But They Sure Are Worth It
Movie subscriptions can save you money over the theater but the savings evaporate if you sign up for too many of them.
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Jackie Cohen is an award winning financial journalist turned turned financial advisor obsessed with climate change risk, data and business. Jackie holds a B.A. Degree from Macalester College and an M.A. in English from Claremont Graduate University.
With kids being out of school for a few weeks during the Christmas break, it’s easy to run out of ideas on how to entertain them. Growing up, my mom would send me to the mall with friends, handing me $40.00 to basically entertain myself for the day. While a nice treat once in a while, for most families, especially during the holiday season, this would quickly add up to be a big budget buster. Here are a few ideas to entertain the kids (young and old) while on their Christmas break:
This is loads of fun for kids of all ages. Have your child invite their friends over, either with a gingerbread house kit in hand, or you can provide the house for them (using an easy recipe and template). Have candy provided in dishes (on your well wrapped table, it will be messy!) and let them have fun creating. Don’t want to do a whole house? Try decorating gingerbread or sugar cookies instead.
While volunteering with your children year round is encouraged, Christmas is usually a time when extra help is needed. Soup kitchens and food banks in particular are often looking for extra help during the season. If your child is under the age of 16, you may either need to grant permission or be present. Check to see if your local mall needs gift wrappers. Many malls offer gift wrapping services, often provided by volunteers, with funds raised going to local charities. Although this should never be the only reason why one does it, volunteer work looks great on university and college applications too.
Have a few of your kids friends over for a fun night of watching Christmas movies in their PJ’s (sleepover or not, you have to be comfy!). Provide a few snacks or have them help you make a homemade pizza and you’ve got yourself a budget-friendly party.
Especially in today’s technology driven world, we forget about the simplicity of encouraging outdoor play without an abundance of toys. Encourage them to explore; pick up a stick and use their imagination! Make sure they’re well bundled if you’re fortunate enough to live in a cold winter environment and let them enjoy the fresh air.
Have them Help You Prep Meals for the Holidays. Most kids like to explore in the kitchen. It’s a great opportunity to have the learn some kitchen skills from you and your family.Yes, it will take longer than if you did it yourself and yes, your kitchen will likely be much messier but the skills that you’ll be able to teach are much more important than some spilled flour.
Most movie theater chains will offer discounted tickets during the local school break as a way of encouraging the movie-going experience so check it out!
Have your kids make everything from Christmas cards or gift tags to tree ornaments. The possibilities are endless and most require very few supplies. Who wouldn’t love a homemade card from your young one?
If you have older kids, encourage them to use their time off to make some money during their break. Ideas include: shoveling driveways, offering to get groceries (or run errands) for people who need extra help, or dog walking for people who may be away or just too busy to do it themselves.
Christmas can be stressful enough, you shouldn’t have to worry about what your kids are going to be doing while off from school. With a little creative planning, you can quickly fill their time without breaking the bank!
What holiday activities have you done with your kids?
I like Halloween. It’s not my favorite holiday but I do think it’s pretty fun. Between ages 19-33 I could have cared less about it to be honest but now that I’m a Mom I do enjoy it. Plus, there’s candy involved so it’s got to be a good one right?
Brian’s post Best Halloween Movies for Kids got me thinking about the movies I have enjoyed over the years. I thought his list was great! It’s the Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown, Escape from Witch Mountain and of course any of the Simpson’s Halloween episodes are awesome!
So, today I am going to share some of my other favorite Halloween movies. These may not have a Halloween theme but I like them and most of them are good if you only want to be semi-scared. I usually don’t go for full blown guts, blood and gore but every once in awhile it’s okay. Again these are MY favorites and not family friendly movies. If you have teenagers they might be okay — other than that ,wait until you put the kiddos to bed, pop some popcorn and enjoy! If you dare ~ muahahahahahahaahaha (that was my evil laugh if you were wondering).
