Comments on: Why Netflix Doesn’t Work For Us – And How We Found A Cost-Effective Alternative http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2007/01/08/why-netflix-doesnt-work-for-us-and-how-we-found-a-cost-effective-alternative/ Simple, applicable personal finance advice for the modern world Mon, 22 Mar 2010 10:09:06 -0700 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: tina http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2007/01/08/why-netflix-doesnt-work-for-us-and-how-we-found-a-cost-effective-alternative/comment-page-1/#comment-692060 tina Wed, 10 Jun 2009 10:59:34 +0000 http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2007/01/08/why-netflix-doesnt-work-for-us-and-how-we-found-a-cost-effective-alternative/#comment-692060 Netflix works for my lifestyle. I recently canceled cable $50.00 a month and my gym membership @ $34.99 a month. I love documentaries and watching programs without commercials. They also have a huge selection of yoga workouts. I get 1 yoga workout a week, and never get bored. I also like that I can watch movies, tv shows ect..on my computer everyday which is part of my monthly fee. I have the 3 a month rental for $16.99 and use it for my tv and workouts in one. Netflix works for my lifestyle. I recently canceled cable $50.00 a month and my gym membership @ $34.99 a month. I love documentaries and watching programs without commercials. They also have a huge selection of yoga workouts. I get 1 yoga workout a week, and never get bored. I also like that I can watch movies, tv shows ect..on my computer everyday which is part of my monthly fee. I have the 3 a month rental for $16.99 and use it for my tv and workouts in one.

]]> By: doron hirsch http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2007/01/08/why-netflix-doesnt-work-for-us-and-how-we-found-a-cost-effective-alternative/comment-page-1/#comment-673844 doron hirsch Tue, 26 May 2009 10:23:06 +0000 http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2007/01/08/why-netflix-doesnt-work-for-us-and-how-we-found-a-cost-effective-alternative/#comment-673844 I use an online tv recorder service, which, ahhhmm, records tv programs for me, and allows me to download them and watch the without commercials. The commercial removal is important for us, as we do not want to expose our kids to them...or at least not to tv spots. I use a german service http://www.onlinetvrecorder.com/ I am sure there is an american one too. I pay 0.6 euro per month...and it also saves me the GEZ(german tv tax). I use an online tv recorder service, which, ahhhmm, records tv programs for me, and allows me to download them and watch the without commercials.

The commercial removal is important for us, as we do not want to expose our kids to them…or at least not to tv spots.

I use a german service http://www.onlinetvrecorder.com/

I am sure there is an american one too. I pay 0.6 euro per month…and it also saves me the GEZ(german tv tax).

]]> By: Susan http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2007/01/08/why-netflix-doesnt-work-for-us-and-how-we-found-a-cost-effective-alternative/comment-page-1/#comment-554644 Susan Fri, 06 Mar 2009 17:01:56 +0000 http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2007/01/08/why-netflix-doesnt-work-for-us-and-how-we-found-a-cost-effective-alternative/#comment-554644 Why not just pay $8.99 a month and only use Netflix for unlimited download onto your computer? Then you don't have to worry about schedules and rotations. You can stream it to your television monitor with a converter. Or you can just invest in a decent flat screen computer monitor and use that as your media center instead of a living room being focused around the TV itself. And I agree with the small store owner. But it also sounds like you need to diversify and perhaps offer a membership of your own, delivery options, or other incentives. Why not just pay $8.99 a month and only use Netflix for unlimited download onto your computer? Then you don’t have to worry about schedules and rotations. You can stream it to your television monitor with a converter. Or you can just invest in a decent flat screen computer monitor and use that as your media center instead of a living room being focused around the TV itself.

And I agree with the small store owner. But it also sounds like you need to diversify and perhaps offer a membership of your own, delivery options, or other incentives.

]]> By: Mike http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2007/01/08/why-netflix-doesnt-work-for-us-and-how-we-found-a-cost-effective-alternative/comment-page-1/#comment-478205 Mike Wed, 14 Jan 2009 21:04:53 +0000 http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2007/01/08/why-netflix-doesnt-work-for-us-and-how-we-found-a-cost-effective-alternative/#comment-478205 While the legality of this idea is debatable. Downloading saves you the most amount of money if you are determined to watch something. Simply abstaining from movies and tv saves the most money however. While the legality of this idea is debatable. Downloading saves you the most amount of money if you are determined to watch something.

Simply abstaining from movies and tv saves the most money however.

