right now

right now

May 5, 2009

Random Thoughts on Cable TV

Once again, for the 3rd time in as many months, I am contemplating killing the cable TV. Funny how it seems to coincide with the monthly billing e-mail.  I know this won't completely ruin my life, but it seems a big step in today's world of "what I want, when I want it"!  I mean, hey - I grew up on a farm before the days of internet, cable and satellite (well, it wasn't available out in the country anyways), we had the 3 major networks and had to physically get up and turn the station since there was no remote!  Feeling old now...
Since I am already at the computer reading my cable bill, I figured I would blog about the pros and cons of this life-altering decision.  Here we go:

Pros:
  • I wouldn't feel like such a "poser" when writing homesteading blog posts LOL
  • I could still watch TV shows on HULU, if I wanted to sit in front of the computer!
  • we won't be completely without TV since we have an HD antenna which receives the 4 major networks at the present time
  • My house would be quieter
  • save about $80-90 a month, and holy crap...we are a military family with one income...need I say more?
  • the kids will watch less TV and spend more time reading and playing
  • I will spend less time watching TV and more time doing productive things
  • I could read more, which I miss a great deal
  • my husband won't fall asleep in front of it
  • did I say we would save big $$$ ??
Cons:
  • my kids will have the "weird mom" that doesn't get 5000 channels
  • I love the channels I don't get on antenna (Discovery, Bio, A&E, etc) - HOUSE!
  • the kids will have basically one channel to pick from on antenna - and there are times I NEED to park them at the TV otherwise I wouldn't get anything done!  (remember, military spouse with nearest grandma 1200 miles away!)
  • without my DVR, I will actually have to sit down at the same time my favorite shows are on to watch them, and this is virtually impossible since my kids would never let it happen
  • I would love to say that I don't need to watch "my shows", but when your husband is deployed, and you are the sole caregiver for your kids, there is nothing more I want to do with myself at the end of a long day than "veg out"...and that may happen at 7 pm or it may happen at 10 pm....SEE DVR :)
See my dilemma?  There are way more pros to this plan than negatives, but that very last entry says it all... it is by far the driving factor in keeping the cable thus far.  Ugh...and this year's deployment hasn't even "officially" started yet!  I would love to hear from anyone who has killed the cable and not looked back!  (and before you suggest going to basic cable service, I already have the most basic package that still allows use of a DVR!)

2 comments:

  1. I haven't made that leap at all yet but I'm in the same boat you are. 170 a month for cable and internet and I don't have all the pay channels, just hbo. My pros and cons are the same as yours and I don't know that I could stand not have A&E!

    I sure hope others answer with supportive and practical suggestions. I really want a reason to spend a couple grand less a year.

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  2. Hey, I just found you from Palazzo Rospo where you commented. Anyhow, we killed the cable 13 years ago and never looked back. It really started when we were in grad school and too poor to afford it. We got used to not having it pretty quickly and were amazed at how many things seemed to crop up that were much more interesting, stimulating, etc. We have 2 kids and they are normal (smile) and have never had cable so don't even know what they are "missing" . Anyhow, try it for 6 months...you'll never look back either I bet

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