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maribeth
Advanced Member
USA
1078 Posts |
 Posted - Oct 30 2009 : 11:51:16 AM
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| Who needs cable? You can rent pretty much any cable show on DVD, or watch it online, or watch it at a friend's house. |
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turnip
Member
440 Posts |
Posted - Oct 30 2009 : 7:35:48 PM
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| enjoying a QUIET tv-free night.... |
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matty471
Member
USA
458 Posts |
Posted - Nov 02 2009 : 08:32:56 AM
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You guys are inspiring.
I'm getting rid of cable. I just signed up for Netflix and I noticed that most of the shows I watch are on regular television or are available on hulu.com. |
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gina
Member
350 Posts |
Posted - Nov 06 2009 : 1:34:05 PM
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We haven't had TV since May. I always get a chuckle out of how that totally freaks people out.
And I always get the same comments. 1) We couldn't because my spouse would never allow it. 2) Good for you! You're a better person than I am. 3) I could NEVER live without TV! 4)Like nothing? Not even local channels? Do you ever plan to get it? What about DVDs? What about special programs like the Charlie Brown specials or the Olympics? Sports?
All I know is that I don't miss it. My kids almost never complain. Their friends never complain, and our house is where they all hang out. I have my husband back in the evenings and on weekends. If he wants to see a particular game he can usually find a friend that is more than happy to have him over to watch it. I have my kids back after school and on Saturday morning. My kids don't fight each other as much. They don't argue about leaving the house. They don't argue about going to bed. They read like crazy and have awesome grades. They play outside a lot. They actually use their imaginations! And I save $40 a month, probably more because they don't beg me for whatever toy they advertising the heck out of on Nickelodeon anymore or crappy snack food.
Basically we are just way happier. Will we ever get TV again? Maybe if we have all our retirement funded, no debt, education costs put away, an emergency fund for a year and the money to go buy a good quality flat screen TV. Since we have a lot of other financial goals right now, I don't see TV making it back into our lives any time soon.
Cutting out the things that aren't essential is the financially responsible thing to do. $40 isn't chump change. TV isn't a need. It's the brain equivalent of junk food (i know there are some good programs, but there is mostly crap). You will all be better off with less of it. Just do it. You won't miss it.
(And yes we do watch DVDs occasionally) |
kill your television |
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turnip
Member
440 Posts |
Posted - Nov 06 2009 : 9:53:23 PM
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Wow everyone, thank you so much for your support, that's why I come here.
Tonight without TV we...
Played with our 2 yo DD including pillow-forts, blanket-forts..can you tell she is in a fort-building phase?
I have caught up on a huge amount of reading and have some solid basis for my new project at work.
DH has learned more about bass-guitar including some new techniques he hasn't tried before.
Been able to concentrate on one thing at a time and enjoy quiet calm.
No we are not better than anyone else, we still love our movies and DVDs, earlier tonight we did watch Crocodile Dundee II (an 80's classic) ;) |
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greg44
Senior Member
USA
644 Posts |
Posted - Nov 07 2009 : 09:51:29 AM
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In our married life, my wife & I have never had cable. On occasion I will see a show advertised and wish I could see it. But life goes on...
With the new digital TV we still get around 10 channels. It is nice to just have nights with no TV, everyone reading, visiting, etc. There is just a different feeling in the house. |
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JP4
Associate Member
214 Posts |
Posted - Nov 07 2009 : 6:08:06 PM
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| My family has never had cable. We find enough to watch on network TV to get more than enough TV time. |
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carolyn2
Senior Member
827 Posts |
Posted - Nov 07 2009 : 8:25:24 PM
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| Great going, turnip! Just to give you some more social pressure the other way, we also have never had cable. Kids watch a little pbs occasionally, especially if they're sick. We get some movies from the library. And that's it, and we're happy and busy. Enjoy your new life! |
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oceanfamily
Associate Member
189 Posts |
Posted - Nov 07 2009 : 10:48:45 PM
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| I think you are just one step ahead...hubby and I agreed that it won't be much longer and we will be cancelling our cable because there is more and more JUNK made for tv...yuck! |
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Zoe
Advanced Member
1837 Posts |
Posted - Nov 08 2009 : 06:27:49 AM
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| I was on a trip recently and actually got a little excited because I would have cable TV to enjoy. Well, what a disappointment. I came away from that experience even more convinced that I didn't need cable (and I already held that conviction). I'd rather buy Saving Grace and Flight of the Conchords (or anything else I happen to fancy) and watch them when I want. |
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gina
Member
350 Posts |
Posted - Nov 09 2009 : 2:23:25 PM
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Zoe-
I had the same experience this weekend. DH and I stayed overnight at a nearby ski resort. As I was flipping through the channels it confirmed that most of the stuff is not anything I am at all interested in. |
kill your television |
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turnip
Member
440 Posts |
Posted - Nov 09 2009 : 9:27:41 PM
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Still loving the TV being OFF.
The house has never been cleaner, I am more organized and our nights are very peaceful. My anxiety levels have gone down too. |
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catherine
Advanced Member
USA
1195 Posts |
Posted - Nov 10 2009 : 04:22:43 AM
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Gee, I'm tempted to cut the Comcast just as an act of protest, if nothing more.... it makes me so mad that they've fixed things so you HAVE to pay for TV--no more free broadcast. I remember when cable first came out the selling point was, well, you pay for the broadcast but you don't get commercials... so now we pay twice.
If it weren't for DH I could definitely live without it. I only watch it now to keep him company in the evening, but most of the time, I'm multitasking because I find it to be so boring. |
catherine
www.silententry.wordpress.com |
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Zoe
Advanced Member
1837 Posts |
Posted - Nov 10 2009 : 04:44:32 AM
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turnip, I'm impressed with how you've been using your free time (cleaning!) and I certainly understand your anxiety levels going down what with the lower noise level (no TV blaring) and perhaps less violence (either from less news or show selection).
Glad to hear this has been working for you so far. |
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John B
Associate Member
Canada
166 Posts |
Posted - Nov 10 2009 : 07:43:43 AM
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Yeah! Cut the Cable ! I did it a few years ago and don't miss it. The best of no, or less TV is that there is less pressure to buy stuff. TV, for the most part attempts to make us feel like losers if we do not buy the products advertized. I feel less pressure to own stuff.
Go ahead, try it. You can always hook it up again if you find it too freeing.
:-) |
Sometimes I go about pitying myself and all the while I am being carried on great winds across the sky. |
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Topic |
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cutting the cable and social pressure
