Amazon has recently announced the launch of unlimited video streaming service through Amazon Prime. Whether or not this will pose a problem for Netflix in the future depends largely on the type of services customers are most interested in.

To better understand this we need only look at the numbers side-by-side. In terms of selection and delivery platforms, Netflix has Amazon Prime’s streaming movie service beat. Where Netflix might see defectors is in the price and additional benefits of Prime membership.

The cost of an Amazon Prime membership is $79 per year. This now includes the unlimited movie streaming service. It also provided members with shipping discounts for select items sold on Amazon. This includes unlimited 2-day shipping regardless of order size (no minimum) and one-day shipping at a flat rate of $4 per item. Members who already take advantage of the benefits associated with Prime may find the addition of a steaming video service to be enough to choose Prime over Netflix for their movie choice.

On the other hand, individuals who are not frequent Amazon shoppers or those who would not normally consider Prime to be beneficial without the streaming video will likely stay with Netflix. Netflix offers four times the number of titles from which to select, with the most popular choices available more in line with what today’s viewers are seeking. The number of selections and the delivery platform available through Netflix may be enough to overcome he lower price offered by Amazon Prime.

At the end of the day, who wins this competition is not really the question. Each provider is really targeting a different type of buyer. For many, Amazon Prime will be the clear winner because the overall package meets the subscribers needs. The same will be true for Netflix members. At least now buyers have some options when deciding how to receive their streaming videos.

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Customers on the rental plan are now able to stream a large collection of movies to their own televisions without having to procure an actual disc. The $7.99 a month rental plan was introduced to cover this feature and the prices of plans for both digital streaming and DVDs jumped slightly. Netflix said more than one-third of the new subscribers joined on to enjoy the streaming plan only.

Analysts do say that the company’s record-high subscriber numbers were much higher than expected but cited that Netflix’s profit margins were soft which is likely due to the cost of streaming content. However, it is expected that Netflix will continue to add new members and revenue which allow for more content acquisitions.

Netflix has no plans to stop shipping physical DVDs to customers any time within the foreseeable future, although the company does expect that requests for the DVDs will begin to drop off at some point. Netflix is continuing its effort to keep current customers happy with both streaming and DVD delivery options but it does appear the company is headed in the right direction with the ramping up of their digital streaming transition.

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Consumers have moved from DVDs to receiving instant, digital downloads with full HD 1080p Blu-ray quality. The Blu-ray discs are unnecessary when you can get the same quality video through streaming content.

Microsoft is not alone in its decision to withdraw its promotion and support of Blu-ray formatting. Apple has always been on the sidelines of the debate, waiting for the format to become more standardized, but when Apple TV launched, they too moved to supporting streaming digital content over the Blue-Ray discs, similar to how iTunes offers streaming digital content.

Blu-ray offers 5x more storage capacity than a traditional DVD, which allows a more crystal clear image to be created. They compress up to 25GB on single-layer discs and 50GB on dual-layer discs. Right now, Blu-ray is backed by over 200 of the world’s leading consumer electronics, video games, computer and recording media , but with more companies moving toward digital streaming content, it’s predicted that Blu-ray is on it’s way out. Retailers are beginning to use floor space once occupied by Blu-ray inventory for digital streaming gadgets, like iPads and smartphones.

Netflix offers streaming movies and television content, as do a number of other online companies. The upcoming Boxee is a small set-top box, similar to a cable box, which instantly streams television and movies directly from any location on the internet to your television, making it possible to even bypass the need for a cable television subscription.

The future of Blu-ray and other physical products is going to be challenged as more and more gadgets are created to allow access to digital, instantly streaming content.

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Set a Day Instead of going to see a movie every time a new one comes out, set a day each month that you and your family go to see a movie. Then, pick a movie that everyone would like to see a go to enjoy it. This way, you still get to go out and enjoy the movie-going experience without breaking the bank by going out too often. Of course there may be a special occasion where you want to see a specific movie in addition to your movie night. Don’t be afraid to do this, but try not to do it too often.

