You've answered your own question citing paying for live as something you don't fancy doing.
Get a Ps3 if your only going to go online occasionally and if you're into media and blu-ray movies, but if you intend to go online more often get a 360 because in my opinion live is a more stable service with a better interface, and a lot more content than Psn but that's obviously why its subscription based - you get what you pay for.
Or you could just buy them both like many other people I know (including myself).
Get a Ps3 if your only going to go online occasionally and if you're into media and blu-ray movies, but if you intend to go online more often get a 360 because in my opinion live is a more stable service with a better interface, and a lot more content than Psn but that's obviously why its subscription based - you get what you pay for.
Or you could just buy them both like many other people I know (including myself).