$13 vs. $15 (from the Sale Codes thread)
06-06-09, 09:28 PM
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$13 vs. $15 (from the Sale Codes thread)
Let me give you bargain basement shoppers a reality check.
First of all, two bucks is two bucks, regardless of what you're buying. Now, in the grand scheme of math and retail prices, the larger the price, the less significant two bucks will be. But in this case, we're not talking about TVs, houses, horses, Lakers tickets or anything else remotely expensive - we're talking about movies and in our case, discounted movies.
The reason that 200% of you guys log onto this site and read these threads is to find deals or codes that unlock deals which allow you to buy an exhorbitant amount of movies for much less than they would cost at your local retailer. Sure, there are some deals that are better than others and some deals will allow you to buy more for your buck. But, thats all they do.
When it comes to buying movies on a B1G1 deal, you're already winning, whether or not you pay shipping. This is becuz not one of you can walk into Best Buy or Frys or any other mom & pop shop and get that same kind of deal. So, the mere fact that the average price of 8 BD movies is 15 bucks instead of 13 means absolutely nothing becuz you cant buy ANY OF THE EIGHT MOVIES for either price individually nor in tandem anywhere.
No one here is to save money; everyone is here to beat the system and stretch their money farther. Thats it. Folks that save money dont buy DVDs. They dont buy 50 inch TVs nor do they buy BMWs, Air Jordans or anything else that doesnt hold it's value over time.
So do yourselves a favor and stop pretending and/or using words and phrases out of context. If you want to think of yourself saving money as you spend 200 bucks on a B1G1FS deal, then go right ahead. Just remember that if you were really in the saving money business, you wouldnt be spending that 200 on movies.
So, again, spending 8 bucks instead of 10 isnt saving money. And if that extra 2 bucks is that much of an issue, then again, you shouldnt be spending the eight. Take it how you want, but don't sell dreams in the process.
First of all, two bucks is two bucks, regardless of what you're buying. Now, in the grand scheme of math and retail prices, the larger the price, the less significant two bucks will be. But in this case, we're not talking about TVs, houses, horses, Lakers tickets or anything else remotely expensive - we're talking about movies and in our case, discounted movies.
The reason that 200% of you guys log onto this site and read these threads is to find deals or codes that unlock deals which allow you to buy an exhorbitant amount of movies for much less than they would cost at your local retailer. Sure, there are some deals that are better than others and some deals will allow you to buy more for your buck. But, thats all they do.
When it comes to buying movies on a B1G1 deal, you're already winning, whether or not you pay shipping. This is becuz not one of you can walk into Best Buy or Frys or any other mom & pop shop and get that same kind of deal. So, the mere fact that the average price of 8 BD movies is 15 bucks instead of 13 means absolutely nothing becuz you cant buy ANY OF THE EIGHT MOVIES for either price individually nor in tandem anywhere.
No one here is to save money; everyone is here to beat the system and stretch their money farther. Thats it. Folks that save money dont buy DVDs. They dont buy 50 inch TVs nor do they buy BMWs, Air Jordans or anything else that doesnt hold it's value over time.
So do yourselves a favor and stop pretending and/or using words and phrases out of context. If you want to think of yourself saving money as you spend 200 bucks on a B1G1FS deal, then go right ahead. Just remember that if you were really in the saving money business, you wouldnt be spending that 200 on movies.
So, again, spending 8 bucks instead of 10 isnt saving money. And if that extra 2 bucks is that much of an issue, then again, you shouldnt be spending the eight. Take it how you want, but don't sell dreams in the process.
IJMSPORT, you're using an incredibly narrow and inappropriate definition of "save." You're avoiding the meaning "conserve" in favor of the meaning "set aside." Here you go: http://www.thefreedictionary.com/save
Your definition is #4, mine is #3, so, you know, I win.
In addition, the colloquial definition of "saving money" when discussing matters of spending money would obviously refer to "spending less money."
Also, "becuz" isn't a word. It's "becauz."
Besides your English, I wouldn't try to make a point of saying that $15 is not really less than $13, and then claim that 200% of the people that log in to this site are here to find deals. I seriously have to question your math skills.
But if we're talking math, anyone looking to argue this any further should take a moment to multiply the value of your time and sanity by the probability that the other party will be swayed by your logic. That would put the value of your post at approximately 0. Believe me, I've been there. I think both sides had their say. In one event, $15 is approximately equal to $13. Multiply that 1,000 occurrences, and $15,000 is significantly greater than $13,000. Some people think short-term, and others long-term.
