Buying or Renting? (1 Viewer)

[Parker Clack]

With the price of gas at or over $4 a gallon what are you buying choices going to be for your movie collection?

 

[David Lambert]

Packy, I prefer to be a buyer. But with prices of everything going up (gas, food, ACing the house in a hot summer, and much more), let's just say I'm glad to see more of those $1-rental Redbox units in my neighborhood.

I haven't actually used one yet, but the next time blind buys come along that interest me, I'll probably start dipping my toes into that water.

Notably, the Blockbuster nearest me (that I used to visit, but haven't in a couple of years) has closed up shop, leaving the next-nearest one five minutes (and the equivalent in gas) further down the road...more distance (and more price, IIRC) than several Redbox machines.

 

[Tim Tucker]

Personally, I prefer to buy than rent. Luckily, I am single, have a stable job, and have a short commute, so the rising prices have little impact on me.

However, I am an inveterate bargain hunter, looking for the cheapest price I can for my DVDs. The DVD market, in my experience, does seem to be a deflationary one. In general, the longer you are willing to wait after a title is released, the more likely it is that you should be able to pick it up at a much more reasonable price. I've also noticed over the past year that the number of incredible sales and deals are increasing. It reminds me of the mid '90s when the CD market reached maturity, and you could find cut-outs and overstock everywhere.

In other words, it's a buyer's market out there, if you can take advantage of it.

 

[TravisR]

Fortunately, I don't have to drive very far and the summer is a pretty slow time for DVD buying (for me anyway) so I haven't had to curb any buying yet. When fall comes around, I know I'll want to buy alot more stuff and I may have to slow down then.

 

[Joe Tor1]

Personally, I do not anticipate any changes in my buying habits. If I want something, I'll get it -- as long as I remain healthy, employed, and my obligations and responsibilities are met.

I can't imagine renting a TV on DVD box season set, as is my usual purchase of choice. It takes me weeks, months, and in some cases even years to get through certain sets -- given my schedule, lack of uninterrupted TV time, and degree of affection for the series in question.

Besides, I rarely buy a series set that I don't already have a reasonably strong interest in. THE INVADERS was about as close to a "Blind-Buy" as I've ever come (having only vague memories of the original broadcasts as a child) and I'm presently enjoying that very much!

Besides, Best Buy, Circuit City, and BJ's are all within 15 minutes of less a drive. And Amazon remains only a click away.

 

[Regulus]

Since I drive a 70 MPG Moter Scooter the Gas Prices are only a Minor inconvenience for me. The money I use to buy my DVDs is the money that was formerly used to pay my Cable TV Subscription Fees before I "Cut the Cord" in January of Last Year. (I had better things to do than endure the same Commercial-Infested programming over and over again, and since they make their Money with all of those Commercials they obviously do not need my Subscription Fee! ) By keeping my eyes on the Bargain Bins, I have been able to amass quite a Collection in the past 18 months! (My Signature bears testimony to this!) I definately prefer buying to renting, because after viewing it YOU GET TO KEEP IT!

 

[Tina_H_V]

I prefer to buy as much and as often as possible. The Fugitive (S2, V1) and The Boondocks (S2) are on my to-get list this coming Tuesday. That Girl (S4) I shall add in August.

Meanwhile, I shall continue to solicit the cut-out bins, online auctions and sales to continue to add to my collection on an as-I-go basis.

Although the $4 gas prices have not quite gotten to me as they have others (I live close enough to walk to work), I am still watching my money closely and trying to keep my spending to as much a minimum as possible while making sure ANY DVD's I pick up are REALLY ones that I want.

 

[Ockeghem]

With very few exceptions, I purchase just about any film that I want to see. I prefer to own DVDs rather than rent them.

 

[Andrew Radke]

Well I prefer to buy as well but since my financial situation changed drastically last year, my TV/DVD purchases have been VERY few and far between. I even had to break down a couple of months ago and disconnect both cable and my home phone just to make ends meet. Because of this, it will be a very long time until most of my shows see completion.......if at all. Lately I have borrowed a lot of sets from friends however.

 

[Dave Scarpa]

TV Series Box sets I usually buy unless its a fringe series like Square Pegs Which I rented from Netflix. Movies I'm primarily Rental now but I do buy some films Like Sweeny Todd, There will be Blood and cloverfield, but most newer flick seem to be watch one and done of late, no need to own them, so another vote for Redbox here as well.

 

[Ron Lee Green]

I prefer to buy TV on dvd sets, and rent movies from Netflix. I don't have a lot of storage space, so I've cut back on buying unless its on my top list. I noticed that I watch movies once and them shelf them, and maybe don't watch them again for maybe a year, so I don't buy movies as much anymore. On the other hand, TV season sets take me forever to watch all the episodes, because I don't watch them all in one marathon. Maybe I'll watch a couple of episodes, and then onto different show. I also don't feel the need to buy everything on the first day of release. I was always afraid something would go out of print if I didn't buy it right away. Now I just wait for sales. I get more satisfaction that way.

 

[Jeff Willis]

Ron,

I'm almost exactly the same way as your DVD routine. I buy both TV/DVD's & movies and I also shelve the movies after 1 viewing then revisit them after a min of a year.

I'm also the same with TV/DVD sets. I never do the marathon viewing although I'm fairly certain that I'm in the minority on this habit.

