nateman

similar to the movie talk's home vs theater i was wondering if you guys like to rent or buy the movies to keep in your collection. and if this has been done already i am sorry i havn't been here that long.
personally i like to buy dvds to keep in my collection, i have never rented a dvd in my life due to the big fact that most of the dvds i buy are tv on dvd so i know what i am getting myself into.
with movies i buy the ones i have seen already or i pick up the movie blindly. i just don't want to waste money renting all the time, althrough a lot of people love to rent because they don't want to have dvds cluttering there house.
I buy.
also if you rent tell me where you like to rent from if you want.

Dr. Henry Jones, Jr.

if you don't want to waste money, I wouldn't think buying something blindly is a good idea. makes more sense to rent those

TheMovieman

I use Netflix to rent mainly because I already have 900+ DVDs and paying $18/month actually saves me money and removes 90% of the temptation I have making a blind buy (I still will pick one up every so often, but most of the time its $5 or less). I have a system down to get the new releases to me on the Tuesday they're released so I don't have to wait. Then eventually I can buy it previously viewed at Hollywood Video in their 3 for $25 deal.

Cameron

i hardly ever rent. you can get some good titles for 2-5 bucks out of the big lots, wal mart, best buy sales etc. Not to mentioned used disc for less than 3 bucks on average.

the nashville public library has a great selection for free as well. so thats about as close as I come to renting

TomOpus

Every blue moon I'll have my roommate put a movie in his Netflix que... otherwise I only buy.

C_Fletch

The other option is buying them used at pawn shops, flea market, used DVD/CD stores, ebay, etc. My usual buying price is around $3.00 to $4.00 per DVD. I've found I can blind buy as many as I want. If I dont like them I resell them, trade them in for credit or give them as presents. That way I usually don't lose a dime and I occasionally pick up a OOP title to sell on Ebay that pays for the whole lot of 'em. And with the large "to be watched" section I can be patient with the new releases and wait for them to filter in to the used places. I used to be the guy at Best Buy on release day but that's just a waste of money to me now. But to each their own.

But as others have said - renting is cheaper than blind buying a new title.

JimRochester

I used to buy exclusively, but now through Blockbuster for $18 a month I get close to 7 movies a week. They now allow you to bring in your mailers for an off the shelf rental. This gives me one for warching while they mail me another one. This is a rent vs. buy thread so I won't go in to detail here, but Netflix didn't get me half the movies Blockbuster does. I still get some keepers. I usually put some good Special Editions on my Christmas and Birthday list.

gotrice487

I pretty much just buy...I have all but stopped going to the theatres (I went once this year and that was The Marine for a basketball team outing). I had Netflix but cancelled when I started to work more and have less time to watch and return in a set time frame. I try to only buy regular movies for $10 tops and most TV sets for $20 tops...it's been a good system so far for me and hopefully it will continue to be next year!

gutwrencher

Yes, this has been rapped about many, many times....we have beat a dead horse. But some things are worth mentioning again.

No...I never rent. I think I last rented a film in 1988. Give or take a year.

I depise renting....I only buy. And I don't go for that "blind buy" thing at all. Do enough research...and if you have a handle on what you like and have a few film gurus on-line you trust...then, like me, you can go into ANY film with your eyes wide open. Insert *dvd* in place of film from any of my above statement.

And clutter? Only if someone has no clue how to organize and display his collection. If you live like a slob and can't organize...then yes, I guess it will look cluttered. Thank God I decided years ago to convert a closet into the Gutwrencher Movie and Concert Vault. No clutter, no crackhead thieving, no pissed off wife. No stickey fingered guests, no greasy covered-with-chocolate kid brats...no nobody.

Hey....it's all about me.

ME!!

TheMadMonk

I used to just buy everything I wanted to see. But, I got tired of buying movies I never wanted to watch again, plus they started taking up too much space. So, now I rent first, then if it is something I want to own, and I find it at a good price, I'll buy it.

utopianz14

The only times I've rented was when I needed a film for a paper I'm writing or when I was given a GC for Blockbusters.

I also have my university library to thank for keeping my buying habits down. The library has quite a large collection of DVDs, and checking them out is free of charge.

But for a person my age, I do spend a lot buying DVDs, most of the time blindly. I know what I like, and I do do research before buying (price-wise and content-wise), so I've never had any purchase regrets. My thinking is that if I do end up purchasing a DVD I don't want to keep, I can always sell it and it'll end up being about the same price as a rental. Or I can trade it.

Space is becoming an issue though...

Altimus Prime

I used to never rent DVDs. But then, I didn't buy a ton either, as seen in my "modest," by DVD Talk standards, "collection." I bought mainly old favs, movies I had some ties to, or new ones I really liked.

But I have started renting recently. Mainly to see movies I wanted to see in the theater but missed. Last rental was Clerks II; next will probably be Pirates of the Carribbean 2.

I've also realized that just because I like a movie, doesn't mean I have to buy it. It has to have a certain attraction to it for me to get me to buy it. I'm also picky about price. Collectors/special/anniversary editions also have a pull - I'm still waiting for an SE of Face Off.

I think in only one case - Over the Hedge - did I rent a movie, then buy it.

I've really backed off TV show buying. I've realized I just don't have the time and see no point in filling up my place with seasons upon seasons of TV series.

I bought the first season of Lost cuz I was just so floored by it. But I passed on S2. And I can't say when I last watched any of S1.

Exceptions to the TV position will be Battlestar Galactica, and if the first couple seasons of Earth Final Conflict ever see disc.

