I like movies, and I like saving money. Last night I watched What Just Happened with Robert DeNiro chosen from my cable TV’s selection of On Demand movies (Channel 1000). I paid $5 and didn’t have to deal with the annoyances of a movie theatre (cell phones, chatter and a 6-foot-taller sitting in front of me) The tradeoff? It was a terrible movie.

Next time I’m opting for free flicks. Here’s how:

Barter for DVDs
At SwapTree, exchange your unwanted DVDs (as well as books, music and video games) with others looking to barter a deal. The site’s CEO says there are more than 1.5 million listings, with more users hopping on each day due to the low-cost nature of the site. Your only financial obligation is to mail the item, which can be as low as a couple of bucks.

“A lot of SwapTree users converted from Netflix,” says Greg Boesel, the site’s co-founder and CEO. “As soon as you list an item, we instantly show you all the things you can receive for it.” It is true: The site shows that I have more than 12,000 potential swaps for my “like new” DVD of Edward Scissorhands.

Watch Online
Sites like Hulu, Film.com and Fancast have a selection of free movies. A heads up: You won’t likely be able to see a recent picture. At Hulu my initial options are Liar, Liar, starring Jim Carey, and Picture Perfect with Jennifer Aniston, both from 1997. Ooh! But I can watch Eddie Murphy’s Raw comedy special from 1987 at Fancast for free. One moment: I am currently tuned into Murphy’s incredibly funny ice cream skit.

Free Feature Movies on Your Existing Cable Plan
If you subscribe to Time Warner or Comcast, chances are you have access to a channel called Free Movies on Demand, or a variation thereof. Again, don’t expect recent films, but if you are planning a movie night definitely check out this channel before renting or buying a DVD.