Summarize:

If you don't want to go to the trouble of buying the hardware to complete a single transfer project, many big stores with electronics departments will complete the process for a small fee. This offers less control over editing and care of the tapes, but requires little on your part other than delivery. It's also a good way to convert more obscure formats like 8mm film or Betamax. Walgreens, Costco, Walmart, imemories.com, Southtree, Target, CVS, and Sam's Club all offer this service for somewhere between $10 and $30 dollars a disc. Typically a single disc will hold two hours of VHS tape. If you want all of your daughter's VHS birthday tapes on one disc and your son's on another, make a note of this and include it with the package. Make sure all tapes are clearly labeled and that you have already made a copy of important tapes. Also be sure to make the staff aware of any fragility or damage on the tapes. Depending on where you drop the tapes off, there may be other custom editing options available. This is a great option for people with a small amount of personal material to transfer, avoiding the separate costs of blank discs, hardware, and software. There are also online services available that offer the same transfer options, though you'll have to ship the VHS tapes, which could be costly.
Take your tapes to be converted by the electronics department of a local box store. Deliver your tapes and your instructions. Wait a couple weeks and pick them back up.