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AIBU?

To think it’s not THAT weird to not have Netflix?

86 replies

StillCoughingandLaughing · 09/04/2019 09:12

My manager was asking yesterday if I’d seen the Madeleine McCann documentary. I said I hadn’t because I don’t have Netflix. From his reaction you would have thought I’d said I still had an outside loo or lived in a mud hut. ‘How can you not have Netflix?!’

My answer was ‘quite easily’. It’s not like we’re still in the days of three terrestrial channels. How many channels do we get on Freeview, plus catch-up etc. There’s already stuff I want to watch but haven’t had the chance to yet. Why would I pay for a subscription too?

This isn’t one of those ‘Where do people get the time to watch so much television? I’m FAR too busy’ threads (which are really just a way to sound superior). I love watching TV; in fact I would have said I watch more than average. But there are only so many non-working hours in a day. Even if I did nothing else but watch TV, I can’t magic up extra time to do it in.

I get that Netflix is popular and it’s not that I don’t get the ‘on demand’ appeal. But I didn’t think it was now so mainstream that people would be taken aback that I don’t have it. Am I really in the minority, or is my boss just being OTT?

OP posts:

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Bringbackthestripes · 09/04/2019 09:17

We don’t have Netflix -or sky or anything else- just the millions of channels that are on TV. I do watch a lot of TV as, due to health conditions, I am sitting down a lot of the time and I still don’t feel the need to pay for more to watch.

PlainSpeakingStraightTalking · 09/04/2019 09:17

We've only just got it - primarily becaue one of the kids has it and mentioned they can pipe it through the main TV at no extra cost. I would not pay for it.

StillCoughingandLaughing · 09/04/2019 11:39

We don’t have Netflix -or sky or anything else- just the millions of channels that are on TV. I do watch a lot of TV as, due to health conditions, I am sitting down a lot of the time and I still don’t feel the need to pay for more to watch.

Exactly - there’s a ton of stuff out there already! I wouldn’t criticise anyone else for spending their money on it, but I find it strange that people somehow see it as ‘essential’.

OP posts:

AhoyDelBoy · 09/04/2019 11:43

We only got it at Christmas time but DP is already thinking he might cancel it (I don’t really watch movies but do like it for TV series) as he’s seen all the movies anyway. It’s not that strange not to have Netflix!

Camomila · 09/04/2019 11:44

I don’t have Netflix, we’ve got Amazon prime and virgin movies...seems a bit OTT to have Netflix as well!

GottenGottenGotten · 09/04/2019 11:46

I have Netflix and use catch up because it's cheaper than having Freeview.

If I was still paying for a TV licence though, I don't think I would subscribe to it all the time, probably one-offs every now and then.

Most people I know seem to have Netflix though, but certainly not all.

Beamur · 09/04/2019 11:47

I have the oldest TV in the world. It can't 'do' Netflix.
I have promised to buy a new TV (but I hate replacing things before they are broken)

Bluntness100 · 09/04/2019 11:48

I think it's probably fairly normal for older people not to have it. I've jus turned fifty and we have it, as does everyone we know,,,except people of my parents generation , who seldom have it.

I think if you're younger, then it's not so normal

IchWill · 09/04/2019 11:53

YDNBU OP.

I've had it about a year. Has previously been a waste of money as I never used it, mainly as similarly to you I have tons of channels, catch up and Sky+ box with loads on it.

Also, my TV was quite old, so I could only access Netflix through a Roku USB in the back of my TV, which is a bit of a faff.

Anyway, was going to cancel it. But was off sick last week, couldn't find anything I fancied watching. Went onto Netflix and going a couple of cool series and cheesy films. Then my bloody TV packed up on Sunday after almost a decade's faithful service.

We went and got a new TV and it's got Netflix, internet and catch up all installed on the TV, so less of a faff now. Will see if we use Netflix more frequently now it's easier to use. If not, will cancel it.

CatsCatsCatsCatsCats1980 · 09/04/2019 11:57

We don't have Netflix. We don't even have the internet (except on our phones). We just have Freeview Plus which gives us plenty of choice but without the monthly fees.

We recently looked into getting the internet so we could get Netflix but I couldn't justify the money going out of the bank every month so just for the sake of a few extra things to watch.

We all need to get out more. We shouldn't let these companies encourage us to spend more time in front of the telly.

EBearhug · 09/04/2019 11:59

I don't have it, as I don't have time to watch the things I want to see on normal TV. I will probably get Amazon Prime for Good Omens in May, though.

thatmustbenigelwiththebrie · 09/04/2019 12:05

We have it because our living room is underground so our TV can't receive any other channels! So all we have is Netflix.

TaMereAPoilDevantPrisu · 09/04/2019 12:09

I don't have it. I don't even have a smartphone.

ScreamingValenta · 09/04/2019 12:11

I only have Freeview on my TV. I only watch TV about once a week so it isn't worth paying for extra channels.

Sparklesocks · 09/04/2019 12:12

A lot of people have Netflix, but a lot of others don’t. It’s not unusual to fall into either category.

chipperchop · 09/04/2019 12:14

I only have Netflix because my lovely friend let me use her log in

RottnestFerry · 09/04/2019 12:19

We have it because our living room is underground so our TV can't receive any other channels! So all we have is Netflix

Have have tried connecting it to an aerial?

KipperTheFrog · 09/04/2019 12:21

We have Netflix but haven't got a TV aerial so only have iplayer and Netflix. That's more weird than not having Netflix! If we had a working TV aerial and could get freeview I'd probably get rid of Netflix.

Nnnnnineteen · 09/04/2019 12:23

I have quite enough ways to waste my time, I don't need to get Netflix as well.

megletthesecond · 09/04/2019 12:26

Yanbu.
There's enough to watch on the main channels as it is. I don't have time to watch much tv anyway.

namechangedforanon · 09/04/2019 12:29

I find that quite odd, I also find people who don't have Spotify and Amazon Prime odd though haha.

I work in tech so people are a bit more into these kinds of things.

bigKiteFlying · 09/04/2019 12:33

We have Sky and Amazon - not sure why we'd paid out for Netflix as well.

Though after Game of Thrones - I may get DH to look at Sky again. We have Amazon Prime for deliveries so TV is nice extra.

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PettyContractor · 09/04/2019 12:34

Does the manager also assume everyone has Sky?

I've just googled to check, and it's only possibly this year that Netflix has had more customers than Sky. So until recently anyone who assumed everyone has pay TV should be assuming Sky before they assume Netflix.

CustardySergeant · 09/04/2019 12:35

I haven't got Netflix. I don't even have a mobile phone, of any kind, let alone a smartphone.

Jsmith99 · 09/04/2019 12:38

I don’t have Netflix or Amazon Prime or Spotify. I do, however, subscribe to Sky for the sports channels. I’m a huge cricket fan and I also follow football and F1, so I’m a captive market for Sky.

I can’t justify the cost of subscribing to anything other than Sky Sports, because there is only so much TV you can, or should, watch.

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