Going To The Movie Theater To Watch A Movie Is Starting To Get Too Expensive

By MoneyBlueBook

How was your Christmas? Did you spend it all day with family and friends? Or did you manage to sneak out to watch Aliens vs. Predator like I did. Yes, I was one of those that ducked into the theaters on Christmas afternoon to watch this winter's biggest sci-fi blockbuster movie on opening day. Only this time, I was sorely disappointed. It wasn't even the movie itself either (although I thought it could have been better). It was my realization that I was paying way too much money for the opportunity to be crammed into a stuffy hot room with a crowd of noisy, obnoxious people, to watch a movie on a blurry movie screen operating on technology that probably hadn't been updated in several decades. Watching the latest movie release at the local cinema simply isn't what it used to be anymore. Why are movie tickets so expensive nowadays? Times have changed and I wonder if it's time I did so too.

Movie Theater Tickets and Concession Stand Snacks Are Outrageously Overpriced

Christmas day afternoon I went to see the new Aliens movie with my brother. Going with the Christmas spirit, I decided to pay for everything. For two expensive movie theater tickets I shelled out a total of $18 at about $9 each. Two popcorns and two small sodas tacked on another $16 for a grand total of $34 for two people. Now, if I was a father with a wife and 2 kids, and assuming everyone bought the same customary number of snacks and

By MoneyBlueBook

Updated List Of The 10 Best Discount Brokerage Firms Below

So, you are finally sold on the idea of signing up for an investment brokerage account so you can start making money by investing in the stock market. Or, perhaps you are already an experienced trader but at times still wonder what other brokerage options are out there? These days there are a lot of options out there but it can be sort of confusing trying to find the right online broker. There are many choices available, from full service premium brokerages to deep discount online brokers. Relying on authoritative financial and investment sites for guidance and opinion reviews isn't always definitive either since they occasionally have differing opinions. The best way to choose the best and right broker to handle your investments is to do a combination - by sticking with the popular ones that have been around for some time and have been sufficiently subjected to adequate scrutiny by the investing community, as well as go with the brokerages that have consistently appeared at the top of reputable rankings and researched reviews.

Know Thyself To Better Determine Brokerage Fit

Factors to consider when choosing the right online broker include the type of investment vehicle you intend to trade (stocks, bonds, mutual funds, indexes, options), the amount of your investment, the type and amount of research material you want, customer service, website design and layout, and trading reliability. It's important to know what type of investor you intend to be. Do you plan on being an active

By MoneyBlueBook

Merry Christmas everyone! It's exciting that Christmas is now upon us and I'm quite eager to find out what's in store for the coming new year. I'm feeling a bit wistful right now so I'd like to look back at the wonderful and memorable presents I've received over the years since childhood and even into adulthood. Many of the presents continue to have a special place in my memories and I still remember them quite fondly.

I know some parents advocate the teaching to children of the true meaning of Christmas - the valuable lesson that Christmas is not only about presents and receiving gifts, but that it's also about family, sharing, and spending time with loved ones. Although I believe these themes are worthy ones, I don't think we should completely deprive children and the younger generation of the simple and innocent joy of receiving and giving presents. The simple act of giving and receiving presents is often an annual ritualistic event that holds a special place in the historical hearts and minds of many children, teens, and adults alike. Instead of trying to compel the thematic shift of Christmas from presents into the non-material aspects of the holiday season, we should try to encourage and teach children to not only receive, but to give. It's an inevitable fact that children will ultimately grow up into a materialistic world. Rather than shield them or futility try to sanitize their environment, we should prepare them for reality and the future by showing them that the Christmas

By MoneyBlueBook

I am the type of person who likes to maximize everything that I do. Particularly when it comes to hobbies and interests, I always want to think - how can I find a way to monetize or turn the hobby into a beneficial endeavor? Not that I have to profit from everything, but I just have a very entrepreneurial and "see the bigger picture" personality. However, there are some things that I just can't seem to spin into a financially worthwhile venture - research intensive, but addictive hobbies like fantasy football. For the last few fall and winter seasons, I've been embroiled in the fun of online fantasy football. I've been the league commissioner for my church league for several years now and this is the first year where Ive made it to the final championship game. I'm so excited!

What Is Online Fantasy Football?

If you don't know what fantasy football is, allow me to explain. First of all, it's not some silly "fantasy" thing where people pretend to be in the game like some of my female friends jokingly think it is. I think people who aren't into fantasy football or other online fantasy sports see it as a childish game, but in fact, most of the online fantasy sports leagues are played by adults.

Football football is generally an online game played by participants (called owners) arranged into online leagues. Usually there is a draft at the beginning of the sports season where owners acquire players on their team comprised of real life NFL football

By MoneyBlueBook

I had Lasik surgery a few years ago and it completely changed my life for the better. For those considering the procedure, I highly recommend it wholeheartedly. Particularly for those people like me who spent the majority of their lives dependent on corrective lenses, Lasik will truly transform your life in an almost miraculous way. Freedom from glasses and contact lenses has been such an amazing and liberating experience.

The procedure is considered elective by most health insurance companies and the cost can range between $3000 to $5000. Although the cost has gone down over the years, it's still quite an expensive procedure. But if you can afford it, the potential benefits greatly outweigh the limited health risks and possible fear factor. It's one of the best financial expenditures I've ever made for myself.

My Background Of Wearing Glasses and Contact Lenses At An Early Age

Since I was little kid I've always had terrible eye sight. I started wearing glasses during second grade and my prescription only worsened and thickened over time till they essentially became bullet proof eye guards. I went from thick plastic frames and lenses to sleeker wire frames and ultra thin prescription, but with my horrendous eyesight of -7 in the left and -8 on the right, it was impossible to reduce the lens thickness by much.

I'm not particularly vain but I guess I always felt constrained with having to wear such thick glasses and being recognized by my thick "nerdy" goggles. Since my vision was so bad, I was basically blind without

By MoneyBlueBook

Are you like chicken little? Are you currently huffing and puffing because you feel like financial ruin is just around the corner and that current market problems suggest you should take quick action? Well, try to relax and see the big picture. Yes the stock market has experienced quite a bit of red lately and the foggy road ahead appears to be quite bumpy, but that doesn't mean it's time to make hasty decisions.

The year is coming to a close and many anxious and disappointed investors are starting to react in predictably panicky ways. While some people want to sell off a portion of their holdings to capture tax losses that can be used to offset their current year's capital gains for tax purposes, others are reacting in more hasty and emotional ways. Those who push the red panic button now and act on this heated emotion might regret their decision down the road. Smart financial decisions were never made by people in the midst of an emotionally driven haze.

The Mortgage Mess and the Credit Crunch Are Causes For Concern But In Time They Will Pass

Yes this is a scary time for short term investors but we must tread with a firm and loyal commitment to the key to successful compound growth - long term investing. While the housing market meltdown was not entirely unforeseen, I will admit that the severity of the credit crisis was unexpected. Starting with Countrywide Financial and later progressing to Etrade, financial institutions that owned and traded