Author Topic: Cut the cable cord  (Read 6576 times)

rocketman48097

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Cut the cable cord
« on: March 16, 2015, 09:41:24 AM »
Confession:  For years I have been a hopeless cable TV addict.  I can't blame this on my spouse, she always wanted to live without cable, and begrudgingly agreed to it to make me happy and keep the Peace.  Can't blame it on my parents either, we had cable TV for all of one year when I was growing up, then my parents cancelled it and never signed back up.  We spent $733 last year on cable TV alone (DSL internet was extra).

I signed up for netflix last night and honestly love it.  I know many of you are way ahead of me, but I think I have finally found a good, low cost solution to my TV addiction.  I don't even like watching live sports, which makes my cable TV spending even more shameful.

MMMaybe

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Re: Cut the cable cord
« Reply #1 on: March 16, 2015, 07:11:00 PM »
There is no going back now! We havent had cable for years now and couldn't imagine getting it again :) Nothing to watch and $$$.

southern granny

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Re: Cut the cable cord
« Reply #2 on: March 16, 2015, 07:34:45 PM »
I was all set to drop ours on March 31, but will keep it one more month to see the NCAA tournament (Go U.k.!). 

nanu

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Re: Cut the cable cord
« Reply #3 on: March 16, 2015, 09:33:30 PM »
Had cable back at home with parents, don't plan on ever getting cables once out of college.
Netflix + Hulu + internet + streaming are more than what I need.

And since NCAA was mentioned, I couldn't help but think about this (aired just last night):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pX8BXH3SJn0
(I know it's lengthy, but I think it's well worth it)

clarkfan1979

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Re: Cut the cable cord
« Reply #4 on: March 17, 2015, 06:59:07 AM »
Congrats! My wife and I have hulu and Netflix. We pay for hulu and our parents pay for Netflix. We are able to share the service by sharing passwords. I'm assuming that we can't view at the same time, but we have never been denied access. Maybe our parents don't watch them at all.

For internet we have centurylink for a 29.99 introductory rate of 1 year. We call and threaten to cancel every year, and they always extend it for 1 more year. We are on our 3rd year.

dunhamjr

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Re: Cut the cable cord
« Reply #5 on: March 17, 2015, 10:49:34 AM »
Congrats.

I wish I could cut the cord, but my wife isn't willing to give up cable yet.

I am building out my cord cutters argument.  Getting the Roku setup and running everything (netflix, amazon prime, hulu, vudo, crackle, etc) as well as the downloaded backup library i have on PC through rarplex.

Still needs a couple tweaks and need to get a local HDTV antennae running.

Hoping that when the current contract comes due, it will be an option to just plain cancel in full.

rocketman48097

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Re: Cut the cable cord
« Reply #6 on: March 17, 2015, 03:41:12 PM »
As in most things in marriage, your wife will eventually cave, but it probably won't happen right away.  Perhaps showing her your yearly spend will change her mind?  I know when I looked at my YE credit card statement, my eyeballs popped out of their sockets.  $733, WOW. 

The antennae hook up is no big deal, you only get as many channels are available locally, so just jump in and buy one.  We stream netflix via our blu ray player, and our TV upstairs has nothing right now.  Since my birthday is coming up, I plan on asking my in-law's to get me a Roku stick, so I can stream from anywhere in my house and take the stick from TV to TV.

PeachFuzzInVA

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Re: Cut the cable cord
« Reply #7 on: March 18, 2015, 03:23:38 PM »
I was all set to drop ours on March 31, but will keep it one more month to see the NCAA tournament (Go U.k.!).

Funny that you mention this. This is the ONLY thing keeping me from cutting the cord. Let's go VCU!

dunhamjr

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Re: Cut the cable cord
« Reply #8 on: March 18, 2015, 03:52:18 PM »
As in most things in marriage, your wife will eventually cave, but it probably won't happen right away.  Perhaps showing her your yearly spend will change her mind?  I know when I looked at my YE credit card statement, my eyeballs popped out of their sockets.  $733, WOW. 

The antennae hook up is no big deal, you only get as many channels are available locally, so just jump in and buy one.  We stream netflix via our blu ray player, and our TV upstairs has nothing right now.  Since my birthday is coming up, I plan on asking my in-law's to get me a Roku stick, so I can stream from anywhere in my house and take the stick from TV to TV.

yeah i have tried.  its a luxury she doesnt want to lose.  so i play the price game with the vendors to save as much as possible.
the yearly spending is big, and especially if multiplied out.  but we make a fairly large income, so its hard to convince on pure numbers even at $100/mo.

^ so to offset, i just keep trying to optimize elsewhere to offset the costs.  lowering all the usual suspects, plus working to earn extra CC rewards where possible.

i agree the antennae thing is not a big deal.  i have already move my mom over to no cable, coming on 2 yrs or so.  just a matter of doing it, more though just not buying the antennae and making another project for myself till we are about to be able to cut the cord.

Breaker

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Re: Cut the cable cord
« Reply #9 on: March 19, 2015, 05:58:04 PM »
Cut my cable 2 weeks ago.  So far all is well.  I am now able to keep up with my Book Club reading and have found plenty to watch.  I am using my Roku with Acorn and Amazon Prime which I was using for shipping anyway.  If I get bored I will add Netflix.


rocketman48097

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Re: Cut the cable cord
« Reply #10 on: March 20, 2015, 08:29:27 AM »
Yeah, I only have netflix because I don't have prime, and my blu ray player was set up to receive netflix without buying another device.  At $8 per month and one month free, I was willing to dive in.  I have plenty of frugal friends and a brother that have gone netflix only for years. 

The problem I always had with cancelling cable, is our lack of free channels.  Even though I live only 20 miles South of a mid size City, we only get 3 channels free with an antennae.  So everytime I tried to cancel, I realized how awful network TV actually is.  Since I have signed up for the very frugal friendly netflix, I am now realizing how much it's suited for me.  I LOVE DOCUMENTARIES, especially history ones, so netflix is like my own personal library, and when my wife comes home from being out of town, we'll start to watch House of Cards together, which I hear is awesome. 

Suncoast

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Re: Cut the cable cord
« Reply #11 on: April 11, 2015, 02:22:18 PM »
Finally did it after WAY too long.  $140 DirecTV bill gone.  Replaced with antenna and roku.  We are subscribing to Netflix and SlingTV, so ~$30/month.

dess1313

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Re: Cut the cable cord
« Reply #12 on: April 12, 2015, 07:55:46 PM »
I just finally cut mine back in January.  No regrets so far, although watching the superbowl was a bit hard to do.  Many shows are viewable on their websites now, so my computer is hooked up and my new media hub!

HipGnosis

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Re: Cut the cable cord
« Reply #13 on: April 13, 2015, 09:30:40 AM »
The problem I always had with cancelling cable, is our lack of free channels.  Even though I live only 20 miles South of a mid size City, we only get 3 channels free with an antennae.  So everytime I tried to cancel, I realized how awful network TV actually is.  Since I have signed up for the very frugal friendly netflix, I am now realizing how much it's suited for me.  I LOVE DOCUMENTARIES, especially history ones, so netflix is like my own personal library, and when my wife comes home from being out of town, we'll start to watch House of Cards together, which I hear is awesome.
What kind of antenna do you have and how is it positioned?  There are websites that show you what broadcast channels you should get and how to buy and configure the best antenna for your situation.

FrugalKube

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Re: Cut the cable cord
« Reply #14 on: April 14, 2015, 10:44:35 PM »
Liking Hulu Plus so far, gonna add Sling TV and get an antenna and then we are done!

 

Wow, a phone plan for fifteen bucks!