A Present That I Used to Save Me Money

For Chanukah, I asked for and received a Roku. Roku is like a cable box for the internet. My box brings in unlimited Netflix streaming videos (20,000 available) and music from Pandora. It can be setup to do much more.

I decided, upon getting the gift, to cut my Netflix subscription from 2 DVDs at a time for $13.99 per month to 1 DVD at a time for $8.99 per month. Sure it is only $5 per month, but that is $60 per year. I can do a lot with $60. The cheapest Roku costs $80, so this is a 16 month break even point for what I look at as an entertainment investment.

For now, I am sticking with cable as well, but it definitely makes me think. If I could Hulu through the box as well, and have a digital antenna, it would make me think a lot harder.

So far, I have not used the box a lot but I like it. It works just like a cable box. It was easy to setup and has its own remote. I started watching season one of Dexter on my Roku. It is just like watching it on TV, but I can pause and leave and come back. I guess it is like a cable box and DVR in one.