I miss Cable

[greenmimama]

I am sure this will come across as whiny pants. I am surprised how much I miss cable. I think it would be fine if I could get any channels OTA, but we are so far out in the country that we could only get ABC after a $70 antenna purchase. I miss just being able to sit down and turn it on.

I have gotten DVDs from the library and it seems to satisfy the rest of the house's screen time needs.

I ordered a wifi router and I just got a roku, I am hoping it will make it feel normal again :)

I guess I didn't think it would be such a big deal.

Go ahead and punch me now.

[Kriegsspiel]

You'll get over it, don't fret!

[tccoastguard]

Hulu Plus once you get the router. It'll help.

[greenmimama]

I am hoping we can be satisfied with Roku, I got the more expensive one it listed a ton of options, and then maybe in the winter, where we spend a lot more time indoors we can do a subscription base like Hulu+ or netflix.

I will get used to it, it's been about 2 weeks.

[1967mama]

We went through withdrawal ... It will pass as you start to fill the time with other things and will develop other habits to replace the times when you typically sat down to watch (ie: evenings after doing the dishes).

[briandougherty]

What do you miss?  Sports? News? Shows? Background noise?  Some of those issues are more easily solvable than others.

I've never had cable but my parents did.  They got rid of it and I found myself missing it when at their house and I only had network stuff to browse. I think it's easier just to ditch live TV period than to limit it.  If I really want to see something I can usually find it online.  Sports are obviously the most difficult thing to replace but luckily for me I'm not a big fan and some of the things I cared about (World Cup) streamed for free.

[Noodle]

You know, not all Mustachian experiments work out as planned but that doesn't mean they're not worth trying and you often learn something about your true wants/needs. In your place, I would, in order of escalating cost:

1. Try going a little longer with the status quo, since it can take a month or two to have a new habit settle in.
2. See if the Roku box with free options satisfies you.
3. Try out one or more of the streaming services. Hulu+ is good if you want to keep up with the shows your friends are watching. Netflix has the biggest supply of content and by far the best organized site. Amazon Prime comes with free shipping on your packages, and some content other services don't have but the interface is kind of a headache.
4. Look into broadcast-only cable packages. Legally they have to provide them, but they don't have to tell you about them unless you ask. When I had it, it was a third the cost of the regular cable package. I actually gave it up not because of the cost, but because my area went digital only and I realized I was going to have to replace all my equipment to the tune of several hundred dollars. (Also, the service was terrible and I was constantly having outages. So I was sick of giving them my money).

Any of these will cost less than what you were paying the cable company before, and somewhere in there (or some variation) I'm sure you can find the right solution for your family.

[Paul der Krake]

I know how you feel, this is going to be my first football season without cable and I only get CBS and Fox OTA... stupid apartment complex and its large buildings blocking the signals.

[socaso]

There is a bit of lag time when you first drop cable. We dropped in January and therefore missed the second half of last season's Walking Dead. I kept thinking I might buy the episodes on Amazon since we have a Roku box but I didn't and I just found out the whole season will be coming to Netflix this month so I feel pretty virtuous that I didn't plonk down the money. We have Hulu Plus and Netflix and occasionally rent a movie on the Roku box. I do miss HBO but we are saving so much money I can't justify going back. Also I'm kind of betting that HBO will end up being the first cable channel to offer and online-only option.

[begood]

I am sure this will come across as whiny pants. I am surprised how much I miss cable. I think it would be fine if I could get any channels OTA, but we are so far out in the country that we could only get ABC after a $70 antenna purchase. I miss just being able to sit down and turn it on.

I have gotten DVDs from the library and it seems to satisfy the rest of the house's screen time needs.

I ordered a wifi router and I just got a roku, I am hoping it will make it feel normal again :)

I guess I didn't think it would be such a big deal.

Go ahead and punch me now.

No punch from this neck of the woods. We are ACC basketball fans not living in ACC country, so we cling to our ESPN.

DISH network offers a $19.99 plan/mo plan. Including fees/taxes yadda yadda it would probably be closer to $25/mo. None of the "basic cable" channels are in HD, but (and you'd have to confirm this), my understanding is that local channels are broadcast in HD.

[Captain and Mrs Slow]

I don't get why TV is so bad, perhaps if your heavy in debt and you've got the premium 100 buck a month cable.  But I don't see my non TV watching friends hitting FIRE years ahead of those who do. I find TV to be relaxing. I don't really like sports either.

For Americans (and Canadians) the commercial breaks are insane (I live in Germany) so I a good solution is to install Ghoster and watch you favourite channels (ABC NBC etc) via your computer, more hassle yes but it makes for commercial free Tb


   

[burly]

We just cut the cord a month or two ago - really I can't remember as it's almost a non-issue now.  I did miss it for the first week or two until my wife and I decided to pick up an old tv series that we started and forgot about on Netflix, so now after the little ones asleep, we spend an hr or so relaxing getting our tv fix.