Get a Card  A lot of movie chains offer rewards cards. This may seem stupid, but if you go to the same chain each time, (like Regal), it can really save you some cash. Each time you go you may receive a different kind of reward, such as a free popcorn or a free drink. After a certain amount of time, you may even receive a free movie ticket. While this doesn’t seem like a huge savings, it can add up quite a bit over time, especially if you go to the movies often.

Skip the Food Sure, that popcorn sounds tempting. That candy looks scrumptious in the display case. But, do you really need it? Instead of buying multiple things, buy one or two things. Also, try getting a small. While you may think that this won’t be fulfilling, and you’ll just want to eat more later, you might be pleasantly surprised. A “small” at Regal Cinemas is actually pretty big. Don’t fall for those “value meals”. They’re really not much of a value. Food at a movie theatre can cost upwards of twenty dollars for two people. Cut this down, and you will be able to go see movies more often with the money you save.

Just follow these tips, and you can enjoy the movies without completely breaking the bank. Be responsible with your money, but also continue to enjoy entertainment with your family, or just by yourself. If you’re careful, you can still have fun!

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When someone signs up for Netflix, they can choose to receive one DVD at a time, or up to four. They pay monthly for an account, and then sign on and look through the list of thousands of DVDs that they have available. You choose 1-4, and then they are shipped straight to your door. Is this worth it? Well, it depends on your lifestyle. If you only occasionally watch movies at home, the monthly cost may be more than you need to be paying. But if you watch at least 3 movies a week, chances are you’ll be saving a lot of money in a very short period of time.

Blockbuster continues to raise the prices of renting their DVDs in store, but they have also developed a system similar to Netflix. The only difference is that when you finish the DVDs that were shipped to you, you can bring them to blockbuster and trade them in. This makes the price of Blockbuster’s program more expensive than Netflix, but if you want the convenience of in-store trade in, Blockbuster may be the best bet for you.

Another company that has become popular lately is Gamefly. Gamefly works the same way that Netflix does, except they send video games instead of DVDs. Video games can run upwards of $60, depending on the game system. Instead of buying all of your games, it may be more cost effective to rent them, especially if you have the tendency to beat games in a short period of time.  If you have children that play video games on a regular basis, you should look into Gamefly. It may save you a lot of money on games… especially since kids tend to have a short attention span. Instead of wasting your money on a game they’ll get bored of, you can send it back when they’re done and just get a new one!

If you rent a lot of movies or games, look into these companies. Having your entertainment delivered directly to your door is convenient, and can save you a lot of money.

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Hotels are easy to come by, and there is one for every budget. Think of safety first and settle on a higher end hotel. That doesn’t mean the Beverly Wilshire Hotel, but possibly a Sheraton or Hilton. Both the Sheraton and Hilton are within walking distance to Universal and you don’t cross any busy streets, just the road that leads into the theme park. Other small hotels may be great, but off the beaten track in Hollywood is a gamble.

When you purchase your tickets for Universal Studios, do it online at www.universalstudioshollywood.com and get the Front of the Line Passes. You will get the best price online and these passes will allow you to see the bulk of the park in one day. You get to go in a different line where your wait for any attraction or line is no longer than five minutes or so.

Do not get carried away and get the VIP Package unless you have a burning desire to be chaperoned your entire trip. You will have a tour guide and be placed in a group with about 10 to 15 other people. They take you from ride to ride and even give you ponchos for the wet rides. If you like tour guide trips, you may prefer this one.

The All You Can Eat Pass is questionable. Be careful, only some of the restaurants at the park are covered by this and no drinks are covered. If you plan to sit down for your meals this may be a deal, but you have more selection without the pass.

If you are a planner, get a park map and make a plan prior to your visit. You should be able to arrange your day to see most, if not all, of the park in one visit.

Once you are inside the park, go straight to the Audiences Unlimited Ticket Booth. If there is any filming going on you can see it for free based on availability.

Carve out enough time during your visit for City Walk. It is on the outside of the park and has shops to visit, an IMAX theater, concerts, nightclubs, restaurants and entertainers on the sidewalks performing. There is no admission fee and you can get away with spending very little if you steer clear of the souvenir shops and higher end restaurants.

Universal Studios is one of those places that once you visit, you remember it well and it doesn’t change much over the years. It is a different type of park, but one worth visiting.

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The trick is to find sources of entertainment that you enjoy but that do not break the bank. Going to see a movie these days is expensive- with tickets around the $9 mark per person, and outrageous prices on snacks, you could easily drop $50 on a date to a two hour movie! If you love watching movies, why not consider Netflix or Blockbuster’s movie-in-the-mail plans? For about $20 a month, you can watch several movies, and you won’t pay late fees if you aren’t able to watch the movies right away. (Keep in mind though, the longer you have the movies, the less movies you’ll be able to watch in the month because of mail-times). Very soon, you’ll be able to rent movies online and watch them on your computer, as well, according to Apple Computers.

If you’re trying to take control of your unnecessary spending and your friends are going out for a night on the town- you shouldn’t stay home to avoid spending money! This is the fastest way to give up on a budget. Just take a few dollars with you so you aren’t tempted to spend more, and instead of ordering a full dinner- get an inexpensive appetizer and a glass of water. You still get to enjoy socializing time with your friends and at the same time you’re keeping your expenses to a minimum to keep your financial commitments as well.

Finally- not all good times have to cost money. You can get creative with your entertainment; why not take your date on a romantic walk around the park, and end with a picnic for two that you’ve packed from home on a blanket overlooking a scenic area? If you enjoy dancing, there is no rule that says to go to a club to dance with your friends you have to buy $5 drinks all night to enjoy a good time! Go for the dancing and the socializing, drink water to stay hydrated and skip the expensive drinks from the bar!

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You will pay about $3.00 for a typical movie rental, this could very $2.00 either way depending on where you get them. Usually the local stores will have lower rates than the big chain stores such as BlockBuster and Hollywood Video, so call around and ask what their fee is for a typical rental and go to the cheapest store if you plan on renting movies on a regular basis.

When you rent a movie, you’ll be able to see the movie once for the $3.00 fee. If the movie is terrible and not worth anyones time to watch, you made a wise decision by previewing it first before you owned it, and saved yourself a good $10-$12. If the movie was great, you loved it and will want to watch it again in the future, you’ll then be paying $3.00 you wouldn’t have paid otherwise if you had just gone out and purchased the movie.

The cost of buying DVDs will vary dramatically depending on how recent the movie was released and whether you buy the movie new or used. Where you buy the movie from is also a big factor in determining cost. New releases will retail anywhere from $15-$20, but the big box stores frequently have decent movies for $8-$12 and sometimes even have a bargain bin with $5.00 movies. If you have some old VHS films lying around, you might consider a Film to DVD or a Film to Video service.

When it comes to buying movies, there are two places you can get a real steal. The first is at your local video store. Often they purchase a bunch of new releases to rent out right away, and after the movie is no longer a new release they will sell some of the copies for a discounted price. Sometimes you can get pre-viewed DVDs for $4-$8 at a local movie store. You can also purchase movies on the Amazon Marketplace or eBay for anywhere from $2-$10 depending on how many people are selling the movie, unfortunately the cost of shippnig will had $2.00 or $3.00 to the price of the DVD, but it’s still a bargain none-the-less.

So what’s the verdict? You’ll have to view a movie about 3 times before it pays for it self, and most of us will watch the movies in our collection at least that many times. If you can get movies at discounted prices from the pre-viewed movie bin, Amazon, or eBay, it will make even more sense to go out and buy movies. You also have movies sitting there waiting in the event you have no motivation to go out to the rental store, so that’s a benefit too. In most cases it makes sense to purchase DVDs. If you’re not sure you want to buy a DVD because you don’t know if the movie will be any god, go ahead and rent if first, and if you like it, then go out and buy it.

Don’t let you old home movies go to waste either, there’s always the option of using a digital film transfer service to bring those old films into the modern age.

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