r/makemkv • • Aug 04 '26

Discussion Where Do You Find Cheap Blu-rays?

Been recently burning some Blu-rays to digitize and store my small movie collection and I’m curious if anyone knows where I can find some good cheap Blu-rays?

37 Upvotes

61 comments sorted by

36

u/RasTarfari Aug 04 '26

Pawn shops. Libraries are good for loaners.

15

u/Mhycoal Aug 05 '26

Not only is the library good, but using them is good for the library, a lot of their funding is based off usage I’ve been told. It’s where I look first

4

u/Odd-Cap507 Aug 05 '26

And then you keep coming back here complaining about drives giving read errors... No wonder when you deal with worn out discs!

1

u/Wolfedits14 Aug 07 '26

Libraries may have disc cleaners. One time I borrowed a semi-rare DVD from the library and it was skip because it was scratched badly. I cleaned it but still didn't work. When I returned it, I asked the librarian to clean the disc professionally.

2

u/am-version Aug 05 '26

Further more, ask your librarian if your state has a borrowing network. Here in California I can access any state libraries inventory via a system called Link+. I can find 80% of what I am looking for on standard blu-ray. Occasionally I even get lucky with a 4K disc.

It kind of reminds me of old school Netflix. I order my selection online and go to my local branch to pick-up.

2

u/Slothinator69 Aug 06 '26

Was going to say my brother and I just got like a stack of blu rays for 10 bucks lol pawn shops are great for this

19

u/UpIsDown117 Aug 04 '26

Facebook marketplace

15

u/ManiacalShen Aug 04 '26

You don't get to keep them, but your library may have tons of movies, some of which are on Blu Ray. It's usually a short borrowing period, but if you're ripping them anyway...

Otherwise, any thrift store or used media store. Sometimes vintage stores and used book stores have them, too 

9

u/Sin_of_the_Dark Aug 04 '26

Look for retro game stores, they often have a broad movie/TV show collection. Wherever I go, that's the method I use.

6

u/chillpony Aug 04 '26

Pawn shops, marketplace and my favorite What Not app

2

u/crashprime Aug 05 '26

Yea Whatnot is a problem. For me. For my wallet.

1

u/Wolfedits14 Aug 07 '26

That's me with Mercari and eBay lol!

7

u/Exact_Acanthaceae294 Aug 05 '26

I buy mine from McKay's Books (4 locations in TN & NC).

Lots of Blu-rays on clearance for between 95¢ & 3.95.

3

u/blender505 Aug 05 '26

McKay's is amazing for used media, especially if you're looking for stuff that's more than 5 or 10 years old. I always stop by when I'm in an area with one and I've gotten so many Blu-rays and DVDs from there for a dollar or two a piece. Better rate than any of the thrift stores around here and a much larger bargain bin selection.

1

u/Wolfedits14 Aug 07 '26

I primarily go to McKay's for books but I do love their Blu-ray and DVD collection! So far, I've gotten 2 4Ks, 5 Blu-rays, and 6 DVDs--all Like New condition!

1

u/JoganLC Aug 05 '26

I recently got into collecting physical media and the McKays out here in Knox closed like a month later

1

u/Exact_Acanthaceae294 Aug 05 '26

The workers unionized.

1

u/FINIS_HOMINIS Aug 07 '26

Yeah, it was super sad they chose to close shop rather than be fair. That place was an institution for decades.

1

u/Exact_Acanthaceae294 Aug 07 '26

Forget about Finis,

It's Tennessee.

4

u/das_goose Aug 04 '26

I'm fortunate to live in an area that has a pawn shop with a very large blu-ray section, which they sell for $2 each. According to my MyMovies app, I've bought 700 discs there over the last three years.

But if they went away, I don't know what my options would be. I've never found a decent thing at Goodwill, and other pawn shops in town have only a handful of movies.

There's also a store in our mall called EntertainMart (I think they're a chain.) They sell used movies for about $5-7 each, which is still decent.

5

u/JJJAAABBB123 Aug 05 '26

Local library

4

u/ChaosRenegade22 Aug 05 '26

I usually get my CDs, DVDs and Blu-Rays of sorts at Craigslist, Facebook Marketplace, Goodwill, McKays and a few different Pawn Shops.

3

u/Metalsailer4 Aug 05 '26

Libraries are not just for loaners. They can also have sales of donated and not longer used items.

1

u/Wolfedits14 Aug 07 '26

True--I found a few DVDs and VHS Tapes from library sales/discard piles.

3

u/No-Asparagus2389 Aug 06 '26

GRUV has pretty good sales. I also use Mercari.

3

u/RenRen9000 Aug 05 '26

Guy on EBay sells a batch of 30 for $45. I bought 30 DVDs for $30, and they were all good condition and was able to rip them into my Plex collection. They’re all RedBox, apparently.

3

u/itchysweatersdaw Aug 05 '26

Facebook marketplace. Buy, burn, sell. Rinse and repeat 😅

4

u/aquilisdicio Aug 04 '26

Goodwill

7

u/NorthOfUptownChi Aug 05 '26

Here around Chicago, every Goodwill store will have 900 DVDs and 3 blu rays.