]]> By: BoDo http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2007/01/08/why-netflix-doesnt-work-for-us-and-how-we-found-a-cost-effective-alternative/comment-page-1/#comment-404351 BoDo Tue, 28 Oct 2008 19:05:38 +0000 http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2007/01/08/why-netflix-doesnt-work-for-us-and-how-we-found-a-cost-effective-alternative/#comment-404351 Just give up on tv altogether. I did it decades ago, it was the best decision I've ever made in my life. If I want to watch a movie, I can use a DVD. If for some reason I do want to watch a television show - maybe once every five years - I can watch it online. But most of the time I don't watch anything. Frees up life like nothing else. No gabbing at the office about whatever lousy show was on the night before, and NO BOMBARDMENT FROM POLITICAL ADS/COMMENTARY/RANTS! Just give up on tv altogether. I did it decades ago, it was the best decision I’ve ever made in my life. If I want to watch a movie, I can use a DVD. If for some reason I do want to watch a television show – maybe once every five years – I can watch it online. But most of the time I don’t watch anything. Frees up life like nothing else. No gabbing at the office about whatever lousy show was on the night before, and NO BOMBARDMENT FROM POLITICAL ADS/COMMENTARY/RANTS!

]]> By: MichaelVR http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2007/01/08/why-netflix-doesnt-work-for-us-and-how-we-found-a-cost-effective-alternative/comment-page-1/#comment-86411 MichaelVR Sat, 13 Oct 2007 16:15:26 +0000 http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2007/01/08/why-netflix-doesnt-work-for-us-and-how-we-found-a-cost-effective-alternative/#comment-86411 I have been a member of Peerflix for over a year. There is no cost for membership and you trade DVDs you own for a small charge. The upside, you can keep or trade any DVD. They charge .99 per trade plus shipping. You only pay for your trading activity. The downside, the DVD you want may not be available right now because it is too popular. If there is a DVD I've got to have now, I can alway buy or rent it. Since becoming a Peerfix member, I got the DVD I wanted through them 9 out of 10 times. Usually with a short wait. I have been a member of Peerflix for over a year. There is no cost for membership and you trade DVDs you own for a small charge. The upside, you can keep or trade any DVD. They charge .99 per trade plus shipping. You only pay for your trading activity. The downside, the DVD you want may not be available right now because it is too popular. If there is a DVD I’ve got to have now, I can alway buy or rent it. Since becoming a Peerfix member, I got the DVD I wanted through them 9 out of 10 times. Usually with a short wait.

]]> By: Kristi http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2007/01/08/why-netflix-doesnt-work-for-us-and-how-we-found-a-cost-effective-alternative/comment-page-1/#comment-56225 Kristi Sat, 11 Aug 2007 23:41:27 +0000 http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2007/01/08/why-netflix-doesnt-work-for-us-and-how-we-found-a-cost-effective-alternative/#comment-56225 How about your local video store? My family owns a video store and we charge $1 per rental. The benefit of getting what you want when you want it outweighs the Netflix thing unless you really enjoy giving your money to a corporation so a few people can become millionaires rather than helping support local business. I guess people are just that lazy. Soon people will just download everything so they don't have to walk to their mailboxes. What a hassle that must be. Can you tell I'm bitter about corporate greed? You should write an article about saving money by spending your money at corporations vs. that little voice in your head that tells you that due to personal morals and ethics you really should spend an extra few cents here and there to support local business. How about your local video store? My family owns a video store and we charge $1 per rental. The benefit of getting what you want when you want it outweighs the Netflix thing unless you really enjoy giving your money to a corporation so a few people can become millionaires rather than helping support local business. I guess people are just that lazy. Soon people will just download everything so they don’t have to walk to their mailboxes. What a hassle that must be.

Can you tell I’m bitter about corporate greed? You should write an article about saving money by spending your money at corporations vs. that little voice in your head that tells you that due to personal morals and ethics you really should spend an extra few cents here and there to support local business.

]]> By: Ilya http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2007/01/08/why-netflix-doesnt-work-for-us-and-how-we-found-a-cost-effective-alternative/comment-page-1/#comment-19570 Ilya Fri, 20 Apr 2007 17:48:45 +0000 http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2007/01/08/why-netflix-doesnt-work-for-us-and-how-we-found-a-cost-effective-alternative/#comment-19570 I agree: the TV is a waste of time. I use netflix and I get to watch good movies that I want. There are things you could do besides watching TV... 1 hour a day. Calculate that over the course of your lifetime and see that you have lost already. Quit before you loose more. And you should always remeber: television is only there because of its commercial properties, and nothing else. Good luck, Ilya I agree: the TV is a waste of time. I use netflix and I get to watch good movies that I want. There are things you could do besides watching TV… 1 hour a day. Calculate that over the course of your lifetime and see that you have lost already. Quit before you loose more. And you should always remeber: television is only there because of its commercial properties, and nothing else.
Good luck,
Ilya

