Places Where You Can Watch Films for Free (or Cheaply)
Going out to watch movies can be expensive, especially if it’s something you do regularly. IT doesn’t always have to be that way, however. Below, I’ve listed some places where you can watch films for free (or cheaply). While these venues might not be playing the latest blockbusters, they screen out of the ordinary films that you aren’t likely to see elsewhere.
Click the names of each venue to learn more about them.
UP Film Institute (Diliman, Quezon City) There are two public screening rooms in the UPFI – Cine Adarna (the large theater) and the Videotheque room (at the back, second floor). Usually, the screenings at the Videotheque room are free, but the rates for the paid theater are much lower than those from regular cinemas.
Mogwai Cinematheque (Cubao Expo, Quezon City) The first floor of Mogwaiis a restaurant/bar, but the second floor is a screening room. It’s the most comfortable screening room I’ve ever been in, since there are no seats – only large fluffy pillows.
Cinekatipunan @ Mag:net Cafe (Katipunan Ave, Quezon City) Mag:net Cafe is beside Rustan’s Supermarket in Katipunan. The first floor is an art gallery, while the second floor is a screening room and cafe.They also have a Multiply page here.
Pelikula@Titus Brandsma (New Manila, Quezon City) They have free monthly screenings of art films. Click on the link to view theirYahooGroups page.
If you want to find other free or cheap film screenings in Metro Manila, check out these sites:
Do you have other recommendations? Please let us know in the comments 
Image by Cancia from sxc.hu
Stretching the peso against the high cost of living (Part 2)
In the first part of this series, we discussed how we can be frugal with our food, household needs, and utilities (if you haven’t read it yet, click here). Basically, the post is my personal response to the news about inflation reaching 9.6% this month. There’s also an interesting discussion on the effects of inflation over at the MoneySmarts blog, which you might want to check out.
I generally don’t like those who proclaim that the end of the world upon us, but the rising cost of living presents the perfect opportunity for people to look at their expenses, savings, and income. In this installment, we’ll discuss how to save money on entertainment and transportation to minimize the effect of inflation on our expenses.
Entertainment
Although computations for inflation doesn’t really cover entertainment, cutting a few corners in this aspect can help stretch your income to pay for the rising costs of food and energy.
Movie and book swapping. We discussed the benefits of book swapping in a previous post. The same could be applied to DVDs, VCDs, and video games. Not only is it cheaper than buying things brand new, but it’s a good excuse to meet up with friends and acquaintances.
Look for cheap/free screenings. The UP Film Institute holds several screenings each month, and the tickets are often cheaper (if not free) than regular movie houses. Of course, they don’t show the latest blockbusters, but they have great alternatives in case you want to see something different from what everyone else is watching.
Wait for blockbusters to come out in video or cable. Not only is it cheaper, but many people can watch at the same time without the cost adding up.
Of course, there are some movies where watching in the big screen makes a difference. These are generally movies with a lot of special effects, such as Lord of the Rings or war/sci-fi epics. It’s okay to watch these movies in the theater, but not all movies lessen in effect/impact when watched in the small screen.
Transportation.
Walk or bike. I have a friend who bikes extensively and doesn’t really commute that much. If you’re going somewhere nearby and have time/energy to spare, walking or biking there might be a good alternative.
Practice frugal travel. We recently posted some frugal travel tips, which you can consider when taking an out of town trip.
Tomorrow, we’ll discuss some ideas on increasing income and managing investments and savings.
How are you dealing with inflation?
Related post:
Read MoreHelp Iligan and CDO
Reader Discussions: