TV License

So a few months ago Paul and I were cuddling in front of the TV when a commercial came on. It looked a little bit like a commercial for a dating website when at the end it said "You don't have to do everything all at once. Pay your TV License online one month at a time." I thought it was a joke and started laughing. Paul said "Why is that funny?" and I said, "That TV tax thing". He still looked at me quizzically, and I  said "Oh my word, TV License is real??" He got out a notebook that had his TV License in it. He pays £144 a year for it. That's like $180... to own a TV... so you buy your TV at an exorbitant price at the store and then continue paying on it for the rest of your TV's life. Apparently it is so the BBC doesn't have to have commercials, but I find that it's awfully annoying to not have any. It means that there are no bathroom breaks, no chatting breaks, and you never know what is available in  your city or town restaurant wise or sale wise because there are no commercials for it. This is definitely a negative for the UK. Thankfully though, we only have to pay 1 fee for the household. The rest of Europe must pay PER TV. YIKES!!! I have also heard that Most of Europe has a radio license tax as well. Good news to people with black and white TV's though, you only have to pay £89 a year for your TV license! Although that sounds a little racist to me.

TV license from 2006...looks like the fees have gone up since then!