If you have unwatched discs in your "to be watched" pile, and you buy something now that will in all probability be available for less later when you're actually through with all the other things you just had to have before, well, you know what they say about people like you and your money and how you will soon be parted.
PS. I don't know if you've noticed, but the apostrophe key seems to be broken on your keyboard, IJMSPORT.
Last edited by Cheato; 06-06-09 at 09:36 PM. Reason: fixed a typo
06-06-09, 11:03 PM
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Re: $13 vs. $15 (from the Sale Codes thread)
Yawn on the philisophical approach on how to save money buying a bunch of movies. We're not talking 15,000 vs 13,000. We're talking 15 versus 13 on things that should cost 30, none of which can be obtained by going anywhere you know other than to one internet site.
Cheato, you have cycling and fulfilling accounts down to a science and while I know you have some good info, I think there is a fine line between maximizing a purchase and being a cheapskate.
Personally, I dont see what the big deal is in spending 15 on something you want now versus waiting for God knows how long to spend 13 on it later. That logic fails me becuz - and this is how I write "becuz" on the internet - at that moment, it is no longer about how much you do or dont want to spend, it's about buying something you want.
When you buy something, anything that your heart desires, you might do some homework and maybe play retailers against each other to get a good price. But, there comes a point where the decision comes down to if you want to actually make the purchase. And when folks are on here searching for codes or clicking on offers in their e-mail boxes, they already have movies in mind that they want to acquire and are just looking for the best available avenue to make their move.
To be honest, I think alot of you guys just go too deep into this whole thing. This isnt science.. it's buying movies. Thats it. Sure, there is tons of info that helps the process and you provide a great abundance of it. But, again, it's buying movies.
If a guy decides that buying 8 BD movies on a B1G1 at a 15 dollar average is a winner for him, then good for him. And if that same guy decides that he'd rather wait until he can get that average down to 13, then God bless him in his pursuit of the better deal he seeks. But to think or infer that he's saving money when comparing the two decisions is pushing it becuz the 13 dollar deal isnt available. It doesnt matter when/if it will roll around becuz it's not here now. I wont mention what I previously said about saving money.
And if that guy has a problem making the move becuz of the two dollar difference, though he's still willing to spend over 100 dollars for the eight movies, then perhaps he shouldnt be spending the 100. For those that have the money to spend on movies, whether they budget it or just draw a handful of it from a sack, if they have and want to spend it, then theyre going to spend it.
Nobody here is willing to spend 95 bucks, but not 100. It's not rational. Why even spend 95 if the last 5 is the dealbreaker? Whats up with the last 5 that it suddenly makes a deal any less of a deal?
Thats where my train of thought comes in when folks start over-analyzing, pinching and are watching their cart averages or total on these B1G1s or other applicable deals. If it's something you want, it's something you'll buy. Simple as that. Yes, you want a good price, but at some point, either you will make the purchase or you wont. And if you want it and you have a price that feels good to you, it doesnt matter about what the price could be later.
Cheato, you have cycling and fulfilling accounts down to a science and while I know you have some good info, I think there is a fine line between maximizing a purchase and being a cheapskate.
Personally, I dont see what the big deal is in spending 15 on something you want now versus waiting for God knows how long to spend 13 on it later. That logic fails me becuz - and this is how I write "becuz" on the internet - at that moment, it is no longer about how much you do or dont want to spend, it's about buying something you want.
When you buy something, anything that your heart desires, you might do some homework and maybe play retailers against each other to get a good price. But, there comes a point where the decision comes down to if you want to actually make the purchase. And when folks are on here searching for codes or clicking on offers in their e-mail boxes, they already have movies in mind that they want to acquire and are just looking for the best available avenue to make their move.
To be honest, I think alot of you guys just go too deep into this whole thing. This isnt science.. it's buying movies. Thats it. Sure, there is tons of info that helps the process and you provide a great abundance of it. But, again, it's buying movies.
If a guy decides that buying 8 BD movies on a B1G1 at a 15 dollar average is a winner for him, then good for him. And if that same guy decides that he'd rather wait until he can get that average down to 13, then God bless him in his pursuit of the better deal he seeks. But to think or infer that he's saving money when comparing the two decisions is pushing it becuz the 13 dollar deal isnt available. It doesnt matter when/if it will roll around becuz it's not here now. I wont mention what I previously said about saving money.
And if that guy has a problem making the move becuz of the two dollar difference, though he's still willing to spend over 100 dollars for the eight movies, then perhaps he shouldnt be spending the 100. For those that have the money to spend on movies, whether they budget it or just draw a handful of it from a sack, if they have and want to spend it, then theyre going to spend it.
