Most discounted gift cards are bought not to be presented to others but rather for the purchaser's personal use, says Kwame Kuadey, founder and chief executive of GiftCardRescue.com, a gift card reseller based in Ellicott City, Md. That's an opportunity for moviegoers who plan ahead to save as much as 15 percent to 20 percent on ticket purchases, Kuadey says.
The best way to capture these savings is to sign up for email alerts that notify you when a gift card you want is in stock.
"If you know you're going to the movies once or twice a month, you just sign up for the alerts, and when that gift card comes in, you buy that ahead of time. When you're ready to go, you have that card, and you'll save (money) on that," Kuadey says.
Check the gift card for an expiration date and whether they can be used for any type of movie ticket or at the concession stand.