Money Manners: 'My teenager is embarrassed I brought cheaper movie snacks to the cinema'

Money Manners is Honey Money's weekly column that deals with money etiquette matters that can be the cause of many an awkward encounter.

Submit your Money Manners questions to Jo Abi at jabi@nine.com.au

This week's question comes via a 9honey reader whose teenager has accused her of 'cringe' behaviour.

Dilemma: 'My teenager is embarrassed I brought cheaper snacks to the cinema'

Going the movies has never been a cheap night out for my family. I have three kids and even with the family ticket discount, it tends to add up.

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Add to that the cost of food and drinks at the Candy Bar at our local cinema, and it ends up costing double.

I remember a couple of times we spent more on food and drinks at the cinema Candy Bar than we did on movie tickets, which is just ridiculous.

I decided to try and be a bit more frugal about it, starting with bringing our own drinks, which saved us a lot.

One week I forgot the kids' water bottles, so instead of spending $6 per bottle of water at the Candy Bar we popped into Coles and bought them for $1 per bottle.

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While we were there, we grabbed a few snacks as well, and that's how it began.

I haven't been to the movies with my son for a while, he usually goes to his friends, but he wanted to see Deadpool & Wolverine.

I automatically headed to Coles first for drinks and snacks and shoved them in my handbag in case we weren't allowed bring in outside food.

My son acted so embarrassed, and told me I was "so embarrassing". I feel a bit bad that he felt that way, but he's so clueless about the cost of things. It may be time for a bit of a chat.

Advice: 'Sounds like a long overdue chat'

Oh lord, sounds like typical teenage behaviour. And it also sounds like this chat is long overdue for him to be behaving in this way.

Let the dust settle a little and then have a chat to him about how much food and drinks cost at the Candy Bar compared to the movie tickets. Don't want around for his acknowledgement or approval, just lay it all out and leave it with him.

You could also give him a food and drink budget for visits to the movie and then show him the cost of Candy Bar snacks compared to a supermarket and let him make the choice.

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At the very least he should be on board with bringing your own drinks, because I agree that is such a waste of money!

Kids are so funny and so clueless and boy, is your son in for a rude shock one day. Best to have the chat, set the budgets and let those shocks come in a small series instead of the larger one later when you're not around to talk him through it!

And you're gonna need snacks for movies these days, they run long – and so did Deadpool & Wolverine!

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