It’s been about a week since I cancelled my cable service. I decided to do it now because 1) the NBA has finally come to the dreadful end 2) all my favorite television shows such as 24, House, Lost, Heroes and Greys have come to an end. At about $85 a month for basic cable, HBO, cinemax and all the HD channels, I thought the cost was little too high for watching only a couple hours of television a week, which normally would be comprised of reruns on HBO of Batman Begins or any movie that I already have in my movie library. I say only a couple of hours because I’ve been downloading my tv shows for the past couple of years to watch it when I want and commercial free. So watching television was something I did to relax and just pass the time.
I have to admit that this past week has been a little hard. I still feel the urge to plop myself on the couch after I get home and reach for that remote, but now that I know that I have no cable to watch, I steer clear of the couch and just start making my dinner a little bit earlier than usual, thereby getting to my work for the evening a little earlier than usual as well. Overall, the goal for cancelling my cable service is to 1) save the $85 a month which equals to $1020 a year 2) use my time more productively, so it seems to be working so far.
I know it seems pretty extreme to cut your cable service. I mean this is the first time in my life I’ve had no working television in my house and I would dare venture to say that a lot of you have a similar background as well. In any case, I know some of you may be wondering what they hell I’m going to do without cable tv, but I’m here to tell you that it’s not that bad. You can get your fixes in so many other ways and for those less resourceful, here is a list I made for you to check out:
1) Get a HD TV antennae to connect to your computer’s tv tuner or Flat Screen TV - Most of the major network television stations are broadcasting HD over the air, so if you need to watch Ugly Betty in High-Def, then this would be a low-cost alternative.
2) Catch up with your Television Shows on their Websites - One of the popular things to do last year was to catch up on your favorite shows through their websites. I know a lot of people who’s work productivity went straight down the tubes because they were busy catching up with the last episode of Lost, instead of catching up on their TPS reports. If you have a pc hooked up to your tv, then here’s your solution. If you have an Apple, I know a way where you can watch it full screen (muhaha!).
3) Use Netflix or Blockbuster Total Access - For the price of a premium channel, you can have the latest movie releases sent to your house and now with a lot of the best tv shows coming out on DVD, you can just set aside a weekend to catch up with what people are talking about.
4) Get Joost - The new online on-demand tv network from the makers of Skype, Joost is a great way to watch some random television shows using your computer. I found some random episodes of Transformers on Joost along with National Geographic specials and of course, the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Photo Shoot Specials are fun to watch too! Since it’s still currently in beta testing, this is an invite only program. I have some extra invites if you’d like one, so just comment and i’ll hook it up as long as I have invites to give out.
5) Buy the Shows you watch on iTunes - iTunes is starting to do for tv shows what it has done for music. Instead of buying a whole album for one song, you can just spend your money more wisely and buy what you want to watch a la carte. With the introduction of AppleTV a couple of months ago, I really see this as the future of television. You can even get your favorite YouTube clips on AppleTV now to help waste away your time :). If iTunes doesn’t have it, I’ve heard that bit torrent is a great way to get your favorite shows.
How much cable tv do you watch a week? Do you think you can survive without it? What other alternatives can you think of in addition to the ones I just listed?
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My wife and I watch a couple of hours a tv a night. Most of the time though, the tv is just on and we’re doing other things. I’m blogging and she’s usually reading or something else. I’ve actually been thinking about reducing our cable package… because of all those things listed. I can download most of the shows I watch. There’s itunes. It’ll save a ton!
I try not to watch TV. Basically keep it as I have a cable modem connection and my wife like the Spanish channels.
See…that’s where I can’t let it go. Spurs are done…but now I’ve got NFL and college football. And as a man addicted to Fantasy Football, there’s no way I can go without DirecTV’s NFL Ticket. I guess I’m just a weaker man than you, Gary. Show me the light!
I don’t think I watch any TV on actual TV other than sports. All the shows I watch are usually available for download in HD so why bother when I can simply catch up on my own time rather than their schedule?
That being said, I still have Bell satellite with the HD channels.
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I like how even the “family fun night” type programs even have stripper looking girls dancing throughout the show.
wouldn’t buying an antennae, getting netflix, and installing joost defeat having all that extra production time after you get home? oh yea, where do i get one of those antennaes?
Netflix has a play on demand product now too. Very nice as I can watch movies as I do my programing.
Don’t settle on Joost or any of these. I have a blurb about a review Mashable did on 33 different ways to watch video online.
http://www.sparkminute.com/?p=188
$1000+ /yr savings = better vacation budgets
I ditched the TV five years ago and haven’t looked back. Everything I enjoy is quickly and easily downloadable and commercial free.
The only thing I do miss, however, is all the catch phrases I hear at work that were picked up from commercials….
[…] now that I know that I have no cable to watch, I steer clear of the couch and just start source: I Cancelled my Cable TV and Survived, Mr. Gary Lee Dot […]
you should stop watching TV altogether. do something healthy for a change. eat less fatty foods. do some yoga. read more often.
[…] know that all the frugal bloggers out there repeatedly state you should cancel your cable service and save the money. In my opinion the $70 a month I spend on cable is a fair price as it provides […]
I have been tossing around doing something similar on my site too. Thanks for the encouragement.
More power to you. What about your high speed Internet? Must not have been cable.
I gave up my cable many years ago, and I just realized about connecting the antenna to receive hi-def broadcasts on the day of the Super Bowl!! I’ve been watching free Hi-Def TV ever since!
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