expensive (depending on where she purchased from.)
The Movies
Movies are a fun activity that most kids love but when you are shelling out $10 a pop for a movie ticket, soda and popcorn, which adds up quickly (especially when they end up paying for friends, too.) After taking some time to consider all options, my son learned that to save money on movies you could do any of these things:
- Go to the early show. As he put it, “If you go before five, you can save $5 plus you have time to go out to eat or to hang out with friends afterwards.”Check out the deals. Some of the local theaters offered discounts online. You would not know it if you did not look for it.
- Check coupons and discount books for movie ticket discounts.
- He found that if he invested a few extra minutes in drive time, that he could go to what he calls the “cheap theater” which offers bargain days.
He was proud to show these discounts to friends!
Renting Movies
Renting movies is great for those lazy Sunday afternoons, but only if you do not have to pay a great deal. My son was discussing with me the biggest problem. It wasn’t that he was spending a lot renting the movie but he would fail to return them and racked up late fees. Therefore, he decided two things. First, he could visit the new type of rental kiosks that are available locally and rent a DVD for just a dollar. Even if he was late, it was only a $1 more. In addition, he says after he finishes the movie he is automatically putting it back into its case and setting it under his keys to take with him. These are easy ways to save money for him!
Renting Games
My son is a bring video game player but he has always had to buy the expensive games he wants. Some can be as much as $60 for a single game he will likely finish in a few days. When he asked how he could save here, he had to do a bit of digging. He found these tips:
- Buy used games instead of new.
- Rent the game instead of buying it. He can finish in the five days the rental location offers.
- Do consider online rentals, which are often less expensive.
- Trade games with friends instead of both buying the same game.
- He was able to play a new game the other day that cost him about $10 to buy used.
Concert Tickets
While my older daughter loves music, she hates to pay for the costs of concert tickets. Unless you are lucky enough to win tickets through a radio show, what other methods can you use to save? She found out that she can save by checking if there are college discounts for students. Also, coupons are often available that can help to cut the costs. And, she says, “You know, some of the local bands that play in clubs are really good. I would rather pay $10 to get in to the club instead of $100 on tickets to see someone from the balcony.”
As you can see, challenging your kids to find ways to save money can really help all involved. The key is to find out what all of your options are and then to encourage your kids to find discounts. After all, it really only benefits them unless you are the one handing out the money!






