No cable, to save money?

[MarlaSinger]

I'm thinking about cutting off our cable - $90 per month = $1080 per year. I'm thinking our money would be better spent buying each of the kids their own refurb laptops to watch TV programming online, for free.

My hope is to take the leap and have a TV-less home

Has anyone else done this?

[cboyer]

I haven't had cable in years.I use the converter box and rabbit ears and get the local channels................somehow we've managed

[vagabond2]

not I.......my dh and daughter are addicted but we have friends who have never had cable. They raised their girls that way and now their kids are raising their babies that way. No problem.......they do watch the local programs for news but other than that do not watch tv.

[CouponJunkie]

We have had rabbit ears since 2001. Since we are in a metro area, we are able to get all the news stations and they come in clear so we have prime time TV for free. We don't watch a ton of TV so the prime time shows on NBC, ABC, and FOX are enough for us. We also get CBS, WB, Peachtree TV (used to get Turner), and UPN over the rabbit ears. I know our kids would like to have Disney and Cartoon Network but their online shows are free so we let them do that. It has saved us a ton.

[Mrs.O]

I've been considering the same thing. We pay $70 a month...
However, the problem is, even with rabbit ears we always got such bad reception. That was one of the bigger reasons we got satellite. Plus, my hubby and I watch some of the stuff on the other channels. We always say we wish they would give you a package where you can choose the channels you want and pay like that....

I'm in the same boat...not sure if we should do it or not.

[cboyer]

I'm of the mind that you can't miss what you never had..........however, if you like certain programs... you will miss them when they are gone....... since I live in a large metro area I have access to ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox, ION, PBS, UPN and a couple off brand channels........with the converter box I get good reception....

[TheScribbler]

Tip when dealing with your cable provider and have 'the bundle' (Internet, television and phone). If you call you can usually renegotiate your costs by saying that you are really considering going to so and so for your cable needs. They are more and more desperate to keep you as a customer. Mention Direct TV or whatever and they are more than willing to give you some off of your subscription pricing, believe me.

We went from $250, called and complained about an overcharge on our bill. As hubby went down the list he started asking if he could get rid of this, that and the other thing. When they said no he told them then he thought we would just go with another provider. Then they were willing to deal. After that phone call our bill, for the bundle, was $190 per month.

Recently hubby called again and turned off the movie channels and a couple other things. Our bill is now $120 a month. Dicker with them.

The next call will be when we 'renegotiate' our phone through them. We are testing the MagicJack system right now. If it works then Time Warner will either let us have decent pricing for the cable and internet, minus the phone or we will just go elsewhere for service. Knowing darn well they would rather have a piece of that little pie than losing the whole thing, they will haggle.

The Scribbler

[livingfree]

We've been without "extra" cable for years. We used to do the rabbit ears, but then moved further away from downtown and the channels didn't come in very well. So, we called and got the "extreme basic" cable. It lets us get the major broadcast channels and like two extras (WGN, ION). It costs about $12.95 a month I think. You might check into something like that in your area if your worried about reception.

I agree with most everyone else. We don't watch a ton of TV. My kids found that they can watch disney, cartoon network, etc online and we've never had any complaints. They don't even watch those very often.

[micki4297]

we have satelite because we dont get good local channel reception. but our cable is 70 a month but we have thought about downgrading. we can still get local channels and 6 cable ones for about $25 a month.

[FunnyFace]

No cable for the last 5 years. No local channel reception either. We don't miss it too much, but I grew up during my teens and twenties without it too. We have quite a few tapes and dvds I've picked up for a dollar or two and we borrow from the library.

Our few favorites we are able to get online, but basically have narrowed it down to one show and sports every so often. The kids get their fix of cooking and home shows and sometimes Sponge Bob when visiting my mom.