I usually had it on for background noise tho.. So, Pandora has solved that issue for us.

[Jon_Snow]

I'll never get rid of cable or my car or stop eating out once in a while. If that means my Mustachian card is revoked, so be it. 

[burly]

I'll never get rid of cable or my car or stop eating out once in a while. If that means my Mustachian card is revoked, so be it.

I don't think it works that way. Some people may cut cable, others may cut out a car, others may just try to drive less.. it's all about conscious spending and setting your priorities to achieve a FI goal. How you get there, is up to you.

[slugline]

I don't get why TV is so bad, perhaps if your heavy in debt and you've got the premium 100 buck a month cable.  But I don't see my non TV watching friends hitting FIRE years ahead of those who do. I find TV to be relaxing. I don't really like sports either.

It's more than the monthly bill. Most TV programming exposes the watcher to a lot of anti-Mustachian messaging, and that's on top of the advertisements.

I hang on to my subscription mainly for the live sports, but I have to consciously cap my own time watching.

[Captain and Mrs Slow]

I do agree, one needs to be careful what we watch. I only mentioned entertainment because I found spending too much time reading news and political blogs to be too depressing. 

[surfhb]

Having cable doesn't mean your not a MMM.    Spending on things you don't use or enjoy like a new BBQ instead of used on CL, financing new cars, unneeded clothing, ect are the things you need to avoid

[begood]

I do agree, one needs to be careful what we watch. I only mentioned entertainment because I found spending too much time reading news and political blogs to be too depressing.

Hence MMM's recommendation of a Low-Information Diet!

http://www.mrmoneymustache.com/2013/10/01/the-low-information-diet/

I used to spend my breaks from work reading Gawker, Deadspin, The Dish, 538, etc. I was anxious all the time about how terrible things were in the world and I felt helpless in the face of insurmountable problems.

And then I found MMM and cut all that shit out. Instead, I vote my conscience and work to improve myself, my family, and my community.

I am soooo much more positive now. I spend my breaks here and at Bogleheads, reading about people doing truly amazing things with their lives. I get inspired every day and feel supported every day as I learn and grow.

And yesterday I watched USA basketball beat the pants off Turkey on ESPN and enjoyed every minute of it. :)

[Prepube]

I'll never get rid of cable or my car or stop eating out once in a while. If that means my Mustachian card is revoked, so be it.

Burly is right.  And so are you if you are not in need of a face punch for fancy spending when you have significant debt or other stupid spending.  MMM does not spend money he doesn't have.  Are you?  If you are paying for cable when you are in a hair on fire emergency, yes, your card is hereby revoked.  If not, I'm glad you are doing so well in reaching your FIRE goals.

[DoubleDown]

How far away are you from broadcast stations? You didn't say what kind of antenna you got, but if you are in the 50+ mile range, you'll likely need a rooftop or pole-mounted antenna. This tool will give you a good idea of what kind of reception you should expect based on where you live:

http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wrapper&Itemid=29

Netflix is also a great way to get lots of good content for only $8/month.

[Dicey]

Ha! I can so relate to this post. I went without cable for over twenty years pre-FIRE. Once my MIL and her Alzheimer's moved in with us, I needed the electronic babysitter for my own sanity. She simply can't manage more than on/off and channel up/down. As it is, I'm sure one of these days we're going to open the bill and find weird charges she's generated while fiddling with the remote.
Now I can watch all the DVR'd HGTV I can stand. Interestingly, pre-FIRE, I used to watch a lot of movies and have amassed a rather large collection (purchased mostly at the library's used book sale for $1-$2). We virtually never sit down to watch a movie any more. MIL doesn't have the attention span, so she tends to get up and wander off just as things start getting really good...
Thanks for giving me a chance to confess to my not-so-guilty pleasure.

[MoneyCat]

Netflix will make a big difference for you.  Also, if you have a TV with an HDMI port, you can connect your laptop to your TV with a cable and hook up a wireless keyboard/mouse combo (which I bought for about $30 from Target), then just watch free Hulu on your TV through your laptop.  That's pretty much how I keep up on network and basic cable shows for free.  Hulu generally posts the episodes the night after they air (except for Fox shows, which I think are posted eight days after airdate.)

[Nords]

Now I can watch all the DVR'd HGTV I can stand.

That's pretty much the only reason we have any cable TV in this house at all...

[lizzzi]

Some people like TV. They really, really do. As long as there are no hair-on-fire debts and the path to FI is going satisfactorily, why shouldn't they have cable? I am not saying I want it myself--I am a shocking book-a-holic-- but I don't feel as though I should judge anybody who can afford cable and who wants it.

