Could you live long term without TV or netflix etc?

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I lived 12 weeks without a TV because my old one went up in smoke - (no great damage done). I then waited to get a new one as I wanted to see how long I could last and also for financial reasons. I now have a new TV but find I'm not watching a lot at all. I only have freeview, no sky or anything else. Has anyone lived long term in UK without a TV and if so, what made you eventually get a set, if you did.

Nah, I like watching TV

We can stream online if we really want to but I just find it a waste of time. I mostly only watch tv when I am sick of feeling very sorry for myself which is not often.

@Racecardriver hope you aren't using iplayer

No way, I love my TV.

How do you find out which podcasts are worth a listen?

Yes. I have a kindle unlimited subscription and I would be more than happy with just that. I think it would be much harder work as a parent though. Dd doesn't often watch tv programs, but she does love films which are a nice down time activity.

I've lived large chunks of my life without TV - you just do other stuff.

Not sure the DC would be happy, but I am tempted from time to time to go without.

Yep I do it now. Prefer to read and listen to music

I most definitely could, I don’t watch tv or films.
I include Netflix/amazon prime tv/whatever else people watch programmes on.
Programmes are programmes whatever you watch them on!
I don’t even like the telly being on when I’m in the room, it’s like I have a total aversion.
I’m sure it’s because growing up it was on ALL THE TIME as an annoying background noise. I found it insufferable.
Dp loves telly and watches it in bed sometimes. Drives me absolutely nuts but I don’t say anything!

Always refused to have TV in bedrooms!

scrivette
I don't enjoy it that much and don't find the time.
DH watches it all evening though and the children watch it for half an hour a day so I would miss letting them watch it as it useful for bribery!

I sincerely hope your DH isn’t sitting on his arse watching TV while you do the housework/sort out the kids.

Easily. Did it for many years. The children started missing out though so we got one.

I donut see how anyone can make a blanket statement like “TV is shit*. There is such a massive variety of programmes out there, we can choose when we want to watch them and we are living in a real golden age for television, in my opinion. Also, having lived outside the UK I really appreciate the quality of BBC programming, particularly 2, 4 and CBeebies, and channel 4.

My husband and I enjoy watching TV together, deciding what to watch and talking about it. So, personally, no, I would like to live without TV.

Obviously I could live without a TV.
But I have always loved it. Right from the days of 3 tv channels up to now. I love having the entertainment on tap in the corner of the living room and have a few programmes downloaded on my phone. I also love reading.

Not without TV but gladly Netflix. My idea of binge watching is 2 or 3 (at a push) of episodes in a row, assuming it's not something I've already watched before and just half watching whilst doing other things. Others can binge watch an entire series of something in a weekend and I just fall behind. Much prefer shows that are scheduled every week/night so everyone is at the same pace and can have the same discussions about it.

I’ve had Netflix for two years now. I rely on it for all of my entertainment. Otherwise I listen to the radio. I’m out of the apartment a lot during the week.

Happily, but give me the internet and Radio 4.

@sushimonster not really, we only ever watch the bbc if one of us is on it which hasn’t been for like two years or something. Only just got round to cancelling my tv licence actually. We have amazon prime (often need books at short notice) and it has free tv and films on it.

I lived for just over a year without TV (Netflix wasn't yet invented) when I first moved to the UK. I kept getting notices about paying for the TV licence which I didn't understand so told my landlord to take my TV away.

I went out a lot and on the nights I wasn't out, I read. I got through loads of books!

Never had Netflix so wouldn't miss that at all. We do have a TV but to be honest it mostly seems to be on out of habit and as wallpaper. The actual number of programmes that I watch and actually tune in to are few and far between so I probably could live without it - as long as I had music or the radio on instead.

i don't actually know what netflix is or how you get it,so yes, could happily live without it as already do.
But I also don't use iplayer,Alexa (what IS the point), or own a microwave, tumbledrier or hair drier so I am probably very behind the times.

We only have freeview, I've lost interest in the TV over the last six months or so so wouldn't mind getting rid of the TV. Dd has never watched TV and ds only watches sport (usually at exh's tbh) so our TV's are rarely switched on.

I or the Children rarely watch anything on TV-We do have Prime and Netflix and watch something on one of those daily.
Me and my Partner watch TV series.
The only things we watch on TV are Strictly and MasterChef.

All those people who don't have an actual TV-What does your Home look like without one??? Most Homes are set up around a tv.......?

I would be fine with no tv. Never watch it, or Netflix or anything. Dh has it on constantly so he would struggle. Kids would be OK as all apart from one old enough to have their own devices. Youngest one would soon adapt.

My boyfriend and I, pre internet days went without tv for a couple of months. We thought, loftily, that it was unnecessary. It was hard. There’s only so much reading you can do! It made going to the cinema the Best Thing Ever though. And boy were we happy when we were reunited with the TV. I think there is a great deal of enjoyment to be gained from watching a program/film/whatever with others. Eg my kids and I like watching bake off/strictly together and there is a lot of chatter going on. We don’t have it on mindlessly all the time though, like my parents do; the tv only comes on a time specific times to watch specific things. I would miss it if we didn’t have it.

I am lucky to have two good cinemas nearby and access to others in central London. So I do not have Netflix and could live without it or other streaming services.

I'd struggle with no tv, though the internet and phone could fill some of the gap.