Movies and Entertainment Costs?

[bUU]

Precisely the point. And to be clear, those "peripherals" may be things people enjoy and place value on. I value a fine kitchen knife - my brother uses those silly "as seen on teevee" knives. That's okay... we all have different preferences and even when they are directly contrary to each other, they're still both equally valid. As such, I find Michael's earlier statement "comparing the two doesn't make much sense to me" to be troubling: Perhaps he doesn't perceive how the value of B could be higher than the value of A, because he prefers A - that does "make sense" - but it almost seemed like he was insinuating that valuing B higher than A lacks sense, and if so, that is a stronger, and invalid, statement imho. I don't like the idea of sitting in that too-small second balcony seat to see a Broadway show, but I acknowledge that others might see that as a worthwhile decision.

 

[scrabbler1]

Other than 1 or 2 movies a year, I don't go to any of those other things any more. The last sporting event I went to was in 1997, at the U.S. Open Tennis Center (the Arthur Ashe Stadium had just opened). I had gone nearly every year in the 1990s and it is actually a pretty good bargain to go during the day because you get a whole day of tennis for under $50 (back then, I am sure the price has doubled since then). No other sporting events since the early 1990s, as my interest in sports was waned nearly totally.

I have been to one Broadway show in the last 24 years and that was 10 years ago and it cost $100 per ticket for orchestra seats. They, like sporting events, are money pits to me.

As for movies, my ladyfriend sometimes gets gift cards for them (her rewards program from her credit card) but it is 50-50 as to whether the theater chain is showing the movie we want to see. If we can't use her gift card then it will cost us about $11 per ticket. I never buy any overpriced food there but my ladyfriend usually does.

 

[audreyh1]

I hate crowds. I won't go in movie theaters either - especially when we have a top viewing environment at home on our own schedule. We're so not into sports.

But I have no problem with occasionally splurging to see or hear something special. It's been a while though.......

 

[MichaelB]

Concerning sporting events, in my opinion only of course, I would have to disagree. I see it as an alternative/better way to see same event. I get a better viewing and comfort experience, without the hassles of travel from watching the game at home now, since big screens and HD were invented. Now, I must admit, I am all about the game, not the peripherals. But, I will go occasionally just for that, but only at a fraction of what I used to, because it is not as important to me.

I think our views have more in common than not. jmo

 

[MichaelB]

As such, I find Michael's earlier statement "comparing the two doesn't make much sense to me" to be troubling: Perhaps he doesn't perceive how the value of B could be higher than the value of A, because he prefers A - that does "make sense" - but it almost seemed like he was insinuating that valuing B higher than A lacks sense, and if so, that is a stronger, and invalid, statement imho.

I hope you're not too troubled. Not insinuating anything, just stating a personal view.

 

[bUU]

I hope you're not too troubled.

You've put my mind at east.

 

[eytonxav]

I can't remember the figures, but if you want sticker shock, try going to a Cowboys game. The cost of tickets, parking and price of a beer, puts it way out of reach of what I'm willing to spend and is also indicative of why the real fans don't attend their home games.

 

[Hamlet]

My wife and I go to our very good local theater for live plays about six times a year. It's expensive, but we enjoy it and I like having a top-notch venue available.

We went to a Viking's game this year for the first time because my brother got half price tickets through work. That was a great time, and I'm very happy I spent the money.

We don't get to the movies much, but it isn't because of the cost. It's just hard to get out, and hard to find a movie that both of us want to see.

These things are somewhat expensive, but if you are saving a third of your income already, I don't see the point of trying to save a few percent more. It's not going to make much difference in our retirement date, and you can't take the money with you.

 

[HFWR]

You've put my mind at east.

Is that anything like a "moral compass"?

If anyone remembers a Three Dog Night live [-]eight-track[/-] album from the early 70s, after the first or second song, you can barely here some crowd chatter in the background, and one of TDN asks them "what?", then the crowd says something again, this time audible enough to make out "we can't hear".

