Cancelling Cable Today...

[LaBoob]

Before I was laid off I put a plan into place that once I found out I no longer had a job I would cancel anything frivolous, cutting down my budget so that I would have money for the things that I need, like my house. It's come down to it... the day my cable gets shut off.

I'm really not happy about it. I was pretty much raised on TV... I always watched more TV than anybody else I knew. I just love it. It keeps me in the know and I HATE not being in the know. And since I got TIVO... well, life was just peachy. TIVO makes getting rid of my cable that much harder... it was beautiful.

I'll still have dvd's... a friend is kind enough to copy some things for me so I'll still have the occasional thing to watch if I get desperate...but for the most part, anything current is GONE. And while I watch tons of tv, I can really only think of 1 or 2 shows I'll have to keep up with... I'm transferring my TIVO account to my sister, so I'll just make sure those stay programmed and when I go over to hang out I'll have her put them on for me...

I've actually been saying for years that I wanted to get rid of my TV... that it was taking up too much time in my life and that I wanted to challenge myself to go, say, a year without it. I knew that it would be a growing opportunity and I really do welcome those. I know that after this year I'll have read more books than I would've, gone out with friends more than I would've, listened to more music, gone outside more, walked my dog more, and at the end of it all I'll be a better person for it. Maybe I won't want to bring my cable back!


I am looking for some encouragement here... Anybody have any advice or experience getting rid of something that was dragging them down or holding them back... anybody here that just doesn't watch TV? Anybody else experience "going without" something they loved?

[PhishHead]

Most Networks (cbs, nbc, fox, CW, abc) post all their shows new episodes on their websites for free to watch. So you can always do that.

[mikeyboy]

So much regular programming is now available online legally for free, so hopefully that's encouraging. Check out the network's websites as well as http://www.hulu.com. Hopefully that will make things at least a bit easier to deal with.

[Heather 8]

For most of my adulthood, I've been without cable... while I had jobs, they didn't pay very well, making me choose between TV and internet. For me, internet will always win out.

Even now, and my husband will confirm this, I very rarely watch television at all. I just have my one soap that I DVR (and to be honest, I may be giving that up soon, their storylines suck worse than WWe's) and I catch maybe an hour or so total of TV on the weekends.

[Jujubees2]

You could always "borrow" your neighbor's cable.

[Bossanova]

Lets just hope she doesn't think the internet is frivolous

[angrymissy]

What type of internet do you use? Cable? Cause I heard that if you run a splitter from your cable modem to your TV, you get basic cable

[LaBoob]

Lets just hope she doesn't think the internet is frivolous


HELL NO!
I'm cancelling my cable, my home phone line, my TIVO, cutting down my cell phone which I had a huge plan for because I used it for work also... that's over 200$ right there... I'm keeping my XM (duh) and of course, my internet. I consider those, especially the internet, necessary for survival.

As far as "borrowing" or splitting... I just don't know anything about this. I guess I can ask around and see if anybody in my personal life has any info.

[topless_mike]

HELL NO!
I'm cancelling my cable, my home phone line, my TIVO, cutting down my cell phone which I had a huge plan for because I used it for work also... that's over 200$ right there... I'm keeping my XM (duh) and of course, my internet. I consider those, especially the internet, necessary for survival.

As far as "borrowing" or splitting... I just don't know anything about this. I guess I can ask around and see if anybody in my personal life has any info.

hate to tell you, but you need a basic cable service to recieve the innerwebs.
unless you go dsl, but thats just silly.

comcast and verizon give it to you smooth like that.

[Chip196]

hate to tell you, but you need a basic cable service to recieve the innerwebs.
unless you go dsl, but thats just silly.

comcast and verizon give it to you smooth like that.

That's not the case with Cablevision in Westchester. You can absolutely just have internet through them.

[Bossanova]

Where I just moved from I had Directv and was still able to get a cable modem from Comcast.

[jauble]

Hulu is great. If you are South Park fan every episode is up legal and free at www.southparkstudios.com that passes the time well.

[boobieman]

Hello,
There is also some tv over the internet programs as well. You get some basic american channels but you also get international channels. Just have to have high speed internet.

http://www.sopcast.com/

http://www.tvunetworks.com/

This one I have tried but not much luck with
http://www.tvants.com/

Hope this helps...but here is another idea...go out and get another job. Work is work..it sucks.

I mean this with best intentions....GOOD LUCK BRO...Sorry


SSSSSSSSEEE YAYAYAAAAAAAA

[LaBoob]

hate to tell you, but you need a basic cable service to recieve the innerwebs.
unless you go dsl, but thats just silly.

comcast and verizon give it to you smooth like that.

I'll have to check into this... as I type, two Verizon trucks are hovering out in front of my house... it's like they know! :blink:

[LaBoob]

Hope this helps...but here is another idea...go out and get another job. Work is work..it sucks.

I mean this with best intentions....GOOD LUCK BRO...Sorry


SSSSSSSSEEE YAYAYAAAAAAAA


Thanks for the tough love boobieman. I'm working on it... It hasn't even been a week yet...it's not like I'm just waiting around for a job to find me.

