Okay, not quite. I love the heck out of TV, particularly cable. My DVR tapes over 10 shows a week. I have a sick obsession with multiple shows on Bravo - anything with Bethenny Frankel, or a show that starts with "The Real Housewives of..." I will most likely watch. And then they sucker me in with spinoffs and new shows that look AMAZING.
But I hate paying the piper for my addiction. Every month when the Comcast bill comes, I feel a little nauseous. It also includes our internet service, but $160 a month for reality shows and NBC sitcoms? I am so torn between my want to save money/feel like less of a couch potato and the sheer entertainment value of watching grown women throw wine at each other. And yes, I am that person that calls every few months to negotiate a lower rate by threatening to get a dish or cut my cable. But still, I wonder if even the reduced high cost of cable is worth it.
So when my good friends and fellow TV afficianados Kate and her fiance Joseph brought up giving up cable, I was shocked! They, too, love TV (and they watch better shows than I do) - how could they even consider? But their suggestions of watching streaming shows via Hulu/Netflix and paying 99 cents for others on iTunes really had me thinking...could I do this?
For one thing, it would help prioritize what I really want to watch. The ability for me to tape shows has caused me to delve deeper into the basement with bad TV. Another Kardashian show? Okay. What's this new cooking competition? Sure. Put it on my queue. If I didn't have access to DVR and cable and had to pay per individual show, 80% of what I watch currently probably wouldn't make the cut. Is this show worth 99 cents to watch? Sad that I'm watching shows that aren't even worth a buck.
Are there any other TV addicts out there that have cleaned up and given up cable? How is life on the other side?
I can't yet, because our condo dues include cable, but as soon as we move, it's gone. Another option is to hook up an XBox 360, which has Hulu, ESPN3, and Netflix. You have to have an XBox Gold subscription but that's pretty cheap, and the interface is super easy to use and convenient, especially if you have a Kinect. It's probably not worth buying an XBox just for this, but if you already have one, this is an awesome way to get rid of cable but still get TV.
ReplyDeleteWe got rid of our cable in October. We have a PS3 and we stream Netflix and Hulu to our tv. We have some trouble with Hulu but overall it works.
ReplyDeleteWe have been considering this for a few months. I actually called Comc@st and they convinced me to stay by giving me a discount (again!). I think we just need to bit the bullet, at least until the fall. Unfortunately, there is no substitute for ESPN....
ReplyDeleteWe gave up cable 2 1/2 years ago (I can't believe it's been that long!). It really hasn't been awful. We still get the network channels via HD antenna ($20 @ Best Buy) and we watch everything else on Hulu and Netflix. I would say we missed HGTV, ESPN and Mad Men the most but I loved getting rid of that $120 bill!
ReplyDeleteI gave up cable when I bought my house. Hell, I don't even have a TV and I can honestly say that the ONLY time I miss it is during Duck football season.
ReplyDeleteThat's it.
And you can always find a friend to watch games with. It makes gameday a bit more fun.
Hi there! I work for Comcast. I can reach out to my contacts to check the best possible pricing for you. You can contact me, provide your account info and a link to this page if you're interested in my help.
ReplyDeleteComcastMark
Comcast Corp.
National Customer Operations
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We gave up Comcast about 4 months ago - and are so glad we did! We find plenty of content via Hulu and streaming Netflix through our xbox (with xbox live subscription). I also find that I've been reading more and generally spending less time sitting on my booty taking up space on the couch. Go for it!
ReplyDeleteI think I could go without it, but I don't think my husband would give up all his sports channels!
ReplyDeleteWhen my husband and I moved in together about 2.5 years ago we decided not to get cable. We get about 3 channels and plenty of GOD TV. It was challenging for me at first because I loved my shows! It's rough during football season but we meet up with friends or go to sports bars to watch the Ducks. I've looked into getting cable a few times since we gave it up and I just can't fathom adding the additional cost. We get Netflix and my husband watching things on Hulu. It's not so bad but I do feel out of the loop when everyone starts talking about the latest reality shows. Good luck with your decision making!
ReplyDeleteYou can get a lot of live and recorded sports on ESPN3.com, and ESPN3 is also available on XBox. They don't have the NFL but they do have a lot of college football, MLB baseball, college and NBA basketball, and a bunch of other stuff. Your internet service has to be through a provider who has ties to ESPN3, but Comcast does.
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