How to Beat the High Cost of Living

Set in Oregon in 1980, this comedy follows three suburban women and longtime friends whose finances are stretched thin by inflation and the economic downturn. Jane, Elaine and Louise each face their own money troubles, from household expenses and unpaid bills to a business that no longer turns a profit. When a local shopping center holds a contest with a giant plastic ball full of cash as the prize, the three friends settle on a plan to take the money for themselves rather than leave it to chance.

The film was directed by Robert Scheerer, whose only earlier feature was Poor Devil in 1973. Robert Kaufman wrote the screenplay and produced alongside Jerome M. Zeitman, with a credited cast of 52 that includes Susan Saint James as Jane, Jane Curtin as Elaine and Jessica Lange as Louise, plus Richard Benjamin, Eddie Albert and Cathryn Damon. It runs 105 minutes and was released in the United States on July 11, 1980.

On IMDb the film holds a rating of 6.1 from around 2,200 votes, while on TMDB it sits at 5.4 from a much smaller base of 37 votes.