I cut the cable

[Reynolds531]

After many hours of debating it in my head, I finally pulled the trigger.

I blame you people. If I need to be entertained, you may see some trolling. Like the no soap guy.

[Lagom]

Good job! You won't miss it. Literally everyone I know who has tried this, including several who were HIGHLY skeptical, ended up being perfectly happy with their no-cable lifestyle. I do like a bit of mindless TV every now and then, but Netflix and a digital antennae give me way more than my family needs on that front.

[Northwestie]

When I travel for work and need to stay in a hotel I'm amazed at how many channels are available on cable and yet the complete lack of anything worthwhile to watch!  You will not miss it.

[prognastat]

Good job! You won't miss it. Literally everyone I know who has tried this, including several who were HIGHLY skeptical, ended up being perfectly happy with their no-cable lifestyle. I do like a bit of mindless TV every now and then, but Netflix and a digital antennae give me way more than my family needs on that front.

Yeah I will admit to getting a digital antenna after cutting the cord just for those few situations where you are looking to waste some time with something mindless.

Beyond that streaming services cover the vast majority of my TV based entertainment along with video games.

[Miss Piggy]

After many hours of debating it in my head, I finally pulled the trigger.

I blame you people. If I need to be entertained, you may see some trolling. Like the no soap guy.

Or the panhandling guy.

[TheMoneyWizard]

Congrats, probably one of the best decisions I ever made.

I second the suggestion for the digital antennae. I've actually found mindless entertainment to be well, more mindless and entertaining when you pick a random show you would otherwise never watch. And local channels picked up from my antenna covers all of the major live sporting events, which is one of the most common counter arguments I hear to cutting the cable. And if you really want to go wild, there's always free Hulu, if you pay for a Netflix subscription you'll have more possible hours of entertainment than any human should ever spend watching TV.

[Uturn]

I killed cable 3 years ago and have never looked back.  After you watch streaming content for a while and then watch regular tv, you will be amazed by how in your face commercials are. 

I work from home and use the tv for background noise, so there is an antenna on the roof.  I used the satellite mount and existing coax cables.  I'm trying to learn Spanish, so I often have a Spanish channel playing.

[Fudge102]

I did it back in January myself.  Even now I find myself watching less and less of the Netflix that I have.  Shows just aren't as demanding to watch when you have to go out of your way to watch them.  It's not the end of the world not having TV. 

Except maybe Game of Thrones.  God forbid I miss that...

(Now if George R.R. Martin would just finish the series so I had more to read...)

[Davids]

Congrats, i cut the cord over 3 years ago and do not miss it one bit. Netflix and HD Antenna is more than enough.

[ketchup]

Congrats.  I just did the opposite. :/

It came out $10 cheaper to get basic-plus-HBO and internet than it would be for just internet alone.  $39.99/month for 25mbps internet and basic-plus-HBO, vs $49.99 for just 25mbps.  Dumb dumb dumb.

I activated the cable box on my computer monitor and then threw it in a closet.  At least I can watch Game of Thrones legally now on HBO Go.

I'm a cable subscriber for the first time in my life (I'm 25).  I told myself I would never do it.  I still can't really believe it.

[fattest_foot]

I'm almost 2 years into it and don't regret it one second.

There's definitely still some TV I watch still, but the bulk of what's out there is garbage. I know we used to just have the TV on for background noise essentially, with HGTV or Food Network, but for the most part we don't actually watch much.

I'll also recommend an HD OTA antenna. They're cheap enough, and there's really no reason not to (one of my coworkers actually made one out of lumber and copper wire).

[Daughn]

Cut out cable about three years ago and we don't miss it one bit. We are big PBS fans and with the antenna we get three PBS stations plus we have Amazon prime.

[infogoon]

Congratulations! We took the plunge and cut the cable a couple months ago. Honestly, between Amazon, Netflix, and OTA content, I haven't even missed it. Although I have noticed the extra hundred bucks in my pocket.

If you're looking for a way to record shows from over the air, I've had great luck with MythTV -- it's a free software package that runs under Linux. I was previously using it to record cable television, and I just switched the configuration to record off of an indoor HDTV antenna instead.

[Rollin]

This should be sung to Eric Clapton's I Shot the Sheriff!

I cut the cable, but I did not cut the internet connection, oh no.

