Having your own home theater sounds great in theory. You can watch movies, your favorite TV shows, sporting events and pretty much anything in a room that’s set up just for entertainment without the crowds and annoyances of a movie theater. This all sounds fantastic until you start adding up the costs of your new dream theater.

Luckily, some options can allow you to have the benefits of a home theater while creating it quickly and inexpensively.

The following are some of the best ways to make a home theater on a tight budget and timeline.

Consider Acoustics

Of course, with any home theaterm you’ll want to start with the basics of having a big TV, but then what? So important to having a superior theater experience are acoustics. You may not be able to create a customized soundproof room in your home, but you can do some inexpensive things to improve your acoustics.

One option is to add acoustic tiles to your ceiling. If you’re putting your home theater in a previously unfinished basement, adding acoustic ceiling tiles can be pretty easy.

Even if you aren’t working in a basement, you can still add ceiling tiles, such as options designed to fit seamlessly into a standard ceiling grid.

Along with the ceiling, when it comes to acoustics, think about your walls as well. You can purchase inexpensive, lightweight acoustic boards, and you might even add some thin, cheap carpeting on top of the panels and attach them to the walls.

Incorporate a Theater-in-a-Box Sound Bar

If you want to work efficiently and have a small room or simply don’t want the costs and added time that comes with putting together an elaborate sound system, you can go with a sound bar system or a home-theater-in-a-box. These are packages that are relatively affordable and give you everything you need for the simplest purchasing and installation.

Most of these systems include speakers, a surround receiver and maybe a Blu-ray player.

Sound bars are a good option if you want something simple and streamlined because they offer surround sound-like effects with just one speaker cabinet, which is easy to place.

Get the Right Window Coverings

When you have a home theater, you don’t just want to use it at night. You want to use it any time of day, particularly on the weekends when you have downtime. With that in mind, if the space you choose has windows, choose some high-quality blackout blinds or curtains. This will give you the real theater experience, even if you’re watching your favorite team play in the middle of the day.

While blackout blinds or shades are best, you might also be able to use room-darkening shades, though they tend to let light in the cracks.

If you focus on acoustics, getting a good deal on a theater system in a box and your window coverings, you can easily create a home theater in a weekend and on a budget.