[fa]

I can easily afford cable, meaning having it does not affect my FIRE.  Still, I cut the cord 2 years ago.  I was a news junkie before, but now I barely know what the mass media report.  That does not mean I am unaware.  I am just filtering the news so that I only read what is truly important.  Plus, I have so much more time for DIY projects.  Better to DIY than watch cable and have to call help to repair or build thngs.

As far as I know, cutting cable is really only a problem if you have to watch live sports.  Otherwise, it really is no issue and you have tons of time.  Plus, you don't watch these endless commercials that persuade you to buy stuff you don't need.  Televison truly is a marketing media with entertainment mixed in to persuade you to submit to marketing galore.  TV is kind of like a mildly diluted QVC on ALL the channels.

Best of luck with the cable withrawal symptoms.  You will probably find it easier than you think.

[Cassie]

My hubby & I love cable & feel it is worth the $. We never watch during the day but love to in the evening a few hours before going to bed.   To each his own.

[Middlesbrough]

OMG! It is football season and I truly have missed it. Now, with tv deals and all the money pumped into the machine, I can watch football most nights of the week. Cable allows me to see almost any game that might be competitive. I make plans to go home on the weekends when state U is on over the air channels as not to miss them (parents don't have cable). Without cable, there are just too many games I miss that I really want to see.

Add in basketball and soccer, cable provides a large amount of entertainment value. The only problem is the obvious high cost associated with having it, but it has value to me.

[chasesfish]

I'll never get rid of cable or my car or stop eating out once in a while. If that means my Mustachian card is revoked, so be it.

Is that because winter is coming?  You know nothing...


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[chasesfish]

Cable, that's not something I'm giving up.  That being said, I'd cut it tomorrow if I got laid off and needed to make the current stash last the rest of my life.  I enjoy sports way too much.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[Jon_Snow]

I'll never get rid of cable or my car or stop eating out once in a while. If that means my Mustachian card is revoked, so be it.

Is that because winter is coming?  You know nothing...


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Actually it's because I'm already FI and 2 weeks from ER - with 2.1M net worth and a still working spouse that makes 6 figures. But thanks for asking!

[chasesfish]

Umm...i assumed the name Jon Snow came from a certain HBO series.  That was meant to be a joke


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[Jon_Snow]

Umm...i assumed the name Jon Snow came from a certain HBO series.  That was meant to be a joke


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Lol... Just having a bit of fun with ya. Definitely not the first time I've got the "you know nothing" line.

[going2ER]

We ditched the cable and got Google Chrome (we use showbox) for a one time cost of $40. I love it since I can watch what I want, when I want, and no commercials. In this part of Canada there was no inexpensive cable options so we decided to get rid of it for the summer, since there are much better things to do than spend it inside watching tv, but it will not be coming back.

[ketchup]

Netflix, DVDs from the library, and your girlfriend's brother's fiance's mom's HBO GO account will get you far...

[Prairie Stash]

You're detoxing, it's the easiest way to describe it.  It's normal to miss it at first, you had habits that revolved around TV.  Without it you need new habits, perhaps a daily walk, a new hobby or something else to fill the time void. 

For me quitting smoking was more intense but quitting TV was somewhat similar.  At first it was all I thought about, I even delayed quitting both for an extra week for some arbitrary excuse. Then I avoided certain activities that would make me want to watch TV (or smoke), like sitting on the couch.  It's debatable whether quitting completely for a while is easier than slowly weaning yourself off. 

Good Luck!

[Zikoris]

I would try replacing it with other activities rather than trying to find work-around tricks to keep watching it. Start with whatever you never seem to have time to get done. Exercise, cooking, DIY projects, reading, etc

Full disclosure - I believe television sucks the life out of people.

[Sylly]

I'm about to see how much I'll miss cable. Going to cut it off next week. Well, ok, sort of. We're still going to pay roughly $10 for basic programming for now, because we can't get the two channels we actually care about with any of the antennas we've tried and came to the conclusion we need an attic of roof mount for those channels. Next up -- research on what kind of antenna we'll need to install to get chose pesky hill-blocked channels.

The one thing I'll probably miss most is randomly tuning in to HGTV.

But I've also recently discovered my local library's e-book collection, which is what I plan on using to fill the cable void. I don't even need to go to the library to borrow anything!

[financialforager]

Try XBMC, install it on a computer or buy one with it preinstalled. All you need is an internet connection. With there plugins you can watch any show you want.

[golden1]

Like any habit, you can't just stop doing it and then not replace it with something else and expect to feel okay with it.

The key to quitting any habit is to find something that you enjoy to replace the time spent doing it.  Take up a new hobby that you always anted to try. 

[Thegoblinchief]

We're not big TV people and just recently went 6 months without watching a drop.

That said, we recently got into borrowing DVDs from the library to catch up on the few shows we really liked. Doctor Who, Breaking Bad, and a few others.

