In times when even celebrities are clipping coupons to cut costs, it's no surprise that fewer people are opting to go to the movies, a study by CouponCabin found.
Of 2,217 adults surveyed, 61 percent said they rarely or never go to the movies anymore.
More than half blamed the recession, but it could be that prices are just too high.
The National Association of Theater Owners said last week that the average movie ticket price increased to $7.93 in 2011 from $7.89 in 2010, LA Times' Richard Verrier reports.
Moviegoers in big cities pay way more than the average, with New Yorkers spending about $13 per flick.
Just because there might be more empty seats in theaters doesn't necessarily mean people are seeing fewer films. They're just finding less expensive ways to go about it.
Nearly two-thirds of consumers said they prefer cheaper matinees and nearly 40 percent bring their own snacks and drinks. Another 32 percent use daily deals sites to score discounts on tickets.
And let's be real: Theaters are facing stiff competition from a myriad of cheap and free movie-watching alternatives, such as Netflix and Redbox. (See how to score Redbox movies for free.)
Half of the respondents in CouponCabin's survey said they rent or buy movies, while 34 percent said they stream them online.
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