As far as renting vs viewing, I'm a buyer. I've thought about Netflix several times and for checking out a TV/DVD set (or renting a movie that you may not want to add to the collection), it's a great way to do both. The only reason I haven't joined Netflix is that there's a monthly fee, refardless of the DVD's rented, even if it's 0 for a particular month. At least, that's the way it was set up the last time I checked their site. For me, since I rotate TV/DVD viewing and have a lot of sets that are in viewing-process, there would be some periods of time where I wouldn't use Netflix and still get charged the monthly fee. Plus, I'm a DirecTV viewer (mainly sports) so there's no time left over for Netflix.

That said, I know friends that use Netflix and for them it's the perfect DVD service.

 

[Joe Karlosi]

I still do what I have always done -- I buy the movies or TV shows I wish to own, which I feel I'll want to revisit again and again. I try not to have any dead weight in my library just to clutter up shelf space with no rewatchability factor.

It's rare for me to do a blind buy anymore, but if I do and decide I don't ever need to revisit the title again, I'll sell it right away. This happened recently with ARCHIE BUNKER'S PLACE.... I love ALL IN THE FAMILY, so I gambled on the series with Archie going solo. It stank to high heavens, so out it goes.

But the bottom line for me is, I'm not going to let this staggering economy stop me from owning the titles I wish to purchase.

 

[Jeff Willis]

Joe, well-said. That's the way I also buy DVD's, for the "rewatchibility" factor. I've been fortunate with my buys overall. So far, I've only sold (actually traded at a local store) one TV/DVD set.

Same for me so far (economy) but it's getting tough out there for a lot of consumers. I have cut back some of some of the "fence" TV/DVD sets that I might have bought a year ago but with my "must-haves" (Fugitive, Invaders, Rawhide, etc) I''m still buying those. The DD sale sure helps and is here at a good time.

 

[Regulus]

Neither am I. Even though I'm unemployed I still get Disability, and I get some money by doing Odd Jobs for my Neighbors. (Usually Weeding their Gardens and/or Sweeping their Porches) _ This is where I get most of my DVD Money. As for these Gas Prices I am protesting them this year in the only way I know how (My DVDs factor in HUGE for this!) I am NOT watching the Olympics this August, nor am I purchasing any goods or services from anyone who is Advertising in them. I have had it up to here on hearing how well China's Economy is doing! They are doing so AT OUR EXPENSE!

 

[Mary_P]

I'm doing a combination of buying and renting. I buy more than I rent -- I've always liked having a library of items that are available on the spur of the moment, whether it's music, books, or video. But I have been renting rather than doing blind buys, or when a series is more expensive than I want to pay to see it.

Putting new, unseen titles in the Netflix queue has also helped me cut down on impulse buys; I'd rather pay $2.50 for a rental than $20 for a blind buy. If I like the rental enough that I want to own it, the price will likely have dropped by the time I'm ready to see it again, so that's been working out pretty well.

 

[bmasters9]

I am pretty much the same way-- I will usually purchase if the DVD set in question is of a series that I can enjoy at least one episode's worth of at whim. Case in point: "Hawaii Five-O." This series (through three seasons' worth on DVD, barring the missing "Bored, She Hung Herself") has been very much a powerhouse. Sure, there may have been some outings that I have seen only once and have not seen again, but for the most part, "Five-O" has had generally well-written, well-acted outings, with (at least in my opinion) one of the best main title sequences (the titles were made by Reza Badiyi) and also one of the very best main title tracks (composed by Morton Stevens). This #4 release (which is due this coming Tuesday) will be a definite purchase, because "Five-O," at least so far, has definitely proven itself worthy of being on my television disc shelf.

 

[Professor_Echo]

Well, no one has suggested this yet, so I thought I would chime in.

My local Public Library has got the most incredible selection of DVDs in their collection. Film titles from all eras, complete TV series from all eras, and often if there's something they don't have, they will order it based on your recommendation. Of if they don't have it, their online system of libraries might have it and using that process you can place an order for the item to be sent to your local library or branch. Now if none of the libraries in their system offers it, you can still try all the libraries in your individual state outside the system and it's highly likely you can still get it.

The cost to me to check these DVDs out? Nothing.

Now, of course, they don't have everything, but for so many titles I wanted to watch and not buy, for instance they have just about every single Criterion title ever released, I have more than enough stuff to watch. It may not be ideal for TV shows if you are like Jeff and myself and watch them on a periodic basis, but if you want to sample something before you buy it--or indeed INSTEAD of buying, I would suggest giving your local library a try and put your Netflix money elsewhere.

 

[Corey3rd]

my local library doesn't loan out Emanuelle Around the World.

 

[Ockeghem]

These are some good points. Through interlibrary loan, I've had much success over the years acquiring just about everything I have ever needed. (As a daily user of OCLC, and over the years of RLIN and/or UTLAS, I have and have had access to the collections of app. 35,000 libraries worldwide.) Sometimes it takes a little more time and patience, as not all libraries have synonymous reciprocal borrowing arrangements. And depending on the format (CD, manuscript, microform, realia, score, serial, etc.) it can be either easier or more difficult to acquire one thing over another.

As for DVDs, I prefer owning them, since I love collecting and have a fairly vast library. But since I've worked in libraries for nearly thirty years, I wholeheartedly support users being able to borrow anything they wish.