Spending

Went out to see Star Trek last night. One of the luxuries I allow myself is frequent trips to the movie theatres because I love the the big screen and amazing, digital surround sound. In this age frugality, it's tempting to save money and stay home and watch a DVD with some friends. But, I just can't resist the 'experience' of going to to a real movie theatre.

So, how was the experience? In a word – terrible!

The sound was substandard – apparently, the theatre we were in was not equipped with digital sound or it wasn't turned on. No one told us where to wait in line, either, and when the previous showing let out, no one came to clean the theatre. We had to ask several times for someone to come.

Suffice it to say, the movie was kind of ruined for me and it has me wondering what has happened to the experience of going to see a movie and is the cost worth it? Anyways, I woke up this morning perturbed … so, what did I do?

Well, it's not my personality to just sit around and do nothing … so I sent an email to their media department! Here is an excerpt:

"I wasn't sure who to email but I just wanted to let you know about our experience seeing Star Trek last night at Silvercity Colossus in Langley, BC. I have been anticipating this movie for quite some time, but unfortunately, the experience and movie were ruined by your theatre.

First of all, we arrived early and since the previous showing was still playing we had to line up. Unfortunately, there was no one to tell us where to line up or what to do (there was no sign) so we created one ourselves. When the previous show let out we patiently waited until the theatre was cleaned so we could take our seats ... unfortunately, no one showed up to clean it! We had to politely ask one of your staff to come and clean the theatre. After three calls, they finally came and we were able to take our seats.

The most disappointing aspect of the experience was the sound. Star Trek is a spectacle with big special effects and sound - unfortunately, for this showing, the side speakers didn't seem to be in use at all. When the action got very loud, the sound was distorted and scratchy - it didn't have the impact that you'd expect. I slowly began to dread any extended action scene because it was just too painful. Clearly, this theatre (#8) was NOT outfitted with Digital Sound - this much was obvious from the opening credits. Most of the movies I see are in Digital Dolby and there is a clarity that is attained even in loud action scenes.

Let's just say, there was nothing 'colossal' about the sound or my movie going experience …"

Am I over-reacting?

I'm sorry but when you factor in the cost of going out to dinner, popcorn and snacks, going to the movies is getting very expensive. At least the sound should be good and we shouldn't have to do the jobs of the people who are hired to work there.

I actually went to a movie several years back and the sound was atrocious and when I complained to the manager, he admitted that the digital sound was broken. I got several free passes for that one.

Anyways, this is going to make me think twice about spending my hard-earned money at the movie theatres. If I do decide to go again soon, it better be satisfying or I'm getting my money back!

What about you? Have you had any bad movie theatre experiences?

Is it worth it going out or would you prefer to stay home with a DVD?

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Well, it looks like I'll be keeping my car … for now. I didn't quite get the price I wanted on Craigslist (and I curse all Craigslist low-ballers by the way) and my roommate will be paying extra rent for the ability to use the car whenever he wants. I'm creating my own car share! But, I'll still be paying for all the maintenance as I'm fussy when it comes to oil changes. I'll just adjust the amount my roommate gives me each month.

What if he gets in an accident? I'll have to cross that bridge when I get there but hopefully, if that ever happens, we'll be able to work out a solution.

Bernadette from the Cooperative Auto Network(CAN) was kind enough to leave a comment about the Scrap-It program. This program offers incentives to get rid of your car and get into car sharing. In my case, I could get a credit of $1,250 which would pay the $500 membership fee for CAN and I could use the balance to pay for my monthly car sharing costs.

Had a lot of great comments which mentioned quite a few other alternatives to car sharing:

• Taxis – this makes sense for short trips around town. Why own a car if you only do short trips to the store … or bar, in my case. Taxis really make sense here.
• Car Rental – a great idea for longer trips. Actually, if I was car sharing I'd probably still rent the occasional car. It can actually make more sense.

Finally, My Findependence Day – a great financial blog by the way – offered an anecdote about a friend of his. As a car-sharer he found he was avoiding certain things and wasn't using a car as often as he used to. I have to admit, I might think twice about going certain places – I think I would start to ration my car use a bit more. A couple of times, I had some family emergencies and it was nice to just pop into my car and drive off. Yes, it would be easy to go online and quickly get a car, but if you're stressed out, busy, or don't plan properly, it could be an issue. I also have friends who car-share and I've noticed they don't do as many things as they used to.

Last week, I drove out to the suburbs late last Saturday night to go see a movie. I think if I had to go online and reserve a car, I would probably think twice about these types of excursions. It is nice to get away from the city at a moments notice!

At the end of the day, I'll be keeping my car since it's fully paid off and all the repairs are up to date. But when the time comes and my car is on its last legs, I think I'll use the Scrap-It program and join the Cooperative Auto Network.

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Living downtown in a major city, your really don’t need a car but it is nice to have one to get away every once in a while. I currently do own a car, but it spends most of the time parked in the garage. For this reason, I’ve been thinking of selling it and joining a car-share program, like Zip Car or The Cooperative Auto Network (CAN)

Zip Car and CAN seem to be the major players right now here in Vancouver. They both offer an attractive option to owning your own car, which can be a waste of money if you don’t drive a lot. Here is what I currently pay for my car – keep in mind, it’s a 1993 Tempo and is paid off:

But lately, I’ve been thinking if I sell my car and pocket the cash, I’ll be better off joining one of these car sharing programs. With these program all gas and insurance is included and there’s no parking to pay for. They also offer many cars conveniently located in the downtown core. As a matter of fact, there is a car right in front of my apartment! Here’s a brief summary of the membership options and pricing models for each.

Both Zip Car and CAN offer attractive rates and benefits, but I took a look at what I typically drive for one trip around town and calculated what the costs would be if I used them instead of my own car. CAN has two options – full membership (where you buy refundable shares worth $500) or an hourly option. Zip car offers an hourly option.

Which one is cheaper? This example is somewhat simplistic, but to me, it looks like CAN is the better deal, but then you do have to put down $500 (which is refundable) ahead of time to buy shares – it would take some time before this paid itself off. With Zip car you can virtually start right away, but it is based on hourly charges, so even if you don't drive very far, the cost can add up if you keep the car for an extended period of time.

Obviously you'd have to 'crunch the numbers' but at the end of the day, I prefer CAN as you don't have to worry so much about the time and I feel it's generally cheaper. Zip Car might be good if you only drive occasionally.

It’s clear that car-sharing is much cheaper. Plus, all you have to do is go online and quickly reserve a car which isn’t much of a hassle. I have to admit, though, I do like the idea of just jumping in my car and driving off. If you’re on a busy weekend, there could be a chance you won’t get a car if you don’t plan far enough in advance.

What Will I do?

Well, I will only sell my car if I get at least $1,500 for it – I’ve already spent quite a bit maintaining it and there is virtually nothing left to fix. I would have enough to pay for the $500 shares for CAN and still have money left over. Plus, I would get a refund on my insurance since it is prepaid until the end of the year. It’s currently sitting on Craigslist with no offers, though, so I may be stuck with my beloved Tempo after all.

CREATE YOUR OWN CAR-SHARE

Take it one step further beyond car-pooling. Why not share all the costs with someone you know and trust? In my case, I may ask my roommate to fork over a bit extra each month, since he has an extra key to the car, anyways. I’ll still save money and I’ll have the added convenience of having the car in the building.

Regardless of what you choose, I think car-sharing is the way to go. There is really no need to own a car – especially if it’s brand new and you’re making payments – if you live in a major city. If you already own a cheap car or beater, it may be worth it to keep it and try to get a friend or roommate to help out with the costs.

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