Membership discounts for movie tickets

Going to the movies continues to be "the least expensive form of out-of-home entertainment," according to the National Association of Theatre Owners. Although it is significantly cheaper than a Major League Baseball game or a Broadway show, a trip to the movies, as you moviegoers can probably attest, is not as light on the pocket as it used to be.

Movie admission -- not to mention the bag of buttery popcorn and 16-ounce soda that so nicely accompany it -- costs more and more every year in the United States, as the theater owners group's statistics show, with ticket prices averaging $7.89 in 2010, about a 5 percent increase from 2009. Ticket prices on Long Island tend to be higher, falling mostly in the $8 to $10 range.

On a brighter note, movie theaters across Long Island offer deals throughout the week, ranging from Senior Tuesdays to Student Thursdays to “early bird” cinema everyday, but the deals don’t stop there. Those who are members in groups such as the following can save on movie tickets any day, any time.

So take advantage of your membership benefits to put some extra cash in your pocket … or maybe toward a nice dinner to go along with that movie night.