Available on: Amazon
Price (at time of posting): $7.91 sale — $14.99 Regular
I love The Phantom of the Opera in general. I actually like the newest (2005) release of the movie better than the 1993 release. However, I feel that this particular version is much better for Halloween. I mean really, it stars Robert Englund – aka Freddy Krueger – as the Phantom, so it is going to be scary and have some gore associated with it. If you want to see a handsome phantom and enjoy all of the wonderful music you associate with the Broadway musical — go with the 2005 version. However, if you want to see a terrifying phantom, the 1993 Robert Englund version is the one for you! Of course, if you are like me, you will love watching both!
Available: Amazon
Price (at time of posting): $12.91
This is one of my favorite scary movies. I have seen it a million times and it still creeps me out everytime! Jody Foster’s determination and strength almost made me want to be an FBI agent — almost. Anthony Hopkins role as Hannibal Lecter promptly talked me out of it!
Available: Amazon
Price (at the time of this posting): $6.05 Sale — $19.99 Regular
I so enjoyed this movie but I haven’t seen it in ages. It was scary and surprising. The young Kirsten Dunst played her role brilliantly and Tom Cruise and Brad Pitt were excellent as well. It may not be the scariest movie of all time but it’s certainly one of my favorites and a good one to watch on Halloween.
Available: Amazon
I have only seen this movie once and it scared me half to death — so I would be remiss if I didn’t include it. Someday when I am braver I will watch it again. If you haven’t seen this classic horror film you should pick it up this Halloween and watch it! The movie may be old, the special effects are a bit outdated but I am sure it will still give you nightmares — if you like that sort of thing.
Available: Amazon
Price (as of this posting): $6.49
So apparently all the Halloween type movies I have seen were in the 90’s or later. This move was a little more gory than I like but I was surprised by the ending and terrified while I watched it. I enjoyed it and think it makes a fantastic Halloween movie.
I hope you all have a fun and safe Halloween whatever you decide to do!
So what are your favorite movies? Do you like to be terrified or only a little scared like me 🙂
Halloween is such a great time to be a kid. It’s a great time to be an adult for that matter but a certain part of the magic is lost as we get older. As Halloween approaches, I always try to get into the mood by watching some scary movies but most are way too scary and graphic for my children. So, to get my kids in the spirit of things, I started looking for scary movies for them that they could watch leading up to Halloween without scaring them half to death. I am sure many of you reading this article could come up with a list of your own Halloween Movies for your kids. They would probably consist of some great movies you saw as a child and watched as you grew up, but I thought it would help some parents if we came up with a comprehensive list.
This is where the caveat comes in! When it comes to holiday movies, most families have their favorites. If your movie didn’t make the list, don’t be offended. I probably just didn’t know about it. Please help us make the best list possible by posting your favorite Halloween movie in the comments section below the article. We will do our best to add it to the list.
This one is such a time honored classic, how could we not start the list off with it. I was a big fan of the Peanuts when I was a kid and mourned the loss of Charles Shultz when he died. It is one of the best Halloween movies around as Charlie Brown gets rocks in his trick or treat bag, snoopy falls asleep and Linus waits patiently (kind of) for the great Pumpkin to arrive in the pumpkin patch. Like all of the Peanuts movies, it sends a great message to kids and is a great kids Halloween movie. You can buy it by clicking The Great Pumpkin Charlie Brown
I grew up watching the Casper the Friendly Ghost cartoon and it was always one of my favorites. I was ecstatic when they created a live action movie. The actual movie is just called Casper, I always add “The Friendly Ghost” because that is how I always think of him. It’s a perfect movie for Halloween and your kids are sure to love it. You can buy it by clicking Casper
I couldn’t possibly make a list of the best Halloween movies for kids without including the Monster Squad. This was my all time favorite monster movie when I was a kid. I first watched it on a Boy Scout camp out and just fell in love with it. It’s a movie with Dracula, Frankenstein’s Monster, The Wolfman, The Mummy and The Gillman all seeking out a powerful amulet. Only the Monster Squad, a group of determined kids, can stop them. You can buy it by clicking The Monster Squad on DVD or The Monster Squad on Blu Ray
