When CDs hit the shops for the first time, it sounded the death knell for audio tapes and vinyl. One or two purists still believe that there’s nothing quite like the sound quality of vinyl, but for ease of use, clarity of sound and sheer portability, CDs win hands down.
Nevertheless, the rise and rise of MP3s means that even this relatively modern and still widely used format is now under threat, with internet downloads steadily undercutting high-street music stores. But no matter what your music preferences are, you can have access to CDs and MP3s at greatly reduced prices, meaning that you can indulge as much as you like without breaking the bank.
MP3s
Most people are aware of the sites that allow you to purchase and download music, but competition is now opening up, so the big names are set to have a price war on their hands. Whereas Apple’s iTunes store charges around 99p for a single track, HMV.com, for example, is undercutting them and offering Top 40 tunes at a mere 40p a time. Chart albums are similarly priced at around half the current iTunes cost.
Music Libraries
Sky, backed by music giant Universal, is offering an extensive music library of over five million songs, which can be accessed at any time for a monthly subscription of £4.99. This is the perfect solution for those who love to hear all of the up-to-the-minute sounds, as no matter how many albums you wish to listen to, the price remains the same.
Spotify works on a similar basis, allowing users to access an online catalogue of around six million songs. Access is free if you listen to the adverts that pop up occasionally between the tracks. If you prefer an ad-free service, you can choose to pay on a daily (99p) or monthly (£4.99) basis to avoid the interruptions. An extra ‘upgrade’ can, for £9.99, allow you to listen to music either offline or via a smartphone.
We7 is another music-library service that allows users to instantly access tracks. The catalogue is smaller than the other companies, but still boasts around a million tracks. Access to these tracks is free and there are regular previews of up-and-coming albums.
CDs
For those who really can’t live without their CDs, there are ways to buy them without paying too much. You should always compare prices at a comparison site, which will do the hard work for you and can result in some healthy savings. Second-hand CDs are an option, although new releases are unlikely to find their way to a second-hand outlet for quite some time.
However you prefer to listen to your music, there are ways in which you can enjoy your tunes without making to large a dent in your bank balance. Whether it’s by paying a subscription or buying online, there’s no need for you to ever pay full price again for the music that you love.
This guest post was written on behalf of SO Switch (http://www.soswitch.com/), by financial blogger Franki – you can share your best money-saving tips with her by tweeting her @franki_blogs, or by leaving a comment below!
Ways To Save Money On Music
