Author Topic: I convinced the wife to ditch the satellite  (Read 6815 times)

adam

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I convinced the wife to ditch the satellite
« on: May 14, 2013, 09:03:52 AM »
First step: leave verizon and go prepaid = success!
Second step: leave Direct TV and use netflix/amazon/hulu on the internet = promising!

We had the conversation last night about how rarely we actually watch live tv any more, and how most of the time we're watching something on Amazon's streaming service, or something that's on network TV anyways.  We finished Justified Season 3 (an FX show) on amazon and noticed that Season 4 is not prime yet, meaning it would cost us $24 to purchase.  I pointed out that if we weren't paying for the satellite, that would be a drop in the bucket, and we could also order Downton Abbey Season 3 ($15).

SPREADSHEETS!
Direct TV charges $20/month for every month left on your contract as the early termination fee.  We signed up in July, so if we leave in July we will have 12 months left on the contract (original length of 24 months).  That would be $240.  Now, its kinda hard to say what we are going to be charged for service for those 12 months because they make reading your bill incredibly difficult.  Suffice it to say, I'm going to assume our bill will go from the $45 we started at will all the rebates up to ~$92 for the purposes of this calculation.  $92/month for 12 months would be $1104 vs the $240 ETF.... $864 in total savings, and we would 'break even' in September, when the recurring cost of monthly payments would have hit $276.

We already use the playstation for most of our online viewing.  We would likely sign back up for Netflix, and I might get one of these android things:
http://www.amazon.com/MK808-Android-Rockchip-RK3066-Cortex-A9/dp/B009OX22B4/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1368543661&sr=8-5&keywords=android+tv
Oh and I'd likely pick up an antenna and one of those converter boxes so we could receive OTA HD from the regular networks.

But there wouldn't be any rush, after all it is summertime and we have a boat to be out on!

TightYorkshireman

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Re: I convinced the wife to ditch the satellite
« Reply #1 on: June 02, 2015, 06:59:26 AM »
Congratulations.   We ditched the TV 2 years ago and don't miss it.

In UK,  BBC have an excellent free site:  http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer where you can still watch lot of shows, no restrictions.  watch lots of UK TV (not Downton, unfortunately).

I think it is only available if you're IP address is in UK but I am sure there's a work around...

forummm

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Re: I convinced the wife to ditch the satellite
« Reply #2 on: June 02, 2015, 07:31:15 AM »
We had to pay something like $300 to break DW's DirecTV contract when she moved in with me. But we still saved in the long run. We haven't had cable in about 4 years and I don't really miss it. Due to the market advances, we've increased our NW by something like $10k by not having the cable.

KCM5

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Re: I convinced the wife to ditch the satellite
« Reply #3 on: June 02, 2015, 07:43:37 AM »
Check PBS to stream Downton Abbey.

We stopped cable and have found that we don't even really need Netflix or Amazon (although I am considering paying for HBO now so I can watch Game of Thrones). Networks usually have the last 5 or so episodes streaming. That and the free Hulu pretty much has us covered.

eyePod

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Re: I convinced the wife to ditch the satellite
« Reply #4 on: June 02, 2015, 01:55:13 PM »
Yeah, we did this in 2011 or so. Haven't looked back. I don't even enjoy watching netflix that much. it's like i'm eating a big bowl of dessert every night. at some point, it's more of a chore and i get the same happiness that I used to. Definitely diminishing returns.

Singularity

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Re: I convinced the wife to ditch the satellite
« Reply #5 on: June 02, 2015, 08:44:01 PM »
Sweet, great job that savings will really pay off. 

Warning DirectTV can re-up the contract term if you chance equipment so be really careful. 

McCannon

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Re: I convinced the wife to ditch the satellite
« Reply #6 on: June 03, 2015, 08:17:29 AM »
Congratulations! Since moving out on my own 4 years ago, I've never had T.V except for Netflix ($25 a year on a shared account). It's a nice feeling. I no longer have commercials trying to get into my head and brainwash me. It's still everywhere, however!

snogirl

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Re: I convinced the wife to ditch the satellite
« Reply #7 on: June 03, 2015, 08:27:31 AM »
Congratulations!
I ditched cable (and internet) over a year ago & love not having it.
My web browsing is done via my smartphone or tablet very deliberately.
Not mindlessly grazing chewing crud.
I use the local library extensively as well (free) & take out movies & documentaries,
but read a LOT. 
The benefit has had a staggering impact on my daily living.


