Americans love movies. One of our favorite pastimes is sitting at home, or in a darkened theater, and watching the latest blockbuster hit. Personally, I prefer watching movies at home. We have got a comfortable set up, I can watch whatever I want, whenever I want if my wife agrees. And best of all, there are no interruptions from inconsiderate fellow movie-goers.

Of course, staying home to watch all those movies means having to have a large collection of DVDs, and that can run into money if you are not careful. There are a few ways to grow your collection without going into debt.

One of the easiest ways for me to do this is to go to a big discount store, like K-Mart. They often have a section of DVDs for under $5 Okay, they may not be the latest releases, or in some cases, they are not even movies I have ever heard of before. But this is a great way to round out a collection. I have found wonderful movies this way. And at such low prices, if I do not love the movie, it is not really that big a deal, I have only spent $5.

I have also got a used DVD store in my neighborhood. This place is great. They buy and sell used DVDs. The collection varies greatly, so I try to stop in every week or two. You never know what you are going to find.

Another great place to look for bargain-priced DVDs is at DVD rental stores. They usually try to stock a ton of first run movies so that their customers do not complain when they come in for that latest release. After the rush is over they usually only need a few copies of that movie on their shelves; so many of these stores sell their excess inventory. You can usually get a pretty good deal on a newer release after only a few weeks.

There are also many discount stores online that offer DVDs. Amazon.com offers DVDs and has a bargain bin for less current merchandise. Sometimes retail stores will offer a combo pack of two or three movies at a reduced rate. Usually there is one movie you have not heard of and one that is moderately popular in these packs. Often they are two movies with the same star, or by the same director. Buying combo packs like this exposes you to movies you might otherwise not see.

The big box stores like Sams Club also sell DVDs. Usually, you can get first run movies and box sets of older movies here. Do not expect a huge selection, but the prices will generally be a few dollars less than what you would find elsewhere.

Finally, if you simply cannot wait to get the latest release on DVD, many stores offer discounts up front. You will have to go to their websites to see what they are offering. If you do a little digging, you can often get what you are looking for at a lower price.