Nobody here is willing to spend 95 bucks, but not 100. It's not rational. Why even spend 95 if the last 5 is the dealbreaker? Whats up with the last 5 that it suddenly makes a deal any less of a deal?
Thats where my train of thought comes in when folks start over-analyzing, pinching and are watching their cart averages or total on these B1G1s or other applicable deals. If it's something you want, it's something you'll buy. Simple as that. Yes, you want a good price, but at some point, either you will make the purchase or you wont. And if you want it and you have a price that feels good to you, it doesnt matter about what the price could be later.
06-06-09, 11:32 PM
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Re: $13 vs. $15 (from the Sale Codes thread)
This a very poor point... I currently own around 1200 titles on either dvd or blu-ray... had I paid $2 less for each one... I would have saved more money then "we're not talking" example.
06-07-09, 02:52 AM
#5
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Re: $13 vs. $15 (from the Sale Codes thread)
i dont contribute much to the ch threads, but they have contributed enough to me! thanks to all the usual suspects here 
thus, i would like to humbly make an observation or two. again, with the help of a fellow dvdtalker (sorry i forgot who, but it has been over a year!) who pointed out an enjoyable book titled, "the paradox of choice: why more is less".
i dont recall all the details and nuances of this book so forgive me if i err, but basically, there are maximizers and there are satisficers. maximizers wait and search and wait and search and on and on. sometimes, they even regret past purchases because of various reasons: should have waited on a lower price, better product now available, etc.
otoh, satisficers will have a set of standards. when they find those standards are met (including price, quality, etc), they will purchase, be happy with it, and forget about it.
now, obviously no one is 100% maximizer or satisficer, but imho, everyone is somewhere in between on anything and everything. again imho, IJMSPORT is going for a satisficer approach, which is cool. it also appears that many others are going for a maximizer approach, which is cool too. its all cool yesh?
in any case, i do believe IJMSPORT might misunderstand the "cheapskate" mentality that some/most ch dvdtalkers have on this thread. because i dont believe its all about the $ in a lot of cases. it may be about the "thrill of the hunt", bragging rights to others, discipline in spending habits for the sake of discipline itself, just plain fun (fun is relative eh?), and so on. also, just because you are a cheapskate does not mean you do not have plenty of money.
just my observations all imho of course. and i neither use apostraphes nor capitalize letters
thus, i would like to humbly make an observation or two. again, with the help of a fellow dvdtalker (sorry i forgot who, but it has been over a year!) who pointed out an enjoyable book titled, "the paradox of choice: why more is less".
i dont recall all the details and nuances of this book so forgive me if i err, but basically, there are maximizers and there are satisficers. maximizers wait and search and wait and search and on and on. sometimes, they even regret past purchases because of various reasons: should have waited on a lower price, better product now available, etc.
otoh, satisficers will have a set of standards. when they find those standards are met (including price, quality, etc), they will purchase, be happy with it, and forget about it.
now, obviously no one is 100% maximizer or satisficer, but imho, everyone is somewhere in between on anything and everything. again imho, IJMSPORT is going for a satisficer approach, which is cool. it also appears that many others are going for a maximizer approach, which is cool too. its all cool yesh?
in any case, i do believe IJMSPORT might misunderstand the "cheapskate" mentality that some/most ch dvdtalkers have on this thread. because i dont believe its all about the $ in a lot of cases. it may be about the "thrill of the hunt", bragging rights to others, discipline in spending habits for the sake of discipline itself, just plain fun (fun is relative eh?), and so on. also, just because you are a cheapskate does not mean you do not have plenty of money.
just my observations all imho of course. and i neither use apostraphes nor capitalize letters
06-07-09, 11:55 AM
#6
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Re: $13 vs. $15 (from the Sale Codes thread)
Sorry, but that's far too simplistic.
By that definition, it seems the "maximizer" can never actually buy anything. In your wait and search cycle, there is no option for "buy."
Basically, since all of us are buying things, that would mean there are no "maximizers."
Based on the actual meaning of the word (instead of the more narrow one attempted by the author of some semi-psycho-babble book who seemingly tried to quantify people's behavior so simplistically), most people would consider me a "maximizer," since I try to look at all of these codes and other deals and figure out real costs, comparative costs, opportunity costs, and so on, to try to ensure that I am getting the best value for my dollar.
However, I also buy a lot. In the last two weeks, I have purchased 35 PS2 games, a PS3 game, 13 DVDs, and a season set of DVDs. That's a lot of game-playing and DVD-watching in my future. They were al things I wanted, and all within the very low price limits that I set for each. If I had bought them all when they were first released, even on sale, I would have paid probably 200-300% more for them (or, more likely, I would currently own 1/3 to 1/4 of them). And even if there is a movie that I really want that comes out this week, it would be foolish, selfish, impatient, and short-sighted for me to buy it now, considering I have so many other things I already spent money on that can occupy my limited free time.
