The $130 Panasonic DMP-BDT220 can play 3D movies and comes with built-in Wi-Fi.

Blu-ray players may have spread from early adopters to suburban basements, but DVDs are still widely watched, and some frugal consumers no doubt find the newer technology tough to justify. If you see a lot of movies in theaters, however, Blu-ray starts to look a little more appealing. By the time you take someone to “The Dark Knight Rises,” “The Amazing Spider-Man,” and “The Bourne Legacy,” ingesting several thousand calories’ worth of popcorn and candy along the way, you could have bought yourself a budget Blu-ray player.

If you don’t mind waiting a couple of extra months to catch this year’s summer blockbusters -- or if you just want to re-watch the Bourne Trilogy in HD before seeing the new one -- take a sneak peek below at Cheapism’s top picks for affordable Blu-ray players.

• The Panasonic DMP-BDT220 (starting at $130) delivers superb video quality and features for the price, experts say. On top of the usual HDMI, composite, and Ethernet connections, it features an SD card slot for displaying photos, two USB ports, and optical audio output for home theater speakers, as well as analog stereo output for an old-school receiver. It can stream content from Netflix, Hulu Plus, Amazon, YouTube, and Pandora. (Where to buy)
• The LG BP620 (starting at $139) earns praise for its speed: In comparative testing, it took only 20 seconds to start playing a disc. Outputs include both optical audio and analog stereo. This player supports the Netflix, Hulu Plus, Vudu, CinemaNow, and Pandora streaming services. (Where to buy)
• The Sony BDP-S580 (starting at $131) is a solid performer, according to online reviews. It features digital audio or analog stereo output, two USB ports, and a component output as an alternative to HDMI or composite. This model can stream media from Netflix, Hulu Plus, Pandora, YouTube, and Amazon. (Where to buy)
• The Panasonic DMP-BD75 (starting at $80) wins fans with its high-quality video playback and easy-to-use interface. While this cheap model comes with few added features, it does stream movies via Netflix, Vudu, and CinemaNow. (Where to buy)

All these Blu-ray players can handle DVDs, so you don’t have to worry about replacing your existing library with Blu-ray discs. Blu-ray players can read audio CDs as well, and these models support Dolby Digital Plus, Dolby TrueHD, DTS, and DTS-HD surround sound. They all have HDMI and composite outputs for connecting to a TV, at least one USB port, and an Ethernet connection for streaming. The Panasonic DMP-BDT220, LG BP620, and Sony BDP-SS80 can also stream content wirelessly. For anyone who has a 3D TV or is thinking about buying one at some point, these three budget models can play 3D movies. Visit the Blu-ray Disc Association’s website to see titles available in 3D.

One final note: Remember that Blu-ray is a high-definition format, so even a cheap player isn’t worth it if you don’t have or plan to get an HDTV.

More from Cheapism:
Cheap Blu-ray players
Cheap LCD TVs
Cheap 3D TVs
Cheap home theaters 

Hip2Save.com

Collin Morgan is the founder of Hip2Save.com.

TODAY.com is entering into a new partnership that’s designed to help our readers save their hard-earned money. We’re teaming up with Hip2Save.com, a coupon blog that runs 25 to 30 deal-focused posts each day.

The partnership will make it easy for TODAY.com and Life Inc. readers to find and access Hip2Save’s deals. We’ll even post some of Hip2Save’s best offers on Life Inc. every week.

Read more about Hip2Save.com here. 

Not a couponer yet? No problem! Here are five tips to get you started from Collin Morgan, Hip2Save’s founder and primary blogger.

1. Take baby steps. Don’t let yourself get overwhelmed by this whole couponing thing. Just clip a few coupons, or get a feel for how couponing works at one of your favorite stores. “You don’t have to go out there and save $500 the first time,” Morgan said. “Even if you save a dollar, that’s a dollar back in your pocket.”

2. Don’t be brand loyal. Be open to giving new products a try if you find good coupons for them.

3. Request free samples and product coupons. When a manufacturer has a new product available, freebie opportunities abound. Just call or send an email to the company’s customer service department and ask about samples, coupons and discounts.

4. Score products for free. When you buy a smaller item with a coupon, it can equal bigger savings — and you often can bring that item home without paying a dime. Try using a $1 off coupon on sample or travel sizes of products, for instance.

5. Use cash. You’ll tend to spend less money if you shop with cash only and leave your credit and debit cards at home.

Eager to get started? Start perusing Hip2Save’s money-saving finds here. Here are some more of Morgan’s tips in the video below:

Related links:

• Love a deal? Meet Collin and our new coupon blog
• Check out the deals on the Hip2Save.com blog
• Moms, are you Hip2Save? Meet TODAY’s newest partner
• Join Hip2Save's Collin Morgan for a live Web chat Wednesday at 1 p.m. ET
• Story: Extreme couponing! How to get $1,100 of loot for $40 

Jason Reed / Reuters

Warren Buffett, among the world's wealthiest people, is known for his modest spending habits, including the fact that he still owns the same Omaha, Neb., home he bought in 1958.

Apparently, Warren Buffett's thrifty billionaire ways extend to other high earners as well.

A new survey of online shopping habits finds that people with annual household incomes of $75,000 and above are more likely to bargain shop online than their lower-earning counterparts.

The study was conducted by Synovate eNation on behalf of Steelhouse, which helps companies with online marketing strategies.

The survey found that 37 percent of the high earners check out coupon sites, compared with 24 percent of those who make less than $25,000 a year.

Nearly one-third of the highest earners said they buy only when there's a discount, about the same amount who said they buy only when there's free shipping. By comparison, only about one-fourth of the lowest earners said they did those things.

In general, as household income went up, so did the percentage of respondents who said they use those bargain shopping tactics.

The wealthier respondents were also more likely to read product reviews and to buy premium brands, according to the survey.

Buffett, among the world's wealthiest people, is known for his modest spending habits, including the fact that he still owns the same Omaha, Neb., home he bought in 1958 (although he also has a house in Laguna Beach, Calif.).

The poll was based on an online survey of 1,000 adult U.S. shoppers, and had a margin of error of three percentage points.