How To Get Cheap Cinema Tickets 2024

Looking for ways to continue enjoying cinema trips on a tight budget? Here are our top tips on finding cheap cinema tickets… 

With a UK recession confirmed last week, it’s clear that millions across the country are cutting back on spending as a result of the cost of living crisis. 

That being said, it’s important to prioritise our social lives and continue doing the things we love to do, whether that’s the occasional meal out with family or a cinema trip with friends. 

And with TOTUM and tastecard, you can still do these things without breaking the bank. 

In a world where entertainment costs seem to skyrocket by the minute, finding affordable ways to enjoy a night at the cinema may seem impossible - but this isn't the case!

Whether you're a movie buff, a casual viewer or simply looking for a fun outing with friends and family, saving a few pounds on cinema tickets can make the experience all the more enjoyable. 

Let's dive into some savvy ways to unlock affordable movie magic...

How to get the cheapest cinema tickets

1. Get discount on cinema tickets

Did you know you can get cheaper cinema tickets with your TOTUM and tastecard discount?

For each years' TOTUM membership you purchase, you'll get a FREE 12-month tastecard worth £39.99 which comes with tonnes of perks, including cinema discount!

From popular cinema chains such as Cineworld and ODEON to a range of local independent cinemas, you'll make big savings on cinema tickets with TOTUM and tastecard. In fact, you can expect to get an average of 25% off cinema tickets at over 350 cinemas across the country!

Once you've signed up, take a look on the tastecard app to find cinema deals local to you. Many cinemas also offer deals on food and drink via tastecard so you'll not only save on cinema tickets but can also treat yourself to a drink and popcorn for less too!

2. Sign up to loyalty programmes and membership schemes

If you're a cinema enthusiast and like to visit quite regularly, you're likely to make huge savings if you join a membership scheme rather than purchasing cinema tickets each time.

Cineworld and ODEON offer two of the best value cinema memberships and are well worth the money if you go to cinema screenings at least twice a month.

If you sign up to Cineworld's 'Unlimited' membership (which costs from £10.99 per month), you'll get the following perks:

• Watch as many movies as you like, as often as you like with no online booking fee!

• Get 10% off cinema snacks and drinks (this goes up to 25% after 12 months)

• Get 25% off your total bill 7 days a week at Cineworld's partner restaurants Bella Italia, Café Rouge and Las Iguanas

• Advance screenings so you can watch the latest films before the rest of the public

You only have to go to the cinema twice a month to make back your money!

ODEON's 'myLimitless' membership is another great cinema membership option and costs from £14.99 per month. Perks include:

• Watch as many movies as you like, whenever you like

• Get 10% off food and drink

• Get exclusive invites to watch films before they're released

You can also join ODEON's free membership, 'myODEON', to unlock Saver tickets for the best value cinema tickets, as well as getting to access member exclusive offers!

So even if you don't want to sign up to a paid cinema membership, we'd advise joining the free memberships.

Other cinemas with membership schemes include:

• Showcase Insider

• Curzon

• Everyman

• Vue

• Picturehouse

3. Go to off-peak showings & book online

You'll usually find you can bag yourself cheap cinema tickets if you book an off-peak screening, which is usually before 5pm Mondays-Fridays and before 3pm on Saturdays, Sundays and bank holidays.

Many cinemas offer discounted tickets if you book to go at these off-peak times, meaning you can make some instant savings!

Cineworld for example offers a £1.50 discount on cinema tickets if you visit before 5pm Monday-Friday and has launched its new 'Cinesaver' ticket which allows you to see any film for just £5.99 if you visit on Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday!

ODEON also offers off-peak tickets if you visit Monday-Thursday before 5pm.

Another very simple way to bring costs down slightly is to book your tickets online as this tends to work out cheaper than buying them once you get to the cinema.

4. Take advantage of senior or family cinema discounts

Look out for family deals or age-based discounts!

Many cinemas offer discounted tickets for over 60s and children, including Cineworld's 'CineSeniors' deal which offers exclusive screenings to those over 60 each Wednesday for just £4.50.

You'll also find deals for children too, such as Vue's 'Mini Mornings' offer which runs each Saturday and Sunday morning from 10am, costing just £2.50 for both adults and kids!

Also, remember - TOTUM isn't just for students! No matter what stage of life you're in, you can make savings with TOTUM. Our TOTUM Professionals membership is open to part-time learners studying for a professional qualification, members of a recognised professional body/trade union and academic/support staff at a training provider.

How to get free cinema tickets

A number of cinemas have partnered up with different retailers or brands to bring you either cheap cinema tickets or free tickets!

Vue for example has partnered with Sky Cinema to give customers the opportunity to get two free Vue cinema tickets per month that can be used between Sunday-Thursday.

And while we're on the subject of Sky, did you know you can get Sky Stream for just £24 per month for 9 months via TOTUM?! This gives you all your favourite apps in one place, from Netflix to Disney+, and includes Sky Entertainment!

But back to free cinema tickets...

Meerkat Movies is another way to get your hands on some freebies - when you compare and buy a qualifying product from Compare The Market, you'll get 2 for 1 cinema tickets every Tuesday or Wednesday all year long!

Finally, make sure to checkout different retailers' loyalty scheme offers as you may find you can exchange your points for free cinema tickets. An example of this is Tesco Clubcard, which allows shoppers to exchange their points for Cineworld tickets, with every 50p in vouchers giving you £1 to use with Cineworld!

And remember, if you fancy getting a bite to eat either before or after your cinema trip, your FREE tastecard membership via TOTUM gives you access to discount from hundreds of restaurants and eateries across the country, from Zizzi and Prezzo to Papa Johns.

Looking for more ways to save on day to day costs? Check out our other guides on TOTUM Talks or jump straight to the following...

• How To Get Free Coffee & Which Coffee Shops Offer Student Discount

• How To Get Cheap Train Tickets

• How To Find Cheap Hotels For A Budget Holiday

• How To Get Cheap Flights