Sunday, October 12, 2008

Cutting out cable televsion

We had a merger and a swap and as a result, our cable company was taken over by one that refuses to carry conference. They then wanted to jump our rates. The guy seemed outraged when I called to cancel, as if they had some right to force us to stay with them.

The new company required that we get cable TV if we wanted to get cable internet. While we were at it, we went with Sunrocket. When they went out of business we switched to our cable provider. Well, their rates went up and we just don't watch much TV. The phone was switched to Vonage and we just cut the cable and went with Netflicks. For about seven dollars a month we can get most of the children's programming, all the movies we feel like watching, and we can go to Hulu.com for any television shows we really want.

Which basically meant my wife watched House twice ;) and I saw part of my first Heros episode (hey, now I've seen the show at least once -- and I like it).

Our bill basically dropped by two thirds, for what has turned out to be better service, all in all. I'm surprised how much better the sound is with Vonage.

So, we go shopping for food once a week, and if we don't have it, we just wait for the next week. Each week I look for something around the house to fix. Each week we try to reduce expenses and find a better way to do something.

But this week or so, the way to improve things has been cutting out the cable television, and everyone is happier.

3 comments:

sojourner said...

As time goes by you will notice more positive effects from not having cable. Thanks for sharing your poetry. I enjoyed reading it and getting a look into you and your wife's hearts. Poetry has a way with healing most of the time :0)

Tom said...

Steve--

Suzanne and I gave up cable for a time but came back to it for the children's programming, and dropped netflix because we found ourselves only able to watch children's programming with Lillia. Too much head bonking otherwise for her tastes. Are you now on DSL for your internet access?

Please tell Win hello from us.

Tom Moran

Stephen said...

We have FIOS cable internet rather than DSL.

Rachel doesn't watch much television, so far it is going well.

We are also linking up with a wireless transfer so that the hulu.com television shows can be broadcast to our TV rather than on a computer.