Clark Howard: It’s not so easy to cut cable or satellite TV
Consumer expert Clark Howard’s column appears here each Thursday in conjunction with Deal Spotter, a weekly print section in The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
Listen to Clark's live radio show 8-10 p.m. weekdays on AM750 and 95.5FM News/Talk WSB.
Have you cut the cord from pay TV yet? The latest numbers from Nielsen indicate that 5.1 million households are getting over-the-air reception and supplementing it with Internet-delivered pay programming. That trend is up by roughly 25 percent, according to The Wall Street Journal. Meanwhile, the average American household pays about $800 annually for cable and around $1,000 for satellite. It’s a battle I’m waging at our house. We’re with an expensive satellite player and I’ve floated the trial balloon with my wife and kids about cutting the cord entirely — they’re not having it. For me, it would be no big sacrifice because the only thing I watch on TV is the NFL. I would lose a handful of Monday night and Thursday night games, but the rest of the games are on regular network TV. It’s similar to when cellphones became ubiquitous some 10 years ago. There was a lot of talk about people cutting the landline, but it was more like a drop here and a drop there of people doing it. However, now that it’s 10 years later, you have monopoly local phone companies reporting big losses in customer numbers every quarter. I think it will be a similar slow progression with pay TV. For many, the process starts with cutting back on your package. It’s also a great idea to shop your plan. Many people now have access to four providers — two satellite companies, one cable company and a monopoly phone company providing TV. Pit them against each other and let them slug it out so you can get the best deal. And remember, loyalty hurts. A new customer at any pay TV provider can get an introductory deal with a contract. Find more answers to your consumer questions at Clark’s website. And get more savings tips from Clark’s previous blog posts. — Clark Howard — Save More, Spend Less, Avoid Rip-offs — for the Atlanta Bargain Hunter blog
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189 comments Add your comment
Tim
January 24th, 2013
2:23 pm
I just installed the antennae last night and plan on dropping direct tv this weekend. Hulu, Netflix, and Roku is all I need.
Tim
January 24th, 2013
2:24 pm
*antenna
Jennifer
January 24th, 2013
2:32 pm
We did it 6 months ago. We just bought (on sale for $80 at costco) a Sony blu ray player with wifi internet streaming. We have hulu plus and netflix. We also have ATT DSL with no phone line, I just upgraded it to get more streaming since that’s about all we do now. I was paying $30/mo internet, $90/mo directv. Now it’s $16/mo for netflix and hulu and $48 for internet. Huge savings. You also get a lot of free content on the streaming devices, movies, pandora, etc.
The hardest thing was not having my tivo but hulu plus lets us watch most of our shows when we want and with the ability to pause (and yes limited commercials). Only thing, besides ESPN, is that you can’t get CBS shows. You can pay for them on amazon instant but I’d rather just catch them when they air live.
And if you want to watch a new movie that isn’t on netflix or in your local red box, you can stream them from Amazon instant for about $2. Like pay per view but MUCH cheaper!
Good Idea To A Point
January 24th, 2013
2:41 pm
First point – the cable industry is a monopoly and charges far more for tv and especially internet than their counterparts do in other countries (other countries also have much faster internet speeds than we do, at cheaper prices). This could change very quickly with alternatives in the market, but with the government’s support they enjoy a climate with little real competition as the old Ma Bell did for decades. Individual communities strike deals with the cable monopoly (in front and behind the scenes, I’m sure) and no other companies can justify coming in and duplicating the infrastructure to compete. Communities need to stop this practice, open up the markets and do what’s right for the consumer and not just big media or the politicians.
