Budgeting for a physical media collection is so much simpler when you know where to find the best deals, because they’re not always the best in stores. Instead, you have to look between the buildings of your community.
5
Stick to Blu-ray and DVDs
I love the sharpness and resolution of 4K as much as the next person, but it isn’t life-changing. That’s why when I’m on the hunt for physical media, I target Blu-rays and DVDs. The price gap between DVDs and 4K isn’t worth the investment, but I’d argue Blu-ray has better value.
4K UHD looks great, but in my opinion, the jump from SD to Blu-ray is much greater. In the spirit of budgeting, the extra cost for a sharper image will add up to fewer DVDs in the future. Blu-ray is still beautiful to look at, and the hardware needed to play these discs is affordable. My PS4 has been my Blu-ray player since I bought a PS5.
4
Secondhand Is Totally Fine to Buy
I completely understand why you might be hesitant to buy secondhand DVDs, just like many avoid buying secondhand PC hardware. But like finding pre-owned computer parts, you can get really good deals from secondhand stores, local events, and spur-of-the-moment decisions.
A great example of this that I love is local events. Where I live, some towns have a “yard sale day” (sometimes more than once a year). And one man’s junk is another man’s treasure, as the saying goes. Local restaurants bring out food trucks, and we make an event out of it. People regularly offload their DVD collections. One of the churches always hosts the local library, where they sell boxes of books and DVDs.
I recommend joining your town or city’s Facebook page, so you can be notified when events like that happen. You might get as lucky as I did and find the complete series of Avatar: The Last Airbender for $10!
Related
The 10 Best Sites to Find Closeout Stores and Going Out of Business Sales
Liquidation sales are great for bargains. Here are the best sites to help you find closeout stores and going out of business sales.
3
Take Full Advantage of Sales
If you’re not keen on buying DVDs secondhand, being a savvy buyer is another budget-friendly way of growing your media library. It’s the same mentality as “patient gamers”—they take their time with their games, avoid buying new releases at full price, and make a habit of buying games when they’re on sale later.
Having a subscription to Amazon Prime can be incredibly beneficial, as its free shipping can help mitigate the cost of buying on-sale discs. Another benefit of Amazon is the Prime Day, Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and Christmas sales—you get plenty of opportunities to snag a bundle or small collection for cheap.
By extension, be on the lookout for in-store deals as well. My local Walmart has large bins with DVDs, Blu-rays, and 4K UHD movies on sale all the time. This is where having a digital list comes in handy; I recommend Letterboxd for keeping track of what you want to buy next.
Download: Letterboxd for Android | iOS (Free, subscription available)
2
Always Spring for the Box Set
While it might really test your patience, you should avoid buying seasons of a series on their own. Waiting on the box set does have a higher upfront cost, but you’re paying less per DVD. And if it’s on sale? Even better. Consider setting aside a piggy bank, like I did to save up for the box set of The Office.
This does beg the question: what about special editions, like SteelBook or extended cuts? I’d argue buying DVDs in metal cases is only going to lengthen their lifespan, which to me is worth the investment. Outside of some known cases of disc rot, you generally don’t need to worry about it, and the extra protection could mean the difference during a move.
Related
Bored of Bingeing Box Sets? 8 Alternatives to Watching Netflix
Don’t just sit on the couch mindlessly watching TV. Here are other great ways you can spend your time and engage your brain.
Speaking of Facebook, its Marketplace is a great way of finding used DVDs, CDs, and even video games. It’s possible to get your hands on hardware, too. However, if you take this route, it’s important to know the signs of a Marketplace scam. Should you meet someone for a trade, stick to public locations and pay with cash.
Now, I don’t generally recommend buying DVDs from Amazon, although you can sometimes snag a deal there as discussed. No, I recommend places like eBay or, better yet, ThriftBooks. Despite the name, the site also deals in used DVDs, CDs, and even vinyl. I normally resort to ordering DVDs online when I’m missing an item or two in a collection.
Having a physical media collection is immensely rewarding because I know I can watch my library anytime with no subscription required. In fact, you could take your media library one step further by starting a Plex server, which essentially creates a personal streaming service for you.
