Peaky Blinders- The British series about a gangster family set in 1919, created by Locke screenwriter Steven Knight, arrives on Netflix Tuesday. Get caught up, because Season 2, which will be released in November, stars Tom Hardy. (netflix.com)Robert Viglasky
Welcome to our Gen Y money blog, where a recent grad chronicles her real-life journey to becoming a financially independent adult.
If there's one monthly bill I don't mind paying, it's my Netflix subscription.
Netflix and I, we have a great relationship. We've spent hours on end cozying-up on the couch and enjoying long walks to the fridge. I can watch any time, anywhere, for any length of time, and Netflix would never accuse me of being "clingy." And when I log in and review the "Top Picks for Victoria," I know that Netflix just gets me.
Jokes aside, Netflix is my main source of at-home entertainment. For a monthly fee of $7.99 – the price of a pint of craft beer – I get unlimited TV shows and movies of all varieties with no commercial breaks.
It's the type of indulgence that my bank account can justify and it conveniently fits my lifestyle. Instead of adjusting my schedule to be home for 9 pm on Thursdays to catch the latest episode of Scandal, I can binge-watch an entire series on a lazy Sunday afternoon. Better yet, I don't have to wait for commercial breaks to make popcorn or refill my wine.
Of course, I've invested in a couple of accessories that have made my relationship with Netflix better. My parents generously gave me a 38-inch television from Costco as an early birthday present. This is strictly a Netflix TV, however, my roommate and I split the cost of an HDMI cable so we can connect our laptops to watch Peaky Blinders on the big screen.
I don't see myself purchasing a cable or satellite package any time soon. The thought of paying a monthly bill of more than $80 for channels I mostly don't watch is ludicrous. Similarly, I don't own a DVD or Blu-ray player (on my laptop or connected to my TV).
Why on earth would I spend $24.99 (three times the monthly cost of Netflix!) on a single season of a TV series? The clunky boxed-shaped set would just take up valuable square footage in my apartment.
In fact, my taste in TV is almost entirely dictated by what's available on Netflix. Though I'm pretty satisfied with the available selection thus far, I have a friend who recently subscribed to Shomi because he was "running out of things to watch on Netflix." I'm currently faithful to Netflix simply because it came first and it's a dollar cheaper, but I'd be open to trying another service if it truly proves to be an upgrade.
The only time my thoughts stray from online streaming and think back fondly to the days of cable are when it comes to real-time televised events, but even those are becoming more easily accessible with some help from the Internet. After all, I was able to watch the entire 2014 Sochi Olympics online, thanks to CTV.ca's free real-time streaming.
If I want to catch the news, I'll get it as it breaks on my chosen news sites– no need to wait for the six o'clock re-cap. If I want to watch the "big game," I'll head to a bar. Networks are even starting to provide live-streams of awards shows like the Golden Globes and the Oscars, though I'd argue that these events are the biggest laggards when it comes to the world of online TV streaming.
At the end of my workday, I want to kick my feet up and be in control of how and what I watch on TV. I'm a stingy millennial trying to pay off my student debt, and I want to be able to afford in-home entertainment that won't break the bank. Netflix allows for me to do exactly that.
I guess you could say it's getting pretty serious.