With the cable company so universally unpopular, it’s no wonder everyone wants to find a better alternative that will offer not only better customer service, but also the content desired. The problem arises when customers (most of us) want broadband internet and it comes with strings to take a tv package with it. Package deals from the media companies seem to make sense for many, but you need to pay attention to the details. After price point and content the big catch is length of time your discounted monthly fees will be good for. Don’t fall for a 6 month discount that reverts to “regular prices” and continues for another 6 months (or even 18 months) of obligation or suffer a big cancellation penalty. 12 months at a discounted rate with no obligation seems to be the best way to go. Just be ready to cancel at the end of the term unless they offer an equally good deal to continue. Have them transfer you to the retention department and see what they offer to keep you before walking. Just do your homework and be prepared to. Doing without tv for short periods isn’t the problem. Most of us are so tied to the internet, we simply can’t go without it for business, etc. and that’s were you need to coordinate any changes to eliminate or minimize downtime.
Key point to remember. You do not need the fastest internet speeds unless you’re streaming big movies and online content. Even Netflix suggests only 4-5mb/s for the best experience. So unless you’re a big streamer, the lower speeds are just fine for most browsing. Also, the speed at which your files download are determined as much by the upload speed of the server on the other end. It doesn’t matter how fast your connection is, if they transfer it to you at a slower speed.
My best alternative the last few years has been to go to an independent reseller for a better deal than the actual cable company staff can offer you. If you’re in an area serviced by Comast, do a search for Comcast in the “services” section of Craigslist. The reseller you find there will have much better deals with no obligation for 6 and 12 month terms. They are better than current offerings directly through Comcast. It’s legitimate and in fact you will be patched through to Comcast to do the final setup. I’ve have many friends take advantage of it.
Tony in Johns Creek
January 24th, 2013
3:30 pm
A big variable is the antenna. If you decide to cut the cord, you first need to first install an antenna on each tv and check to see if you can in fact get over the air High def and receive every channel first, and have it not freeze up and pixelate on your screen before calling the cable company. I could not even receive WXIA 11/NBC at ALL on my big screen. I was very dejected. Lots of the channels froze up and i had to constantly move the antenna for a clear picture. If you get an antenna, try the one in the attic or one for the roof, or try more than one type of digital antenna for behind the tv.
G'Vegas Dawg
January 24th, 2013
3:30 pm
I have actually read 100% of the comments on this BLOG today. Very interesting and enlightening. I am currently paying about $130/month to direcTV. They have the WORST customer service on planet earth. I won’t bore all of you, but, trust me the commercial that says they have the #1 customer service is bull. I am now inspired to drop it and save some money! I do want to know the answer to my earlier question, if anyone knows, can I get OTA channels in north ga? Approx. 70 miles N of ATL.
EleanorsMom
January 24th, 2013
3:31 pm
WE don’t have cable and don’t miss it. There are other things to do with your time – read, craft, get outside. Yes, I love HGTV but I can get a fix when I go to the gym which has cable so I can watch it while I do the eliptical. Between the antenna in the attic and Netflix we get alot of content – Netflix has enough to keep me watching several hours a day if I wanted and with the antenna we get about 20 channels. How much TV can a person watch???
Bill
January 24th, 2013
3:37 pm
My problem is that our Internet (Windstream) service stinks. Always dropping or not connecting at all. Their service reps have come out (for a fee) and tried different things, upgraded modems, etc., and we still get dropped at least 2-3 times every use. The only other internet provider in our subdivision is Comcast … and i will NEVER use them again.
EleanorsMom
January 24th, 2013
3:42 pm
One of the channels we get with the antenna is ME TV – it shows all the oldies and our 12 year old is a huge fan of the Dick Van Dyke Show, Mary Tyler Moore and Bob Newhart. Everything old is new again.
Bashwol Skomditchtikuup
January 24th, 2013
3:48 pm
I ditched my cable about two years ago. I have an amplified TV antenna and Netflix and I am delighted with my entertainment options. I’ve stopped spending $60/month for cable. That’s $720/year. Now I take more vacations, drink more alcohol, spend more time at strip clubs and hook up with more strippers!
