Cable companies are a supreme example of a natural monopoly. They’re the easiest example for economics professors to use, because, due to structural conditions, only a few competitors can exist in any cable market. Often, there is only one option that consumers can choose. The consumer has no leverage and is thus at the mercy of the cable company.
Over the years, the price of cable has increased significantly. Luckily, other forms of technology and media have grown as well, leading to a shift in favor of the consumer.
If your cable bill is too high, you now have options.
Netflix and Hulu Plus
The internet age has opened the door to new companies, such as Netflix streaming and Hulu Plus, to compete with cable companies.
Netflix offers a wide selection of movies and TV shows, while keeping their price low ($7.99/month). They offer full seasons of TV shows, movies, and HD quality video. While Netflix doesn’t offer a lot of newer shows, they make up for it with quality streaming and a huge array of movies. One account can have up to six devices, with up to four running at once. You can even split the cost among friends and family, which will reduce the price even more. I have had Netflix for over a year now and have been very satisfied.
For the same price as Netflix, Hulu Plus offers a similar platform with a different approach. Hulu Plus puts new episodes of shows on their site the day after they’re aired. My future sister-in-law and her husband have recently dropped cable in favor of Hulu Plus. They can now watch their favorite shows the day after they’re aired, for a fraction of the cost of cable and DVR.
Dish Network
The likes of Dish Network and DirecTV have been competing with the cable companies for a while, and they generally offer lower prices. My fiancé and I currently pay $50 a month for her cable bill, while Dish Network and DirecTV offer yearly contracts for $35/month and $30/month, respectively. For us, getting a dish is out of the question, because she lives in an apartment.
It could be a good option for homeowners, though, as they’ll get a full set of channels and could save a couple hundred dollars per year.
Call Customer Service
Sometimes, a call to customer service is enough to drop your monthly bill. If you look at the current Verizon FiOS promotion codes or AT&T U-Verse coupon codes, you’ll see that the bundle prices are usually guaranteed for one to two years. After that, the cable companies are free to raise their rates considerably.
If you call and say you’re considering switching companies, however, they’ll frequently offer you a “one-time” special offer. This may seem like a backwards approach, but I’ve seen it work numerous times.
What Will You Do?
Is cable best for you? Spending $600 a year on cable is less than ideal, but it’s what my fiancé and I decided was right for us in our current situation. In the future, when we’re both working longer hours, we may consider switching to something different.
Thanks to advances in technology, we now have the ability to make choices about the way we consume our entertainment.
Use your free market power and shop for what is best for you.
How have you cut your cable TV costs?
{ read the comments below or add one }
← Previous Comments
Next Comments →
I suggest get netflix account rather than get a cable you guys just need internet connection
I wish I could do some of the things you suggest – but I live in a retirement community that has their own building. When they built it, they had Comcast wire every apartment for cable. And as a result we have to pay $30. a month for cable service! No exceptions everyone in the building has to pay it. It’s irritating since I don’t watch TV!
Man that does suck, but $30 is actually a really good deal for TV these days. Do they offer Internet too? Maybe you can think of how your Internet fees are probably a bit lower than normal too and that evens out a little.
Still, I feel you!
You all complain about your cable bills being so expensive. I have cable T.V., and internet for the bargain price of $194.37 per month. Now, that is a cable bill worth complaining about. I am very technologically challenged, so I have been waiting for my son to take me shopping for Roku boxes or sticks. He is very busy though, and can’t really fit me into his schedule it seems. I will go to the store one day and maybe they can help me and answer all my questions. I have checked into cancelling my cable and just going with internet, but even that is going to cost me $60.00 per month. I am on Social Security disability, and all I really have is my bible and my T.V. Antennae T.V. doesn’t work for me either because I have overhead electrical wires near the back of my house and they must scramble the signals so I can’t get very many channels. Please HELP!!!!!
Do you really need all $124.37 worth of channels? There’s TV, and then there’s TV with every channel available under the sun. There will be an adjustment period but can you do without some of those channels so you can get a smaller package but keep your TV service?
Also, Netflix and others all allow you to watch their shows on your computer. Go to Netflix.com and give it a shot. If it works, then you won’t even need to wait for your son to get you a Roku box.
And plus, if you can really cut out that cable, then you can even afford to pay someone to come over and install the Roku box for you to watch Netflix on the TV instead of on your computer.
Subscribed to Netflix but didn’t use it, so I cancelled. Don’t watch movies so streaming apps aren’t helpful. I’ve already cut out a dozen of my favorite channels to reduce costs. Currently paying $170/month for Comcast’s bundled services. If I cut the cable, I’ll have to find other providers for phone, Internet and TV. The best antenna out there can’t pick up signals, towers are too far and I live in a wooded area. I’m pretty much stuck with cable and don’t see any way out of it.
You really need to think hard whether surfing on the TV is worth that much to you, as you can increasingly get the same entertainment online using other mediums.
And have you looked into YouTube TV? For $50, you can get Internet and then YouTube TV is another $50, which lets you stream live TV channels.
We don’t have a landline at all because there’s no need for one, but I’m sure you can find a cheaper option for $70 a month for phone right?
I’d like to try this.
All cable bills are too high. Think about it this way. Parents routinely spend more money yearly on cable than on a simple term life insurance policy.
May I simply say what a relief to find someone that actually knows what they’re discussing on the internet.
You actually understand how to bring a problem to light and make
it important. More and more people must read this and understand this side
of your story. I can’t believe you’re not more popular because you most
certainly possess the gift.
Most people want to keep TV & internet service, so we recommend switching to a lower cost provider and saving money.
I do get the point how sports streaming is not available these days, you actually have to shed lose you pocket for that in terms of your cable bill, but watching movies and tv shows has actually become pretty easy. For movies I prefer going to Netflix or HULU+ but for TV I don’t mind shifting my focus to a free rather complete library Couchtuner.
I do get the point how sports streaming is not available these days, you actually have to shed lose you pocket for that in terms of your cable bill, but watching movies and tv shows has actually become pretty easy. For movies I prefer going to Netflix or HULU+.
Everyone’s talking about cable. Where I live, cable has been gone for years. Nothing but satillite. There are only two of them and there is not six of one, half dozen of the other worth of difference. Constantly trying to get my business. The Internet/Wi-Fi is as slow as a snails pace but cost a fortune. It’s a lose-lose situation.
That’s the problem. My building only allows the s. Comcast to install their cables. We’re trapped to this company that charges a river of money for simple internet. I pay $90 a month for a bundle which I only use internet. I never turned on the TV cable receiver.
What to do? I cannot go without HS internet and no satelite or wireless solution is an option around here…
Cheapest internet pack and cable pack that Comcast offers and my bill is still 150.00 a month. I have kids though so it is hard to just tell them no more internet and cable. No other provider can give me internet. I can go to Dish for the tv but then Comcast just raises the internet price up to about as much as both of them.
I am a poor working stiff…….
if you can help me
thank you in advance …..
if not
leave me alone………
I need good internet access #1
cable tv would be cool also
I am a skinny cat …..please help if you can……..
I NOT DONT BOTHER ME …PLEASE….AGAIN ….THANK YOU IN ADVANCE !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I do get the point how sports streaming is not available these days, you actually have to shed lose you pocket for that in terms of your cable bill, but watching movies and tv shows has actually become pretty easy.
Great article – After doing the same thing multiple times a year, I finally bought into a movie box with all the same content I had with Time Warner. Boom, the cable bill is gone forever!
Dupo you are so right, I almost cant believe where we have gotten today paying for TV. I have been paying almost $200 a month for the last 5 years to watch TV. now granted i have more channels than your average person because I love many different things from the science channel to the golf channel, but it has gotten ridiculous. A friend recently turned me on to MuviBox which allows me to stream absolutely anything and everything. All my TV shows (with no commercials) to every movie ever made. I always said i would be willing to pay $200 a month if the cable company gave me access to EVERYTHING, but that’s never going to happen. in fact $200 gave me pretty much nothing. I would definitely look into getting the MuviBox if your looking to cancel cable because Roku and Netflix wont do it alone and you will end up going back to cable. DO YOUR RESEARCH. Some people say they dont want to get these boxes because they think they are illegal, but I have a trademark and copyright lawyer who is a friend and he said specifically that the only people not in compliance with the law are the people that are uploading the content, but for the person at home streaming, it is 100% legal! Everyone used to use the black cable boxes years ago when they were illegal and no one cared, so why wouldn’t i use LEGAL devices that have no monthly fees and allow me to stream everything and break free from cables monopoly? I am not affiliated with them but check them out if you want to get one!