To which he replied "See, you should have bought the $5.50 tickets in the front..."

 

[bUU]

Is that anything like a "moral compass"?

LOL

 

[Bestwifeever]

...We also rent very new releases through our Xbox and Amazon for about $5 a pop. The latter can be more fun because you can be more comfy in your own home. We see a movie monthly-ish.
....

DH is a pretty big movie buff and usually likes to see the Oscar nominees before the show, so we pay $8 or less per ticket for this pleasure. Last week we saw Les Mis and the couple behind us was just so distracting. I thought how nice it would be to watch all movies at home on a big TV even if we had to forfeit the timing with the Oscars for most of the nominees.

 

[MichaelB]

Is that anything like a "moral compass"?

I thought it meant he had seen the light

Back on topic, while there is no denying the cost of live entertainment can be astronomical, there are good options which are still affordable for the average family. One of the great pleasures of FIRE is having the time to search them out and take advantage.

If anyone remembers a Three Dog Night live [-]eight-track[/-] album from the early 70s, after the first or second song, you can barely here some crowd chatter in the background, and one of TDN asks them "what?", then the crowd says something again, this time audible enough to make out "we can't hear".

To which he replied "See, you should have bought the $5.50 tickets in the front..."

Great story.

 

[bUU]

Back on topic, while there is no denying the cost of live entertainment can be astronomical, there are good options which are still affordable for the average family. One of the great pleasures of FIRE is having the time to search them out and take advantage.

I think one of the great opportunities that retirement would afford us is the ability to spend more time enjoying the live entertainment our own family produces. That's surely worth the price. My nephew is in a "real" rock band, with contracts and a manager and fans and such. (No "real" money, at least not yet.) I think frugality does come down to finding cost-efficient entertainment.

 

[Mulligan]

Is that anything like a "moral compass"?

If anyone remembers a Three Dog Night live [-]eight-track[/-] album from the early 70s, after the first or second song, you can barely here some crowd chatter in the background, and one of TDN asks them "what?", then the crowd says something again, this time audible enough to make out "we can't hear".

To which he replied "See, you should have bought the $5.50 tickets in the front..."

I attend probably 3-4 rock concerts a year, with all of them being bands from the 70s and 80s. What I enjoy besides the music, is the vast majority of attendees are my age. When some youngster in the area stands up and starts "moving to the music" they are universally yelled down, so we can see. In my younger days, I don't know if I ever sat down, now I rarely stand up.

 

[martyp]

I've done my fair share of rock concerts in my youth but I don't have much desire to brave the crowds now. I don't watch sports so that isn't a choice I have to make. A few years ago I had a business trip to New York City and I splurged for a Broadway show. I have to say, it was a wonderful experience. A couple of years later I returned to NYC for vacation and went to another show and thoroughly loved the experience again. So I would say that if you really want to do it then save your money and do it. I've noticed that a lot of people who cringe about the price of something have something else in their life that they pay for without thinking about the price. Say you don't want to pay concert/sports prices but you think nothing of buying a boat. The problem in ER is finding out if you still like the events you enjoyed when you were younger.

 

[Sue J]

How much does it cost to go to a movie?
$7.25 before 6PM, $9.75 after 6PM

A Rock Concert?
These vary by artist and venue. Usually more than I care to pay. The "facility charge/convenience fee/service charge" can add another 25-30%. I see a few big name concerts every summer when I work as an usher, but we don't get to enjoy it like a paying customer.

Football Game?
Would not pay to go and would give away a free ticket.

Baseball Game?
I think these can be around $20-$35 for non-premium seats. It's been a while.

Basketball Game?
Haven't been to one of these.

Broadway type play?
Last one was $28 each at a small theater. Sometimes we can get complimentary tickets through our son.