Deanna
January 24th, 2013
3:48 pm
I have been thinking of cutting cable, internet, home phone etc but here are my issues. I have Comcast for all; phone, cable & internet. My problem is that I have an elderly parent so I really need a home phone. She doesn’t get around much & loves the western channel & Soapnet on Comcast. She watches news on the local channels and uses the internet a LOT and could not do without it. She has trouble using a cell phone. I have 10 TV’s and pay approx $175 per month and would like to know if anyone has any suggestions. I have 2 surround sound home theaters that pick up Netflix while connected to the Comcast internet service. I am drowning & need to cut expenses. Please anyone have any options for me? I live in Cobb county. Thanks.
Bashwol Skomditchtikuup
January 24th, 2013
3:49 pm
I get great reception, but I live in town on hill.
redevil
January 24th, 2013
3:51 pm
@ G’Vegas Dawg… check out antennaweb.org it’s the place to start.. and then do some research on which type of antenna will work best in your area…
@ Tony in Johns Creek… I’m about 30 miles away from Atlanta, where the main antennas are.. and I can tell you that I get perfect H.D signal for all the local channels, PBS, Spanish Channels, GPB, and more all in crystal clear H.D with no pix-elation.. including local radio stations right to the T.V
this is the antenna I have installed in my attic and I have a splitter running to every room of the house. Antennacraft XD1000. When family comes over they have no clue I have an over the air antenna and actually are impressed when I show them all the Hulu+ and Netflix content has to offer.
Another Voice
January 24th, 2013
3:54 pm
We have Comcast until the end of SEC basketball and NCAA tourney, and only because a family member plays SEC basketball. After that, it will be in-the-air free using an antenna, Netflix, Amazon Prime, and Hulu, plus whatever we watch “online”. Comcast is a huge drain for the few hours of other programming we watch, it’s not worth the $$.
Btw, we have internet via CLEAR, and it’s great most of the year. The only time it seems to be slow is in summer, when leaves on nearby trees reduce the signal slightly. I’d recommend it highly, but if you are in a heavily wooded area, it may not work well for you.
Cliff
January 24th, 2013
3:55 pm
I haven’t dropped u-verse yet, but Hulu and Netflix do take care of most of my TV needs, plus you can order on demand from Amazon or itunes. I do watch sports on cable, so that would be an issue. Don’t forget if you have cable that you need to call periodically to persuade them to give you the current “introductory deal”. Ask for customer retention. Tell them you are going to switch to Cable or Dish or U-verse, depending on who you are using now. No one has to pay full freight. It just takes a 20 min phone call every year to get the best current deal.
Bashwol Skomditchtikuup
January 24th, 2013
3:55 pm
@Deanna, there are at least 3 oldies channels if you get an amplified antenna. Your mom can watch Lucy, Andy Griffith, Kojak, all sorts of old movies.
redevil
January 24th, 2013
3:56 pm
@ Ddeanna.. have you thought of a Voip phone service. It’s phone service thru the internet. works the same way as a home phone. Instead of plugging it to the phone jack you plug it to your pc. Vonage, Google Voice, Phone Jack. .etc.. the only downside is that if your internet service goes down, so does the phone :/
redcoat mom
January 24th, 2013
4:12 pm
I seem to be in the minority here but I am very upset with my husband for cutting cable. I actually only watched a few shows a week but the option to watch them on demand if I missed them was a great plus for me. I also miss being able to watch ESPN (college football) when I want. There are times it’s just not feasible to head to a bar to watch a football game (like Sunday or Monday night when I have to be at school by 7 the next morning). Most of the shows that I am missing now are either on USA which only shows them for a limited time and you may have to wait a week to see it, or Lifetime. None of them are available on HULU. I’m with Clark’s wife, I didn’t want to get rid of cable and 2 months later am still ticked off about it.
LydiasDad
January 24th, 2013
4:15 pm
I cut the landline last week, and I’m not going to miss it. I don’t think I’ll even notice. If FNC were over the air, I’d probably cut cable too. But the news you get over the air is way too dishonest.
Stuart
January 24th, 2013
4:32 pm
I dumped landline several years ago because it was when I was still in dialup internet mode that the phone was being used. With a cellphone I havent needed it. The only time I want cable is when the Braves or UGA plays. The cable system in Newnan is $65 for extended basic and I am tired of paying for the home shopping channels that I don’t watch, MTV, VH1, BET, CNN,MSNBC, etc.
