When I recently cinched my budget down one more notch, the first thing to go was watching movies in the theater. It’s not something I do very often anyway, but it’s hard to justify a $10 ticket (and inevitable craving of popcorn) when we can use Hulu for free.

I recently had two movie cravings, however, that threatened my budget lockdown: (500) Days of Summer and Whip It. I coughed up the money for the very charming (500) Days, and after reading glowing reviews of Whip It, I scoured for movie deals that would let me see the first-run on the cheap. (Check out this previous post for tips on where to see movies at a big discount.)

I found that Tamarac Square Cinemas has two good mid-week deals on the big-screen experience.

On Tuesdays, grab your dollar bills for $1 popcorn, $1 beer, and $1 sodas with your ticket purchase. Before 6 p.m., tickets cost $7; after 6 p.m. they’re $9.50.

Wednesdays are “date nights,” meaning you and a friend (or a more-than-friend) can get two tickets, two medium drinks, and a large popcorn for $20.

Bonus: I’m impressed with Tamarac’s selection, which includes some independent offerings such as Capitalism: A Love Story, (500) Days, and Bright Star.