All of us are "satisfiers," since we all have standards for purchasing based on price and personal demand. There's a wide range in that group, though. On one end of the spectrum (considering the more limited spectrum of people that frequent these forums), some have a need for instant gratification, buying the newest releases and saving a few dollars compared to retail price by doing a little shopping around and checking related posts in the main Deals forum here. On the other end, some have patience and a larger range of interest beyond new releases, and can be satisfied buying things when the price drops more significantly.
If you find yourself buying things when they come out, double-dipping without even watching the original version, upgrading to Blu-ray without having watched the DVD, selling off things that you never even unwrapped, etc., etc., etc., then you're not really collecting movies. You're just someone who likes pretty boxes that may or may not actually have movies in them.
By that definition, it seems the "maximizer" can never actually buy anything. In your wait and search cycle, there is no option for "buy."
Basically, since all of us are buying things, that would mean there are no "maximizers."
Based on the actual meaning of the word (instead of the more narrow one attempted by the author of some semi-psycho-babble book who seemingly tried to quantify people's behavior so simplistically), most people would consider me a "maximizer," since I try to look at all of these codes and other deals and figure out real costs, comparative costs, opportunity costs, and so on, to try to ensure that I am getting the best value for my dollar.
However, I also buy a lot. In the last two weeks, I have purchased 35 PS2 games, a PS3 game, 13 DVDs, and a season set of DVDs. That's a lot of game-playing and DVD-watching in my future. They were al things I wanted, and all within the very low price limits that I set for each. If I had bought them all when they were first released, even on sale, I would have paid probably 200-300% more for them (or, more likely, I would currently own 1/3 to 1/4 of them). And even if there is a movie that I really want that comes out this week, it would be foolish, selfish, impatient, and short-sighted for me to buy it now, considering I have so many other things I already spent money on that can occupy my limited free time.
All of us are "satisfiers," since we all have standards for purchasing based on price and personal demand. There's a wide range in that group, though. On one end of the spectrum (considering the more limited spectrum of people that frequent these forums), some have a need for instant gratification, buying the newest releases and saving a few dollars compared to retail price by doing a little shopping around and checking related posts in the main Deals forum here. On the other end, some have patience and a larger range of interest beyond new releases, and can be satisfied buying things when the price drops more significantly.
If you find yourself buying things when they come out, double-dipping without even watching the original version, upgrading to Blu-ray without having watched the DVD, selling off things that you never even unwrapped, etc., etc., etc., then you're not really collecting movies. You're just someone who likes pretty boxes that may or may not actually have movies in them.
06-07-09, 01:31 PM
#7
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It seems a bit bizarre to come to a forum dedicated to the very best in bargain hunting and criticize those of us who are experts at it, labeling us as "cheapskates". If you want to throw your money away unnecessarily that is your prerogative. It doesn't take much extra effort to optimize Columbia House accounts, especially with the help of the community here. So, why not try to get the best deal?
For some of us bargain hunting has a certain recreational value. For others, it allows the pursuit of a hobby at an affordable price. For many here, I would guess that it is a bit of both.
06-07-09, 09:55 PM
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Re: $13 vs. $15 (from the Sale Codes thread)
06-07-09, 10:18 PM
#9
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Re: $13 vs. $15 (from the Sale Codes thread)
It's pretty easy for me. If it's something I want to watch now, like a new release I've been waiting for, then the $2 wouldn't hold me back (but even then, if it's a lot more than I'm used to paying, I might opt to rent and then buy later). In all other cases, I'm fine with waiting. Like a lot of people here, I am catalog building, there are 100s or 1000s of titles I want, and for the most part, I don't need them at this moment. Saving small amounts of $ here and there allows me to have a much larger collection.
06-07-09, 10:31 PM
#10
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Re: $13 vs. $15 (from the Sale Codes thread)
Everyone has to decide for themselves when to pull the trigger on a purchase and if it's worth the cost of shipping to have it now. The only thing that I find a wee bit annoying is the select few that act like this is a bad deal and CH is trying to screw them by not offering free shipping. If you want to wait because based on past history you feel that CH will have a Blu-ray BOGO with free shipping in the offing, I fully understand. However, this is still a good deal when comparing it with the other usual suspects(Amazon, Costco, Best Buy, Target, DD with the 20% off, etc). I know that most posters on this forum aren't this way, but the sense of entitlement that some feel CH owes them does bother me. CH doesn't owe any of us a damn thing. I'm just grateful that they do have sales codes and free shipping offers at all.