[MobCounty]

Great Idea!

Between cable, cell phone, and home phone we are spending about 500 bucks. That seems insane.

The only rub I see is getting the fastest cable possible to replace all of that.

[boobieman]

Wait wait..your only out of work for a week and you are already canceling stuff. I thought you were out of work for like 6 months. What type of work do you do. I know just looking for a job is a pain in the ass. Starting a new job sucks too.

What about unemployment?

SEEEYAAAAA

[JPMNICK]

you do not need cable TV to get cable internet. there are plenty of people with satellite TV who have cable internet

also there is a new antennea you can buy that gives you HD TV channels for free from the major networks.

[LaBoob]

Wait wait..your only out of work for a week and you are already canceling stuff. I thought you were out of work for like 6 months. What type of work do you do. I know just looking for a job is a pain in the ass. Starting a new job sucks too.

What about unemployment?

SEEEYAAAAA

I was in vitamin/supplement sales working for a distributor. I already applied for unemployment and it'll be a few weeks before it kicks in... I don't plan on being unemployed for very long. I'm just preparing for the worst. Battening down the hatches, if you will.

[boobieman]

Well don't think its the worst. Just go into some other sales. Don't wait for unemployment. Things will be fine. Just as long as you keep the internet you can get all this great advise...and porn of course.


GOOD LUCK BRO...wow I did it twice..I'm really sorry....really sorry.

SSEEEEEEYAYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

[Furtherman]

You've inspired me LaBoob.... I have a big movie channel deal and I really don't need it. I'm going to be cutting down on my cable.

Best of luck finding a new job!

[Death Metal Moe]

TV sucks anyway. Fuck it, you don't need it.

[LaBoob]

TV sucks anyway. Fuck it, you don't need it.

That's exactly what I need to hear! Thanks DMM!

[topless_mike]

you do not need cable TV to get cable internet. there are plenty of people with satellite TV who have cable internet



i tried that. comcast says no basic cable service = no cable internet.
maybe its changed since '01

[LaBoob]

i tried that. comcast says no basic cable service = no cable internet.
maybe its changed since '01

'01 is a pretty long time ago as far as this technology is concerned.

[Dingbat_Charlie]

I've had cable off and on throughout my adult life. Whenever it goes away I don't know how I'll survive, fearing horrible withdrawal.

In reality, the first week or so is tough but eventually I find other things to do or watch and am fine. I think you just naturally find other stuff to replace it and entertain yourself.

This might make me gay but PBS runs some interesting stuff (along with the pretentious shit).


good luck!

[LaBoob]

I've had cable off and on throughout my adult life. Whenever it goes away I don't know how I'll survive, fearing horrible withdrawal.

In reality, the first week or so is tough but eventually I find other things to do or watch and am fine. I think you just naturally find other stuff to replace it and entertain yourself.

This might make me gay but PBS runs some interesting stuff (along with the pretentious shit).


good luck!


PBS is where I first discovered Joseph Campbell's "Power of Myth"! It happened to change my life.

I am prepared for a withdrawal period. I know it'll suck for the first week or so, maybe even longer because TV has always been there throughout my life. I do know I'll get over it though. Eventually.

[topless_mike]

just think...
you are doing your small part to stick it to the man !

[Death Metal Moe]

PBS is where I first discovered Joseph Campbell's "Power of Myth"! It happened to change my life.

I am prepared for a withdrawal period. I know it'll suck for the first week or so, maybe even longer because TV has always been there throughout my life. I do know I'll get over it though. Eventually.

Yea, you will go through an adjustment period. A few years ago I just naturally started to watch less and less TV due to it's piss poor content. You are stopping suddenly so sure, you're going to be sitting around some nights wondering "What should I do now?" because the answer used to be "TV."

But like others have said, you can get things online and DVDs of stuff now. Not sure how up you are on getting torrents and stuff like that but you can have an episode of shows hours after they are on TV these days.

I don't miss TV at all. I don't think you will either after you get past the initial "What now" phase of this. My guess is once you get a new job and get back on you feet you're not even going to turn your cable back on.

[topless_mike]

you're going to be sitting around some nights wondering "What should I do now?"

i know.. i know

D'OH

*noted forum*

Nevermind.

[SatCam]

I also don't have any TV service at all outside of the few basic cable channels that slip thru the cracks...... I'm not missing anything. I do have cable internet, tho

[Leticia]

When me and Chris first moved in together we had cable but only a few months afterwards realized that we needed to cut our budget too.

We canceled our cable and it's been pretty good for us.
Most of the stuff you watch on cable you can get off the internet so it not that bad.

And I've been watching a shit load of Food Network and PBS and TBS. Which is pretty good.

It's actually good for you!

Good Luck!!!

[midwestjeff]

I don't own a TV.
And no, I don't want anyone's old TV.
That's always the first question people ask you when they find out that you don't have a TV.
I don't think I am above TV or anything, I just waste my time with other stuff, like Redtube.