How to save on entertainment

You’ve made arrangements with your friends, either to go out for supper, or to a movie.

This is what it will cost for two couples to go to the movies, assuming you have movie cards and the 3D glasses.

For 4 adult movie tickets, providing you have movie club cards, depending on your movie club, anywhere from R24 per ticket to R58 per ticket. Then you want to buy a medium sized popcorn and a drink, and that’s about R60 each.  You spent R118 per person, to sit in the dark and not talk for roughly 3 hours. That is R472.00 for the night.

Both movie house chains have half price evenings during the week.

Now imagine you have dinner plans. First let’s go to a non-kosher restaurant for supper and I will use the menu from the kosher and non-kosher franchise. This means both restaurants have the same name.

So each of you is only having a single burger meal. The meal is R54.90 each plus R5 for a tip. That is R239.50. The kosher version of this same night out is about 10% more. (The online menu was unavailable as they are closed for renovations, so I am guessing.)

Much cheaper than going to the movies but only about 2 hours spent ‘going out’.

Now let’s look at the old fashioned night of entertainment. I remember my parents and their friends often doing this.

Invite 2 couples over for a game of Pictionary, Rummikub, Balderdash, Poker etc. Don’t get carried away with snacks, if you went to the movies you would have had a drink and popcorn. So serve something similar. One packet of chips, some homemade popcorn some pretzels or a cake and 2 x 2 litre cold drinks, your total is now about R100, and as many hours fun as you want.

There is only one rule to this evening, never allow couples to be partners in competitive games! They either know each other too well, have silent communication or short hand language or they end up fighting with each other!

Outings with the kids often cost a fortune, especially if you have a few, and kids over 12 often pay adult entrance.

In Johannesburg there are Emmerentia Dam, Zoo Lake, Gillooly’s, Walter Sisulu Square even Delta Park which are free and there is plenty of space to run around. Obviously supervision when feeding the ducks is necessary.  These are just a short list of many.

In Cape Town there are Green Point Park, the Sea Point promenade, feeding the squirrels in the Company Gardens.

In Durban – Moses Mabhida Stadium Park, entrance is free there are activities that you have to pay for. Virginia Nature Reserve and the Japanese Gardens are also free. There are other activities that are not free but they are inexpensive.

Pack a picnic, take a blanket, some sunscreen as well as friends and enjoy.