Jeddy

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Re: I convinced the wife to ditch the satellite
« Reply #8 on: June 03, 2015, 09:23:56 AM »
Congrats! That's a big step

When my wife and I bought our house I was able to get her to try out an HD antenna for local news and Netflix for any other streaming - at first it was tough as she missed some of the shows that she enjoyed watching (HGTV and Food Network), but after a few weeks, it was second nature to not have cable or watch those shows. By cutting the cord we save $60+ per month (and in all honesty, with an HD antenna, I truly believe the over the air broadcast quality is WAY better than what cable provided)


Bob W

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Re: I convinced the wife to ditch the satellite
« Reply #9 on: June 03, 2015, 10:19:17 AM »
I keep forgetting to cancel my cable.   We use Roku and Netflixs almost exclusively now.   

banjarian

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Re: I convinced the wife to ditch the satellite
« Reply #10 on: June 04, 2015, 08:35:51 AM »
Yes! My husband and I ditched cable when we moved into our house last summer, and we also had great fun tearing down the satellite dish that the previous owners left attached to the balcony. Ruined a perfectly good view - can't imagine the TV was that great.

There are still a couple of shows that I really want to see on a regular basis, I'm not cured yet... but even if you buy them on iTunes, and see them the day after they come out, it's so much cheaper to buy a single show than it is to pay for that fire hose of channels every month. I'm saving sooooo much money that we used to spend on television.

eyePod

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Re: I convinced the wife to ditch the satellite
« Reply #11 on: June 04, 2015, 08:53:32 AM »
Congrats! That's a big step

When my wife and I bought our house I was able to get her to try out an HD antenna for local news and Netflix for any other streaming - at first it was tough as she missed some of the shows that she enjoyed watching (HGTV and Food Network), but after a few weeks, it was second nature to not have cable or watch those shows. By cutting the cord we save $60+ per month (and in all honesty, with an HD antenna, I truly believe the over the air broadcast quality is WAY better than what cable provided)

Now a lot of those hgtv shows are on netflix! we love the property brothers.

Jeddy

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Re: I convinced the wife to ditch the satellite
« Reply #12 on: June 04, 2015, 01:04:14 PM »
Congrats! That's a big step

When my wife and I bought our house I was able to get her to try out an HD antenna for local news and Netflix for any other streaming - at first it was tough as she missed some of the shows that she enjoyed watching (HGTV and Food Network), but after a few weeks, it was second nature to not have cable or watch those shows. By cutting the cord we save $60+ per month (and in all honesty, with an HD antenna, I truly believe the over the air broadcast quality is WAY better than what cable provided)

Now a lot of those hgtv shows are on netflix! we love the property brothers.

Yes! The addition of some HGTV/Food Network shows has made the wife quite happy!

mrpercentage

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Re: I convinced the wife to ditch the satellite
« Reply #13 on: June 07, 2015, 05:07:21 PM »
Amazon has good season passes that are much cheaper than cable. I used to do that for the walking dead. $8 a month and you can stream the day after it airs commercial free. One or two shows end up much cheaper than a $100 cable bill and you avoid the advertising brainwash

Movie25.com sorry posted a bad link before has free movies. Only stream from sites like that though never download

Congratulations. I have to convince my wife to do it again. Last time was for two years and I got suckered back in for good Olympic coverage. I'm in an nbc dead zone. It's bs that all the aired stations are not broadcast on apps that can be streamed. I got sucked it to a contract for something that should have been free
« Last Edit: June 08, 2015, 03:01:07 AM by mrpercentage »

daschtick

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Re: I convinced the wife to ditch the satellite
« Reply #14 on: June 07, 2015, 06:32:01 PM »
Did the same thing last month.  Picked up a Tivo Box with lifetime subscription to give me full DVR functionality for my local channels, because I quickly rediscovered how bad live tv simply sucks.  I also subscribed to Netflix and Hulu, which are both seamlessly integrated into my Tivo box, along with many other available streaming services.  It's actually really cool now, because when I search for a show using Tivo, it shows me exactly where it is available: Over-the-Air, Hulu, or Netflix.  I can then choose my source directly from the Tivo menu.  My monthly bill is now less than $20/mo for both services, and I find that my television programming selection has actually IMPROVED considerably over satellite.

