Comments on: Rent Vs. Own: Movies http://cashmoneylife.com/2007/05/31/rent-vs-own-movies/ Money Management, Small Business, Career Fri, 19 Mar 2010 16:40:33 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Ryan http://cashmoneylife.com/2007/05/31/rent-vs-own-movies/comment-page-1/#comment-200 Ryan Wed, 13 Jun 2007 20:41:01 +0000 http://cashmoneylife.com/2007/05/31/rent-vs-own-movies/#comment-200 Clever Dude, you make several good points. For me, the "need to watch 4-5 movies per month" sticks out. My wife and I usually don't watch that many movies per month. You also wrote that you watch more movies now because you have the monthly rental fees, so it seems like the subscription has altered your lifestyle (I'm not judging, blogging has altered my lifestyle!). I think one of the reasons I have stayed away from Netflix and Blockbuster is because I like to keep my fixed monthly expenses low. However, over the course of the year I may end up spending a similar amount on purchased movies, so that might be a wash. (It looks like it's time to check Quicken to find out!) While I have bought quite a few movies without seeing them, I usually only buy those movies pre-viewed or if they are very inexpensive ($5-10). It seems like a lot of people are very supportive of Netflix and Blockbuster. I think at some point I may have to check it out for myself. I'm sure that if I do, I will love it, and I will finally catch up on all the good movies I've missed out on over the years. You make some very valid observations! :) Clever Dude, you make several good points. For me, the “need to watch 4-5 movies per month” sticks out. My wife and I usually don’t watch that many movies per month. You also wrote that you watch more movies now because you have the monthly rental fees, so it seems like the subscription has altered your lifestyle (I’m not judging, blogging has altered my lifestyle!).

I think one of the reasons I have stayed away from Netflix and Blockbuster is because I like to keep my fixed monthly expenses low. However, over the course of the year I may end up spending a similar amount on purchased movies, so that might be a wash. (It looks like it’s time to check Quicken to find out!)

While I have bought quite a few movies without seeing them, I usually only buy those movies pre-viewed or if they are very inexpensive ($5-10).

It seems like a lot of people are very supportive of Netflix and Blockbuster. I think at some point I may have to check it out for myself. I’m sure that if I do, I will love it, and I will finally catch up on all the good movies I’ve missed out on over the years.

You make some very valid observations! :)

]]> By: Clever Dude http://cashmoneylife.com/2007/05/31/rent-vs-own-movies/comment-page-1/#comment-199 Clever Dude Wed, 13 Jun 2007 15:09:15 +0000 http://cashmoneylife.com/2007/05/31/rent-vs-own-movies/#comment-199 I can't really see the point in buying a movie you haven't seen yet, unless it's less than the price to rent it. I pay $19 per month after taxes for Blockbuster, and can just rent the movie when I want to see it again. Why would I want that junk cluttering up my home just so I FEEL like I can watch it any time I want? Let Blockbuster or Netflix hold onto it until I want to see it. Until then, I'll use that money savings to rent other movies I'd like to see. I can always use the free coupons Blockbuster gives each month, or take in one of my mailed movies in exchange for a movie off the shelf. However, paying what we pay, we feel like we NEED to watch at least 4-5 movies per month to break even on what we would have spent at Blockbuster to rent the movie. We didn't watch nearly as many movies back before we signed up for Netflix years ago. But, I have a few friends who just go buy a $10-15 movie without ever seeing it in hopes that it would be good and they'll want to watch it again. They say they'd rather buy it now rather than rent and then want to buy it. They think they're throwing that money away by renting first. I think it's the other way around, based on their experiences. I can’t really see the point in buying a movie you haven’t seen yet, unless it’s less than the price to rent it. I pay $19 per month after taxes for Blockbuster, and can just rent the movie when I want to see it again. Why would I want that junk cluttering up my home just so I FEEL like I can watch it any time I want? Let Blockbuster or Netflix hold onto it until I want to see it. Until then, I’ll use that money savings to rent other movies I’d like to see. I can always use the free coupons Blockbuster gives each month, or take in one of my mailed movies in exchange for a movie off the shelf.

However, paying what we pay, we feel like we NEED to watch at least 4-5 movies per month to break even on what we would have spent at Blockbuster to rent the movie. We didn’t watch nearly as many movies back before we signed up for Netflix years ago.