Virtually all streaming is legal as long as you don’t download or share (i.e., torrent). Read the Net Neutrality Act. Yes, I do fine without cable, combining a mix of inexpensive paid services with free streams. Would never go back to cable TV with its crappy content, blaring ads, and ridiculous rates. My advice to all who have not yet cut the cord: Be not a sheep.
I blame the elected officials for all this. They are getting financial benefit from the cable industry. The TV used to be free and we had an antenna on the roof. Then they said we will get cable, pay the ten or twenty bucks a month, and not have any commercials. Of course, the %$&@!$ price went to 200.00 and the commercials came back anyway. It is corrupt and despicable for these politicians to line their pockets for a few pennies at the expense of millions and billions that it is costing the rest of us. THAT IS WHY WE NEED TO VOTE FOR BERNIE SANDERS IN 2016 AND MAKE HIM OUR NEXT PRESIDENT!
l have got LG smart tv and now have 100+ channels of Russian TB plus everything I like to watch on the internet. It has several very cool app for free. So I said good bye to cable bills for goods.
I pay $20 for my cable bill and get all sports. Ladies you want to know how contact BIG Jake!
Cheapest way please as I’m not savvy with all this live in Britain ???????? an I’m paying for things I don’t need like films all I want is sports my grandson aged 21. Nowt else matters … I pay sky for this each month broadband &fone + top sport channels 100 a month Anyone pleas help
I eliminated the cost completely. I have no internet or cable in my home. I realize I read more library books now. The amount of time I have saved and the knowledge I have gained, I think I will stay off the grid a bit.
I’ve managed to do pretty well without cable for close to a year now. I do have NetFlix but I use a few other websites to fill me need. I can pretty much find any old show that I’m looking for online. I’ve also been using nextairings premiering soon page http://nextairing.com/season-premiers to keep track of when shows are airing. I don’t see the point in cable when all I watch are popular shows. Thanks for the great article. Always find these very interesting. Nice to know that I’m not the only one surviving like this.
Cheers,
Julian
If your cable bill is rising these guys can help you lower it they saved me $700.00! I didn’t even get put into another contract! Check them out they are great to work with their Facebook name is telekom pros.
Yesterday’s mail here in Las Vegas brought my Cox Cable bill..it went from an un-affordable $122.19 to a whopping $154..83…I don’t have anything “premium”-NO HBO, etc.-and Cox bill says they are “my friend in the digital age”…yea, right…no senior discount, no printed program guide comes w/ your bill…they haven’t updated their on-air TV guide now that some of the programming has been replaced by, you guessed it, MORE INFOMERCIALS.. and frequently the on air guide is wrong…..and worse than that, I can no longer afford to have whatever programming I DID enjoy, SO COX ADVERTISERS, I vow NEVER to buy from any company advertising on COX TV unless my purchase is from a TV shopping channel, which I control, it’s not COX channels interrupting my tV watching to simultaneously inundate me with commercials –Don’t worry– if you readers also vow *and follow through* to stop purchasing everything advertised on COX as a ;protest: you won’t miss anything: you will probably get junk jail describing in vivid detail the sales/;promotions, etc.from the same advertisers who want to sell you with commercials on COX TV..difference is: when you pick up your mail/junkmail, you aren’t paying for it. Double dipping profits is their way of life, and I get that to a POINT, but now they’ve crossed the line: my pension won’t ever cover their ever-increasing costs and my other basic necessities of life…Cox charges huge fees to advertisers, then gouges the customer, hiding their double dipped gouging: for an example from this bill: for TV: several sections are included in one sub-totaled ;price — Cox TV Starter which only covers, I forget, like 18 or so channels, then if you want above that, they charge you for “expanded service”, so I can see programs on the higher channels, still no ShowTIME or HBO, just channels….then a “Faith and Values” cost category, which I have no idea what they’re talking about, and I probably don’t want to watch, then a category of TV called “advanced TV service.” WHat the HeCk??? All of those categories of TV are grouped together –$73.99, –then $8.50 for receiver (like I need this????), BUT it’s like getting charged TWICE BECAUSE if you have this “expanded service” you’re paying for the channels above those first 18 or so defined as the “starter channels”, why then should you be charged for the “starter” channels in addition to the expanded service?? But you are, from what I’m told by a cox rep….so now they just leave out the cost of each of the items that goes into the TV subtotal of your bill.. If Cox showed the cost of each of the items, probably more people would complain, and they can’t market more products to you and increase their profits if they are listening to your complaints!! Pretty much since I’ve been in Vegas (20 yrs) I’ve been a COX customer, until this latest assault by COX on my finances…..I will be figuring out what alternatives to COX work best for me–I’m in downstairs apt. sandwiched between buildings, so reception might be an issue, but the line is crossed …If you, too, are disgusted, forget about complaining to Fed Communications Commission,,,I tried that a few yrs. ago, got nowhere.as ONE PERSON…..and at that time I also ;phoned the number found on Cox bill to call local government w/ complaints –when I asked the rep on the phone for whom she worked, you’d be surprised who her employer really was…don’t ask…
$122 may be “affordable,” but it’s hardly a bargain. You’re paying for content that’s about 50% ads — 25-40% during daytime and prime time, and 100% during all those late night infomercials. Are we so accustomed to being ripped off that we no longer question this arrangement?
Cable TV companies still provide the best
internet bandwidth for the buck, right?
The last time I used DSL was more
than 30 years ago and only a business
could afford it. How much bandwidth
for the buck does DSL provide now?
We don’t have cable, Netflix, or anything similar. We just go to the library where it’s free to check out tv series, movies, books, and video games. Sure they don’t have the tv series as soon as they’ve been aired, but self control and patience go a long way to helping save money or to not even spend it in the first place 🙂 We are thinking about getting an antenna to receive the local channels, so that is an option as well with only a one time expenditure.
Help. I have direct tv and living on disability. Have old tv sets. What can I do?
Hi Joe!
I too am disabled, now finally retired but managing a really tight budget as well. From Amazon got an OTA digital converter (last summer) and an amplified indoor antenae – hopeing to get satisfactory Local broadcasts and Save Bucks – as my cable bill is astronomical from Verizon – extra charge for every connection (equipment) in the house.
I (cant live without – Yet) the year-round sports that I enjoy – Not a movie or “serial soap orera” guy, esp on a daily basis. Living at a good high elevation 35 mile NW or city-of-brotherly-love (and shootings) I get 21 channels -BUT only ABC NBC CBS PBS & FOX have worthwhile content sometimes (lots of 50s & 60s movies and not interesting stuff on strange channels otherwise) so I am disappointed with OTA chopices –
and still looking for solution with “college – NCAA sports.. Good luck!!
My late husband and I had Dish for over 15 years and it was deducted every month out of our bank account by Debit Card which was in my husbands name. In 2010 my husband died and I contacted Dish to cancel/downgrade the service as the package we had I was not interested in. They informed me that my husband had done some changes and was under a two year contract and I would have to pay a fee to cancel. It was over $200. I went to the bank and ask if I could block their payment each month. I was told no. After talking to the bank Rep she told me to cancel my husbands Debit Card and that would end it and since my name was not on it there would be no repercussion on me. I did that then switched to Directv. I learned something from this. I now have three bank accounts/debit cards. Anytime I have automatic withdrawal I use one of the two accounts that I put only enough money in to pay bills. I have since cancelled two Debit cards to get out of other contracts and I don’t feel a bit guilty. Far as credit rating I live strictly on cash and have only one credit card for traveling.
