7 Rules For Picking Up DVDs On The Cheap
-or, How To Get Movies Without Being Totally Screwed-
I have never believed in having to pay full price for a DVD. Even back when I wasn’t dead broke I never liked paying retail for any disc, used or new. Now that I do have almost no money, paying as little as possible is vital and goes a long way – especially with bills to pay. Whatever your reason for wanting to save on movie watching (like you need a reason), here are some rules to follow to ensure that you aren’t screwed by the retailers (for new discs) or greedy second-hand sellers (used).
1. Never Pay More Than $15 For A Single Disc
If the disc is used, lower that number down to 10. If you’re broke like me, lower it down to 5. If the disc is hideously rare and out-of-print and/or gives off the Light of God then raise the number to 20. If you’re dealing with boxsets, divide the price by the number of discs to determine the price of each single disc. This is a general rule I have always followed. Anything more than 15 dollars for a new single DVD is too much, especially if it doesn’t have any special features. In fact, if a DVD has no special features at all and it’s new then you probably shouldn’t be paying more than 10 bucks. No normal used disc is worth more than 10 bucks – don’t ever pay any more than this. A disc that is out of print and rare however, is a special case. In this case you may have to pay up to 20 dollars, 25 at the absolute maximum but no more than that. I don’t care how rare it is, no DVD is worth over 25 dollars. There is an exception to this rule though, and that is if you really, *really* want it more than anything in the whole world, which brings us to the next rule, which is….
2. Make Sure You Really Want What You’re Buying
If you have money and you can afford to buy any disc you want, you might be able to pass this rule by but I would still advise that you follow it. Yes, picking something up in the bargain bin on a whim is fun and sometimes you can find a real gem, but sometimes you end up with utter crap too. For someone with little money this rule is vital. You don’t want to squander what little cash you have on something that is complete garbage. And if you have a lot of money, you still want to save it – you never know when you're going to run out of cash and frugality is always a good thing. So only pick up stuff you know you want. If you think you may be interested in a movie you haven’t seen before, do a little research. Look up the movie on Wikipedia or IMDB. Read some online reviews. Talk to your friends. Just be wary though, because sometimes reviewers can hype something to death and it will still suck. The best way to research a movie is to see if you can watch some clips from it – Youtube in particular is your best friend.
3. Prepare To Buy Used
This one is especially for those with a tiny budget or who want something that is out-of-print. Be prepared to not be able to get that nice, new shiny boxset that you covet. You’ll probably have to get it used. Video rental places like Blockbuster sometimes have used DVDs for sale, but be wary as they are former rentals – pick up discs only if they are rare or normally very expensive. You can check your local Goodwill or thrift shop, but the discs found at these places are normally garbage, both in terms of movie quality and condition. Sometime you can find a gem though, so don’t completely rule it out. The best place for used DVDs though may be the used bookstore, if they carry movies – you can find some great deals, especially as some used bookstore owners price used DVDs really cheap since they don’t know that much about them – this is how I picked up my copy of Macross Plus for 3 dollars. Be prepared to have your purchase a little banged up though – this is used stuff were talking about. The aforementioned Macross Plus boxset was definitely not in new shape when I bought it, but it wasn’t completely BTS and it was THREE BUCKS. And this brings me to my last point – don’t overpay for something that has had the snot beaten out of it, no matter how desperate you are. If a boxset normally costs $50 and the used copy is 25 but looks like it’s been in the ring with Muhammed Ali for a few rounds, pass it by. It’s at only half the retail but with four times the damage. It’s too much.
4. For New Discs, Use Discounts
If you can afford to buy new discs, you still shouldn’t pay full retail – it will save you money in the long run. Besides, it’s good to know that you saved bigtime on that movie you wanted – makes you feel like you’ve BEATEN THE MAN! But seriously, if you shop at any of the big retailers a lot – and I cannot believe I am about to say this, I feel like a corporate whore – pick up their discount cards. It will save you some money, especially if they offer coupons. Be wary though, as sometimes they will play with you. Borders, for example offers 30 and 40% off coupons to members but sometimes this only applies IN STORE. This sucks because Borders doesn’t carry that many movies that are actually worth a crap in their store any more. They started reducing their movie and music sections a while back, and now most of the good stuff is online.
5. Watch For Sales
Be vigilant. Check places often because sometimes sales come and go very quickly. This is how I got my copies of Dominion and New Dominion. MovieStop had a 40% Off Used Anime sale for the month of October, and while I don’t like going to MovieStop – they’re owned by the same people who run GameStop, and I hate that store – I couldn’t pass on the opportunity. Barnes & Noble semi-regularly has a Half-Off Criterion Collection Sale. Do not pass on this. This is the only time I will buy Criterion discs – they’re normally very, very expensive – and this is a great opportunity to pick up some great films, as Criterion releases some of the greatest films of all time from directors like Kurosawa and Hitchcock (they release some real garbage sometimes though – a note to Criterion: just because something is European does not make it art – or even “culturally relevant”). The only reason I was able to get and enjoy Videodrome was because of the Criterion Sale.
6. Have Patience!
You don’t have to have that ultra-rare copy of Captain Harlock Vs. The Evil Dead right NOW! NOW! NOW!! If you wait for a little while a great deal can come to you. Again, this is how I picked up Dominion. I had wanted it for a while, but the Amazon Scalpers (argh!) wanted too much for it. Back then they wanted 35 dollars, which is better than the 75 bucks later on but still too much for a single disc to me (See Rule #1). Well, I waited and later picked it up for three dollars. So just control your urge and resist picking up that movie you want – you may find it later on for a better price. Good things come to those who wait.
7. – But Not Too Much
Sometimes though it does pay to pick something up now – but only if you are 99% sure that the price of the disc you are holding in your hands is going to skyrocket to unbuyable prices soon. Just be very careful. You don’t want to overpay for something you might get later for less. You also don't want to leave something rare that you want up on a shelf for too long or someone else might snatch it. If you see something that’s in good shape for a reasonable price and you really, really want it then go ahead. Yes, you might find it for dirt cheap later on and in better shape, but then again you may not. And besides, you can always pick it up and have another copy to sell. Or build a shrine to. Or dress in your old clothes and pretend it’s a real person, a real friend that can spend time with you since no one else will *sob.* Sorry. Anyways, just be rational and balance things in your head and you will be just fine.
Well, there are my "7 Rules For Picking Up DVDs On The Cheap". Hopefully they can make your wallet happier and keep you from getting screwed while looking for movies to watch. These rules can actually apply to anything though, including music, books, musical instruments, anything. And a lot of these are common sense, really. But I thought I would share them anyway seeing as how sometimes we can forget common sense when pursuing our favorite hobby or activity. I, for example completely lose all objectivity when engaging in my hobby of playing bass guitar and singing Wagnerian opera in the nude.
With that lovely thought now stuck in your head, thank you and good night.
No comments:
Post a Comment