When I moved into this new apt last month I debated whether to keep the internet and cable. Both were costing about $100 a month total. What I did was upgrade my internet with Qwest (about $45 now) and ditch the cable. I never really watched TV that much (mostly CNN, MSNBC, HGTV, Food Network,  some movies, and a few others) but decided that I did not need it. I can watch alot of shows online now.

So yesterday I signed up for Netflix. They have a free trial period (two weeks). I signed up for the $13.99 a month plan. They send you 2 DVD's at a time, with unlimited movies per month, plus unlimited free movies I can watch online instantly. Free delivery, keep the movies as long as you want (yay, no late fees) and send them back in a pre-paid envelope. Works for me. I still can go to the library for free movies.

Does anyone else here have Netflix and do you like it? Have you had any problems with it that I should be aware of?

 We have Netflix and love it.  We're also on the $13.99/month plan and it really is worth it.  When you consider its a good $25 at least for two people to go to a mantinee these days and have popcorn & sodas Netflix is a steal!

When I was single I didn't have cable and I opted to do Blockbuster's mailing program and it was sooooo worth it.  As soon as I got the first set of movies I started watching.  There's a blue mail box on my way to and from work, so I watched the first movie and dropped it off in the mail the next day.  The second night I watched another movie and then dropped it on the 3rd day.  I only had about a two day break at most between watching the first movie and when a new one would come in my mailbox.  Down days were used for other activities, like reading, cleaning, etc.  I will say that at the time I was using it money was very tight and it was really my only entertainment.  Because of the lower cost I got a lot of entertainment bang for my buck.  I'm with ariana on this one, b/c even if bring my own snacks and buy a matinee movie ticket, that $13 is gone after the cost of driving to the movies!  But with netflix you'll have entertainment at home a couple nights a week for that same $13.

My husband pays for cable out of his budget and I've since rediscovered a love for basic television, but we still rent once in a while (maybe once every 6 weeks or so).  We don't do the mailing feature anymore (haven't for 2 years), but we may start it back up when we move to a more rural area -- between gas costs and more limited t.v., even with cable or dish, it'll definately be worth it even if we just use it in the summer.

Check out what DVDs you local public library has available--free or very low cost to rent.  Just an idea.

Also, you can watch DVDs on your computer--that's what we are doing now since the tv died on us.  

We had netflix for awhile.  The service was great and so is the selection of movies.  I cancelled it though because we just didn't use it enough to make the cost worthwhile.  You get the dvds right away; like within a couple days of returning your other ones.  But sometimes it would take us a few weeks to watch the movies before sending them back resulting in paying $14 for two movies for a month.  So I let the account go.  I think if you watch a lot of movies, you can really get a lot for your money.

Now, we will get movies from the library (they have a huge selection and we can transfer between branches).  Often though, when we want to watch a movie, we haven't prepared by requesting a movie from the library ahead of time (a drawback of the library!) but we have been using the supermarket redbox system which we love.  Fairly current stuff, rental is $1.00.  Totally works for us as we only watch a movie every few weeks or so.

But I really do think netflix is worth a try-depending on your usage, it is a great system!  A friend of mine watches something like 3-4 movies per week (sometimes more!) and it is absolutely worth it for she and her DH.

We have Netflix.   The $13.99 one.   I love it.

I can get more movies and get them faster than at the library.    I like that I can keep the movie as long as I want wtih Netflix, but have to return the movie within a week at the library.   Most movies from the library are from a different library, so there is no renewing it if  you haven't watched it.   

Hey Chocolatechic, I have the same problem with our libraries. They just don't have a great selections of DVD's on hand, if there is one I want to see it is already checked out, and I have to get on a waiting list to get it. Then you can only keep it for a few days. I take the bus to and from the library, so there is some expense to get there and back. I am on disability and have medical/chronic pain issues and sometimes I don't feel well enough to make the trip. Netflix is worth it to me. It is my only entertainment expense. My first two movies should be here tomarrow,The Bucket List and Welcome Home Roscoe Jenkins.

bluesong:

Hey Chocolatechic, I have the same problem with our libraries. They just don't have a great selections of DVD's on hand, if there is one I want to see it is already checked out, and I have to get on a waiting list to get it. Then you can only keep it for a few days. I take the bus to and from the library, so there is some expense to get there and back. I am on disability and have medical/chronic pain issues and sometimes I don't feel well enough to make the trip. Netflix is worth it to me. It is my only entertainment expense. My first two movies should be here tomarrow,The Bucket List and Welcome Home Roscoe Jenkins.

Another thing that I totally love about Netflix is that they have a "view right now" feature so that if you are waiting for a movie to be delivered, and you still want to watch something...you can. 

I signed up for Netflix after I had seen all the movies available at the local libraries. I have a combination VCR/DVD player. I had it from 2003 until 2007. I had problems with the deliveries of DVDs being lost or cracked and unplayable. I had to request ine movie 3 different times before I got one that could be watched. They would send me out DVDs that were cracked and/or warped. I think the problem is with the Richmond, VA, Distribution Center.

Some of the movies I saw were wonderful.

I loved the no late fees.

I dropped Netflix in 2007 after I got DirecTV installed for the 2 tv sets in the house. I have the option of PPV with DirecTV for $3.99.

I also found that it took forever to get certain movies that I wanted.

I got Netflix and then DirecTV  because I couldn't stand how expensive movies have become not counting the cost of popcorn and drinks at the movies. My local movie theater does a $6.00 Monday Ladies Night which includes popcorn, a drink, and the movie.

FYI: I have heard horror stories about Blockbuster.

 This last spring I decided to completely cancel my tv service and sign up for netflix as a replacement.  I love it! Since I have no tv at all, I got the $18 plan for 3 movies at one time and it works great for me.  Since I don't usually have time to sit down and watch a whole movie at once, I usually put seasons of old tv shows in my queue, with an occasional movie thrown in there to watch on the weekends.  That way, I can sit down and watch maybe 45 minutes while I'm eating dinner or doing whatever, but I don't need to use up several hours.  I really love it, I get to watch all the old shows that aren't on tv anymore and I save like $80/month.   So far, I haven't had any problems with them at all.  My replacement movies get here within a day or two of me mailing them back.  Anyways, I could go on and on about how much I love and how little I miss real tv.  It's really a great option IMO.