Greg:
Belen, NM; the company is Comcast. I’m not sure exactly what contract he meant, unless it was when I resubscribed to cable after I discontinued the box. If that’s the case, I don’t recall signing a contract. He didn’t give me the opportunity to ask him what contract it was; he just sort of rushed through it and rang off. And by the by, suppose a subscriber has a certain length of time with a premium channel as some kind of promotional; if they decide it isn’t for them before the given time is up, say 3 months, is it ethical for the cable company charge a disconnect fee?
Well, I just ran into a brick wall headfirst, so to speak. I called the cable company and asked if there were some way to reduce my bill, because of expenses. The agent told me no, there was not because I was under a contract, and that if I were to discontinue my cable or even downgrade it, I would be subject to a $75 fee! Has anybody got any ideas for me? I’m appealing to you. Thank you so much.
JJ:
What Cable company and what city?
Publicly warn others, for sure!
Would you get their service if you read that
customers were having that problem when they
need it disconnected?
Did you actually sign such a contract? When?
How long did you have the service?
Sometimes such contracts renew each year
and if you miss that yearly opportunity to
disconnect, then they can charge to break it.
Often they just bind you for one or two years,
then you can disconnect anytime you want
after that. Most companies don’t try to hit
you on the way out like that. Very bad PR.
Some services (Direct TV) trick people by offering
a low rate for a year, then socking it to them
for the second year on a two year signed contract.
It’s not a necessity. When I lived in Kentucky, I could get basic cable for a very reasonable price ($13/mo.) but when I moved to Ohio, the only cable I could get was around $60/mo. Hey, that’s more than I pay for my water bill.
I just kept the old timey outdoor antenna. I can still get around a dozen channels. That’s enough for me.
My workplace and my home are close to libraries, so I can borrow lots of movies.
I’ve bought lots of movies, both DVD and the old fashioned VHS tapes, over the years. I don’t care for many of the new movies, so this way I can still see the movies that I always loved.
I also did away with cable TV over four years ago and have never looked back. I now have more free time to do meaningful things that actually are productive. I can now read more books and write articles for my website.
I did however place an antenna on the roof of my home to receive free over the air TV and do have a subscription to Netflix for the kids. Basically the only difference now is I pay 9 dollars per month instead of the 100 dollars they wanted me to pay back then for TV.
I have had Direct T.V. for many years. At least 20 + years. The only changes I see are increases. I have called them many times & they tell me that is the way it
going to be. I have no recourse but to pay the increases. I have no options because of where I live. If I have to change I would have to bundle T.V. Phone and Internet.
I do not have a computer so I don’t need Internet so I am out of luck. If there is anything I can do differently feel free to let me know. Thank You.
We have the roku 1($49.00) and an outdoor antenna($35.00) both one time costs.We get 26 local channels with the antenna, and a ton of movies, documentaries and tv shows with the Roku1 all free now. The only sports we watch is football and it airs on our local channels on Sundays during football season. We only pay $53.00 per month for internet and then we even dropped our land line with AT&T now we only pay $11.62 per month for unlimited phone with free long distance inside the U.S. with the basic talk home phone service, so to break it down , we went from paying a total of 137 per month for tv, pnone and internet down to paying 64.62 per month for all three. It’s great to finally have choices!!
We cut the cord 2 years ago. We purchased 3 Tivo Primer boxes off of Woot.com. With just OTA using the 3 Tivo boxes it’s $30.00 per month after initial investment of the boxes. That’s $100 savings per month over ATT or DirecTv.
Now, missing out on some of the sports channels has been hard, but for the amount I’m savings I can go to the local bar and watch if it’s a big game for me.
Get a cable card from your cable company. Only $2 per month to rent. Much cheaper than a set top box. This is particularly helpful as cable companies are now requiring a set top box for every TV. You’ll need a device to put the cable card into. Most expect to be controlled by a PC. If you want one that is controlled by a remote and works like a set top box, try a Samsung GX-SM530CF. I have one and it works great.
How much of this “cut the cord” chatter is part of or due to the DirectTV
advertising campaign this last summer? TV over internet doesn’t really cut the cord because the best bang for buck internet service is through cable companies.
The recent mandated broadcast changeover to HDTV seemed to be tailor made
to support the cable TV companies. The FCC knows there are “dead spots” all over the USA. The broadcast HDTV signals do NOT follow terrain the way the older signals did. Newer signals are much more line of sight. Putting the antenna up on the roof or on a flag pole mast would likely help a lot because of that. What other internet provider can beat the price vs. bandwidth Cable TV companies provide? Even businesses buy internet services from Cable TV companies now. When you get a DOCSIS internet modem like my ARRIS TM502G and get it provisioned by most Cable TV companies, you get a telephone landline thrown in on the deal. It actually costs $5 more to NOT have the landline service! The internet modem has jacks for two phone lines, by the way. Miraculously we have two competing cable TV companies here and the other one handles their phone lines differently, breaking them out from fiber trunk lines at the neighborhood service MUX box in the alley and running a double cable with coax on one side and twisted pair phone wires on the other side. Often phone from that works even if internet is down, so it has advantages.
Landlines in general are hurting big time with cell phones taking over. If you can beat the cost vs. bandwidth(speed) of Cable TV INTERNET then please let everybody know. Direct TV’s “cut the cord” advertising campaigns haven’t worked so well for them, perhaps because they are not economical providers of INTERNET services and Cable TV companies are. The Rob Lowe snob appeal ads can’t overcome Direct TV’s lack of good and economical INTERNET.
we use the anntena and a coat
I have been trying to set up the g box by Matricon since I am not a tech guy I am finding it slow going.
It claims to be able to stream a huge amount of shows even sports, so far I have only been able to get college games after their broadcast date.
Has anyone tried to use this instead of cable?
Cost 5 dollars just to call twc if you want to speak to a live person. I’m being charged 90 a month just for internet. Dallas, Texas. So mad.
Frankly….I am a big TV fan so would not be interested in any cut however I am wondering if I can get few more channels in the same subscription amount following your tips!!!!!
Keep up the good work….
I have been trying to set up the g box by Matricom. I was told you can stream TV/ sports but so far it had been a pain.
Has anyone tried setting this up?
I got rid of my cable and got Clear TV; I installed it while my kids were at school; They were upset when they came home and couldn’t watch cable anymore. But i am happy i don’t have to pay a monthly cable bill. I get ABC; NBC; CBS. FOX. PBS. and local stations. BYE BYE COMCAST! HELLO CLEAR TV!
I had Time Warner Cable basic cable, monthly charge $14.52. When we changed to digital TWC did everything they could to screw up all shows running HD. One would think you are suppose to get all of the channels you pay for. TWC fianlly admitted the blocking and told me: If you want to see the HD programming on ABC, NBC, CBS etc. it will cost you $40 for HD, $20 for the box and $10 for taxes and fees. I cancelled immediately. They had blocked me from seeing CBT Flash Point series entirly. I bought an OTA antenna @ $30, subscribed to NetFlix @ $7.99, and discovered all of Flash Point’s episodes on YouTube. I’m 85 and Lovin’ it. TWC sent reps five times begging me to sign up again. NO WAY JOSE.
To use roku don’t u need to have one for each tv??? How does it work? Can a antenna be connected to several TVA also????
I built a homemade antenna off of internet. Im 30 miles from nearest station, 70 miles for next in different direction, and 100 miles from next stations all in different directions. i pick up 30 channels. It is called a bowtie antenna. Just punch in homemade antenna.
Paul—
So that’s their game! My sister lives off a freeway, and she told me the side where she lives doesn’t get cable. At least, that’s what the cable company claimed (key word “claimed”); hence she uses satellite. Once again the verse from the Scriptures comes in: “The love of money is the root of all sorts of evil.” That passage is found in I Timothy 6:10. Greed—that’s one thing God despises! I don’t think the cable companies care a fig about Him, though.
If the cable hasn’t been installed in that area there is nothing that can be done other than going with a sattelite system.(direct tv or dish.)
@Teri- that’s not true.any company can service any area,but they refuse to do so,since the competition would drive down costs and they would lose money.
