The thing that is saving me the most money is Netflix. It is $8.99 a month versus $4.99 a movie at rental places, and we were renting 2 per weekend.
Yes, there is the Redbox, but I think the movies are limited and you feel under duress while others behind you wait, and you have to return it in 24 hours.
By linda from Bellevue, NE
Add your voice! Click below to comment. ThriftyFun is powered by your wisdom!
I'm on Netflix for $4.99 a month. I only get one or 2 movies, and 1 or 2 movies that I can watch for free on my computer from Netflix.com, but that price suits me just fine! Love Netflix!
Do you live close to your public library? If you do you can borrow VCR movies and DVD movies for free!
This one is a definite thumbs up! I've been a member of Netflix for over 3 yrs now and you're right, we have saved literally thousands of dollars over that time.
So many people harp about getting movies from the library and yes, that is a good source. However, if your library is small like ours is, they don't have that many movies. More times than not I can only find one or two movies that I haven't seen many times over.
I pay $18.31 and get 3 movies at a time with unlimited Instant Viewing on the computer. And to top it all off, the customer service people at Netflix are the best customer service people I have ever dealt with any time, any where. They are extremely nice, extremely professional, extremely helpful, and extremely knowledgeable about any problem that comes up.
I have never enjoyed dealing with a company as much as I have with Netflix.
More plus tips, saves me gas money, saves me time, I don`t have to stand there and take time to select a movie, now they are all in a list at Netflix just ready to ship to me, and I only have to go to my mailbox on a cold snowy day to get or return my movie. BTW you must check out "The Prize Winner Of Difiance Ohio" a true story that was brilliant!
Just started a membership and I love it!
I really also like Netflix, and now with my blueray DVD player I can download and watch movies. Right now the choice is a little limited but it does fill in the time between the mailbox movies, and I do believe that the quanity of movies for direct download will increase with time.....
Until Netflix starts supporting all OS IE: Windows, MAC and Linux alike. I refuse to even entertain them in my house. The online downloads are not of a usable quality on a slower internet connection of which many people still have. And no I am not talking about dial-up either.. Save you money, forget about Netflix and do something with the family for a change. Turn off the boob tube, computer etc.
Hello Netflix start supporting all the OS's, there really is no excuse that you can't do so.
For me, Redbox is the way to go. There are not a lot of movies that I actually want to see so I rent only a few a month. Plus I reserve the video I want online. It does annoy me to wait in line while people browse through all the videos. Browsing and reserving the video while at home on the computer... no hurry and no pressure. Then it takes a quick pick-up at the vending machine and I'm all set.
NetFlix is great, and I never had a problem with them, by mail or straming... but I took a leap and splurged almost two months allowance (I budget myself severely actually) and bought a Roku player. You have Amazon Streaming, and Netflix streaming, hulu, plus a few others, that have allowed me to forgo cable all together. Setup was easy, operation of the box is simple and straight forward, and I am all caught up on several shows my cable took from me in order to place them on higher digital tiers.
I absolutely love Netflix. I've been using it for over two years now. Very fast service, and they have an enormous selection to choose from. I've been able to watch all the old black and white Perry Mason series. Next, I'll be watching the Mannix and then, Cannon, Here Come the Brides, lots of the oldies. I get two at a time, and am sometimes able to watch four DVDs a week. Saves me money, and I don't have to drive anywhere. I just can't say enough good things about Netflix.
I totally agree! I get 3 movies at a time, and inside of 7 days, I can get 2 batches (6 movies) in and back in the mail for return. And an extra "plus" from them, every so often they'll send me a 4th movie from my Queue for free! This did that this past week. On the average, I get 21-24 movies a month for $21! I've yet to find another rental that even compares!
I love the fact that there's no return date too. My husband is a long haul trucker and is only home one weekend a month. But once in a while he'll ask me to get a movie in for him. I can go ahead and get it in and keep it till he gets home even weeks later.
Another thing I like is their flexibility with the charges. I used to get 6 movies at a time, but money got a little tight so I was able to cut back to 3 at a time with no problem. And one time when money was extremely tight for a while, I was able to suspend my membership for several months with no penalties and I didn't lose any thing from my Queue or anything. And when I was able to, I started it back up again with no problem at all.
And finally, Netflix is one of the greatest companies I've ever dealt with when a problem came up. Movie didn't play? Movie didn't arrive when expected? Any other problem? I just contact Netflix either online or on the phone and the problem is solved immediately without me having to fight for what I deserve (as with most other service type companies).
Oh, one final advantage. My husband and I used to spend an average of $100-200 a month buying DVD's, and many times, we'd get it home and watch it only to find out we didn't like it after all. We wasted so much money buying them! Now if we see one we may want to buy, we get it from Netflix first, watch it, then if we still want to buy it we do. But our buying has dropped from $100-200 a month to maybe $10-20 a YEAR! More than pays for the monthly fees!
