You've seen the ads. "12 CDs for the price of 1!" they promise. "Nothing More to Buy — Ever!" To join, you pay the price of shipping and handling for 12 compact discs, about two bucks each.

You then agree to purchase one additional CD, or five additional, at full price. How can the clubs afford to do that? The two major players in the mail-order music business are Columbia House and BMG Music Service. CD clubs sell millions of discs each year, and give away millions more. The standard Columbia House offer requires you to buy at least two CDs; BMG asks that you buy one. The clubs press their own CDs, tack on shipping and handling fees of about $2 per CD, and work out special royalty deals with the labels, but the real profit comes from people who buy CDs or cassettes at full price beyond their membership requirements.

But what if you don't know what kind of movie you like? Well, DVD clubs are definitely for you then! You can browse an enormous selection of movies from the comfort of your own home. Read about the movies, stories and actors to decipher the best choice. Don't waste your time roaming the isles of the local video store only to find the title you are looking for is already rented!