I don’t understand this statement, can someone clarify? “due to structural conditions, only a few competitors can exist in any cable market. Often, there is only one option that consumers can choose. “
My spouse and I stumbled over here coming from a different page and thought I should check things out.
I like what I see so i am just following you. Look forward to looking at your web page yet again.
I had cable and went to direct tv because of cost. Direct TV quit when it rained and or snowed. In order to get a repair person for other problems meant you had to go and explain your problem to at least 5 different people, all or which after reading a script to you sent you onto the next. Once I knew what the problem as but no one would listen to me until I said send a repair person now, or I quit. Went back to cable. a smart tv and Netflix and all is great again. BTW Direct T was supposed to send a box so I could return the equipment to them. They never did and I have the equipment ( and cards) in an old box in the back of a closet. The dish is still on the roof after all these years. I am going to cut the cable off this fall.
vyve is the worst internet company they lie to you and make you use a cable box
that takes away 79 cha’s and you can not get any one to help you and if you have to call you will be on hold for 1 to 6 hours they need to be shut down by the gov
I live in Key West and we get no channels and got cable, bad move. I have Netflix streaming and a HDMI, hook the HDMI to the T.V and Laptop… presto instant streaming.
First Row Sports for sports. I have never paid for cable because I don’t watch it. I LOVE sports and watch it while I’m working out, online (google my first three words), sports parties, or when I want to be around others, I’ll go to a sports bar. Mostly online and at home, so I can be as loud as I want. lol Aside from sports parties & sports bars, it costs me nothing. I’m going to check out this Roku thing though. If it’s reasonable, I have no problems paying monthly (especially during football season, lol).
Tell me if you can, please: if all the people who have cable drew up a petition, would it make the cable company be reasonable and let us choose our channels?
I cut my cable bill years ago. Roku was my first choice. At the time Roku Channels were a big reason. More than any other streamer, although still somewhat restricted compared to Andorid media streamers. Today Android seems to get everything out there on the net. Much more versatile if not wanting to be restricted on what you can watch in any way like you are with Roku and Apple TV.
I have a good tip, but I can’t say it because the cable companies monitor these sites and adjust their policy to make sure they are collecting the most money from their patsies. If anyone says anything that exploits a loophole they quickly close it and I don’t want them to get wise to what I do. I would be happy to share with others but I absolutely don’t want the cable company t find out what they are missing. Btw most of those channels that no one wants, like all the shopping channels and those that are really only 24 hour commercials, actually pay the cable companies to be on the air. The companies know that if their customers could choose only the channels they want (ala carte), then they would lose the money they collect for foisting those garbage channels on us.
Tell me what are some of the tricks to save on my Utilities Bills.
I am on Time Warner Cable for approximately 15 to 20 years. One thing I do not care for as far as the contract goes,I contracted to pay X amount of money for these particular channels that were in this package. Overtime the price has gone up just like the rest of you who are commenting here. But the main problem I have other than price going up is they have been taking away the contracted channels that I was guaranteed when I started with them.I like particular news channels, channels that bring me the network shows in the evening, specific sports channels that bring me ACC basketball, Atlanta Braves baseball and PGA golf. Within the past year,I have lost the Golf Channel plus four other channels. As far as a contract goes they held to a price for a short amount of time but like the rest of you it goes up $0.45 this month plus additional taxes, two dollars next month plus additional taxes and it has constantly climbed to where my 45.00 is now nearly 90. So this does not work out in the fact that over the years, I am paying much MORE money for many LESS channels than I had when my contract began.Who is holding up their end of the contract?
You can get MLB & NFL on the choice package.I also get the big10 network on it.It would probably be the pac12 network in your area.I get MLB extra innings free at the beginning of each season for about 2 weeks.If you changwe your package,do it on the internet so you don’t have to deal with the idiots on the phone.If you go directtv.com you can compare packages to see what your going to lose if you change.A lot of older shows can be watched on youtube.,even full movies.
@Tina … Your post made me sad. I once had Dish…I got away from that contract and wouldn’t sign another. I’m cableless… I make sure I keep my internet for Roku purposes. If it’s not on Roku, I can’t watch it.
I get those channels too on the choice package.I get the history channel,but not H2. another thing you can do is drop your premium channels(HBO,CINEMAX,SHOWTIME &STARS).That will save you around $47 a month.You have to call them and talk to a representative to do that.you can’t do it over the internet.you can change your package over the internet though.I went with choice so I could get MLB network as I’m a big time baseball fan.
I’m with you on the mlb, that’s another reason, I just called them to see what package I have exactly, about a year ago I called about getting the sports channels, for a special deal they upgrade to premier adding all sports channels with it came all the movie channels which I never watch, a lot if sports channel were moved or stopped, during this conversation I explained I’m paying such a high price for movie channels I never watch and sports channels I never got, they agreed to lower me to choice plus for around 73 which has everything I do watch and add at a discounted rate the mlb extra innings for 17.00 which is half price but of course I’m stuck for another year lol, I guess sometimes it pays to call them and complain, I did it in a nice way, it made my day
@Tina what package are you using with direct TV? If you go to the direct TV web site and look at the different packages you can scroll down and see what channels you would lose if you change to a lower package.You’re locked into Direct TV,but not into the package. I just dropped mine to The Choice package & it will save me about $15 a month.There’s no point in paying for channels you don’t watch.
I’m on the one just above choice, it has history channel2, gsn, disc id, etc.. Those are my favorite stations which weren’t in choice so I’m forced to subscribe, I’ve always had the same package since the promotional one three years ago it’s just gone up so much in the last year, the service is fantastic, never any problems, it’s not really the packages, but just as a scary movie you don’t know when the monster will pop up, so anticipating the bill can give you nightmares
I’m in Las Vegas, over the years I tried them all cox, century link, dish and directv… Bundled and unbundled, contracted and uncontracted, locked and unlocked (once got this call from a cox rep claiming to lock my price for two years no charge cuz I was a good customer, little did I know.. find out lock means contract) they took advantage of a silly me, how tricky and scandalous! Been with directv for three years started with 60.00 for a year got the good stuff with it, okay over time added 2 more tvs and hd, same channel line up, every month bill was different higher and higher and now pay 179.00 what the heck happened, looked over my bill, I pay per tv, plus insurance, plus hd, raised the package price, on top of that, each tv I hooked up they contracted this I didn’t even realize(added one tv a few months later added another so each tv connect is contracted two years at different times…) I called and asked can I rid the boxes and get the wireless genie thing, can’t do it cuz I’m contracted!!!! It would cost me about 400 to do it not including contract cancels.. I’m stuck in this vortex of a high bill, tv boxes and wires, anybody got any suggestion on what I can do?
Thee FCC is the Grand PAPA of anything that as to do with these GURUS of the cable industries . We can demand to the FCC TO MAKE AN AMMENDMENT against the power that was giving to theses company to give us wrong doing services plus BAD CHOICES OF MOVIES THAT THEY DICTATE FOR US AS CONSUMERS THAT WE PAY ALOTS OF TAXES ON.WE NEED TO PUT A STOP TO THIS ON GOING BULLIENESS OF THE INDUSTRIES & let the FCC DO THERE JOB TO PROTECT THE PEOPLE THAT ARE UNDER THE THUM.please FCC you can put a stop of this if you want to, you know that they are wrong & there WRONG DOING, for one’s let the GOOD GUYS WIN & the little people ( you know what I mean) have the EDGE!!! THANK YOU, I know and believe you will do the right thing.(FCC)
Stay away from dish. bad service, hidden fees and a mandatory 2 year contract THAT THEY FIRCE YOU TO PAY IN FULL. Service calls are always billed even if the problem is with their equipment. Horrible horrible company.
You are so right. I have Direct TV. There are some problems with them but a lot better than Dish.
what do they mean website I am not to savy old woman that I am (BUT) I do know something that has not been mentiond it’s how to save on hookups for one or more TV’s I am suprised Paul or others have not said anything about it since they seem to be very savy but then $10.00 dollars a month each TV I think is great at least it helps, besides I have dish hate it but I need something but I have found a couple of ways to help my bill. by for now.DP
I just dropped my Direct tv to the choice package.I lost a few channels,but I wasn’t watching them anyway.It will save me around $15 a month.