Right now I watch the locals, ION, CSPAN, ESPN’s, Fox Sports SOuth and Sportsouth, TNT, USA, FOX News and on occasion I watch CNBC.
Ann
January 24th, 2013
4:36 pm
We dropped our cable about two years ago and it’s worked out great. I would say it took about six months for my husband to adjust to the differences in scrolling around the TV. Charter was horrible to us during the cancellation process, so we will never go back to that provider.
Here’s our setup, and our costs are about one-third to one-half of what we were paying before. We got two Roku boxes for our two TV’s, but if you have other devices, such as a Wii or playstation, you don’t need the Roku box. If you are considering Roku, note that there are different models depending on how you want to connect, wireless or ethernet. We wanted to do Ethernet hook-up, so we paid a little extra for the model that includes thatl. Our computer and router is not in the TV rooms, so we also have the adapters that you plug into any electrical outlet in your home to have ethernet connection to your router from anywhere. The Roku boxes and adapters that we have for ethernet access are one-time costs.
With Roku, you then have access to many channels, some free and some subscriber. An example of a free channel is Shutterfly; so, if you have your photos on Shutterfly, you can view them on your TV. As far as subscriptions, we have Netflix (streaming plus dvd) and Hulu Plus ($8 per month) and we have an Amazon Prime Account, which is $79/year (with Amazon prime, there is a fair amount of content that is no additional charge and also additional content (movies/shows) that have a rental fee per item). If you have an Amazon credit card that you use, points you earn can pretty much cover the entire cost each year. And, with the prime membership, you get free two day shipping on anything ordered directly from Amazon (but not from 3rd party providers). Roku has a nice, new search feature now that lets you put in the title you are looking for and it finds which of your channels have it available for streaming; so, you no longer have to check your various plans to find it.
We considered the streaming only Netflix subscription, but streaming content is fairly limited. If you have kids, I would suggest at least having a “one dvd out” option to have access to more movies. The cable companies are trying to keep a strangle-hold on streaming content with exclusive contracts with movie companies. Through Hulu Plus, you can access most current tv shows and quite a few past shows. You can really access better content through the combination of these providers (Hulu Plus, Netflix, Amazon Prime). You can watch old episodes of Star Trek, Twilight Zone, Columbo and many other shows. And, my seven year old son is enjoying Gilligan’s Island and I Love Lucy. For the person who mentioned their child needing Sponge Bob, discovering these old shows are great. You have either no commercials or much fewer commercials. All episodes of Gilligan’s Island are available. The humor and characters are great, and they build a lot of neat structures on the island that kids will enjoy or try to build themselves.
We have Internet dsl through our AT&T landline plan. I think Earthlink also offers dsl options for those without cable. We do not have the higher speed plans. Oftentimes, I see marketing materials that mention needing the highest speed levels for streaming. We, however, very rarely have any hiccups streaming with our dsl plan, which is near the lower end of the spectrum, compared to cable speeds.
We have a $20 antenna from Wal Mart for accessing over the air channels. Our neighborhood has tons of tall trees and most of the time, we do not have any trouble getting ABC, NBC, Fox, CBS, PBS and about 10 other channels. We get enough sports games on those channels on the weekends to meet our needs. Picture quality is great, better than cable, and it comes through fine about 95% of the time. Occasionally, it will flicker when the weather is not good.
If you are not sure what type of antenna you need or where to place it, Google “antenna atlanta”. You will find a link that provides useful information on antenna setups and channels in the metro area. They have some useful articles that give an introduction, and they can provide setup services if you choose that. I haven’t used their antenna setup services, but was considering it if we had reception issues.
Ted
January 24th, 2013
4:38 pm
Hey Bill, I am in the same boat with Windstream but I do not have any choice. Poorest excuse for a utility I have ever encountered. All of these ideas rely on good internet which leaves me out. It is to the point now that high speed internet is as important as power and water.
