I recently canceled my Netflix account after five years of consistent use. Let’s talk about it.
It’s already been established that I watch a lot of shows and movies, and that I have been privileged enough to be able to afford or have access to several streaming services: Disney+, Hulu, Netflix, Amazon Prime, Peacock, Viki, and occasionally AppleTV+. Add to that my growing collection of digital movies and my even more extensive collection of physical movie and tv show DVDs. So it’s safe to say that I do not lack entertainment options.
And it’s funny (sad, really) that Netflix, which I have had access to for the longest time, should also be the most expensive of the streaming sites that I pay for. But with their recent announcement that they are doing away with password sharing and that they would charge people an extra 8 dollars a month per person for people who live outside of the primary household, well, it was time to go.
Not that I won’t miss it.
One of my all-time favorite movies, Jodhaa Akbar, is only available on Netflix. It’s not a Netflix original; it’s an Indian biographical movie from 2008. But it’s not available anywhere else, which is an utter shame. I would pay for a digital or a physical copy, except all of the DVD copies I can find online are expensive. So it’s entirely possible that I won’t see it again for a long time.
While Netflix’s stance on password sharing (and frankly, some of their content decisions) does irk me, I don’t think I’ll be off of Netflix forever. But I think it’ll become the occasional month-long viewing option, such as during the holidays to catch new holiday movies or any new seasons for shows I’ve missed.
But canceling Netflix has allowed me to remove the app from my phone, which I haven’t done in years.
Part of me feels glad. One less streaming service to pay for, one less streaming service to worry about or pay attention to. I have been slowly trying to create more than I consume, so this will be better for me in the long run.
Why do I have so many streaming services?
Because they’re available? Ha, but really though. Actually, I get Hulu free through my Spotify premium account. On the day that Disney combines the two (Disney+ and Hulu) as they have announced that they would, if I only need to go onto Disney+ to access Hulu, then I’ll be canceling my Spotify plan and joining my family’s plan (that doesn’t have Hulu) in order to save some money.
Amazon Prime Video, I don’t use as much, simply because there’s not a lot I really want to watch. Also, because the app has been glitching like crazy, I can only watch on my laptop, reducing my desire to watch. It’s enough that I have access to it, rather than that I need to be watching something on it.
Peacock had a deal last year that got me a year for a discount, which I took. Also because it has the complete Murder She Wrote series (I do have that on DVD, but my mom and I are watching through it on stream). I watch it more than Amazon Prime Video, but still not as much as Viki.
Viki has been like Netflix for me. I’ve had it since 2018, and it has been worth every penny. It’s one of the best services on the internet to watch Asian dramas. I probably have spent more time on Viki than I have on any other streaming app, except for maybe Disney+. No, I know I’ve spent more time than on Disney+, but still, not that much more.
I am certainly grateful for the tech (and the money) that allows me to access these sites. I’ve been able to see some outstanding shows, but everything must come to an end. So while I will miss Netflix, I won’t miss it that much. Not enough to pay for it every month.
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