Over time, both BMG and Columbia are very good deals if you know your
recordings...  Over the past seven years, I have purchased about 250
recordings from them at an average cost of under $6.99 including the
shipping...  ignore the shipping as a separate item and just think of it
as part of the cost.

However, if you do not know your recordings well, you can make some pretty
miserable mistakes for which you will be very sorry as the years go by.
In this case, find yourself a good recording store where you can get good
advice..  or follow the reviews and buy online as the result of reviews...

The best way to save is to shop all the specials...  the longer you are a
member, the better the special sales are targeted to you...  I have made
some fantastic buys on opera recordings as well as 20th century music which
doesn't stay on their lists very long...  and some very old recordings that
are being discontinued.

Both BMG and Columbia now have online sales that work pretty well.  You can
switch back and forth from mail order to online.  But the bargains are
mostly in the mail.

Ray Bayles