MoneyMagpie Editor and financial expert Vicky Parry shows how an increased interest in physical media can be great for your wallet
While companies push AI and super-fast technology on us, many people are pushing back and going back to their nostalgia days with physical media.
If you want to make sure your media stays yours, whatever happens with technology, there are ways you can both save money and make it with old-school physical media.
Why is physical media making a comeback?
The recent push for everything being online only, streaming, or downloadable content is facing a backlash for two reasons. The first is choice. People want to be able to view or use media that they want, when they want it – not have to search across multiple platforms to find where it might be available.
The second is ownership, and therefore also cost. Did you know that when you buy any digital media from websites like Amazon Prime, Xbox games, or Kindle, you’re only buying the license to own it? That means that, at any time, the media can still be removed from your device. Many people assume that buying it means they own it – but that’s not the case.
It might be cheaper to buy something online – but if you’re only buying the licence, you don’t really own it. If it gets pulled from the platform for any reason, you’ve lost money. Owning physical media means it’s yours, for a one-time purchase, and you keep it as long as you want it. Nobody else can decide when you get rid of it.
Invest in a DVD player
One of the best purchases you can make right now would be an all-region DVD player. It doesn’t even have to be BluRay compatible, unless you want it to be. Make sure it’s all-region because that does widen your purchasing options for DVDs. You don’t need an internet connection to watch your favourite films and TV series on a DVD player. Nor can it be limited to what’s available online – you can curate a huge collection of DVDs to choose from whenever you like!
Thrift your favourite books, CDs and DVDs
When buying DVDs, CDs, and DVDs, look at charity shops and second hand shops like CEX. You can pick up older films and computer games from as little as 50p, making it far cheaper than buying (or renting) the media online. Books are so popular in charity shops too – but check out car boot sales as you can often pick up second-hand copies for pennies. It’s much cheaper than even a Kindle Unlimited subscription (unless you’re one of those readers who gets through a book every few days!).
If you want to sell your old books, there are lots of places to do so. Remember that academic textbooks always fetch a lot more when you sell to students at your local college or university, so consider contacting the school to find out how to advertise your textbooks.
Use old gaming consoles to your advantage
If you enjoy gaming, now is the time to look at ‘vintage’ consoles. You can still pick up consoles like the original Wii, Xbox 360, and older PlayStation models in second-hand shops or online. The games are often also available very cheaply, especially if you buy a job lot.
If you’re a die-hard PlayStation 5 fan with old consoles taking up space in your wardrobe, now’s the time for a clear out. More and more people are seeking ‘nostalgia gaming’, using older consoles with physical games compared to online streamer or download games. If you have old consoles in good condition, you could make a decent chunk of change selling games online or to specialist second-hand shops.
Sell your vinyl records
Vinyl records never go out of fashion, although they might rise and fall in popularity. However, they are a constant form of media that gains new fans every year. That’s why it’s always a good bet to sell your vinyl records if they’re taking up space and you don’t enjoy them very much. You can find specialist record stores to sell to, especially if it’s a job lot or special edition, or sell online through sites like eBay.
Look for ‘Disney Vault’ editions
If you still have your old Disney VHS tapes, you could make a pretty penny from them. Thanks to the old Disney Vault scheme, special editions of older Disney films can command a high price when resold online. There are even some 1992 Black Diamond Beauty and the Beast editions selling on Etsy for upwards of £8,000 – but anyone can put any price on any thing, so do take that with a pinch of salt.
However, the special editions can fetch £50 or more for each tape, with some much older films like Bambi, Sleeping Beauty, and Robin Hood commanding prices upwards of £200. Check out the list of Disney Vault titles to see if you’ve got any hiding in your attic.
Profit from older tech
With AI being built into everything these days, many people want more basic technology again. They don’t want to be told how to improve their grammar, have AI help them write an essay, or use tools to photoshop their snaps on the go. They just want something that works and functions in the basic, original, sense of the technology type.
A phone that makes calls and sends text. A computer that can process older versions of Word and other office-type software. A personal music player that uses CDs or cassettes (or even the older style iPods). If you’ve got working technology that has been sitting, outdated, in your drawer somewhere, now could be the time to take advantage of the push for simpler things.
Sell your items online and use the description to highlight why it’s good ‘old school’ technology, or ask around friends and family who complain about enforced AI whether they’d like to buy your old tech from you. Don’t fret if you only have old tech that no longer works properly, either. Selling for ‘spares and repairs’ is on the increase as people turn to older tech and want to restore it, or keep using their old laptops or phones but need to replace parts to keep them going.
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