From romcoms to Marvel, I have always loved watching movies, but the experience of watching them on a cinema screen is so different from watching them on your laptop at home. Going to the cinema is my safe place – the one place where I feel relaxed and can think about nothing but the movie. Going to the movies is my way of escaping the stress of real life. However, living in London makes my love of watching movies on big screens difficult. If you also want to go to the cinema weekly but are a broke student like me, I have the best tips for you.
My first advice is to go during the week. Going during the week will always be cheaper than on a busy Saturday night. I like to stay and study at the library on campus until the screening and go directly from there so I am productive and not rotting at home. Even if you have to study, or are working during the week, you can always find the time to go to the cinema in the evening, with screenings that can start around 9 pm – perfect for busy people.
My second tip is to find your ‘film bestie’, the person you know will always be down to go see the latest movie at the cinema, no matter which genre or starring actors. After three years of studying in London, I am proud to say that I have found my ‘film bestie’, one of my closest friends here, and the person with whom I go to the cinema weekly, no matter how busy our schedules can get because of university. However, you can also take yourself on a solo date and go to the cinema by yourself. It is something I enjoy doing because you should not wait to find someone to go with you if you want to see a movie badly.
Now, let’s talk about the best deals I have discovered for affordable movie tickets as a broke student living in London.
One of my favourites is Curzon, a lovely cinema located in the centre of London such as Victoria or Camden and many more locations. For a student, Curzon is usually £11 but that is when my secret comes into action. If you get the Under 25 free membership, you can get a few free tickets at first and then pay £6 for Wednesday screenings. This is why my ‘film bestie’ and I usually go to Curzon on Wednesdays for it to be cheaper after a long day of classes. Moreover, you will be able to enjoy an amazing cinematic experience, with cheap food available to bring in the screen room such as nachos or hot dogs, which is quite rare, and reclining velvet seats that are so comfortable you will fight not to fall asleep.
My second favourite good deal is the Picturehouse membership. As cinema lovers (or fanatics), we need to go to the cinema more than once a week, or are sometimes too busy on a Wednesday to go to Curzon. This is why the Picturehouse student membership is so valuable. You pay £25 for a year and get £5,99 tickets on Mondays and Thursdays which is nothing for London. You also get two free tickets, priority booking, and 25% off food, snacks, and drinks. Picturehouse is amazing because one of my favourite locations is the one right in the centre of Picadilly Circus, with giant screen rooms and reclining seats, as well as an amazing food selection.
A reminder that just because you live in London, one of the most expensive cities in the world, you can still afford to go to the cinema and experience watching a movie on a big screen.