Ann
January 24th, 2013
4:46 pm
@ redcoat mom – Do you have the Hulu Plus subscription? Hulu Plus is different from Hulu. I have seen a lengthy list of Lifetime shows listed. Which ones are you not able to find?
Anyone considering Hulu subscriptions needs to know there is Hulu (with free content) and Hulu Plus ($8 per month) additional content. They are not the same. There are a lot of tv shows available on Hulu plus, both current and past shows that you can watch on demand, soon after the show airs.
Political Mongrel
January 24th, 2013
4:51 pm
For those of us on the edge of the boonies, satellite is our only choice. There is neither cable nor usable off-air service where I live. My major irritation is that the science, history, and cultural channels that are my staple are only offered in their more expensive packages. I’d gladly dump all the several dozen useless sports channels I get if it would drop the price, but there’s no way DirecTV is going to agree to that.
I’m also stuck with AT&T for internet. Phone company cellular data service and satellite internet are way too expensive. Comcast has one leg of cable ending a mile west of me and a different leg ending 2-1/2 miles east of me, and they will not bother their sorry selves to run cable to the 23 houses in the gap where I live. Since AT&T absorbed BellSouth, internet customer service has gone down the tubes. Meh.
UGA ECONOMICS MAJOR
January 24th, 2013
4:53 pm
very interesting and very smart suggestions here…making me think….we have windstream..and they have been awful and very expensive
Suburbia
January 24th, 2013
5:05 pm
I’m also on the edge of the boonies, and have very little options regarding cable and internet (i ditched landline years ago, and have never looked back). If i wasn’t locked into DirecTV for another year, I would just subscribe to Netflix and Hulu, and maybe obtain an antenna for sports and local news.
My issue is trying to find affordable internet service. I bundled ATT DSL with DirecTV, and my bundle special ends in a couple of weeks, which will increase my DSL by 19 dollars. I’m looking into other internet services in my area, but Clear doesn’t cover my area, and I use data way too much to get a mobile hotspot. Any suggestions on affordable internet services for those who live in the boonies?
lovelyliz
January 24th, 2013
5:17 pm
As soon as my room-mate is gone, so is my cable. I watch as much TV in a week now as I used to watch in a month just 5 or 6 years ago. I won’t miss it
Karen
January 24th, 2013
5:34 pm
Now if can somebody tell me how to pay less than $48 for high speed internet, it would be much appreciated.
redevil
January 24th, 2013
5:46 pm
@karen.. I actually signed up for ATT, since they are the only ones that service my city, for 29.99 a month for a year for their 6Mbps. pkg.. this was about 6 months ago.. it goes to $49 after that.But 6Mbps is very good for streaming.
Ariel
January 24th, 2013
5:51 pm
We cut cable because Comcast was pulling some shenanigans with our fluctuating monthly bills. We got an HD antenna which we use and pick up most of the local and major network channels. Once you adjust, it’s no biggie! It is actually nice to see what you can do to entertain yourself without it- like explore the outdoors, play board games like old times, etc. Also, our TV has a wireless receiver and we use Netflix to catch other shows and movies. The antenna was $35 at Radioshack and it paid for itself in half a month! TV for $7.99 a month via Netflix isn’t a bad gig at all. Peace out Cable!
Ariel
January 24th, 2013
5:53 pm
We make phone calls via gmail (for free) and have AT&T 32 gig Internet for $30 a month to cover the other communication needs.
redcoat mom
January 24th, 2013
7:06 pm
@Ann Hulu Plus
CheapSk8
January 24th, 2013
7:50 pm
I dropped cable and went with a $49 one time fee for Satellite Direct on my computer. I get over 100 channels to choose from in realtime. It’s not perfect, but works well.
Tim McGraw
January 24th, 2013
8:08 pm
I refuse to pay to watch my own tv that I bought and paid for. Dropped cable in 2006.
I have an iPad with the watchespn app for sports.
Go Gators !
I use my sister’s log in and password from her cable provider and can get most all cable content online.
There’s a study out that proves the more hours of television watched in a household,the bigger the idiot you are.
