This January I decided to cancel my Netflix subscription — the one I had had for over five years.
Why did I do this? It was a mix of the rise in prices and the fact that I simply didn't use it enough. Was it really worth $11 a month to watch a few episodes of Friends — a television show I'd already watched in its entirety? I didn't think so...
So in the month that I've gone without Netflix, this has been my experience:
1. I read a lot more
Since I no longer have television shows and movies to distract me, I have found time to spend on my other hobbies, including reading.
2. I watch YouTube a lot more
Just because I gave up Netflix doesn't mean that I gave up all screen time. My YouTube watching has gone up quite a bit. Stay free, YouTube.
3. I have to hang out with people to watch Netflix
Since I no longer have my Netflix subscription, if I want to watch something on Netflix, I must watch it with another human. This means I get to bond with whomever I watch it with and therefore am not a hermit binge-watching episodes anymore. Yay for human interaction!
4. I've become better at time management
Netflix can no longer suck me in for three more episodes! My newfound free time means I use it to actually be productive. The number of times that I've said to myself, "Wow, *insert chore here* only took me one Friends episode to do!" in the past month is a bit ridiculous.
5. I've thought about reactivating my account on the daily
Yep. Even though I hardly used it when I had it, I still wonder what life would be like if I reactivated my account. There are so many shows... so many movies. There are so many pop culture references I could be catching up on. Alas, for now, I will hold strong and continue my life being Netflix-free.