Please again reassure me (and DD) that we are not the only folks on the planet without cable TV.
Here's today's story: I've decided to so a systematic evaluation of all our bills and started this morning with the phone bill. We have cheap-o "pay-as-you-go" cell phones, so it was the DSL and home line I considered. I called ATT, and of course, they tried to get me to bundle with a TV package for about $20 more a month than we pay now. But I wanted less, not more.
The call continued and eventually (20 minutes in) they came up with a package that is $25 less than we pay now. I resisted the cable TV package and instead of paying $240/yr more, I think I saved $300. I'm happy and can do without the cable as can DH. DD is another matter!
I resisted
May 20th, 2011 at 04:16 pm
May 20th, 2011 at 05:20 pm 1305908453
yet be aware, we changed companies at least 3 times in 10 years (from Direct TV to Dish to cable and back) which results in probably 2 dishes on top of our house which may or may not be in use (wasteful imo). But it makes a BIG difference if you are willing to walk away from a company. HANG UP and they almost always come back with a lower offer.
(btw this works EVERY TIME for the membership stores such as costco or sams. We are proof).
YES the companies will reduce the price, don't go for their up front suggested rates.
though we do have the 'cable' it is a a bundle with our internet. but you are NOT the only ones.
May 20th, 2011 at 05:27 pm 1305908875
I think not having cable is far more rare these days. Our parents never had it before, but do now, etc. I am actually hard pressed to think of any friends/family in real life without cable - and most are pretty frugal. BUT, times are changing. My dh is really particular about TV quality and availability of shows (of course - TV/film is his passion). BUT, it looks really likely that he is ready to cut the cord. He's always had an internal struggle with the monopolized/ridiculously expensive cable industry and his passions. I think netflix was the swaying factor. Since we have the fiver optic cable, he is pleased with the streaming. It's the streaming that won him over, anyway. Roku (Hulu), netflix and amazon - hallelujah - no more cable!
I will do a happy dance when it is official!
The only reason we have had cable as long as we have, is that we had a really reasonable/local cable company initially when we moved here. They got bought out by Comcast a few years ago and dh has been really unhappy since. Lower quality/higher prices. Blech.
May 20th, 2011 at 05:32 pm 1305909130
BTW - I am so annoyed at dh because he got us in a contract with Surewest.
May 20th, 2011 at 05:59 pm 1305910792
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May 21st, 2011 at 02:49 am 1305942542
I'm a great one for walking away.
May 21st, 2011 at 03:00 pm 1305986427
I know you can watch network shows on DVD, but how can you replace the morning/evening local news? Hard to give up weather every 10 minutes.
That being said, i pay just $13/mth for basic cable.
May 21st, 2011 at 04:17 pm 1305991035
I do NOT need cable to encourage myself or my kids to WASTE more time watching tv. To this day I do NOT have cable.
May 21st, 2011 at 06:07 pm 1305997673
May 22nd, 2011 at 04:09 am 1306033780
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May 23rd, 2011 at 02:01 am 1306112517
We probably couldn't try other companies either; being in a condo you kind of have to go with the setup they have.
Many of my friends have given up cable, actually. It seems to be the trend among Minneapolis 30somethings I know.
I am proud of our cellphone situation though; most of my friends have smartphones, but I insist my family stay on cheapy prepaid phones, and we've gotten the cost of 3 cellphones down to less than $60 per month. We use Skype to call England, and that's probably about $20 per year for weekly calls! Now that we webcam-chat, it's going to be even easier, because that doesn't cost anything through Skype.
May 23rd, 2011 at 03:18 am 1306117100
I will say that tonight when I heard about the tornado in Joplin, MS, I did use my landlady's tv to watch The Weather Channel. But if I didn't have that available to me, I would have just waited for the news websites.
May 23rd, 2011 at 04:54 pm 1306166076
@baselle: Mad Men season 4 is already out. We borrowed our discs from netflix. Best season yet!!
May 23rd, 2011 at 06:23 pm 1306171437
I just download Suze Orman each week and listen to music the rest of the time. I'm liking this arrangement so much better!
May 24th, 2011 at 04:59 pm 1306252768
Go out to a local pub/pizza joint/any restaurant now-a-days and watch the game there. I've never been a huge sports fan, but I love the energy of watching the game with other interested people. Thankfully my DH only likes watching the Superbowl so we never have too much of a sports & tv problem.
May 26th, 2011 at 05:32 am 1306384329