Mike Adams

I'm really into Blockbuster's Total Access thing now, and have dropped Netflix, since I used to be a 1-at-a-time subscriber to both. I always try to rent a DVD before making the decision to buy it, even with TV shows I loved as a kid, because they aren't always as great 20 years later. Blockbuster Online gives me a much bigger selection than my local stores, and the Total Access thing is the icing on the cake. Don't know what I'll do when I run out of movies to rent in-store, but it doesn't really matter because they're free (I promise I really really don't work for Blockbuster).

Blind buys happen once in a while, but typically only with really cheap DVDs, or in a situation where something's obscure enough not to be available locally, and it's used or something so I don't really know if I'm gonna be able to find it again later. I know some people like to let the local video store take the place of a collection at home, but you never really know when something might be lost, checked out, destroyed, or simply discontinued. Most of the stuff I watch is important enough to buy if I think I'll want to watch it again and again. Some of my blind buys have been "well, I'm glad I watched it, but into the trade bin it goes" situations, but like I said, they're usually around the price of a rental or less.

Ginwen

I buy more than I rent, but there are some movies I want to see a little but that don't sound worth owning (occasionally I do end up buying those but not too often). Also a lot of movies I can't really rent and I'm not sure about buying (mostly foreign films and some Criterions) I check out at the library.

mcnamara/troy

Well I usually only rent Movies on Thursday because my local town has a mom and pop shop Rental Place and they have a special on Thursday all rentals for $1 for 2days. But I am still a sucker for buying movies a addiction that I think I will never get over and I am a real sucker for movies I like that have all the extra exclusives from (BB,BB, Target, and Etc.)

scottp120

I try to rent movies from Netflix as much as I can to avoid pieces of garbage blind buys (Cat In The Hat, The Grinch, etc). I still buy a lot, but if it's something I can hold off on I would rather wait for the price to drop or the DDD (or soon to be DD) 20% off sale.

bodomnet

Considering the prices at my local rental shop it's just as cheap for me to buy most movies.

I am a meber of an online rental club, but rarely use it.. as I love collecting, I pretty much use the same method as someone else mentioned.. if I dont like it I sell it on ebay or amazon.

Unlike some others though if I have the cash ill buy new releases the day they come out.

I can honestly say ive rewatched most of my dvds, and have gone through my whole collection and sold films I thought were not worth keeping.
That was partially because of cash problems aswell.

Ive bought 115 dvds in the last 2 months, and I couldnt be happier.
Some because they were cheap.. others because they fit in with other films in my collection ect.

But I will watch every one of them, more then once!!

Buying deffinatly wins for me.

dollfins1

i never rent. last thing i rented was a vhs in the 1980's. why rent when you can own the dvd for a few dollars more?

Mike Adams

That doesn't make sense. Even if you buy a DVD for $7 and rentals are $5 each, you're paying $2 more for each and every DVD, not to mention what you lose if you don't like the movie and end up trading it in somewhere.

The Bus

I know owning costs more but honestly I need the convenience. I don't rent or even use the library because I never know when I'm going to have the time to see something. Sometimes I'm tired and fall asleep and don't get to finish a movie. Then I may not have time for a couple more days to see it.

Since the advent of HD, I've completely stopped buying regular DVDs since I will want to upgrade in the future. And since most movies are $18-$28, I've stopped buyiong HD DVDs as well. So I just go to the theatre.

Mike Adams

So you neither rent nor buy... I don't think that was one of the choices.

I can relate to not knowing when you'll be able to sit down for 2 hours to watch a movie, but since Blockbuster has all but eliminated late fees (basically you have 7 days past the listed due date, or they'll charge you for the movie, and perhaps not even then), it's not like you have to return DVDs the next day anymore. There are also online clubs where you can keep a DVD for months (I know I have), although it may prevent you from getting another DVD until you're done with the one you have.

To pull yet another car metaphor out of my ass, nobody ever suggests that instead of renting a car at the airport, they prefer to catch a cab to the nearest dealership and buy one, only to trade it in once they don't need it anymore. It seems to me that buying every DVD you have even the slightest interest in watching is just as foolish.

tonyc3742

I like buying, because then I can watch it whenever and sometimes resell to break even or even make money. I was with NF and BBO then NF again, and rented a whole lot, but fleshed out my collection with some good sales so I cancelled NF till I get caught up on some owned titles.
Yes, if you buy for 7 and could rent for 5, you're out a few bucks. If you can watch it during your rental period. The last time I paid to rent from a local store, I did watch it, but my schedule and lifestyle has changed. I'll go days without watching anything, then I'll watch two movies or four or five Tv on DVD episodes at once. Don't forget to add in gas and time to pick it out and return it. And if you buy it for 7, watch it once or twice, you can then give it to someone [I'm handing down a couple dvds to my brother for Christmas], or resell it.

tonyc3742

My cousin-i=n-law is doing something similar...she's going to car dealerships, asking to 'test drive' a car for a few days, then returns it and goes to another dealership to do the same thing.
And some people do that with cars, they'll lease a car or buy a car and trade it in every 2-3 years [it's taken me that long to sell off some DVDs].

Mike Adams

Okay, we get it. You're a very important person who has more money than time. We're all very impressed, thanks for sharing.

Mike Adams

That's not even close to being the same thing. That's more like borrowing DVDs from friends instead of renting or buying. As far as the leasing/buying thing, OF COURSE they do, because they get years of use out of it, and you don't need a dozen new cars every month or so.

Like I said, a few dollars extra to buy a DVD as opposed to renting it adds up pretty quickly, and that's many more DVDs you could buy that you'd actually want to keep. Doesn't really make sense, but if you're just after letting people know you can afford to waste money, that certainly fits the bill.