The other win is that my wife LOVES the integration of the Tivo Box, as it is an all-in-one solution.  Instead of requiring separate devices/remotes to utilize streaming services, we now only have one Tivo remote to operate everything.  In her words, "It's not all jazzed up anymore!"

clifford4970

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Re: I convinced the wife to ditch the satellite
« Reply #15 on: June 11, 2015, 09:47:54 AM »
For those not wanting to go cold turkey and leave their beloved ESPN's, Food Networks and HGTV's, I suggest looking into "SlingTV" by Dish Network.  It is $20 a month.  It streams through your internet, and you can even go back and watch shows from a few days ago (Diners, Drive Ins and Dives is a must for me). 
My wife and I had Netflix and SlingTV.  It still cost us $30 a month, but no contracts was nice.  Having all the different services can add up, and my wife and I realized that once we got SlingTV we stopped watching netflix.

3Mer

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Re: I convinced the wife to ditch the satellite
« Reply #16 on: June 14, 2015, 07:26:30 PM »
I cancelled our satellite last month too.  Picked up a $26 antenna at Best Buy and we get about 20 channels.  I think I actually watch more TV now than when we had 200 channels.  Wish I would have cancelled it sooner.   You won't regret it!

Cpa Cat

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Re: I convinced the wife to ditch the satellite
« Reply #17 on: June 14, 2015, 07:36:10 PM »
When we cancelled Directv, we had the same conversation: We weren't getting a lot from it, and for our monthly fee, we could easily buy what we wanted to watch. We counted all of the shows we watch and calculated what it would take to buy them on Amazon.

And then we cancelled and... nothing. We never bought anything. Frankly, we stopped watching Netflix as much, even.

We stopped eating dinner on the couch with the TV on and now we eat in the dining room with a record in the background.

Cable disappeared without a trace. The only evidence of it is our unused satellite dish, still attached to our house.

Did I say unused? Someone is using it.



Mrs.LC

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Re: I convinced the wife to ditch the satellite
« Reply #18 on: June 14, 2015, 08:45:50 PM »
Cancelled Direct TV in January and have never looked back. We bought a $17 antenna from Best Buy that works just great and also have Netflix. Find that we just don't have the same need to watch tv even though we have much more time to do so as we're not working anymore. Direct TV continues to waste advertising money on us as we get the "We miss you" mailings quite often. 

b4u2

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Re: I convinced the wife to ditch the satellite
« Reply #19 on: June 15, 2015, 09:02:12 AM »
My one vice on live tv is college football. I am in Iowa and watch the Iowa Hawkeyes play every season. I used to be a season ticket holder but gave that up last year and enjoy camping and the tailgating is cheaper when camping. The Big Ten Network is not OTA and the only way to watch a lot of the games, while camping, is with Directv. As soon as a way becomes available to get around BTN issue I will ditch Directv.

Elderwood17

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Re: I convinced the wife to ditch the satellite
« Reply #20 on: June 16, 2015, 10:21:29 AM »
To date DW has resisted cutting the cable, but last week we got notice of a rate increase.  So she is almost on board!  Hoping we can get rid of it once and for all soon.  Sadly, I waste too much time mindlessly looking at the various channels to see what is on.

Ysera

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Re: I convinced the wife to ditch the satellite
« Reply #21 on: June 17, 2015, 02:46:46 PM »
Cable disappeared without a trace. The only evidence of it is our unused satellite dish, still attached to our house.

Did I say unused? Someone is using it.

I love it! That's a great use for an old dish!

For anyone with an old dish like that wanting to do an over the air antenna, this antenna kit converts your already-installed dish and coax cable into a TV antenna. I would totally get one, but the channels in my area suck and my husband is happy with our Roku/Netflix combo.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0024R4B5C?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o07_s00

FrugalKube

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Re: I convinced the wife to ditch the satellite
« Reply #22 on: June 17, 2015, 11:18:22 PM »
Tried the antenna for a bit and slingtv and I think I'll be dumping cable in the next month. Hulu and Neflix will supplement as well

 

Wow, a phone plan for fifteen bucks!