DVDs a great entertainment choice for budget conscious

Movie-lover Layla Robinson often settles down to a pile of DVDs.
The owner of MovieTime in Ngongotaha is unlikely to be alone since it is far cheaper for families to hire DVDs than go on a cinema outing.
Hiring one new release is almost half the cost of a movie ticket and with many DVD stores offering multi-hire deals, families can choose a family movie as well something more grown-up when the littlies are tucked up in bed.
"People love the convenience of renting something you feel like watching," Ms Robinson said.
"If you feel like a soppy story you can grab it and watch it straight away."
Hot rentals at the moment are Toy Story 3, Get Him To The Greek and Sex and the City 2.
Rotorua's DVD stores all have different prices depending on the age of the movie. New releases come in between $3 and $8 and weekly rentals from $1 to $4 depending on the day of hire.
When you add up the cost of going to the cinema to watch a new release on the big screen it can be easy to mount up a big bill.
Tickets at Reading Cinemas on Eruera St are $15.30 per adult and $10 per child so a family of four can expect to part with $50.60 before considering the obligatory side of popcorn and a fizzy drink.
At Basement Cinema in Hinemoa St, movie tickets are $14 for adults and $10 for children after 5pm.
Both cinemas offer clubs for regular movie-goers. Basement Cinema is $25 for the year and gives members discounted tickets of $10.
The Reading Reel Club has a rewards card and for every dollar spent one reward point is earned. This mounts up to ticket discounts and candy bar freebies.
Reading Cinemas manager Adam Morrison said some movies were best seen on the big screen where moviegoers could enjoy the full impact.
"The big screen can't be beat when it comes to special effects - that's the main difference between coming to the cinema or watching a movie at home," he said. "Any movie with a lot of effects is best presented in the cinema. Avatar, the Lord of the Rings trilogy and the Harry Potter films have all been very successful.
It's customer loyalty that keeps Ms Robinson smiling at MovieTime. When she opened up her store two years ago she started a frequent renters scheme.
"In one week we can give out $300 worth of free rentals," she said.
"It's so cool and the customers really love it. Some will have a pile of movies and I'll tell them they can get one of their titles for free but instead they'll grab another one."
And if customers time their hiring right, they can get two nights for the price of one. MovieTime is closed on Mondays so Sunday overnight rentals can be held until Tuesday.
She said she had hoped owning a DVD store meant she could indulge her love of movies but only gets through four a week as part of her role as a reviewer.
New members are asked to name their favourite movies and it's the old titles that feature in the MovieTime top 5: Shawshank Redemption, Green Mile, The Notebook, Dirty Dancing and Gone With the Wind.