[Fudge102]

Congrats.  I just did the opposite. :/

It came out $10 cheaper to get basic-plus-HBO and internet than it would be for just internet alone.  $39.99/month for 25mbps internet and basic-plus-HBO, vs $49.99 for just 25mbps.  Dumb dumb dumb.

I activated the cable box on my computer monitor and then threw it in a closet.  At least I can watch Game of Thrones legally now on HBO Go.

I'm a cable subscriber for the first time in my life (I'm 25).  I told myself I would never do it.  I still can't really believe it.

I'd be careful on that one.  One of the many reasons I'm pissed at cable and internet is because they keep jacking up the prices.  Six months, one year, two year, three year...  The deal keeps changing.  For the love of god I don't want an introductory price.  I want something I can bank on long term.  One known rate, not special rates that keep changing.

Anyone have any luck getting a company to work like that?  It's how my japan guys ran things and it was so much better than ever changing price ladders.

[ketchup]

Congrats.  I just did the opposite. :/

It came out $10 cheaper to get basic-plus-HBO and internet than it would be for just internet alone.  $39.99/month for 25mbps internet and basic-plus-HBO, vs $49.99 for just 25mbps.  Dumb dumb dumb.

I activated the cable box on my computer monitor and then threw it in a closet.  At least I can watch Game of Thrones legally now on HBO Go.

I'm a cable subscriber for the first time in my life (I'm 25).  I told myself I would never do it.  I still can't really believe it.

I'd be careful on that one.  One of the many reasons I'm pissed at cable and internet is because they keep jacking up the prices.  Six months, one year, two year, three year...  The deal keeps changing.  For the love of god I don't want an introductory price.  I want something I can bank on long term.  One known rate, not special rates that keep changing.

Anyone have any luck getting a company to work like that?  It's how my japan guys ran things and it was so much better than ever changing price ladders.

This is my second year with Comcast at this address.  The first promo rate was 25mbps internet only for $29.99/month, and when that was about to expire I used the "call and bitch" strategy to get my new rate (which is also a promotion), or else it would have gone up to $66.95.  So it seems you can get a new promo rate every year if you're willing to call and deal with it.  I'll try again next year and see where it goes then.  I'll get whichever plan is cheapest and has an internet connection with at least 5mbps upstream bandwidth (10mbps down / 2 up for $19.99 internet-only was an option, but 2mbps up isn't fast enough for my photographer GF that uploads client photos every day.  It already takes forever).  10mbps up would be even better, but you have to move too far up their "tiers" for that at the moment.

My dad that lives about 30 miles away is paying $90/mo for solely Comcast internet (25mbps).  And he's quite grumpy about it.  Everyone pays something different.  It's all a big game.  The only winning move is not to play, but it's my only option for internet around here that's at all competitive (AT&T offers half the speed for twice the price).

[Fudge102]

That's part of my problem.  I'm stationed in the middle of the desert and there's only one internet provider around really.  And I have a year left.  So I can't really get promotional offers tied in because I'll have to break them and then pay that fine.  I really wish someone would just charge a flat rate.  But all these cable company like to screw people over to getting money.  Directv kept offering me free Showtime for being such a great customer.  I kept asking them if it would be canceled after a month so I don't pay any extra charges.  They'd respond with a desire to not interrupt my tv service.  I told them to make a product so good that I want to call and keep it.  Why can't they all do that?  Make something so good I want it, not get screwed into it.

[Johnez]

Never cut it cos I never had it. However, I have internet ($15) and Netflix ($10). 2 Mbps with Time Warner, no price increases into my third year. Tech who set it up actually laughed and said my service would be horrible, 3 years on no problems streaming or browsing. Laughing all the way to the bank.

[CodAlmighty]

Congratulations. We cut ours in February (it would have been sooner but it took a while to get the girlfriend on board), and we haven't looked back either thanks to streaming services for the programs we actually want to watch.

Meanwhile a friend of mine who considers herself "good with money" has just removed a multi-room subscription (that she strictly didn't need in the first place as she lives alone), saving approximately $10 of her $100 monthly bill, but by doing so she's locked herself into her contract for a further 12 months. *facepalm*

[Fudge102]

but by doing so she's locked herself into her contract for a further 12 months. *facepalm*

Exactly why I hate the current business model of the companies.  It's about tricks, not service...