I've been a member of Netflix for close to 9 years now, and plan to continue as long as they are in busniess.
Add your voice! Click below to comment. ThriftyFun is powered by your wisdom!
Do not ever buy another DVD. Ever.
I finally realized that although there are some DVDs that our family would like to own, there is a far easier solution.
If you can afford it, join Netflix and use as your own private DVD source. If, say, I want to watch a favorite movie a few times, or at certain holidays and so forth, that by treating Netflix as a library I don't have to "own" the DVD. You request your favorite DVD and you can order it over and over again, as often as you like, the same ones each year or season or holiday.
Netflix (for those who can afford) is a great "library" of thousands of DVDs, at the cost of less than one DVD purchase. Also your library is a library. Check out the same book as frequently as you like. Over and over again.
I have found Netflix to be the best value as I do not waste any gasoline to get the DVD that I want to watch.I will never have to buy a DVD again.
By Bella Swan
You could also check your local library for DVDs. The one in my town has new and older movies, free to check out. If it isn't too far, take a walk with the family and pick some up. (08/14/2009)
By Becca25
We discovered Netflix over 3 years ago and couldn't do without it now. We used to spend $150-200 a week buying movies, and many times we'd get it home and either not like it or watch it once or twice and never again. Now we spend $18.14 a month and get to watch as many as we want. We rent an average of 30 every month and watch online 40-75 average over and above the ones we rent! So we average between 70-100 movies a month for less than $19! (I know, I really need to get a life! But I love my movies!)
We only buy maybe two or three movies a year now. I couldn't begin to even estimate how much money we've saved in the last 3 years.
So I agree that they are a fantastic site. It's rare that I find one that Netflix doesn't have. And when I do, sometimes I'll write to them and they'll do a search. And they are very good about letting me know whether they found it or not too, instead of leaving me wondering the way most sites will do.
The library is a fine place to get them too, but their selection is very very limited compared to Netflix. (08/14/2009)
By Cricket
I use Netflix, too. In fact, I've tried both Blockbuster and Netflix, and Netflix is the superior value even though their 3-at-a-time costs $1 per month more, as they get you your next selection far faster and, due to a suggestion I made to them, they now send me an extra title if I have one that's coming from far away and will be delayed. Here are my secrets to getting the most out of Netflix:
1. Use http://www.payphone-project.com/mailboxes/zip_codes/9/98155.html to give you an idea where the mailboxes in your area, on your way to work, school, and/or your favorite store pick up. These do change with today's times, so be sure to verify what you saw on the website is still accurate. Netflix somehow processes on many Monday holidays and now has Saturday processing, the latter meaning a title dropped off in time on Friday will get me a replacement on Monday!
2. For TV series, check what's available on free online sources, e.g. Hulu.com and IMDB.com before you put that title in your queue.
3. Utilize Netflix's Instant Viewing option. All you need is a laptop - plus the right connections if you want to port the picture to a TV - OR a Roku box ($99) OR certain DVD players. There are quite a few mostly-older shows from this, and the quality is decent, not spectacular.
4. Supplement what you get from Netflix with what's available at your local library. Mine used to even ship the movie to and from you at no extra charge, but now I have to go get 'em. Still a bargain! Mine holds the title on the shelf for a # of days, so time your pickups to your viewing schedule, and I also bunch it with a trip to the nearby Post Office for my Netflix mailer.
5. If you can wait, use Netflix for titles that aren't available at the library, Hulu.com, IMDB.com. For many old TV shows, you could say, "why pay when you can get it for free?" For new releases, book them at the library before they come out. Use http://www.tvshowsondvd.com/releasesmonth.cfm to determine when that is. My library has them available for reserving ~ 4-6 weeks ahead of time, and they even have some old TV shows!
6. On Netflix, consider using Account Profiles to segregate your movies, e.g. each family member can have their own list, or you can separate genres if you like to always have a mix.
7. Be sure to put your account on hold if you know that you're going to be out of town for an extended period, timing it so that it's the day before your account is charged for the next month's worth of service, for they give no refunds for partial months used. This means going "cold turkey" until you return, no Instant Viewing either. The library and the free online sources will have to do! Or, the TV!
8. Consider the bargain theater for a change of pace. One near me charges $3/film; they get new releases after the full price movie houses are done with them.
9. If you still want to buy, a source such as Amazon is great. Augment this with http://wishradar.com/account/login to get notified via email when someone is selling the item for your price. Keep in mind that Amazon's positive ratings are for 4's and 5's; 3's - which I'd consider average, doing what you're supposed to - are considered the same as a negative vote (1,2) while 4's and some 5's are doing just what they're supposed to do. (08/16/2009)
By abcs
