Most new DVDs cost $15 or $20 or more, depending on how they're packaged and how many extras are included. Going out to a movie in a theater can cost $8 or $10, not even including movie popcorn. But there are several ways you can either rent or borrow DVDs for free or see movies in a more theater-like setting for free. A few resources include the public library, your city's local recreation department, video stores, movie theaters, the internet and friends.
Today, almost all local libraries will let you check out DVDs for a week or two. While some libraries concentrate on more educational fare like documentaries and filmed Shakespeare plays, the average library also carries comedies, thrillers and action-oriented blockbusters. As long as you return the movie by the due date, you get to watch movies for free. Some libraries, if they have a big conference room or multi-purpose room, will also host teen movie nights or family movie nights once a month or once a quarter.
Another good source for free movies is your local arts organization or parks and recreation department. Many municipalities show free movies throughout the year, sometimes showing them outdoors in a local park in the summer if the weather cooperates. Occasionally, a local arts organization will also host free movies as part of a local festival. If you're not sure if your city or town has movie nights, you can check with your parks and recreation department's website or brochure.
If you live in a moderately big urban area, you may also have a video store or movie theater in the area that will provide free movies for your children. Some video stores have a small cache of children's or "family" movies they will loan you for free with the paid rental of a movie for Mom and Dad.
Some theater chains will host free movies for children and their parents. For example, Goodrich Quality Theaters offer free fall and spring matinee shows at 10 or 11 a.m. on weekends at locations around the country.
There's always the Internet as well. Several sites like "Internet Archive" will allow you to download movies--usually older classics or educational films-- legally for free.
Finally, if you have friends or relatives who are movie lovers, they are often happy to swap movies with you. They may have received two copies of the same movie as gifts, or they may have just gotten sick of watching the same movie over and over. Often, your movie-loving friends will be happy to trade for a DVD you have watched too many times, either as a loan or as a permanent gift.
The major benefit of free movies is obvious- you get something for nothing. However, there are a couple of other less obvious benefits of watching free movies.
First, you can be more adventurous. If you know you're shelling out $20 for a DVD or $10 for a theater movie, you're likely to pick the blockbuster you're pretty sure you're going to like. You don't want to spend that kind of money on an independent movie you might end up hating. If you swap a movie for free with a friend or check one out of the library, you can experiment with types of movies that you're not sure you'll like without being sorry later that you wasted your money. And, if you do like the movie, the free experiment will be worth the small investment of your time.
Second, because watching movies is often paired with additional expenditures, free movies will sometimes save you money in other ways. For instance, if you go out to the theater, you'll often purchase pricey drinks or food as well. But, if you watch a free movie in the park during a local festival, you'll be able to bring your own less expensive popcorn and drinks from home.
There are a few risks that come with getting free movies. For example, If you check out movies for free at the library, another patron might have the title you want, and you'll have to wait for a few weeks until he returns it. Also, if it's a popular title, it might have been checked out many times before and may end up having scratches that make it unwatchable.
If you search for movies for free on the Internet, you may end up at a site showing something that's been pirated. If you want to make sure to do it legally and ethically through the Internet Archive or a similar resource, your selection will be somewhat limited due to copyright issues.
If you go the route of trading movies with a friend or relative, you risk hard feelings if your disk gets lost or if it comes back to you in worse condition than when you loaned it out.
Though they are not wholly free, another way to watch movies inexpensively is through the "Watch Now" feature of Netflix. If you already have a subscription, you can watch an unlimited number of movies on your PC for no additional charge beyond your regular monthly fee. It makes your Netflix subscription a better value if you take advantage of the Watch Now feature- you can literally watch a new movie every night for no additional charge instead of just the three or four disks a week you get mailed to you.