Cozy AND Convenient!

All this talk about Valentine’s Day is making me want to cozy up to my sweetie for a nice romantic evening … oh wait! That’s a little easier said than done with 2 kids under the age of 5! Well, here’s our little secret to a relaxing movie night for two snuggled up on the couch – Netflix. Aright … I know Netflix is all the rage, probably not much of a secret, but here’s why I love it so much. Imagine the scene: a full day of work or caring for the kids, dinner, bath, maybe a little more play time and then finally get the little ones off to bed. Now you and your husband actually have a few minutes to hang out with each other. What better time to sit down and catch the latest new release? I don’t know about you, but I just cannot seem to stomach the outrageous prices at the theaters these days. Not to mention adding popcorn and a babysitter on top of that – it’ll cost a small fortune just to catch the latest flick!

Anyway … back to my scenario … the clock strikes 8 (or 9 in our case) and the last thing you want to do is jump in your car and run to the local movie rental joint. Plan ahead you say? Yeah, right! 🙂 Well with Netflix, you always have a movie or two on hand. There are no late fees, so you can keep the movies as long as you like. I’ve been known to have one for a whole month at a time! That way I can watch it whenever my schedule allows. There are several plans to choose from so it’s easy to get one that’s right for you – and just as easy to change it if you realize you simply don’t have time to watch 4 movies in any given month! The plans start at only $4.99/month and can actually end up being cheaper than rental rates. Click here for more info on how it works.

Once you sign up, it’s easy. Just create your “queue” with all your favs and as you send one back, the next one shows up in your mailbox within days. Our turn-around time has consistently been 2 days – Netflix receives the movie the day after I stick it in the mail and my next one is at my house the following day. Sure beats hopping in my car or worrying about due dates!

The other cool thing about Netflix is you can add movies currently out in theaters to your queue and as soon as they’re out on DVD, they get added to your list. This works well in my theater boycott because I never remember which movies I “really wanted to see” once they’re off the big screen.

There’s also Redbox … that big red box you’ve most likely seen in Harris Teeter. I’ve never used them but I know lots of people that have. If you’re one of those – let us know if you like it or not! What other “date night” activities do you have planned for this Valentine’s Day?

Don’t forget to register for the $150 Nesting gift certificate giveaway! Click here to enter. You must be registered for our Smarty e-newsletter to enter. Good luck!