Cutting the Cord: Eliminating cable or satellite...

[nathan.luthman]

I dont not have anything here... looked into dish and a local cable provider and i just couldnt justify the cost. We have just regular tv and if you havent watched it lately it is not what it once was. I have 15 channels the basic news and such and there are a few movie channels and older tv show channels. Things like MASH andy griffith show drew carey show westerns on Saturdays... not very bad for free really

 

[loose_is_fast]

I just did this two months ago.... We have time warner and our bill started at 70 dollars for a lot of channels and internet. We have had them for 5 years and just by chance I heard the old lady talking to her mom and bitching about how much the bill was. She pays all the bills so in my head I'm wondering how much it was knowing it was only 70 when we started. After she hung up I asked her how much it was and I about shit when she said 170. I called them the next day and told them to come get their shit. The lady asked me why and I told her. Well..... After talking to her for a while she told me they could come unhook us and switch out our boxes for new ones and keep the same package we had and lower our bill to 100. So we did.

 

[loose_is_fast]

I did have to pay 35 dollar reconnect

 

[Boarhead]

I just did this two months ago.... We have time warner and our bill started at 70 dollars for a lot of channels and internet. We have had them for 5 years and just by chance I heard the old lady talking to her mom and bitching about how much the bill was. She pays all the bills so in my head I'm wondering how much it was knowing it was only 70 when we started. After she hung up I asked her how much it was and I about shit when she said 170. I called them the next day and told them to come get their shit. The lady asked me why and I told her. Well..... After talking to her for a while she told me they could come unhook us and switch out our boxes for new ones and keep the same package we had and lower our bill to 100. So we did.

Yea they will do that but you better ask the wife how much it is within the next yr,it will go back up! that is why we dropped time warner.
I believe they all work like that,drop your price and within the yr it is right back up there again,you call back and they tell you it was a special promo or some BS.
Most people i know say time warner is the worst raising the price but Direct TV is not much better.

 

[Jackalope]

I just did this two months ago.... We have time warner and our bill started at 70 dollars for a lot of channels and internet. We have had them for 5 years and just by chance I heard the old lady talking to her mom and bitching about how much the bill was. She pays all the bills so in my head I'm wondering how much it was knowing it was only 70 when we started. After she hung up I asked her how much it was and I about shit when she said 170. I called them the next day and told them to come get their shit. The lady asked me why and I told her. Well..... After talking to her for a while she told me they could come unhook us and switch out our boxes for new ones and keep the same package we had and lower our bill to 100. So we did.

Same here. I have att uverse. Started at 90 bucks and we've had them for 4 years. I autopay it and happened to see the bank draft yesterday for $180. Monday I will be calling them to either lower it back to the promo rate for a year or come get their shit.

For years I never subscribed to cable. It wasn't until Jessica moved in that I had it hooked up. To be honest i didn't understand how people ever found time to watch TV because I was always busy doing something.

 

[bowhunter1023]

TV time for me is from after to dinner to bed time. I like to unwind by watching sports or something I've recorded. I need to read more and watch less.

 

[Blan37]

We cut cable a year ago and haven't looked back. Bought an HD antenna (this one) and have Amazon prime and Netfilx and commercial free Hulu. Between those we get plenty of TV shows me and the wife both enjoy and there's something for the kids too.

Cable will never see a dime from me again.

 

[Spencie]

We have Time Warner and pay over $200 for cable/internet. We don't watch a lot of basic channels..I watch mostly NHL and MLB Networks along with live sports but I can't get Pittsburgh sports on my TW subscription even though I have asked and complained. My wife watches Hallmark, Lifetime and such. It's ridiculous to pay that much for the few channels we watch but I pay way more than that for my Verizon phone service which is more frustrating to me than the cable. We are just fortunate that me and my wife both got great jobs 9 years ago or none of this would be possible.

 

[Spencie]

I'm in the same boat. I only watch the Pirates all summer. During football season, I watch the local channels for the Steelers and OSU. Other than that, I hardly watch my Direct. My kids seem to stream off Netflix more than anything. If any of these would get Root Sports and the ability to watch local NFL and NCAA, I'd jump on them.