Needless to say,I don’t watch much tv .
I prefer to read,listen to great music.
TV turns my brains to oatmeal.
Don in Jax
January 24th, 2013
8:22 pm
Dropped Dish 3 1/2 years ago, and don’t miss it at all. I was spending $75 a month for a modest lineup of 150 channels of nothing worth watching. Now I pay $16 a month total for Hulu Plus and Netflix, have an outside antenna for local channels, and watch pretty much anything I want on my Roku box.
Cable/Dish is an overpriced poor quality product. So glad I’m done with it.
JD in Marietta
January 24th, 2013
8:28 pm
I too ditched cable..what a ripoff. I have an internet connection and NETFLIX at $8/mo and paid $30 one time only purchase for an HDTV antenna and watch about 20 local channels in HD for free. My life is no different.
bn
January 24th, 2013
8:32 pm
I ditched cable and Satalite 6..no make that 7 years ago..and I worked from home..to the person wondering how …you pick your poison, I did Qwest out of state and now AT & T here..sometimes you have to play the game and change providers or quit to get the good rate…my hole card if the price shoots up is maybe one of those wireless providers like Sprint you plug into USB port but I swear one day I will walk away from internet as I think it is TV x 1000 way more dangerous
I also totally agree with other poster..you get a much better picture with a HD antenna, sound is way better too, last year I had a weak moment and tried Uverse for 30 days…huge mistake, I could not get rid of it fast enough
Anyway I get 30 something channels with antenna, half of which are worth watching, I am unable to get NBC without losing most of the other channels but no biggie got over it, I use the library a lot for DVD’s and have the DVD plan with Netflix..I do NOT have Netflix streaming it is sub par in my book..I did it through Wii and the picture, interface and selection were all sorely lacking…
I do have Amazon prime that is another way to catch shows, better quality than Netflix for me,
Interesting to hear about Rouku box,,debated that as I am on my lap top too much as it is and just can not get into watching tv or movies on it..when I do Amazon prime I plug into TV with HDMI cable..I am curious about Hulu plus but happy how things are now with out it..\
But go to the library get a movie and a book..its free
Gus
January 24th, 2013
8:34 pm
We have a ROKU and pay $8.00 per month for Netflix. I read recently that HBO is working a similar to Netflix, plus they won the contract for all the Universal movies. Anyone still paying for cable is just plain ol’ getting ripped off.
C.J.
January 24th, 2013
9:07 pm
I dropped sorry Comcast in August. We have live in the same house for 4 years and never had a problem until February of 2012. The bill was always $130.00 every month which was high any way for Cable/Phone/Internet. Until February and the bill started to change to $167, $238, $174, $293 and than the big one for $336 and that when I was done. You can’t get anyone on the phone who knows what the hell they’re doing. So I had to go to the Comcast office in Atlanta to speak with someone. I spoke with everyone I could. At the end when I dropped Comcast they send the right bill. No thanks! I go to the library and get all the new and old movies, T.V. Shows, and workout videos for free. You can request any movie or whatever with no problem. My 10 year son loves it and is happy without Cable. We need to spend more time with our family than watching that mess on T.V. My money look and feels better in my pockets than theirs.
Internet Service from Cellphone
January 24th, 2013
10:02 pm
Use your cellphone as an internet hotspot. Make sure that you password protect it. Your provider should be able to walk you through the process of setting up your phone and turning on/off the hotspot or try settings, wireless & networks, tethering & portable hotspot. Once the phone is set up, make sure the hotspot is on. Then search for wireless connections on your computer (if windows, open the internet, double click on signal status bar in lower right corner to search for wireless networks), find hotspot and click connect, enter the name & password that you used to set up the hotspot on the phone and then surf away. I too work from home and use my phone to provide internet access. Only downside is if I take a call on the phone, it drops the internet. I have T-Mo. and a LG phone – its works brilliantly. Dropped the land line a few years ago. Next on list is to cut the cable cord.