D.Palmer,you don’t have to put anything in that space.I don’t have a web site either. The only thing you have to fill out is the ones with the red asterisks by them. all I ever put in is my first name.
I originally had Time Warner and my bills were outrageous, so when Verizon Fios came into our NY area I jumped on it. Our bills were around $125, now they are over $200 and I do not have all, but do have 4 tvs. That is 0ver $2,000 a year, I called Verizon and they said we gave you a break up front and now you have to pay it back, I was stunned. I have been with them over 4 years. I have had it with Verizon… They told me if I cancel my phone they will charge me the cancelation fee. I have decided to cancel my entire service and go with Direct TV as I was told my bill will be $77 a month. Verizon customer service also told me that they only care about new customers and they really do not care if I cancel. So I decided to accept the cancelation fee and save myself over $1000. Verizon is great when you are a new customer but stink after 4 years.
Jo Ann, you’re partly right: they don’t care about you personally. To them, all you are just a source of money, not a living, breathing human being. But oh yes, they do care— about your money! You cancelled, though; I’m not a gambler, but if I were, I’d bet they haven’t asked after you, whether you’re managing well or not, or even whether you’re alive! Now that they’re not getting your money all the time, you’re a nobody!
I receive snail mail from Verizon almost daily and have asked them to stop but they don’t so customers are paying for their junk mail and non stop tv commercials. I moved into an apt with Fios already set up but I don’t get any savings from that. Write the FCC daily to oppose these monopolies, it’s illegal
FYI-If you have direct tv cinemax is free this weekend through monday.
We need another Teddy Roosevelt. Damn these companies and their political cronies. I include Big Oil in that category as well. Rip! Rip! Rip! Rip! Rip! Wouldn’t it be fantastic if 90% of Americans got together and just quit each and every one of these cable companies for just one month? Used their vehicles for work and school only for a month? It would be bizarre but with a statement of , “If you want us, no more screw contracts and no more RIP.” “You make every contract to have the same price for at least five years.” “You let us pick our channels,” “Who in blazes can watch 250 channels? ” And to the auto industry: “Rent a big part of the desert because if gas and vehicle prices don’t go down, we are not going to purchase a single new car for up to three years time.” That would bring us some happy times again.
Yes, when it comes to TV service the majority of us are being taken advantage of just to bring a little more entertainment into our homes. Yes the “big broadcasters” have their hands deep in our pockets. Here is another way to let your voices be heard regarding regarding high cable fees go to: protectmyantenna.org checkout the information and send a message to your gov’t. official, there is a company named Aereo, that’s trying to bring less expensive TV service to Americans but the big broadcasters are taking them to court in order to block Americans from their service. Have a safe day:-)
I am a big fan of FORMULA ONE GRAND PRIX AUTO RACING and watch every race on my TIME WARNER cable.I have searched but have yet to find a way to watch the races for free online etc
thanks
james
I was reading all the comments and I understand what I am hearing I am having the same problem with Directtv. my bill go up every month my bill was 52.00..Know i am paying 84.00 and I have the lowest package. I am really thinking about turning it off. I have netflix and I enjoy the movie, my only problem is I love to watch the news and if I cut off Direct tv I will not be able to see that…Does anyone have any idea for me. Thank you
Hi Rose,
I also have DirecTV, and only one TV/DVR. They charge me $86.99/month for the CHOICE plan, but since I call them every 6-12 months (when promo pricing ends), I receive a $10 credit for HD and another $10 for the DVR. I also receive a $5 credit for my auto-pay (via my credit card whch I pay off each month) and another $6 credit for my primary (and only) TV. In the end, I pay $65.53.
If all you do is watch news, I recommend you drop DirecTV and get either a Roku box or an AppleTV, plus an HD antenna (to watch local stations).
Ray
Oh…I also get charged a $3 regional sports fee, and tax.
Also by dropping cable I applied that money to buying a newer car.
When I read all these comments, I sympathize. You can watch all channels live and more using broadband internet. As long as you have internet speed of minimum 3Mega Bits per second, you can watch any sport, any episodes, any news, anything you wish. I used to pay no less than $100/month on cable, and I hardly watched TV except sports. I was willing to pay $50/month as long as I get ESPN. But this never happened with cable.
So here’s what I have done to remedy age old question of saving money on cable.
1. Bought out-door antenna for $25 on ebay. This has range of over 100 miles. I get more than 60 channels. All highest definition. Better than cable.
2. Held on to cable internet, using my own modem (save $8/month).
3. Google XBMC. This will set you free of the cable/satellite/netflix,hulu dependency.
I have direct TV and the dollar you to death. I cancelled their ‘repair service’ for $8.00 a month. That’s almost $200 over the 2 year contract. They actually charge you a one time fee to cancel it. If you have internet, you cant get monthly phone service for $11 per month from Wal-Mart. Just plug the device into your modem. CBS.com shows all the CBS shows. I watched Big Bang Theory last night. Free this week, and then $6 per month. They have most of the hit shows now.
Cancel DirecTV. Get FIOS internet if you can. Put up and antenna. All of the news networks have websites. Drudge will give you all the news links.
From all I’m reading here, I’m finding out a lot more things about cable companies than I ever realized. It seems they’ve got us over a barrel when we subscribe to their service! Point well taken, folks! I think something is going to go—before my sanity (and funds) do. Thank you so much for opening my eyes. God bless you!
I use the Mohu leaf antenna and its better than anything else on the market and brings in antenna tv from as far as Mexico – I’m in Dallas. I get Netflix DVD s of shows that are a season behind, because the cable and internet companies are goughing us. I use my Android for internet but don’t really miss my cable, I’ve been using the time to read more. Here you have little choice, most areas or zip codes have only one provider to choose from and they all suck.
This is Paul of Las Vegas,
In reading the comments I would like to contribute my thinking about reducing your bills.
I went with t-mobile simple mobile plan. Have an old Galaxy Blaze 4 G phone which has wifi built in. $40.00 per month with limited data plan.
My Century link modem has Wifi with it so can access it anywhere in the house to check on my facebook or anything else that uses internet without using up my data plan. I down loaded a free plan for my phone for protection when using the Wifi in other areas. like the motel or at mcD so have protection on the phone besides in my computer. The CL plan I have is not for 1.5 or 3.0 or 5.0 that they call High speed internet. It is for a 10.0 plan which is much better for watching movies or any other streaming viewing. You can get their internet for $29.00 for the 1.5 (so called high speed) but for the true high speed you need a company that is running the optic cable. Which CL is currently installing in the different cities they have cable in.
That’s $40 more than I pay. I have safe-link, a free phone thru the gov. If you get any kind of assistance like food stamps, SSI SS etc. you’re eligible. I get 250 minutes per month.
I am in Las Vegas, I found that Century Link has a internet only special for $40.00. I just watch movies on the net that are free. Thanks to reading the post you have I can add Hulu + for $8.00 and watch what ever I want. Still under 50.00. Before my bill was $170.00 a month. This is a huge savings. About the only sports I watch is professional wrestling. Which of course is scripted.
I think many are missing the real reason we are gorged every month by the cable companies.
It’s legal to gorge us because the cable companies campaign donations to our elected House and Senate when they vote,”YES” for a bill that favors the cable companies.
If you like sports, you use the mobile app of the sports leagues and pay for their sports package. If you like sports, it is a better deal. Imagine being able to watch every football in the nfl every week and still save money!
Those packages are as bad as the cable and satellite packages.
What works for me is to just give them a call after my contract expired.
The best time to do it on the way home from office, Keeps me occupied and I save 🙂
The main problem is that all of us just forget to do so, and until we found out we lost great deal of money!
I may suggest free web tool I am using http://www.Remindme2save.com,
The tool helps me keep track of my monthly payments to my service providers (Cox internet and DirectTV), when my promotion expires it will remind me to call them with the best promotion out there.
I hope it helps!