I would trade every channel for Root Sports out of Pittsburgh. When the Pirates play on MLB Network it is blacked out on my TV because I'm in the local market even though I can NOT get Root Sports.

 

[ajupsman]

I looked in to this just before the holidays. We have Directv and have since 2007. My bill was up to $133. I called and told them the price needed to come down or I was going to drop them. They sent me to the retention department and I got my bill down to $67. I kept all my current channels and I got them to add a few for free. It takes a little time to play the game with these providers but it's worth it. In the last month I cut my TV bill in half, my XM Radio bill by 40% and my phone/Internet bill in half too. Yes they will all go up again in a year but just call back and play the game again.

 

[Boarhead]

The way i see it we shouldnt have to keep playing their stupid game.
Give me the price and leave it there.
Xm radio is a joke also have it on trial now with the new truck but sure as hell wont pay for it after trying it for free it the last 5 months.
I will be dropping Direc Tv after i pucking up an hd antenna.
Just dont watch enough tv to justify it.

 

[Jackalope]

We have Time Warner and pay over $200 for cable/internet. We don't watch a lot of basic channels..I watch mostly NHL and MLB Networks along with live sports but I can't get Pittsburgh sports on my TW subscription even though I have asked and complained. My wife watches Hallmark, Lifetime and such. It's ridiculous to pay that much for the few channels we watch but I pay way more than that for my Verizon phone service which is more frustrating to me than the cable. We are just fortunate that me and my wife both got great jobs 9 years ago or none of this would be possible.

I dropped the verizon contract and pay 45 a month for unlimited calls and text with 2gb of data on their prepaid plan. If I want more data it's 20 dollars for 3gb and it doesn't expire for three months. So I get 2gb a month with the option of adding a 3 GB bucket that is good for three months. Thing is you have to bring your own phone. If you're past the two year contract and still use the same device call and switch it to prepaid. Or buy a certified pre owned device from them and go month to month. Way way cheaper than contract.

 

[Joel]

We got rid of directv a few years ago and haven't missed it. roku box with Hulu and Netflix gets us by just fine. I think it hit me one day that I had spent over $7,000 on cable in less than 6 years and had enough. Most of my tv watching was just documentaries and stuff you get on Netflix for free. Kids are happy as can be between Netflix for kids and Disney. Not a sports fan so that wasn't an issue.

 

[cotty16]

I would trade every channel for Root Sports out of Pittsburgh. When the Pirates play on MLB Network it is blacked out on my TV because I'm in the local market even though I can NOT get Root Sports.

Where do you live that you're in their market but don't get it?

 

[Riverdude]

I am around $100.00 a month and am going to look into some of the set ups you guys have talked about. When I am home from the Rig I truly do not watch that much TV unless its Sunday and the Browns are playing. Hardly watch local news any more also.

 

[Riverdude]

We cut cable a year ago and haven't looked back. Bought an HD antenna (this one) and have Amazon prime and Netfilx and commercial free Hulu. Between those we get plenty of TV shows me and the wife both enjoy and there's something for the kids too.

Cable will never see a dime from me again.

So what is the name / brand of the HD antenna you have? Was looking on Amazon and saw some with 25 - 50 mile radius and one with 180 mile radius. What is your set up with the antenna and Amazon Prime / Nexfilex??

 

[Blan37]

So what is the name / brand of the HD antenna you have? Was looking on Amazon and saw some with 25 - 50 mile radius and one with 180 mile radius. What is your set up with the antenna and Amazon Prime / Nexfilex??

We use a roku for prime and Netflix and Hulu. Antenna is a factory refurb winegard. Can't find the exact model but it's a fifty mile range. We get close to 30 channels with it.

Winegard FlatWave Amped FL5500A Amplified Digital Indoor HD TV Antenna (OTA / High-VHF / UHF / Ultra-Thin / Black and White - Reversible / USB Power Supply) - 50 Mile Long Range https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00BN5Z2WM/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awd_e-eIwbXDDA1C1

 

[Riverdude]

So with the antenna do you get local channels as well?

 

[Blan37]

Yep

 

[Riverdude]

Awesome. Is there a yearly fee or just the one time purchase of the equipment? If you don't mind me asking what was the ballpark investment?