This movie is actually a fairly new addition to my families collection of Halloween movies for the kids. The movie makes up two shorts, The Wind in the Willows and The Legend of Sleepy Hollow. It was originally released on the big screen in 1949 but until recently, was not available on VHS or DVD. It was the 11th animated feature that Disney released and we love it. You can buy it by clicking Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad
The 5th movie in our Best Halloween Movies for Kids list is Monster House. It’s about a group of kids who believe a haunted house that is planning on eating all the little kids that come to trick or treat at it’s door. They do an amazing job making the house one of the actual characters in the movie. It can be a little intense and scary at times so I don’t recommend this for younger kids. You can buy it by clicking Monster House on DVD or Monster House on Blu Ray
Here is another movie that I loved as a kid. By today’s standards, the effects are nothing special but back then they were amazing. It’s another classic from the brilliance that is Disney. It features two little kids, a brother and sister, with mysterious powers, who are on the run from someone trying to exploit them as they make there way to witch mountain. All sorts of adventures happen along the way as the movie builds to a great sci-fi ending. You can buy it by clicking Escape to Witch Mountain
While not strictly a Halloween movie, I LOVED Wizard of Oz as a kid and it has Witches in it so C’mon! This move absolutely belongs on the list of the best halloween movies for children. Not much explanation is needed for this classic, it’s a musical that just about everyone loves no matter what there take on the musical genre is. It’s a must watch for Halloween and is typically the one we use to start off our Halloween season. What better way to get into the Halloween season then watching a witch get crushed by a house! You can buy it by clicking Wizard of Oz on DVD or Wizard of Oz on Blu Ray
Okay, so we all know this isn’t for younger kids. Heck, it’s not something I would let my own kids watch but I have sat down with my nephews (much older than my kids) and watched it with them and it was great. I love the Simpsons. More accurately, I love the older Simpsons which is what this is. It’s a collection of some of the best Treehouse of Horrors episodes. You can buy it by clicking Simpson Treehouse of Horror
In this day and age, there is just no getting away from Spongebob and some of the uber popular Nicktoons cartoons that our kids just can’t get enough of. We bought this DVD for our kids last year and they love it. It’s packed full of Halloween themed episodes from my kids favorite cartoons. You can buy it by clicking Nicktoons Halloween Tales of Fright
This is a surprisingly good movie for kids and parents alike. It’s a movie we picked up for the kids thinking they would love it around this time of year but it’s not one we expected to enjoy ourselves. It’s not a movie we would watch without the kids but isn’t it always a great bonus when you can enjoy the move alongside your kids? I made this selection the last pick in our best Halloween movies for kids because it was such a surprise. You can buy it by clicking The Little Vampire
Netflix has the majority of the market when it comes to movies on demand but Amazon wants to change that. They know that if they are going to take customers away from Netflix, they are going to need to make it easy for you to try them out and that is exactly what they have done. New customers of Amazon on Demand get to start out with a $5.oo credit which will allow you to get more than 1 free movie streamed directly to your PC. Most movies cost $0.99 with new releases at $2.99 so $5.00 will get you a nice bit of entertainment at no cost.
With Amazon on Demand, you can watch a movie on your computer without having to download any special software. Just like iTunes and Netflix they offer both movies and TV shows. With the huge economic power of Amazon behind the service they have a great selection so give them a try. New customers can get a free movie at Amazon on Demand by going to the Amazon on Demand New Customer page.
Have you tried Amazon on Demand? What do you think of it?
They may not be the greatest Christmas movies of all time but they area most certainly my favorites. As soon as Thanksgiving is behind me and we get into Christmas mode, I break out my Christmas DVD’s and we start watching. I don’t let a Christmas season pass without without watching every movie on this list. It’s a fun and important part of our families tradition.
If you don’t own any of these and want to pick them up, we recommend Amazon. They have a huge selection of used merchandise available. Most aren’t being sold directly by Amazon, they are sold by other merchants in the Amazon marketplace but I personally prefer it to buying through ebay, it seems better controlled. Many of the movies in the below list are available used for $5 – $10.
