Wrapping up 2018

By the NUMBERS!

If you recall, I started getting my books from the library in 2017. I've kept track again this year of the money I've saved by doing that. Here's how it adds up:

I was a little light on the reading this year. I only read 54 books. I spent $81.50 on 9 books for book club that I could not get from the library in time. If I had bought all the other books I read, it would have cost me---$552.78.

Now that's quite a savings---but nothing compared to what I saved on movies! You might recall that I subscribed to "Movie Pass" last year. The deal was $9.95 a month and you could see an unlimited amount of movies. Since my friends and I have "Movie Monday," each week (or most weeks), I thought it sounded like a good deal. After just one month, I got an offer that if I prepaid for the year, I could have it for $7.95 a month. Sounded like a good idea to me!!

Somewhere around August, Movie Pass changed the "deal." Obviously, they could not sustain that business model. From August on, you could only see 3 movies a month. That wasn't so bad, except, you didn't know in advance what movies you could see. If you decided to go to the show, you had to check what was the "free" show that day---sometimes two movies were offered. Suddenly, it wasn't worth it anymore. Still, I got my money's worth. I spent $105.90 for the year which includes a movie someone bought tickets for in advance, so I didn't get to use my Movie Pass. I saw 49 movies. At roughly $10.00 a movie, I saved about $400.00! Definitely a bargain! Add to that---I racked up enough points for 7 free movies. Can't beat that. Too bad Movie Pass had to change their deal. I did not renew. I wonder how much business they have lost now. I would have kept it up for the 3 movies a month if I could choose what I want to see.

Now I have a confession to make. What I saved, I really didn't---if you talk needlepoint! Considering I have expensive hobbies, if I can save on two out of three, that's pretty darn good!

Here's to a new year of savings!!

PS Thought you might like to have my list of 5 star books I've read this year. I'm pretty particular about what I'll give 5 stars to. In no particular order:
Something in the Water
The Good Daughter
Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo
Pretty Girls
It Ends With Us
The Memory Box
The Wife, the Maid, the Mistress
Every Note Played
The Outliers

And here are the best movies I saw this year:
Murder on the Orient Express
Three Billboards Outside of Ebbing, Missouri (even though it was filmed in North Carolina)
The Disaster Artist
The Greatest Showman (my absolute favorite of the year)
A Simple Favor
A Star is Born
Bad Times at El Royale
Bohemian Rhapsody

Happy reading and movie watching in 2019!!