Symphony Orchestra?
I see the Cleveland Orchestra 10-12 times a year for free while working as an usher. The tickets go for $22-$70 for paying customers.

Nascar?
N/A but it's free on TV.

 

[Walt34]

I think the last time I went to a concert/music show was when the Beatles played in Washington, DC. I only went because a friend of my sister's had a ticket no one was going to use. And I was sorry I went - didn't have a clue as to what all the screaming was for, couldn't see the act so far away, and couldn't hear it anyway because of all the screaming bimbos.

I guess I was a curmudgeon when I was 15.

 

[palomalou]

We will probably quadruple our entertainment budget when we move back to NYC from the relative boonies. OTOH, this is going to be a crazy expensive couple of months entertainment-wise, as we saw Les miserables (movie) on Christmas day (at NIGHT! even--oh the expense!) and will go see Lincoln this weekend as my reward for getting all my pre-semester prep work done. We go out to a movie perhaps twice a year. Otherwise, we spend for Netflix and cable tv, also books, but we've cut them way back so as not to have to figure out what to do with them in the downsizing. I also have the occasional library fine

 

[Moemg]

.

TV is not an alternative way to see the same event, it is a different category of events. Nothing wrong with it, but comparing the two doesn't make much sense to me. Certainly not a value proposition.

I agree . I saw "Chicago " on Broadway and than saw the movie on TV . The experiences were world's apart . We used to go to more live events but I only enjoy them if I have great seats . I have no interest in being in the nosebleed section.

 

[ShortInSeattle]

I suspect that they're the people who will have saved about $50k for retirement 30 years from now.

I know it's popular to out-frugal each other on these boards, but I challenge this assumption.

We live on less than 1/3 of our income, despite the fact that we do crazy things like go to the theater and Cirque de Soleil. Our retirement savings are significant.

On the other hand, I have no interest in rearing children, buying nice knives for the kitchen, or driving a nice car. So I save money there.

One particular consumer choice doesn't indicate financial irresponsibility.



SIS

 

[FIREd]

We don't like crowds. We go to the movies maybe once a year. We attend sports events when we get free tickets (from DW's employer or alumni association). We never attend rock concerts or the symphony.

 

[MichaelB]

I think the last time I went to a concert/music show was when the Beatles played in Washington, DC.

Been a while, hasn't it?

I guess I was a curmudgeon when I was 15.

 

[pb4uski]

To me, like others have said, it is the experience of going to these events rather than just watching the game. I've been to the Olympic Games, Wimbledon, the U.S. Open (tennis), The President's Cup (golf) and the Daytona 500 and each was a special experience. While I've been to NFL, NBA, MLB and NHL regular season games and they are fun, they are less memorable than the Olympics, et al and I am less inclined to spend the bucks needed to attend those.

My bucket list includes attending many of the major sporting events, I acknowledge that they are expensive but I think of them as an experience rather than just another sporting event that I can watch on the big screen at home.

 

[anethum]

I go to the movies all the time. In my area, the price is now generally $11 for an evening show, $8 for a matinee. Personally, I think it's a very different and superior experience to see a movie inside a theater with a large screen and with an audience. This is especially true for comedies.

I went to several baseball games last season. My friends and I usually bought the tickets through stubhub.com. Unfortunately, stubhub got bought by Ticketmaster (hello, Justice Dept antitrust division, anyone home?), and the fees are now frequently more than the ticket price itself.

I stopped going to hockey games because the cost got too high, but I only went occasionally anyway.

When I go to NY, I usually get tickets for Broadway and off-Broadway shows at the TKTS booth (the one in lower Manhattan, if it re-opened following Sandy, usually has much shorter lines than the one in Times Square.)

There are also lots of free concerts and films I go to year-round.

 

[pb4uski]

imoldernu, have I got a deal for you. I was just on Stubhub checling out NFL AFC Championship game tickets. The cheapest were $209 but if you wanted to splurge it would be $1,654 for the most expensive ticket.