Harry Potter Mania on the Cheap
I confess: I saw the latest Harry Potter movie on opening night. In fact, my whole family did. But before you write me off as a major spendthrift, allow me to explain. You see, I found a way to take part in all of the Harry Potter mania without forking over the standard $7 a ticket, which for my family would have amounted to $28--youch!
Instead, I spent $10 for the four of us, and enjoyed a night of guilt-free fun. What's the secret? We skipped the movie theatre and went to a drive-in theatre instead--and the same strategy could work for you.
If you have plans to watch Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix this weekend, check driveinmovie.com to see if it's showing at a drive-in near you. Then, load up the car with blankets, food and the family; and enjoy a cheap night of fun.
Now . . . onto the the release of the 7th and final book. Have you reserved a copy at an unbeatable price? Will you wait to get a copy at the library? I know you frugal Harry fans have a plan, and I want to hear about it.
Here in Australia, you can reserve books for $30 (instead of the RRP of $45). My brother, sister and I are all Potter fanatics but we agreed to go thirds this year instead of each buying a bok. So I’m paying $10 down from $45 and best of all? Due to our work schedules, I’ll be the first one to read it.
I’ve had my copy of book 7 reserved for months now. Regular price was around $45 and my reserve copy is $10 less than that. I’ll be at Chapters at midnight July 21st and will probably be finished the book by the end of the day. Can’t wait!!
I reserved mine on Amazon for $17.99 when they had the offer to get a free $5 credit to spend in August. And I get free shipping. So sort of like $12.99 plus tax. Per page, that’s a pretty decent price (especially for a hardback–I almost always get paperback books but with HP I just couldn’t).
I reserved my 2 copies months ago for 40% off the standard price. I used a gift card that my daughter had received for Christmas, and she was thrilled to use it for Harry Potter. We’ll each read a copy, pass one on to my parents (and it will later be lent out to other family members), and we’ll keep the other copy to read aloud to my husband as a family activity.
It seemed extravagant to get 2 copies. However, my father lent me his copies of the previous 6 books, and we’ve read them to pieces, so it seems the right thing to do treat him this time.
Where I live (corner of MA/NH/VT in the U.S.)there is a wonderful drive-in theatre and I really wanted to see HP there. However, tickets there are quite a bit more expensive. So we went to a regular theatre and saw the first matinee of the day, which is the least expensive. It was still pricey at $6.50 each for 2 of us, plus one popcorn. We took sale-priced m&ms and water from home.
It was very exciting for my daughter to see something on the big screen. We’ve only done that for HP and LOTR.
I reserved my book at Hastings a few months ago. I plan to go buy it on Saturday when it is 40% off. I took a bag full of books we didn’t want anymore to Hastings to sell back and got enough on a gift card to pay for the new Harry Potter book. YAY!
I admire the way you all saved on your books. Someetimes I think books are worth paying for if it is one that will get kids to read and has your approvel. This all the eltronic things kids have to get them to want to read a book. Yeah.
Somtimes it is nice to pay the full price for something and not worry about it. If you can’t afford something don’t buy it or don’t do it OR save up that hard earned money for when you can afford to do it. That is frugal living.
I am getting my book at Borders for free! I have a Borders visa, which I use for all my purchases (I pay the balance off every month so no extra charges) and therefore receive about $100 worth of Borders gift cards every year. I plan on using my latest gift card to buy two books–one for me and one for my sister. We’ll be there at midnight! Can’t wait!
Paid $18 at Books A Million where I have a discount card (very useful for school and all the books I have to get for there). I’m not sure exactly what the full price is, but since I’m getting a hard cover book for less than $20 (and it’s already paid for) I’m happy. It certainly beats the full price I’m paid for the last two books (which we have read until the covers are almost falling off.) and we will be there at midnight Friday. Can’t wait!
We are getting our hardback copy from Amazon.com. Free shipping since we had several other items we were getting.
The newest book will be available at Target for 17.97! that’s almost half of the cover price and you can get it this weekend. All the other books are also on sale. Enjoy!
I reserved mine the same day the due date was announced,it will be delivered the very day of release,and I have a growing list of readers behind me so they do not have to buy the book, which is how we did it with the frist six as well, and I purchased it with a the percentage off card I bought at the book store.
Amazing how many will people will waste money on the Potter craze!
Save a tree, read it from the library.
On the night before the release, me, my friends, and the children are going to dress up and go to our local Borders Book Store for their free Harry Potter fun and games. When it gets near midnight (the release) we’re going to Wal-Mart to get the hardback copy for about $10 cheaper- and share copies!
I pre-ordered the book from Walmart. I am a Harry Potter fan and hope my grandchildren will read the books too.
Sue
I bought my copy at the bookstore for $21 (including tax) the day after it came out. Then I read furiously for one day, finished it, listed it on Half.com and within 12 hours it sold. I will receive $16.50 back (plus additional shipping costs). So my cost to read the thing as early as I wanted to was only about $7.
The book will be from the library, I can wait that long. The movie will be seen when the NO PASSES comes off and I’ll use the free movie passes that I get by inputting the numbers under the caps into icoke.ca. I don’t purchase Coke but Dh works in a call centre and gets at least 2 a shift. I have 4 on hand right now and have used 9 in the past 3 weeks. Free movies what could be better?!!
I never buy books, I only borrow from the library – with one exception: Harry Potter! I do this for two reasons: firstly, I reread them all every year. Secondly, I am looking forward to read them to my children. Those books get a lot of use! Suffice to say, I save up for them and would never use credit.