But, I have a few friends who just go buy a $10-15 movie without ever seeing it in hopes that it would be good and they’ll want to watch it again. They say they’d rather buy it now rather than rent and then want to buy it. They think they’re throwing that money away by renting first. I think it’s the other way around, based on their experiences.

]]> By: Ryan http://cashmoneylife.com/2007/05/31/rent-vs-own-movies/comment-page-1/#comment-193 Ryan Mon, 11 Jun 2007 18:55:13 +0000 http://cashmoneylife.com/2007/05/31/rent-vs-own-movies/#comment-193 I don't think my wife and I watch enough movies to get our money's worth from Netflix or Blockbuster, but I think if we watched more movies that is the way I would like to go. As it stands, we only watch a few movies per month. Things might change when we have children and we stay at home more. :) I don’t think my wife and I watch enough movies to get our money’s worth from Netflix or Blockbuster, but I think if we watched more movies that is the way I would like to go.

As it stands, we only watch a few movies per month. Things might change when we have children and we stay at home more. :)

]]> By: Anonymous http://cashmoneylife.com/2007/05/31/rent-vs-own-movies/comment-page-1/#comment-192 Anonymous Mon, 11 Jun 2007 15:22:26 +0000 http://cashmoneylife.com/2007/05/31/rent-vs-own-movies/#comment-192 I'm a happy Netflix subscriber. If you watch the movies on the night they arrive or the next evening and then return them, it works out to less that $2 per movie. That's even true if you keep some movies for a week or so. That's a pretty accurate description of our viewing pattern. If I really like a movie and I think I'll watch it again, then I'll buy a copy. That means that for movies that I'm going to watch over and over, I've paid for a rental in addition to the price of the DVD I bought. However, it means that I'm buying a lot fewer DVDs. The biggest factor that would convince me to switch to Blockbuster from Netflicks would be a larger selection of movies I want to see. They both have every movie that hit the theaters in a big way in the past couple of decades. However, I enjoy classic movies, foreign films and documentaries too. I’m a happy Netflix subscriber. If you watch the movies on the night they arrive or the next evening and then return them, it works out to less that $2 per movie. That’s even true if you keep some movies for a week or so. That’s a pretty accurate description of our viewing pattern.

If I really like a movie and I think I’ll watch it again, then I’ll buy a copy. That means that for movies that I’m going to watch over and over, I’ve paid for a rental in addition to the price of the DVD I bought. However, it means that I’m buying a lot fewer DVDs.

The biggest factor that would convince me to switch to Blockbuster from Netflicks would be a larger selection of movies I want to see. They both have every movie that hit the theaters in a big way in the past couple of decades. However, I enjoy classic movies, foreign films and documentaries too.

]]> By: pf101 http://cashmoneylife.com/2007/05/31/rent-vs-own-movies/comment-page-1/#comment-191 pf101 Mon, 11 Jun 2007 06:29:04 +0000 http://cashmoneylife.com/2007/05/31/rent-vs-own-movies/#comment-191 I also buy most of my movies. My problem is that I'm horrible at remembering to return movies (and books which is one reason why I buy those too) and back in the day of late fees, I would end up oweing 2-3 times what it would have cost to just buy it so I gave up on renting and started buying. People laugh at me a bit, but it works for me. I buy previously viewed and I even still have a VCR so those movies I can get for $2-3 which is a total bargain. My biggest problem is space. I keep my DVDs in a binder and toss the cases but that's not really possible with VHS movies... I also buy most of my movies. My problem is that I’m horrible at remembering to return movies (and books which is one reason why I buy those too) and back in the day of late fees, I would end up oweing 2-3 times what it would have cost to just buy it so I gave up on renting and started buying. People laugh at me a bit, but it works for me. I buy previously viewed and I even still have a VCR so those movies I can get for $2-3 which is a total bargain. My biggest problem is space. I keep my DVDs in a binder and toss the cases but that’s not really possible with VHS movies…

]]> By: vause http://cashmoneylife.com/2007/05/31/rent-vs-own-movies/comment-page-1/#comment-169 vause Fri, 01 Jun 2007 00:11:42 +0000 http://cashmoneylife.com/2007/05/31/rent-vs-own-movies/#comment-169 I have to agree with you. I like to go to walmart and look into their pile of $5 movies sometimes you can find good movies!! I have to agree with you. I like to go to walmart and look into their pile of $5 movies sometimes you can find good movies!!

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