This version of the Christmas Carol story is by no means the most popular. Most people I know have never seen it and it was not a favorite of the critics but what do they know. This version happens to be my favorite and is also my top pick for our Christmas movie list. It stars Albert Finney as both young and old Scrooge and he does a phenomenal job. It was made in 1970 and what sets it apart from the rest is the music. That’s right, it’s a good old-fashioned musical and it’s one of the things I love about it. I grew up watching this movie. Every year for as long as I can remember, I have watched this movie with my family; first with my parents and sister and now with my wife and boys. I still look forward to it every year. If you don’t own it, it’s a good one to grab and is available from Amazon at Scrooge DVD
It was a very tough decision between this movie and Scrooge for my #1 pick but in the end, Scrooge won out by a very small margin. It’s a Wonderful Life came out in 1946 and stars James Stewart and Donna Reed. I love this movie more than I can describe. I have been watching it for years but it still tugs at my emotional heartstrings and brings tears to my eyes when everyone comes together to help George Bailey in his time of need. If you don’t own it, it’s a must see and it is available from Amazon at It’s a Wonderful Life DVD
Another Christmas classic! There have been a few versions of this movie over the years but none of the remakes can hold a candle to the original. Miracle on 34th Street came out in 1947 and stars Edmund Gwenn as Santa Clause, John Payne as Fred Gailey, the beautiful Maureen O’Hara as Doris Walker and a young Natalie Wood as her daughter, Susan Walker. It’s about a sweet and kind old man who believes he is Santa Claus. He is surrounded by skeptics but in the end, everyone comes to believe and understand that some things are always worth believing in, even after you become an adult and think you know better. It is available from Amazon at Miracle on 34th Street DVD
I don’t care how good the latest computer animation technology becomes, there will always be a place for these classic stop-motion animated movies. The animation is just beautiful, and not that “beautiful for it’s time” nonsense, these movies are beautiful for any time! I am a big fan of all the Rankin/Bass Christmas classics but I decided to just put my favorite one in the top 10. It’s a great story and is typically the first movie we watch to kick off the Christmas season. It is available from Amazon at Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer DVD. They also have a box set that includes Rudolph and a bunch of the others called Original Christmas Classics
It’s time to bring on the funny! This is the third installment in the Griswold vacation series and it is my favorite. Once again Clark Griswold bites off more than he can chew as he pursues the perfect family Christmas. Despite his best intentions, the Griswold luck takes over and everything goes downhill in a very hysterical way. The movie came out in 1989 and stars Chevy Chase, Beverly D’Angelo and Randy Quaid before he completely fell off his rocker. The movie is packed full of funny moments and we all have our favorites but really, how can you get through the Christmas season without hearing Randy Quaid utter those immortal words…”Shitters full”. It is available from Amazon at Christmas Vacation DVD.
I am not a huge Will Ferrel fan, I can usually take him or leave but there are three movies he has done that I love and Elf is one of them. It’s the perfect vehicle for his brand of humor. The first time I saw this movie was in the theater when it first came out with a few friends. I wasn’t actually that impressed. I thought it was okay but didn’t plan on watching it again. The next year I was channel surfing and I came across Elf. I ended up watching it again and LOVED it. Not sure why it did click the first time but I have watched it every year since then. It is available from Amazon at Elf DVD.
That’s Right! Before you start complaining, Die Hard is definitely a Christmas movie and there is nothing I want to see more after being dragged out into the cold to go Christmas shopping with my wife. There are actually a few great action movies that we love to watch at Christmas time, the first Die Hard is my favorite but Lethal Weapon and LA Confidential aren’t far behind! What makes it a Christmas movie? The whole thing takes place at a Christmas party and if that’s not enough, he beats the bad guy by hiding his gun with Christmas Ho Ho Ho tape! C’mon, it’s jolly and awesome all at the same time! It is available from Amazon at Die Hard DVD.