]]> By: Kat http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2007/01/08/why-netflix-doesnt-work-for-us-and-how-we-found-a-cost-effective-alternative/comment-page-1/#comment-2827 Kat Tue, 09 Jan 2007 07:06:24 +0000 http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2007/01/08/why-netflix-doesnt-work-for-us-and-how-we-found-a-cost-effective-alternative/#comment-2827 (Okay, we get 20 channels, but 4 are Spanish, so I didn't count those.) (Okay, we get 20 channels, but 4 are Spanish, so I didn’t count those.)

]]> By: Kat http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2007/01/08/why-netflix-doesnt-work-for-us-and-how-we-found-a-cost-effective-alternative/comment-page-1/#comment-2826 Kat Tue, 09 Jan 2007 07:03:58 +0000 http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2007/01/08/why-netflix-doesnt-work-for-us-and-how-we-found-a-cost-effective-alternative/#comment-2826 I don't have cable or satellite - just plain old broadcast with a booster antenna on the roof of our house (16 channels, CBS, NBC, and Fox have duplicates) - and I don't feel deprived. Sure, there are some cool shows, and even channels, that I'd watch regularly if I had cable, but then I'd be tethered to my TV all the time, or at least more often. There has only ever been one series that I wanted to see that was only on cable (The 4400) and it eventually came out on DVD. It's also extremely rare for me to be so excited to see a show that I'll have a friend tape it - the last one was the Titanic episode from the National Geographic channel where they broadcast live from under the water - it turned out to be a not very great show anyways. Really, give up cable for a month or a year and see how you do... I bet only the most diehard TV watchers or channel fanboys will suffer. (I suppose it's a different story if you can't get any reception with a regular TV where you are and don't have the option to put up a booster antenna.) I don’t have cable or satellite – just plain old broadcast with a booster antenna on the roof of our house (16 channels, CBS, NBC, and Fox have duplicates) – and I don’t feel deprived. Sure, there are some cool shows, and even channels, that I’d watch regularly if I had cable, but then I’d be tethered to my TV all the time, or at least more often. There has only ever been one series that I wanted to see that was only on cable (The 4400) and it eventually came out on DVD. It’s also extremely rare for me to be so excited to see a show that I’ll have a friend tape it – the last one was the Titanic episode from the National Geographic channel where they broadcast live from under the water – it turned out to be a not very great show anyways. Really, give up cable for a month or a year and see how you do… I bet only the most diehard TV watchers or channel fanboys will suffer. (I suppose it’s a different story if you can’t get any reception with a regular TV where you are and don’t have the option to put up a booster antenna.)

]]> By: tofu713 http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2007/01/08/why-netflix-doesnt-work-for-us-and-how-we-found-a-cost-effective-alternative/comment-page-1/#comment-2793 tofu713 Mon, 08 Jan 2007 19:25:02 +0000 http://www.thesimpledollar.com/2007/01/08/why-netflix-doesnt-work-for-us-and-how-we-found-a-cost-effective-alternative/#comment-2793 What about blockbuster's total access? It's roughly about the same pricing as NetFlix, but you get the advantage of the instore returns with the ability to get a new DVD right away. They even give you some free in-store rentals this month. I TOTALLY agree with the getting rid of cable, etc... I've converted to SatTV, but I'm still trying to reduce my monthly cost of watching TV with me and my partner. Gish if ONLY IPTV would come quicker... I'm kinda holding out for whatever Apple comes out with in terms of a set-top box. NetFlix and blockbuster essentially will dissappear after IPTV really gets popular and cheap enough for everyone. BTW. I love your blog, I share it with friends and family. What about blockbuster’s total access?
It’s roughly about the same pricing as NetFlix, but you get the advantage of the instore returns with the ability to get a new DVD right away. They even give you some free in-store rentals this month.

I TOTALLY agree with the getting rid of cable, etc… I’ve converted to SatTV, but I’m still trying to reduce my monthly cost of watching TV with me and my partner. Gish if ONLY IPTV would come quicker… I’m kinda holding out for whatever Apple comes out with in terms of a set-top box. NetFlix and blockbuster essentially will dissappear after IPTV really gets popular and cheap enough for everyone.

BTW. I love your blog, I share it with friends and family.

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