Outside of ether limited borrowing periods, the library system here is super convenient, because entire seasons are packaged as one item.

[Jon_Snow]

As a massive sports fan, especially the big events such as the Masters, tennis Grand Slams, as well following "my teams" I cannot bring myself to cut the cord. Our finances have reached a point where this would probably be superfluous anyway - at least, this is what I tell myself.

As long a TV remains a small part of a very diverse and well rounded lifestyle, I don't really believe it to be a "soul sucking" entity.

[DragonSlayer]

We've tried the no cable life, but gone back in a limited way. However, I've found that what I really want to watch is tennis (mainly the grand slams) and that's only carried on ESPN and Tennis Channel. So, what we do now is start the year with cable in January for the Aussie Open. When that's over, I call to suspend it until May, when the French Open rolls around.  (By suspending, I don't have to go through the hassle of cancelling and reconnecting service. They just pull my feed until I call them to turn it back on and I don't pay for the months it's off.) I keep it through the summer until the end of the US Open and then suspend it again. (I also do this strategy in Olympic years b/c I'm a huge Olympic junkie.)

I love college football and basketball, too, and while I could watch a lot more games if I kept service all year, there's enough on the local channels to get my fix. Live sports are the only things standing between me and a cable free life. But I've found a way to satisfy both needs -- the need to save money and have my favorite sports. Sure, I could adjust to a tennis free life, but it wouldn't be happy. Point being, if you can afford it and it makes you happy, there's nothing wrong with having cable. Maybe, like me, you can find a way to meet in the middle.

[rocksinmyhead]

I would try replacing it with other activities rather than trying to find work-around tricks to keep watching it. Start with whatever you never seem to have time to get done. Exercise, cooking, DIY projects, reading, etc

Full disclosure - I believe television sucks the life out of people.

Agreed. Gotta fill that time up with something else. There are soooooo many options! Reading, cooking, crafts, home projects, go for a walk, learn a new instrument (if you don't have a guitar or piano hanging around your house, harmonicas are cheap... maybe I'm just a weirdo?)

[janiesuper]

I love Netflix ($9 a month) and I'm never going back to Direct TV. I also borrow DVDs from family members who dished out the $20 a pop. I don't watch sports. I get my news from the web and news websites which include videos.

There is always something to watch on Netflix, especially TV series. With a TV series you are guaranteed something to watch every night for at least a week or two, if it lasted only one season.

Of course Netflix comes with an initial setup price of a netbox or a TV with the capability. I personally have a PS3 which was a gift. I rarely play games on it, just netflix.

[Doaner19]

I'm paying $60 a month for DirecTv... That's 2 dinners per month out.  If I didn't have the sports at home I'd be at a bar spending way more to watch while eating and drinking.  The 60 is well worth it.

[falcondisruptor]

For those who said they'd like a random HGTV fix, they stream lots of full episodes online! 

[citrine]

I know what you mean....I miss cable too and we have run out of most TV series to watch on Netflix!  The biggest thing I miss the most is the Real Housewives of NJ!  I loved watching the train wreck, but it is not worth the money we were spending!  It will get better....if you still want it back after a few weeks, then go ahead and get it back :)

[Theadyn]

I ditched Dish last year and streamed Netflix through the blu ray dvd player and was happy with the setup.  No annoying commercials, watched what I wanted when I wanted.  When I moved in with bf a few months ago he has cable.  It is handy occasionally to watch a bit before bed, but still, the commercials drive me insane!!!!

I bought a Roku when my dvd player quit, love it!  So many channels, haven't even begun to look through them all.  No need, I still prefer Netflix, and making our way through the many series, commercial free woop!  There's a youtube channel on there I've dabbled in some, no shortage of documentaries to be found on that channel.  Vudu for the occasional rental of somewhat newer movies when the 'I'd like to go to the movies but hate spending that kind of money' feeling hits ya. 

We are thinking of getting Roku's for family members for Christmas.  The bf has 2 older children that really don't "need" anything, I thought it'd be perfect.  I'd get one for my own daughter, but the lil snot was so impressed with mine when she was over that she got one on her own, haha.

[Mr. Frugalwoods]

We're big into british TV shows, and you can find TONS on youtube.  Roku now has a youtube channel so watching it on our TV is really easy.  If you are into HGTV stuff, here's some similar (though I think better) british shows:

Grand Designs
Escape to the Country
Escape to the Continent
Restoration Home

All of these have full episodes for free on youtube and are well worth a watch if you normally enjoy hgtv fare.

[rocksinmyhead]

Re. HGTV, I started binge watching This Old House on Roku instead. Personal preference, but I found out I actually like it a lot better. The production is less flashy, but these guys REALLY know what they're doing and their attention to detail is amazing. I learn so much! Plus everyone has great accents.