06-07-09, 11:05 PM
#11
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Re: $13 vs. $15 (from the Sale Codes thread)
I havn't posted in awhile, but this talk by op for a $2 savings has totally irked me.
Without going into a whole spiel on this & that, why not make a poll & see if someone would want to pay $13 instead of $15 for a blu-ray movie. Even better, anything for that matter.
Look at the global economy. Look at America right now! Who in america says what op says???
MY vote : $13
Without going into a whole spiel on this & that, why not make a poll & see if someone would want to pay $13 instead of $15 for a blu-ray movie. Even better, anything for that matter.
Look at the global economy. Look at America right now! Who in america says what op says???
MY vote : $13
06-07-09, 11:43 PM
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Re: $13 vs. $15 (from the Sale Codes thread)
Sorry, homie.. but I dont buy that. With that amount of DVDs in your library, you're a collector. Hence, had all of your 1200 movies cost 2 bucks less, you wouldnt have saved the money; you would have spent the difference on more movies, bringing your stack to 1400 instead of 1200.
06-08-09, 01:27 AM
#13
DVD Talk Legend
Re: $13 vs. $15 (from the Sale Codes thread)
There are about 1200 dvds in my collection that I wish I hadn't bought. 10 years from now I'm likely to say the same thing about a number of the Blu-Rays I own. The bottom line is if you are a collector then you get things for your enjoyment and at a price you feel comfortable with. 13 dollars or 15 dollars are both decent prices for an average Blu-Ray so it is what you are willing to pay is all that matters.
06-08-09, 03:03 AM
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Re: $13 vs. $15 (from the Sale Codes thread)
Sorry, homie.. but I dont buy that. With that amount of DVDs in your library, you're a collector. Hence, had all of your 1200 movies cost 2 bucks less, you wouldnt have saved the money; you would have spent the difference on more movies, bringing your stack to 1400 instead of 1200.
How many times are you going to contradict yourself here.
No matter what anyone says in favor of paying less, you are going to say the opposite just to be combattive.
Maybe you should just go find a "debate club" somewhere. I'm sure you'll have lots of fun there.
06-08-09, 04:01 AM
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Re: $13 vs. $15 (from the Sale Codes thread)
Sorry, homie.. but I dont buy that. With that amount of DVDs in your library, you're a collector. Hence, had all of your 1200 movies cost 2 bucks less, you wouldnt have saved the money; you would have spent the difference on more movies, bringing your stack to 1400 instead of 1200.
If I plan on an upcoming sale, I estimate how much money I am willing to spend. Then, the sale happens, I SAVE 20% or whatever. It doesn't matter if I spend my entire pre-determined budget, or 20% less, or 30% less, or even 50% less. The result is that I am able to buy more with my money (25% more) than I otherwise would have. So I get 5 DVDs for the price of 4. I hate to break it to you, but that is SAVING money if you had every intention of buying those 5 things. Stop trying to define the word SAVE so narrowly. Check just about any dictionary. You're not even using the primary definition of save, which is usually something like "to protect" or " to rescue." Definitions are contextual. The context in THIS forum is BUYING DVDs.
It only stops being saving if you are impulsively buying extra things because you "saved" money. Then you don't save money, but OTOH you do get extra stuff.
I already gave you a definition on thefreedictionary.com. Here's another one on dictionary.com: http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/save
You're using definition #6 in the transitive verb section, and the rest of us are using definition #4. Please stop acting like you're smarter than the rest of us and stop playing semantic games.
06-08-09, 09:32 AM
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Re: $13 vs. $15 (from the Sale Codes thread)
When did something $15=$13?
2+2 still equals 4.
I hate to use labels. But since you have, I feel I should too. You're a dolt.
2+2 still equals 4.
I hate to use labels. But since you have, I feel I should too. You're a dolt.
06-08-09, 09:45 AM
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Re: $13 vs. $15 (from the Sale Codes thread)
Um, who are you talking to, and what are you referring to? I don't see anybody in this thread who said that $15=$13. And all "labels" that have been used so far have, as far as I can tell, not been used to personally attack anyone. Well, until yours.
06-08-09, 10:29 AM
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Re: $13 vs. $15 (from the Sale Codes thread)
IJMSPORT
I call'em like I see'em. No patience for this type of banter. For someone to come on this site to post what he did, what was his expectation of reply?
Last edited by j-bo; 06-08-09 at 10:34 AM.