Yes, I am in the “I Love Christmas Story” camp. It seems to me that people either love this movie or can’t stand it and don’t understand why people like it. I am in the love camp. I enjoy the movie from beginning to end. The movie came out in 1983 and my family has been watching it every since. I watch this movie once a year and it cracks me up every year. We are the proud owners of a leg lamp desk lamp, leg lamp night light and a set of Christmas lights. After all, they are major awards! It is available from Amazon at Christmas Story DVD.
I hesitated to put this movie on this list because after all, this is a chick flick and I am sure my wife is going to read this. I try not to admit when I like these kinds of movies, otherwise, I will be flooded with them. But I would be remiss if I left this movie off the list because I really enjoy it. Few things express the spirit of Christmas more then Love and that is what this movie is all about. It came out in 2003 and has a lot of stars. It’s a movie about a different couples and how their love lives interact during the Christmas season. It’s heartwarming and full of the Christmas spirit. It is available from Amazon at Love Actually DVD.
If I had watched this movie alone, I am not sure it would have made it into my top 10. It’s a great movie, don’t get me wrong, but I on it’s own, it’s not a top 10 for me. The tipping point was watching it with my oldest boy last year. He was 3 at the time and was obsessed with trains. When we showed him this movie at Christmas time it was such a special and memorable experience that I couldn’t wait to show it to him again. He was at the edge of his seat with unbridled joy and excitement last year. It was all the things that mattered to him at that moment, Trains and Santa Claus. It is available from Amazon at Polar Express DVD.
It was really tough narrowing it down to my favorite 10 because I have more than 10 that I really love. I did my best to select the best of the best but it is by no means complete. Here are the rest of the movies in my Christmas collection that I enjoy watching each and every year.
Well there you have it, those are my top 10 Christmas movies. Christmas movies are something I have a real passion for so please, take a few minutes and post your comments below.
What are your favorite Christmas Movies?
The other day I was on Facebook – which truth be told – is a common occurrence for me. While there, I was reading through all of the things my friends and family — felt compelled to share with their friends and family on that particular day. Suddenly, I stumbled upon a link to an article that my super cool cousin posted. The first thing I noticed, was a picture of a beautiful Disney princess smiling at me; I immediately recognized that it was Cinderella. The title of the article was “Disney Will Stop Making Princess Movies Because Boys Think They’re Icky.” (If you want to read the article, just click on the title I’m referring to.)
Say what?!?
My first thought was, “That is just silly talk! Disney wouldn’t stop making princess movies. Obviously, someone is just trying to use a shocking title to draw people into their story.” That’s when I noticed my cousin’s comments to the article; “This article is disturbing on a few levels…” Well — now I had to read it!
So, it seems as though Disney executives think that no one is really interested in princess movies anymore — not boys and not even girls. Apparently, they are under the impression that 5 and 6 year old girls no longer wish to be princesses; instead they just want to look “hot.” If that is true – and I pray that it is not – then that is very alarming and clearly something needs to change. Please don’t misunderstand me. I don’t think every little girl needs to spend her time watching princess movies or pretending to be a princess; but I really don’t think they need to concern themselves with being hot or cool at that age either.
Disney’s princess movies are just good, wholesome entertainment. Of course, some critics will argue that they send a message to girls, that they have to wait around for a prince to come and rescue them. First of all, I honestly don’t think that’s the case for most girls who watch them. As a former princess wanna be – and daughter of a strong and independent single mother – I never thought I needed to wait around for anyone to save me because that’s not what I was raised to believe. Secondly, I think the princess movies showcase good morals and values; something that is sadly lacking in our society — and perhaps one of the reasons girls want to be “hot” rather than proper young ladies.
The other thing that I found disturbing in that blog post, is how some of the blame is placed on boys. Disney executives think that they can no longer make the movies – which they have been making for decades – because apparently boys all of a sudden just decided that they are “icky?”
You know what I think? I would bet that boys found princess movies just as icky – if not more – when Disney released the first princess movies. Also, boys are sent a message that if they like princess movies – and honestly referring to them as princess movies doesn’t help, but what can you do – then there is something wrong with them. I have let my boys watch Cinderella, and they like it. When I mentioned it to another mom in casual conversation – a mom of two girls – she looked at me like I was insane for letting them watch it; then she preceded followed her look with, “Really? That’s weird.” I was shocked and speechless (anyone who knows me, knows this is a rarity). Of course, once I got in the car I thought of plenty of things to say but it was too late — and I haven’t run into her since.
