Making the Decision to Cut the Cable Cord
Making the decision to cut the cable cord was a long time coming. We hardly ever watch anything on cable (ok, we had Direct TV satellite, but it’s basically the same thing). The only two shows we religiously watched on cable were Supernatural and The Walking Dead. We’d sometimes throw on reruns of the Big Bang Theory or Family Guy, but that was really just background noise. Is it worth one hundred dollars a month to watch two shows and occasionally have some background noise? I don’t think it is.
I want to Quit the Gym
Of course, like any good company, Direct TV wouldn’t let me off the hook so easily. They tried to offer me discounts or offer me a package change. At one point they even tried to take off the additional movie package that I was paying for (even though I had already called two months ago to get it taken off; somehow it was still on there). They used high pressure sales tactics to try to convince me to stay and to bundle my phone with them for even more savings! But I declined all these offers. I wanted to quit cable (or satellite, same thing) and I did!
(Bonus points if you get the “I want to quit the gym” reference!)
Cancellation Fee
Of course, nothing is ever free. Apparently, I had entered into a two-year agreement with Direct TV, so I couldn’t just cancel. I had to pay a $150 cancellation fee. I did the math, and as it turns out, $150 is much cheaper than $100 per month for 12 months (which most likely would have increased after the first 12 months to who knows how much!) So, although I’m not a fan of paying stupid cancellation fees, I sucked this one up and paid.
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What Will We Do Now?
I’ve had some type of cable for my entire life. I’ve never envisioned life without it. That’s why, although I rarely use it, I struggled with the decision to cut the cord for good. My biggest worry is finding a way to watch Supernatural when it returns in the fall. It’s on a network, so I should be able to get one of those converter kits and I should be able to watch it for free (like before we had cable when I was a kid!). But if I have to wait a year for the season to get to Netflix, I can do that. It will suck, but I can manage.
My other reason for keeping Direct TV was NFL season ticket. I love my Chicago Bears, and I live in Falcons Country. That means the networks will rarely be showing Bears games. But the Bears have been pretty terrible lately, and I can always go to Buffalo Wild Wings or Chili’s to watch any important games (which will probably be cheaper than paying for Direct TV all year anyway!)
Other Options
We already have Netflix, Hulu, HBO on the Go, and Amazon Prime. We can watch pretty much everything we want on these four platforms. And, these four platforms combined are cheaper each month than our direct tv was! There are so many freaking alternatives to cable available!
It’s Done
The cable (satellite) cord is cut. I’m done paying $100 for a service I don’t ever use. I’m going to put that extra $1200 per year in my savings/investment accounts and watch it grow rather than squander it! Talk about an easy way to increase your savings!
Have you cut the cable cord yet? What was your experience with it? And if not, what’s holding you back?
Melanie Allen is an American journalist and happiness expert. She has bylines on MSN, the AP News Wire, Wealth of Geeks, Media Decision, and numerous media outlets across the nation. She covers a wide range of topics centered around self-actualization and the quest for a fulfilling life.
The CW app is a bit glitchy but carries the most recent five episodes of all shows. What are you doing for internet? Because I hadn’t had cable since undergrad (roommate wanted it) and only recently got back on a cable because the price for both combined seemed better.
Sweet! So I can watch Supernatural on the CW app? That would be perfect! Bundling cable and internet in my area is still more expensive than just the internet; and I don’t really want to pay for that.
Easier for us, because we’ve never really had cable. I do sign up for Hulu once a year to watch Handmaids Tale, though 🙂
My cousin put me on her Hulu account so I don’t have to pay for it; which is great because that’s the only platform which has Buffy the Vampire Slayer!
Try Sling 20-25 bucks a month and you all the shows you watch. It’s pick and choose channel packages. Walking dead supernatural etc. Even have a sports channel for your bears. We had it for over a year but cancelled for cut backs. We will be getting it again soon though.
Thanks for the tip! I will definitely look into that!
I cut the cord on Spectrum cable a couple of years ago, and am completely satisfied. I now use a streaming called Sportz for $10.00/month. At times it does buffer, but it normally comes back and I just think how much I am saving over cable. This service has over 7000 channels including NFL ticket. I can’t believe how cheap it is compared to cable. The only problem is Spectrum internet which contnues to increase in price.
cutting cable would alright but do not want to watch computer screen
HDMI the computer to the tv. Also, tons of smart TVs are coming with streaming apps now so you don’t even need to use the HDMI