Very Good services by Remindme2save
Helped me in saving of $40 this month
you’re all to high why don’t you think of the people out of jobs. why do you have to make so much money off us. your kids kids won’t have to work ever is there live’s give all vet’s 15% discount because of them you won’t have the right to do what you are doing. their are a LOT of places doing just that . be an America and do something
you should send this statement to the cable & Dish companies.I doubt that they pay any attention to this site,but I agree with what you’re saying.maybe we should ask the same type question of the oil companies as well.
I am so tired of rackig my brain on how to get a cheaper cable bill. I too like my entertainment and sports. but my god there has got to be a better way
I am trying to learn all the sneaky/tricky/techy ways to get inexpensive internet, cable, on demand, etc. Problem is, I am easily distracted or I get a little “lost” in all the possibilities and who or where can receive what. So here’s my question. What can an individual, such as myself, get in order to pay the least amount but also still receive some sort of entertainment. I need internet, small home biased business, also have the xbox linked to our main tv and it needs my wifi because all of our Netflix, games, interaction with friends and family stream from it. Security cam linked to wifi also definatly needed. So wifi is a Must, No exceptions. But cable we hardly ever use, we really only use the on demand for movies on HBO and STARZ or whatever deal our current provider is running. (Cox Cable) it is also bundled. I don’t use home phone. I only use cell. We don’t have tons of trees or things blocking except I do live in a relitavely large apartment community so buildings and direction of signal can be an issue. I live in a very large city, one of the biggest tourist areas in the world actually. Access isn’t the issue. Again I’m very tech forward so if I Can rig my own something (legally) then I will. I want to pay the least amount but also still have good speed wifi/Mifi (either). And movies and/or shows that kids today like to also keep current in their little worlds. 🙂 Again Im Pretty distracted on tons and tons of possibilities. If I ask one provider they tend to only tell me their promos or whatever they want to sell me. I don’t want to be sold. I want point blank. Any provider. Best possible answer for my specific situation. Sorry this was a novel. Lol. 🙂 any suggstions to all of it? Please?
Melissa, if ever you do find out a way to do this legally, could you let me in on it? Thanks. (-:
That is a problem if you have a lot of trees around or high buildings blocking the signal.
We are paying 128.00 a month for Comcast cable with no premium channels and have two outlets. That is outragous but we live in the woods and can’t get a dish or antenna. This is our only form of entertainment but it does dent our social security then there is hardly anything on to watch worth watching.
Just pay for internet that will give you 3Mbps or more. Purchase smart-tv box sold in ebay. Prefer you purchase latest with quad cpu @ 2GHz w/8 or 16GB. Then youtube @ XBMC. This should show you how make your TV smarter. You’ll be able to watch ANYTHING you want at your fingertip/remote control.
This will even broadcast what ever you wish to watch at anywhere you are, especially if you have smart cell phone.
When said and done, you have paid monthly broadband internet price. And one time charge of $150 on the box. Or you can try with your computer by downloading XBMC. If you don’t know XBMC, JUST GOOGLE IT. good luck. This will set you free from cable/dish/dtv dependency. Welcome to the MATRIX.
Is there a way to get free Internet (the way people buy antennas to get free TV)? I currently pay $10 per gigabyte downloaded, and use 20-25 gb per month (so I spend about $200-250 for Internet only each month). I am as frugal as I know how to be with my Internet too, and only watch about 3-4 hours of TV online each month. That’s it! The rest of the time, I’m chatting with friends or surfing the web. I keep my Flash turned off unless I actually want to watch a video so I don’t get auto-streaming videos burning up my data usage.
I live in the middle of nowhere, so my choices are dial-up, or high-speed Internet for $10 per gb. That’s it. I’d LOVE to find a way to get Internet for free by making a one-time purchase of something. Anyone know of anything like that?
I got rid of cable recently. I was paying $80 / month, and they said they were going to bump it to over $100, so I said goodbye. I have an antenna now. Don’t get many channels (11) but I don’t watch a lot of TV either.
Shutting off our TV’s wouldn’t do any good.you’d still have to pay for those days,besides not enough people would do it.It’s a multi-billion dollar industry.
It is not strange that these TV pirates can steal from the public. Not too long ago
there were no fees for watching TV. Huge companies and local establishments paid to run their adds on certain channels and assumed we would be watching. The advertisers paid to have their goods exposed hoping to draw customers, remember Howdy Doody, Art Linkletter, Alfred Hitchcock.etc? There was fifteen minutes of show then a break for the commercials then back to the show with an ad at beginning and end. Then in the 70’s for a fee you could get extra stations. Time Warner comes along and says why give customers anything for free, lets take a chance and hope they will pay for watching everything? We the
the Public can’t live for just a few weeks without our TV fell for the ploy and T/W
ran with it and are now bilking us out of billions of dollars. We have proved to them that we are spoiled brats, we have to have it NOW regardless of the cost. All advertisers know that there are always those who will buy it because they “have money” which hurts the poor smucks who have little. If we all shut out tvs off for just two days of boycott you would see the rates fall like a rock. But we are spoiled brats and can’t go two days without our “perks” I did and I can get all i need to see and know from the internet. The problem then would be the
internet fees would skyrocket. Why because our Gov’t sits on their arse doing nothing and some of them getting paid to allow this thievery!
It’s not the public being spoiled brats. It’s because there is no competition. Most cities in this country have only one cable company, and they have a monopoly on that city and no other cable company is allowed to touch it. For example…Cox cable services Omaha Nebraska, they have a monopoly on the whole city and no other cable company is allowed to come in. Blame the Gov’t not the public. We are supposed to be a free society yet our government made all these regulations that prohibits other cable companies from going out of their jurisdiction. You need competition to force prices down.
That’s a big cop-out. They passed a law allowing other cable companies to compete, but they refuse to do it because it will drive down the cost. If they weren’t allowed to go into other areas, they could stop dish companies from their area.
What I’d like to know is, why didn’t I know this before? Couldn’t somebody have told me? I appreciate your commentary; it’s helping me put cable in a new light! Thank you so much, all of you! God bless you people. I just wish I could return the favor somehow.
Dish network is terrible. I switched to Direct TV. It’s a lot better and better than cable too.
We were Dish loyalists for about 12 years, but the price kept increasing, and we did not have premium channels. Did away with Dish about 1.5 years ago and after a few weeks of withdrawal (sad but true), I began to realize I had more energy in the mornings and was a lot more productive and creative. I do not miss tv at all. My kids do watch a LITTLE tv and movies on Netflix and Amazon Streaming. If you pay for amazon prime (about $100/year) there are some shows and movies for free. No, it’s not current programming and no sports. But we don’t really care about that very much. I guess it depends what you really want to watch. I think we are healthier cutting most of it out of our lives.
Since getting Netflix I have cancelled all cable subs. I rarely even watch traditional TV anymore. The internet has changed the way I watch ‘TV’. But if people are really struggling to pay for cable, just cancel and go outdoors. I only ever watch TV in the evenings. But now I spend my evenings outdoors, reading, or doing something active. Then I get into bed and watch an hour of Netflix. Life has been so much better since.
What about getting HBO and showtime without cable or sat?
What about getting HBO and showtime without cable or sat?
That is not possible. The cable companies will not allow it. (especially HBO since its owned by time warner) They know nobody would buy cable any more if they could just buy the channels they wanted. Hopefully one day google and apple will get their acts together and offer that type of plan.
You can still get the pay channels once in awhile. They had a free showing of HBO & Cinemax this past weekend.
I occasionally do request a premium channel when the promo is on if there’s a movie that appeals to me; I record it so I’ll have it to watch as frequently as I please instead of being at the mercy of somebody’s whims. I’d call it quite convenient (for the corporations) that some of the best movies are shown on premium channels!
Well, there goes that protest shot down! Let’s put our heads together and see if we can’t come up with some legal way to fix it so cable/dish subscribers can get only the channels that interest them, but none they don’t watch. Then there’ll be no worries that some big company will capitalize on it and start charging the people exorbitant prices.
Thank you, Noway. I could never quite figure out what tricks these cable and companies were up to!
Please excuse my typo; my brain and hand sometimes can’t keep in sync! I intended to say “cable and dish companies”.