Yes, I know the princess stories need an update. I think that’s what Disney is doing with the new movie “Tangled,” which is a revamped version of the Rapunzel story. This movie looks like it may just capture some of the magic that Dreamworks and the Disney Pixar movies have been able to tap into in recent years. Both have released movies that have become wildly popular because; the animation is amazing, many of them appeal to both genders, and they include something for people of all ages.
I don’t think Disney needs to put out a princess movie every year, but at least every 5-10 years would be nice. Maybe I’m just old fashioned — or maybe in this fast-paced world we live in, being a little old fashion isn’t such a bad thing. I think it can keep us grounded and remind us about what is really important in life.
What do you think? Should Disney bid the princesses a fond farewell? Do you think they can amp up the action – like they have done in “Tangled” – to appeal to wider audiences?
I, for one, am looking forward to seeing “Tangled” with my boys — and when I do, I’ll let you know what we thought about it!
What do you think? Should Disney move away from princess movies or are we sending the wrong messages to our kids?
Here are a few strategies for watching movies more cheaply at home. Since I have two children, I have developed these strategies out of necessity rather than choice, including one called “how to avoid late fees.” This one hatched out of an incident when my then three-year-old daughter cried hysterically every time I tried to return Dora’s Halloween, resulting in $21.00 in fees. And it wasn’t even Halloween! Goodbye local movie store…hello Netflix!
The beauty of Netflix is that you can keep movies at home for as long as you want. This is especially helpful if your kids get particularly attached to a particular movie and want to watch it daily until they achieve total burn-out. If you or your child simply cannot part with a movie title, you can also decide to buy the movie for $14.00 ($20.00 for Blu-ray). Depending on if it was a new release or not, this can actually be cheaper than buying the DVD new at the store. Netflix also allows for the occasional “lost in the mail” excuse, so if your DVD never arrives back to their receiving address, you will not be charged.
Plans range from $8.99 (one title out-at-a-time) to 4 out-at-a-time ($23.99). We currently have the cheapest option, but this works out great, because it also comes with the option of watching unlimited numbers of movies and television shows instantly on our PC’s. My husband picks out his choice (usually a new release) to come by mail, while the kids get to watch what they want on the laptop. Not bad for $8.99 (and no more late fees). A new option with Netflix is instant streaming to your Wii console, which we happen to have. If you have your Wii set up to wireless internet, you can watch Netflix selections on your television screen. Gotta love technology!
Most Blockbuster locations offer a membership plan that comes with one free rental per month and it is free to sign up. If you can be diligent about returning your items, this movie rental chain can be a great choice. I was also able to purchase an Indiana Jones game for Wii from Blockbuster for $14.99, after my son refused to relinquish it (do you see a pattern emerging here?). Blockbuster also sends us coupons periodically for more free movie and game rentals. Thanks, guys! Blockbuster now offers a movie delivery option as well, but it is a little more expensive than Netflix and wait times are longer, in my area, anyway, for sending and receiving movies.
Redbox rentals are available at many grocery store chains and discount stores and are only a buck (plus tax) per night. Even if it takes you a few days to actually watch the movie, it is still cheaper than most movie rental stores. It can be tricky to find certain new releases if they are in high demand, but there is a “reserve online” option where you can put a movie title on-hold until you can get there to pick it up. If you sign up for their email newsletter, you also get a code delivered to your inbox each month for a free movie.
If you like watching television episodes and some older movies, there are a few great websites out there where you can watch for free:
If it is a recently-aired television show that you seek (and you do not want to pay for DVR or TiVo), then remember to check the network’s website, as you can usually find episodes of popular shows that you might have missed. I am also hearing a lot about Roku lately, but do not know much about it. If you have an opinion one way or the other, I’d love to hear from you!
What is your favorite way of getting movies for low cost?
