Brits will flock to the cinema next week to watch one of the most highly anticipated movies of the year – The Batman. With film prices varying and food and drink coming in at a premium too, a trip to the cinema can be a costly day out, so it’s important to cut costs where possible.

There are several ways to save, from deals and discounts to reward cards, points schemes and subscription services. Luckily for you, the experts at money.co.uk have put together a handy guide with all the top tips and tricks when it comes to saving on your cinema trip.

James Andrews, Senior Personal Finance Expert at money.co.uk, said: “There’s nothing that can quite replicate the emotions and experiences of seeing a film on the big screen, but that comes at a cost. The good news is that there are ways of bringing that down.

“If you’re a regular cinema goer, some membership schemes let you watch as many films as you like for a fixed price. Cineworld’s Unlimited card is the cheapest, at just £9.99 a month, while Odeon Limitless costs £12.99.

“These schemes pay themselves after only two trips per month, and if you go even more times than that, then signing up to a membership scheme can result in considerable savings.

“Another great option for devoted film fans is the Showcase Insider loyalty scheme, which offers discounted tickets (from £7.50 a film) and rewards providing discounts on tickets, snacks and drinks as well as access to exclusive advance screenings.

“More casual cinemagoers should look at offers that provide two for one tickets, like Meerkat Movies. Anyone who has used comparethemarket.com to switch providers, get an insurance policy or take out a loan, credit card, car finance or mobile phone contract, is eligible.

“For a full year after using the site, customers will receive a weekly code, allowing them to buy two for one cinema tickets at Odeon, Cineworld and Vue on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.

“A similarly competitive deal is given to Vodafone customers, who can get two adult tickets for £7 at most Vue cinemas.. You just need to log into the My Vodafone app, access the ‘VeryMe’ section and select the Vue deal. You will then be emailed two e-codes to use online or at the cinema.

“Meanwhile, savvy shoppers can use their Tesco Clubcard vouchers to cash in at Cineworld and Picturehouse. Your points can be redeemed for three times their value instore at Tesco. That means that every £1 in Clubcard vouchers is worth £3 at the movies.

“To claim the offer, sign into the cinemas’ site or app and book your tickets, then look out for an email containing a ‘Cineworld Reward Partner Code’, which you can redeem to earn your savings.

“Finally, if you can help it, avoid the food and drink kiosk when you’re at the cinema. The prices for standard items like machine drinks, nachos, popcorn and packaged sweets are so severe, you can end up spending the equivalent of a regular meal on a couple of snacks.

“If you have any vouchers or food freebies through one of the reward schemes that is redeemable at the shop, then by all means use them. If not, give it a wide berth and save your money.

“It’s also worth checking what the cinema in question’s policy is. A surprising number let you bring your own food and drink in with you – especially if it’s cold and non-alcoholic, so sweets and popcorn should be fine – so you can pick up snacks at a supermarket or similar on the way, rather than pay the prices at the box office.

“Given that the cost of living is so high at the minute, cutting costs is essential, and any money you do save is best placed in a savings account. If you don’t have one and would like to set one up, then take a look at the best deals from all the top providers using money.co.uk’s comparison tool: https://www.money.co.uk/savings-accounts.htm.”