DawgNole
January 24th, 2013
10:49 pm
Ernie Johnston
January 24th, 2013
9:25 am
NFL Games are only on cable / satellite channels, not the regular broadcast channels, from September thru December. Same for the college football games thru the first week in January, because you are limited to ESPN.
_________________
Don’t know where you’re getting your info from, but you’re dead wrong about this. There are college and NFL games on network TV (ABC, CBS, NBC, and/or FOX) every weekend during the football season. Those are in addition to the cable/satellite games.
Ann
January 24th, 2013
11:02 pm
The customer service we have gotten with Amazon Prime streaming has been awesome. Twice during the past year, we had issues streaming. In one instance, a movie came through with Spanish sub-titles, which Amazon doesn’t usually provide in movies. And, in the other instance, we had purchased a streaming movie on another family member’s account, instead of the account we have linked to the Roku (you can only have one Amazon Prime account linked to one Roku box at a time). To get customer service with Amazon, you can go to the website and request a phone call. Within 30 seconds, our phone rang, and an actual person was on the other end of the phone within another 30 seconds. Within a couple of minutes, we had a refund confirmation sent to our email and we were able to reorder the streaming movie. They have told me they don’t normally provide refunds of streaming movies, but depending on the situation, the person on the phone has the authority to do so at their discretion. And, each time they did so without pushing them. Awesome customer service experience with them, so far.
Atlanta Mom
January 24th, 2013
11:19 pm
Someone was asking,
Our Comcast internet with no cable was $70 per month for 12 whatever download. I had researched and netflix says you only need 3 whatevers, but most folks recommend 5 whatevers. Anyway, you can get 6 whatevers from Comcast for $50 a month. It works for us.
Atlanta Mom
January 24th, 2013
11:20 pm
Clark,
Great blog. Lots of good ideas here. Thanks
Steve-USA
January 24th, 2013
11:43 pm
I live at the top of Forsyth County and I have tried Clark’s antenna idea’s but I get zero reception where I am at. I even went to antennaweb.org and it gave results that I wouldn’t get any antenna reception where I live.
david
January 25th, 2013
12:04 am
I haven’t paid for television since 1995 and I watch a lot. Antenna reception has always been decent in metro Atl, and now with the internet and digital telivision, I have more than I can possibly consume. I have no nettfix or similar … still plenty.
FenderMan
January 25th, 2013
1:24 am
There are not a lot of music fans participating in this discussion. The lack of music programming via other sources keeps me tied to DirectTV. Other than Austin City Limits on PBS there is not a lot of music available through non-traditional sources. The Smithsonian channel (music documentaries) Palladia, VH1 Classic, Ovation, AXStv, DirectTV’s Audience network, CMT and GAC(which suck most of the time playing modern country music) are only available via cable or satellite. I could drop to the next package which is $15 bucks cheaper and lose VH1 Classic. I’m thinking about that. $65 for reliable HD and DVR services are worth it to me. And I get all the football games too. I’m staying old school for now.
woodrow
January 25th, 2013
5:06 am
I save massive dollars by NOT having a cell phone. Cell phones are more expensive than a landline. I just wait till I get home or to work to talk on the phone. While I agree that money can be saved by dropping cable, I would be hard pressed to find something to watch without it. I am very picky about what I waste my time watching.
Atlanta Nate
January 25th, 2013
5:18 am
You can watch every sporting match in the world via this website: http://www.thefirstrow.eu/. Connect your laptop/pc to your TV. The down side is there is a lot of pop-up advertising that can be “graphical” if you know what I mean. To get around this, click on an icon in the viewer that changes the view to full screen and no more pop ups. I have been getting my “sports fix” this way for the past year for FREE! I was able to see any NFL game from any market.
Mom in the suburbs
January 25th, 2013
7:31 am
Cable was cancelled 2 years ago, and my 3 kids’ grades improved considerably. More time is spent at the local library. We do use NetFlix and each child gets to watch 2 movies each week as long as their grades stay up, and time on the Internet is strictly monitored. I wish I had all that money back I wasted on cable TV !