I did some number crunching this weekend to try and find out how well Netflix works for me.  I had a pretty good idea that based on the volume of movies I was consuming through Netflix that I was getting a pretty good bang for my buck, but I didn't realize how good I was doing until I saw the actual, tangilbe numbers in front of my eyes.

I've had Netflix since the end of July 2006.  For most of that time, I've been on the 3-at-a-time, unlimited monthly plan which costs me $17.84 per month right now.  In the 31 months that I have been a member of Netflix, I have spent $563.16, which comes out to 18.17 per month.  In that time I have received 365 DVDs in the mail, approximately 313 movies and multi-disc series. 

365 total discs means I'm going through 11.77, or just under 12 DVDs per month.  And I've been a member since July 31st, 2006 until today, which is about 945 days, so I'm averaging 1 DVD every 2.59 days.  I've been paying $1.68 for each day I have Netflix.  But the most staggering stat is that I'm spending an average of $1.54 for every DVD that I get in the mail.  Compared to what I would be spending on in-store rentals at Blockbuster, which according to this newsarticle, is an average of $4.37, I'm saving nearly $3 per disc at this rate.  At $4.37, if I were to rent 12 DVDs each month, I'd be spending $52.44.  So I'm saving about $34 a month(of course, if I didn't have Netflix, there's no way I'd be renting 12 DVDs a month, so it's not a REAL saving).  $52.44 a month for 1 year is $629.28.  After THREE years I will have spent $652.36 on Netflix. 

So basically, no matter which way you slice it, I am making out like a bandit with Netflix.  The best number I saw was $1.54 per disc that I'm spending.  That is just amazing.  And I can keep the movies as long as I want.  Good times.

~Moose