I agree I’ll stand right beside you JJ~
Thanks, Susan! You’re a good friend. These “moguls”—OK, guys, mogul this and see how you like it—greedy people! I can’t decide whether to get rid of my cable or just go to a lower package; trouble is, there’s too many regular TV programs I enjoy, not just movies, on the expanded basic. Oh boy, decisions, decisions! I’ll have to give this some serious thought and prayer.
One way to save on our monthly internet bill is to buy your own modem (about $80). Comcast charges $8/month to rent their modem. I purchase my own 4 years ago, and have saved hundreds of dollars. The Motorola modem is also very reliable. For phone service, we use the Ooma service (also reliable and cheap).
-Ray
Ray,
Forgive me for not understanding, but you’re saying you only need a modem for Internet? No monthly service fees? Can you explain?
Thank you.
He still has to pay for internet,but it’s $8 cheaper because he owns his own modem.
Thanks Paul.
Grace… That monthly $8 savings adds up quickly.
Ray
Thank you Paul!
Grace
Ray, yes even $8 adds up over time. I only get Verizon in my area though. I pay around $70.00 for landline and internet. Guess it could be worse. It’s amazing, when I think about being a child, (and it wasn’t ages ago). No cell phone, no internet, no computer. No satellite tv. Just kinda simple (though not perfect by a long shot). Ah well, we adapt. But I don’t like the push for all of these digital devices. It seems like total overload.
I try to find joy in the simple things in the real world (or IRL as my sons call it.)
Grace
I have A T & T for my internet connection.my phone is free through safe-link,a free phone system through the government.If you get anty kind of assistance such as food stamps,SS,SSI etc. you should be eligible for it.I get 250 minutes per month.
I bought a Roku also. The problem with it was the distance between it and my wireless router. My TV is in my living room and my computer is in my back bedroom, so the signal had to pass through three walls and a distance of approx. 40 feet to the Roku. The Roku was always dropping programing because of fluctuation and weak signals from the distance. Buying a wi-fi booster and installing it in the bedroom next to the computer room helped, but wasn’t entirely successful because the kitchen was between it and the Roku. Kitchens have a lot of metal from appliances that hurt. Although I’d rather watch programs on my 48? HD tv, I’ve learned to watch it on my 24? monitor instead and settle for $9.00 a month total for Hulu+ and free http://www.dustreaming.com. If your main source of entertainment is TV, couchtuner for free is awesome. If you want to watch movies go with Hulu+. If sports is your bread and butter, since it’s more controlled, you’re mainly stuck with paying for cable.
I am either looking to lower my internet/TV billing or to do away with these services altoghther.
Technology has really come a long way. We love entertainment, well who doesn’t but it comes with a cost. Now, the advent of this power-saving technology will give us many benefits while we enjoy our favorite movies and TV shows.
how i brought down my tv plus cable plus phone bill to $50 a month. of course by matching my real consumption of these utitilities to ‘only pay for ‘what i was really consuming. Step 1; i switched back to my old school time principle given by our principle; track and for one month write down all your spendings down to a dollar; on these utilitities(track where your money is going and; this will bring out what your are only paying but not utilizing; remember; dollar saved is a dollar earned. And remember ; it takes a few days or may be few weeks to get used to your new combination of these utilities; initially it may look awkward but decide only after a few weeks and you might see that you are really not losing much. Step 2: spend some money to buy your own ‘one time expenses like a wireless modem a wireless tv antenna; a flat monthly rate device instead of monthly billing company ; i bought the following and it helped: a wireless tv antenna($50), a clear flat monthly rate($50 per month) ‘clear’ wireless device. Signal strength may not be the best but meets my requirement;you have to let it function it for a few weeks and judge realistically. soon you would realize , it is matter of getting used to itversus the savings. calculate these on yearly basis; it turns out to be substantial.
it all starts by taking the first step; for three months just note down what all you are paying vs what all you are ‘really utilizing.So take the first step.
Comcast kept raising my rate about twice a year and I got tired of it. I realized I dont really have time to watch TV that much so it wasnt worth it for me to keep for an hour show here and there. Plus im sick of all the reality TV junk. I tried a decent HD antanae and get a few channels in HD. The rest of the time im on the internet and use the Netflix type of services once in a while. I also have Sirius with my car and the internet package so I can listen to CNN/ Fox News there if I need to.
I bought a Roku also. The problem with it was the distance between it and my wireless router. My TV is in my living room and my computer is in my back bedroom, so the signal had to pass through three walls and a distance of approx. 40 feet to the Roku. The Roku was always dropping programing because of fluctuation and weak signals from the distance. Buying a wi-fi booster and installing it in the bedroom next to the computer room helped, but wasn’t entirely successful because the kitchen was between it and the Roku. Kitchens have a lot of metal from appliances that hurt. Although I’d rather watch programs on my 48″ HD tv, I’ve learned to watch it on my 24″ monitor instead and settle for $9.00 a month total for Hulu+ and free http://www.couchtuner.eu. If your main source of entertainment is TV, couchtuner for free is awesome. If you want to watch movies go with Hulu+. If sports is your bread and butter, since it’s more controlled, you’re mainly stuck with paying for cable.
What you need is a Powerline device. It allows the internet signal to go from your router to your Roku (or a distant computer, or a second wireless router, or a SmartTV) via the house wiring. Sounds implausible, and I was skeptical — but it works great! Costs under $100 for a pair. One time investment.
Beware of reflective surfaces like MIRRORS when experiencing poor signal wireless connection. Also placement of the router, should be high ’cause tech told me current routers distribute signal in an umbrella-like fashion as opposed to linear. My problem was the wall to wall mirror in the bathroom, adjacent to the bedroom where the router HAD to be placed because it had the only clean phone jack. Signals were bouncing back and forth, so a hard wired extender was placed in the living room for a good signal to that tv. Second bedroom reception is just fine. Go figure.
Two words: ROKU BOX #thatisall
Time Warner cable could care less. In Cleveland they have a monopoly on cable and raise the price at will. If you complain, they simply tell you to go to DSL or dish if you don’t like their prices.
BTW: I pay $54.00/month for internet alone. I dropped my TV service years ago and watch most of the TV I’m interested in at http://www.couchtuner.eu for free, although they do not have sports.
Cleveland has Cox, Dish, and AT&T as well. Give them a call and see what they are offering. I have AT&T internet and basic cable for $69. I also have ROKU and Netflix. My kids don’t even watch the cable so I’ll be turning it off after 1 year.
thanks Phil, just wanna share stream-tv another site where you can watch tv shows online for free. and its very easy to use.
I have dish net work been with them over 7 to 8 years my cable bill is way high called them they cut twenty dollars off but not true they rig it up to not let me have to bring it to America top 200 still it was not taking twenty dollars off it ended up fifteen off then I called dish to see why twenty has not bern taken off First the man says because u did not pay one bill ad they are ways paid do then he says because cable went up. I said oh all of a sudden it went up so we talk a smart package. He tells me my husband will get all sports channels and manyote sports Chanel’s and the basic ones I go to work come home husband is piss becsuse he had none of his sports channels even ESPN was gone the gentle men stir me so wrong so I had to go back to what I had fir him to get all those Chanel’s what is so wrong fir done cable company to give u a price on the ones. U prefer to choose why can’t that be done in any cable company we tell u what we want at a comfortable price I think 80 is a lots of money for cable I want cable and intetnet for a low price of 50 to 60 dollars a month any body know any cable like that or even if it is just the wifi like less money
I had Directv until last October; I had been calling them for about six months over my high bill. I was paying $103. a month for the lowest package. I finally got enough of their bull and had it disconnected! I have hundreds of DVD’s so I just watch them.
I Pay $112 a month for the next to highest package.I cut out the premium channels.(HBO,MAX,STARS & SHOWTIME) I get encore with this package which includes the western channel & I also get all MBA,NFL,NHL & NBA networks with this package.
I Pay $112 a month for the next to highest package.I cut out the premium channels.(HBO,MAX,STARS & SHOWTIME) I get encore with this package which includes the western channel & I also get all MLB,NFL,NHL & NBA networks with this package.I also get espn and fox sports detroit.
