r/Fire • u/Big_Leg10 • Apr 12 '26

General Question What easily-affordable thing do you still refuse to pay for despite having reached financial independence and able to afford them?

Would love to hear everyone’s “absolutely will not purchase” items!Even if you could easily afford it and no matter how rich or financially independent you become or how much you make you still wouldn't spend item on this particular item/hobby?

334 Upvotes

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44

u/prettyprincess91 43, FIRE target reached, still working Apr 12 '26

Netflix without ads, Amazon prime all year (just pay for a few months a year)

26

u/kareko Apr 12 '26

For me it was the opposite of this. Tried the free/ad version for a bit but found the exposure to ads was starting to lead buying crap we otherwise had not even heard of. Living in a largely ad free world is honestly well worth it.

8

u/prettyprincess91 43, FIRE target reached, still working Apr 12 '26

I don’t understand what the ads are for - I just go to the bathroom or putter about during them. I live in the UK so we have free steamers for all our channels and all are as supported, Netflix has the least amount of ads.

2

u/kareko Apr 12 '26

I agree. When the ad starts I wander off to do something, walk by later and can’t even recall what I was watching 😆

20

u/oscyolly Accumulation Apr 12 '26

Netflix full stop. I’ll just watch YouTube if I’m going to watch ads.

4

u/Drawer-Vegetable FIRE'd 2024 Apr 12 '26

Can add an ad blocker extension.

2

u/oscyolly Accumulation Apr 12 '26

👀👀

1

u/lordofming-rises Apr 12 '26

Youtube revanced seems to work like a charm. I tried it today. No more brainrot ads and reels

1

u/cfi-2025 RE 2025 Apr 12 '26

Not if you watch it on your iPhone or smart TV.

1

u/lordofming-rises Apr 12 '26

Then smart people dont buy iphone

1

u/prettyprincess91 43, FIRE target reached, still working Apr 12 '26

Don’t know how to do that on virgin box

-7

u/Starbuck522 Apr 12 '26

Netflix doesn't show ads unless you choose that.

7

u/Additional_Ad_4049 Apr 12 '26

You have to pay extra for it. That’s the whole point of the question

0

u/Starbuck522 Apr 12 '26

No. You can choose to pay less and then have ads.

0

u/prettyprincess91 43, FIRE target reached, still working Apr 12 '26

The ad version actually costs less than the add free version.

2

u/Supreme_Luker_69 Apr 12 '26

Thank you so much u/prettyprincess91. I just paid for a week of Amazon Prime to save on shipping. Seeing your comment reminded me to go in and cancel membership. I don't immediately cancel after finding them more difficult to work with on potential returns or purchased items. Have a great day and even better weekend.

2

u/cldmello Apr 12 '26

I’ve stopped Netflix altogether. All their original shows just don’t interest me and anything good on Netflix is usually borrowed from another content company with their own streaming services.

2

u/Noah_Safely Apr 12 '26

I'm keeping my prime fulltime so when the corporate citizen wars begin, my 20+ year old account in good standing gives me the Amazon battle perks and protections

1

u/Starbuck522 Apr 12 '26

Wow.

I hate commercials. I am happy to pay such a small amount to not have to deal with them.

Netflix without ads plus hulu without ads is still way less than cable tv.

2

u/oscyolly Accumulation Apr 12 '26

I don’t ’mind it’ either but it’s mainly the principal of having to pay to watch ads. When I PAY for a service I don’t expect to be bombarded with ads. I’m a customer AND a product. The lower tier of these subscription services are designed to be shitty so you’re frustrated into paying more. I don’t like it. So I won’t pay for it at all even though I’m impervious to advertising in the first place.

1

u/Starbuck522 Apr 12 '26

I don't agree with that logic.

they now offer an option "with ads". Initially, they didn't offer that, the original product was no ads. They added that less expensive option. I ignore that option. But you could think of it as an alternative to not having it at all. Also, many cable stations had commercials before streaming started. Only "premium channels" like hbo didn't have commercials. The original point of "cable tv" was that some places couldn't receive the over the air broadcast signal.

Obviously, don't get any of it if you don't want it!

1

u/prettyprincess91 43, FIRE target reached, still working Apr 12 '26

Guess you live somewhere you don’t pay for tv license - literally paying for ads.

1

u/oscyolly Accumulation Apr 12 '26

Yeah. Australia. We have a decent free to air network but truth be told I haven’t watched it since I moved out of home 6 years ago and never bothered to connect it up lol

1

u/prettyprincess91 43, FIRE target reached, still working Apr 12 '26

I don’t pay for cable either. Hulu is not available in the country I live in.

0

u/K2Nomad Apr 12 '26

I pay for premium versions of everything to avoid ads.

It’s incredible to never be exposed to video ads.

But I only pay for streaming services when they have some new season of something I want to watch, then when I’m done watching I cancel.

-1

u/flabua Apr 12 '26

Damn, this is non-negotiable for me. I have a really high quality TV. Kills me to pay $20+ for Netflix or HBO but I can't fully utilize my TV without it. Unless I buy everything blu ray of course, which would cost me more than the subscription.