ROSEMARY ABBOTT | Culture
LIKE CLOCKWORK
Wellington couple Sarah Wintle and Jake Steele are just two ordinary Kiwis trying to make ends meet in a country where the cost of living continues to rise at an alarming rate.
But despite the 27 year-olds finding themselves in a never ending battle against their bills, they continue to keep their Netflix subscription on, despite their financial limitations.
“I mean, we can’t just not be passively entertained every night, right?” said Wintle, who continues to complain about the cost of fruit and veges while not considering cancelling her $24.99 a month Netflix subscription.
The couple, who are trying to save for their first home, seemed relatively disinterested in parting ways with a paid-for TV service, ensuring they always have enough funds to make sure their payment for Netflix goes out, while sacrificing other important household necessities.
In fact they seemed more interested in budgeting for Stranger Things, The Crown and Succession than ensuring there’s enough healthy food in their supermarket shop.
“We’re cutting back on some things, but sacrificing Netflix? That’s where we draw the line. It’s nice to know we can escape into our own little world with the click of a button,” explained Jake, who doesn’t want to face the reality that his Netflix subscription is one reason why they’re only just getting by.
Our reporters unhelpfully suggested that if they were serious about cutting back on costs they could just make a regular trip to Te Papa for a source of free entertainment, however they didn’t respond as the instantly recognizable sound of the Netflix app opening up boomed around the lounge.
More to come.
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