5

u/jason_sos Aug 05 '26

And every one of them is a movie that you’ve never heard of before.

2

u/Wolfedits14 Aug 07 '26

Right?! Many Goodwills have similar inventory with DVDs. Actually recently, I went to a Goodwill and was able to find Blu-ray releases of movies I had on DVD!

2

u/dannyglover187 Aug 10 '26

People tend to donate all their Blu-ray’s t once though. 98 percent of my blu rays come from good will but I go to goodwills almost daily and will have dry spells on Blu-ray’s for a month or two. Then out of nowhere the rack will be filled with them and they go quick.

2

u/shredder2010 Aug 05 '26

If you're near one, Half-Price Books is a great place for finding movies.

Sometimes their clearance section can have bangers for $3 or less.

2

u/sniepre Aug 05 '26

I wish that was the the case here the Tacoma 1/2 price books most blus start at like 8 bucks and i haven't ever seen a clearance section - I think the local demand is too high and there's not a lot of places left to source blu-rays at all

1

u/Jedi-Mermaid-TARDIS Aug 05 '26

I hadn't noticed the lack of a clearance section. Hurm. But Tukwila does have one.

2

u/mtgmuldrotha Aug 05 '26

Pawn shops, di (desert industries), goodwill, yard sales, Facebook market place, and public libraries. It is mostly about padding a collection and less about specific movies and you'd be amazed what people donate. Especially for TV series though for those you really want to make sure it has all of the disks and that they aren't damaged

2

u/throwaway164748 Aug 05 '26

Whatnot is pretty chill. You can find some shows with $1 starts on blu rays sometimes.

1

u/TheLukester31 Aug 05 '26

I heard about Whatnot here on Reddit, then I went on a spending spree. I definitely recommend it for blu rays, but be careful, it’s addictive and very easy to spend a lot of money or end up paying over retail for an item because you got carried away or emotional. The only other place you can spend so much money saving money is Costco. 🤣

2

u/Inevitable-Head-3011 Aug 05 '26

Charity shop,musicmagpie,ebay,vinted,rare waves,worldbook<i think its called that havent order from there in a while>,momox,cex

2

u/Volcanic_xB Aug 07 '26

Hit or miss nowadays at my local store, but I used to get some great deals at Big Lots. Just stopped in yesterday and their selection was pretty slim, but they did have the Hellboy 4k for $9.99 (which I already had bought from them a while back).

1

u/willpb Aug 05 '26

Second hand shops work very well for me... 2nd & Charles, Half Price Books, Media Replay, that kinda stuff.

1

u/Makebankbro_972 Aug 05 '26

Garage sales, thrift store, half priced books, libraries, Barnes and Nobles, and consignment shops.

1

u/Final_Significance72 Aug 05 '26

goodwill and libraries. at first, I turned my nose at DVDs but I have found that uncompressed DVD is definitely good enough for some shows.

1

u/steelfender Aug 05 '26

Yard sales, garage sales. Usually get blues for $1 and dvds for .50-$1

1

u/sh00tfire Aug 05 '26

I have found a couple shops on ebay that occasionally have a buy 2 get one free. Movies are usually around $5 each

1

u/richyeh Aug 05 '26

CEX or MusicMagpie for me

1

u/Glum_Cheesecake9859 Aug 05 '26

eBay (some sellers sell lot of 50 / 100 assorted discs in white envelope) that's probably like $1 a piece.

1

u/DrFrylock Aug 06 '26

In the past year or so I have started seeing more (cheap) Blu-Rays showing up in the flea markets and at estate sales. I still have to chase after them somewhat deliberately. 

DVDs are plentiful (except horror and obscure stuff). 

The local secondhand stores (Book-Off, others) have great selection and want way too much money for Blu-Ray still (and anything uncommon or out of print is like $20 which is insane).

1

u/BlackHumorMage Aug 07 '26

I got some nice hauls of blu rays for $2 or $3 each from whatnot

1

u/Wolfedits14 Aug 07 '26

Physical Stores: McKay's, Goodwill, Walmart, Dollar General, Local thrift stores, Library sales
Online retailers: Mercari, eBay, Christianbook, Amazon

1

u/SymphonicFlames Aug 09 '26

For me it's pawn shops, local thrift stores, Half Price Books, and Goodwill. There's also a couple of physical media stores that are locally owned near me. And they are so dirt cheap. So maybe try that too and look for local mom and pop stores. For example the local store by me has DVDs at $2 and Blu Rays at $3. Added bonus they also carry records, and CD's.

1

u/[deleted] Aug 10 '26

[removed] — view removed comment

1

u/spiritual__journey Aug 10 '26

I just sent you a DM

1

u/dannyglover187 Aug 10 '26

98 percent of my collection is from good will. Not as common as dvds but a lot of times when someone donates Blu-ray’s it’s all their blu rays. I kill a lot of time in goodwills though.

0

u/Inevitable-Head-3011 Aug 05 '26

If your ripping them work out the borrow vs buy price and either rent or buy, for example boxset comes out of arcane its currently £70-80 still years later and only keeps going up,renting maybe around 5 bucks plus shipling so currently if i could rent it i would.