In a quandary and asking for advice!

[Galnextdoor]

My 10 year old son is mentally and slightly physically disabled. I have a caretaker who comes in for a few hours a week to work with him and give me a little break. He had a birthday a few days ago. Last night, his caretaker took him to the library, and later took him to the Red Box DVD machine. She told him that he could pick out any movie he wanted from the machine and he could keep it forever for his birthday. She said that it would eventually be charged to her card and it was cheaper than buying the DVD at Walmart.:bigyikes: I don’t feel right about this. I think she has done this several times at the library, too, only she argued her way out of paying for them. I don’t want my son to think that this is right. He has autism and had a meltdown when I told him he couldn’t keep the DVD. This idea of renting DVD’s and keeping them is very bizarre to me. Is there something I’m missing here? This doesn’t seem right.

 

[Em_in_FL]

I’m not familiar with the Red Box DVD machine… but I think I understand the point…

Return the movie yourself and buy a new copy of the same movie for your son. That way, she won’t get her feelings hurt, and you’ll be teaching your son the proper way of handling the situation with grace. Send a thank-you note to her also.

That’s my idea at least…

 

[LJN21]

Red Boxes keeps you Credit Card on file and Charge you $1 day for the DVD if you don’t ever return it they eventual charge you for it. So she would purchase the DVD, I personally don’t see a moral issue with it. Its a lot like the “no more late fees” Blockbuster thing. Yeah sure you don’t have anymore late fees but after 2 weeks they charged you full price for the DVD, we actually acquired a couple that way, we forgot to take them back and they charged us for them. We paid it and just kept them since we liked the movie

 

[kage_ar]

I’m pretty sure Red Box sells used DVDs.

 

[Footprints04]

There is no moral issue with paying for the DVD and “keeping” it until you have payed the price to keep it. The Redbox is pretty straightforward that you can keep it if you reach $xx for keeping it night after night.

It is fine

 

[nodito]

She said that it would eventually be charged to her card and it was cheaper than buying the DVD at Walmart.

I just looked it up. Redbox charges $25 per DVD that’s not returned. That’s expensive! I find it hard to believe that your son’s DVD wouldn’t be cheaper at Walmart, Amazon, or half.com.

It seems like they built in padding around the price of the the lost or stolen DVDs, probably to discourage people from keeping them, but maybe even to make a profit when renters lose or decide to keep the DVDs. So I’m conflicted about what you should do. If it were me, I’d probably return the DVD and buy another one on half.com, just as one of the previous posters suggested. Do know, however, that the caretaker will notice that he wasn’t charged for the DVD and might inquire about it.

God bless!