I don’t subscribe to the premium channels; and I’m not into sports at all, so I save money by not having those additional channels. I think it’s unfair and rotten that the cable company doesn’t arrange it so a person can pick and choose instead of having to get channels he/she doesn’t want! A woman I know agrees; she uses Dish, and has the same complaint.
Where I live, in a apartment complex, we’re not allowed anything but cable or the new antenna box. The manager informed me that we’re not even allowed the dish that doesn’t require it to be on the roof, but on our porch.
Not true. Our apartment complex landlord told us the same thing AFTER we signed the lease….cable company only. Probably a kickback reward scheme for the landlord. I went online, downloaded the FCC ruling giving permission for apartment lessees to have dish. One cannot/should not attach to landlord’s property (building, wall, etc.) Must not be intrusive or ostentecious (we had an enclosed patio, and clear view of southern sky). I went to Home Depot, got a 5 gal. plastic bucket, 2 in. pipe and bag of quick set cement. End of story and happy with Direct TV for years till I upgraded to HD. HD package arrived at apt. complex office, within minutes office manager was banging on my door, I showed the FCC ruling, the dish in the patio, and they left telling me not to tell any other tenant about my setup. Finally, after more than 15 years with Directv, I switched to ATT which comes over the phone line and I’ve got a great bundled package that includes high speed DSL @20mbps, (used to have only 3mbps/w Earthlink), telephone and cable tv for 3 tvs plus DVR with a ton of major channels included, saving over 150$/month with better service, more channels and long distance to U.K.
I know that Frontier Telecommunications charges $19.95 per month for internet, which is wireless throughout my place. And, they guarantee there’s no price modifications for three years!!! I’ve watched movies and tv shows and documentaries on Netflix, with my Wi-Fi connection. Also, I had a wonderful experience. I’ve never used HULU or HULU PLUS. But, I will when I get home from my vacation. Good Luck!!! And God Bless and Jesus Saves!!!
Hello, I see that everyone has named a company or business that supplies streaming television but I have to be honest with you and tell you that none of them are better than VSTream TV. This company does not require any monthly bills after you purchase your box. You also will receive all live sports, free HBO, Showtime, Facebook, simply everything you can imagine with no strings attached at all.
You don’t have to give up sports to use Netflix, Hulu, or Amazon. I purchased a Roku for $50 and it allows me to have a lot more freedom. I am not a sports fan but I have sports channels.
No,but you do have monthly charges of abour $8-$9/month for many of the services on Roku.
There’s an option you left out … the good old antenna, which is nothing like what it was prior to the digital switchover in 2009. The quality is 720p just like digital cable or satellite, and way better than standard cable. Reception is great in most areas if you get the right antenna. The best part is that all the old channels have suddenly become 2, 3, 4 or more channels. Each station can put extra sub-channels on their frequency thanks to digital broadcasting … many of them include their sister networks so stations that are out of range can now be watched through a station that is in range. I get 30 different channels for free after paying just $30 for an antenna and I live in a rural area at that. Even if you buy a super expensive roof top antenna it will only set you back as much as one or two cable bills.
Linea, what kind/brand of ‘good old antenna’ do you have that does this for you?
Sue: I am a TimeWarner Cable customer, and when they maliciously decided to blackout CBS/Viacom channels last year in a dispute over royalties, I purchased a Mohu Leaf Indoor HDTV Antenna in order to get my local CBS affiliate. This antenna has it’s limitations, but if you are close to a broadcast signal, you will receive crystal clear reception. Mohu makes an entire line of HDTV Antennas, some of which, like the Mohu Sky 60, have a 60 mile range.
I live way out in the boonies and we have an antenna up on the hill. I can only get 3 stations and they are coming from Los Crucis,nm and Albuqurque, NM which 1 is 3 hrs. away and the other is 5 hrs. away. I can’t pull any other signals in but them 2 so what would you suggest I can do in this situation? I have looked all over the internet for solutions but unless I can pull signals I can’t do anything that I found. Would appreciate any thought you you might have. Thank you for any help.
Wrap the antenna in copper wire (10-30 feet of it). You’ll be pulling in stations from Calgary! 😉
Can I get any feedback on the wrapping the antenna with copper wire?
Most any brand will work well. Just check the range of the antenna to make sure it will reach where the TV stations are located. I live in a rural area of the Twin Cities and find that an aerial with a 45 mile radius will pick up over 36 stations. Using a Roku type device allows me to transfer Netflix or Hulu from my internet to my TV’s (other “Hulu” type of broadcasters also work too). After dropping Directv, I am saving $960.00 a year. That is a significant figure when your retirement net income is only $17,000.00.
You can get a wide variety of TV shows on the internet. such as all broadcast companies most of the time you see it the day after the broadcast, and 1 is a week after the original broadcast, but so what? I was using a cheapo old indoor antenna and was 10 miles outside the 50 mile range it claimed to have, but I got all broadcast channels and their add on channels like 4, 4.1 etc., extremely clear I just put it in the upstairs window and hooked it to the cable wires in the wall in that room and used a booster and it worked 3 bedrooms, my office and the living room and family room.
I refuse to pay to watch TV that has commercials that pay the broadcasters big time.
Watching TV on the internet saves watching almost 5 minutes of commercials and a little trick I found was if I’m going to make dinner, or have something to do, I can ‘watch’ a hour long show and get back to it at around 50 minutes to stop it before it ends, I can restart it and it plays in full again except none of the previous commercials play so you get that hour show without any commercials and it’s over in whatever it is like 40 – 45? minutes
I moved and am now in the boonies where I’m told cable is required, so I dropped all TV except what I get free online . However when I find that old antenna, I will try using it again just to see if it works or not. It’s in a box around here somewhere.
I watch only 1/2 to 1 hour of TV a day now and none on weekends but every 5-8 months I’ll watch a movie on Utube. Last one was Easy Rider about 2 months ago
I have a Wineguard antenna that I bought on Amazon for $65. Its an outdoor type, pretty big, not amplified and it is installed in our attic. It is awesome. I have it pointed to the nearest large city (Tampa) and you can go online to learn exactly where to point them for best reception. We get about 40 channels. Granted, a bunch of them are religious, spanish or both but there are still a lot of regular channels leftover. All the major networks, a couple home improvement types, a few that cater to old reruns, the standard pbs types. I miss Comedy Central but we still have the internet for that.
the best antenna out there is Clear TV……. Wal Greens $14.99
but they are local channels only.
I agree with Paul if you like sports you get left out in the cold. So what can you do?
Like me, you would have to just do with out and hope the games are aired on network channels. My cable provider (Direct TV) just hit me for another 25.00 bucks a month. said it was a “normal” yearly increase like I was supposed to be grateful. Geesh!
The options like Hulu and Netflix are only good IF the only thing you watch are movies.
Rick… Hulu Plus and Netflix have far for than just movies. They also have TV shows and documentaries. 😉
Netflix is definitely worth the $7 you pay for it. You stay legal by not downloading illegal copies yet you still get to see your favorite shows. Great share, thanks.
That’s great if you don’t watch sports. I watch MLB, NFL, NBA & NHL networks on a daily basis. Also FSD for tigers games.
Get Roku for that!
How does Roku work? Can it pick up ESPN, FoxSports 1, SEC Network, et al?
I don’t know how a roku works but I have the Stroom box and you can watch any sport any time any game. I got this for my boyfriend for his birthday and it came with a sport package. which is really cool.
I got it at http://www.stroombox.com if you want to check it out
You can stream ESPN, ESPN 2, and ESPN 3 via the Watch ESPan app, accessible if you subscribe to Sling. The SEC network is available with the expanded Sling sports package ($5 more). For Fox Sports, you need a cable log in, unless you know how to stream with Kodi.
Prior to this year, I was able to watch a lot of college sports on JustinTV.com and Live9.com. Both now defunk. Are there any safe “Live Stream Sports” sites out there? I’ve looked for others and either they want me download a “player” that doesn’t appear safe or they are semi-porn sites. So if any of you have any good live stream sites you can recommend, let me know.
← Previous Comments
Next Comments →